WGBH Radio; The Callie Crossley Show

I'm Cally Crossley This is the Catholic boss of the show. The city election cycle is upon us with the general election around the corner. Today we continue our candidate round tables focusing on the city councilor at large race. There are seven names on the ballot and the roster is as diverse as the city itself. From seasoned politicos musicians and schoolteachers to community activists. The race is a heated one with four incumbents fighting to save their seats from three outside opponents. And the stakes are high. Not just for the candidates but for the future of the city council. This race could reshape the diversity and dynamics among these lawmakers from the number of women on the council because those representing communities of color. This hour we meet four of the seven vying to win or keep a seat. Up next this is what democracy sounds like. The Boston City Council at large candidates roundtable. First the news. From NPR News in Washington I'm Lakshmi saying consumer confidence

this month is the lowest it's been since March of 2009. That assessment today from the Conference Board the private research group says its confidence index dropped more than six points to thirty nine point eight. Further away from a reading of more than 90 that would be indicative of a healthy economy. Meanwhile Eurozone governments are trying to draft a comprehensive plan to address the region's debt problems by the time heads of state gather for a summit tomorrow. Assistant Treasury Secretary Charles Collins in the U.S. told lawmakers today that the administration sees quote a very strong likelihood there will be success. He also sought to reassure them that U.S. taxpayers will not be asked to fund a bailout of European countries. Now with consumer confidence down this month disappointing quarterly earnings and 2011 projections posted by several U.S. companies as well as a large cloud of uncertainty over Europe. U.S. stocks are falling at last check the Dow is down 111 points nearly 1 percent at eleven thousand eight hundred three Nasdaq off one and a quarter percent.

Twenty six sixty six. Home prices in the U.S. were essentially flat in August and that's according to the latest index from Standard and Poor's Case-Shiller Danielle Karson reports prices rose two tenths of a percent in half of the big cities surveyed. Home prices showed some signs of life in Washington D.C. Detroit and Chicago which posted the biggest yearly gains. But prices are still scraping bottom for the housing bust hit hardest such as Las Vegas Phoenix and Tampa SNP economist David Blitzer says while the numbers still paint a bleak picture they're not as bad. So if you dig in there are some glimmers of hope for clean up. But we seem to be gradually building a base which hopefully will lead to some gains over the next few years. But prices are likely to fall again as a huge backlog of foreclosures gets processed and trickles into the housing market. Nationally home prices have tanked 40 percent since the housing bubble five years ago. For NPR News I'm Daniel Karson in Washington.

Public discontent over a wide range of economic woes in the United States touched off arrests this morning in Oakland California. NPR's Richard Gonzales reports riot police cleared out a downtown encampment of protesters. Hundreds of police moved in before dawn breaking up a protest in a plaza in front of City Hall. The protesters calling themselves arguably Oakland responded by trying to establish a human shield between the police and their encampment. But that effort failed. Those not arrested were dispersed and the police have asserted control of the plaza in another park nearby were other protesters had camped two weeks ago some local elected officials had voiced their sympathy with the protesters. With that support gave way to concerns about public health and safety. Richard Gonzales NPR News Oakland. The Dow is down 110 points at eleven thousand eight hundred five. This is NPR News. The death toll from Sunday's earthquake in and around Arish Turkey is up to four hundred thirty two with the number of injured topping 13:00. Teams of rescuers including families trying to locate missing loved ones are frantically searching collapsed

buildings and there are thousands of them. Many bodies have been recovered but today there were also signs of hope at least seven people were pulled alive from the rubble including a woman and her newborn who'd been trapped beneath her flattened apartment building for two days. Hurricane Rina has strengthened to a Category 2 storm as it swirls off Central America's Caribbean coast with top sustained winds of 105 miles per hour. Phil Lassman from member station WRNI in Miami tells us the storm's future track is uncertain. The National Hurricane Center warns that rain may grow even stronger to Category 3 status before impacting Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula currently under a hurricane watch but says forecaster Richard passed it is a small one which means it is subject to use in the environment. We can and they can all. Nearly all of the computer model guidance we have suggests that it will begin weakening in a few days.

Rina is expected to meander in the Gulf of Mexico for several days eventually making an eastward swing. Some of the models have it approaching Florida. Others though keep it to the south of the U.S. as a much weaker storm. For NPR News I'm Phil Lassman in Miami. What is certain is U.S. stocks continue to fall last check the Dow is down nearly a hundred points at eleven thousand eight hundred seventeen nearly 1 percent NASDAQ off more than 1 percent at two thousand six hundred sixty eight. I'm Lakshmi Singh NPR News. Support for NPR comes from pro Quest creators of Heritage Quest an online tool for tracing family trees available through libraries across North America program asked Dot com. Good afternoon I'm Cally Crossley November 8th is just short of two weeks from now and voters will go to the polls for the general election on the ballot candidates for city councilor at large all of whom have to convince residents from every neighborhood in Boston to cast a vote for him or her on the

agenda schools crime and at the moment at least the occupiers on the Greenway will be talking about all of that this hour. Because today we continue our series of candidate round tables with a focus on the city councilor at large race. There are seven on the ballot a mix of incumbent newcomers and those who have been in and out of politics here today all four of the seven candidates Mike Flaherty a former city councilor at large who ran for mayor in 2009. William DORSEY You know he owns a marketing firm Boston City Council President Steven Murphy and city councilor at large. Felix Arroyo last week we heard from the other three candidates. Thank you all for joining us here today. Thanks for having us gets nice. Thank you Ali pleasure. So let's start this way and I would like a brief answer because it's one that people could go on and on about but I think it's an important thing to hear from each of you as I've said. City Councilor at large means you have to represent every neighborhood every person in the city and like the the district representatives. So what is your central message to

all the Bostonians whom you want to vote for you I'll start with you Felix. Thank you for having me on your show Kelly My name's Felix Arroyo I'm currently serving as one of the four at large city councils in the city of Boston and I'm grateful and honored for that privilege. The message is one of my own life and what Boston's been able to do for me and my family. I'm a lifelong Bostonian but I am the child of parents who moved to Boston looking for a better life for themselves and their family. They're looking for safe neighborhoods looking for housing. They're looking for good schools. I'm a part of the Boston public schools. And what they were in that American dream that I just described being able to housing clothes and feed you families includes opportunities for young people. I'm an active sports coach even as a city counselor mentoring teenagers in the city. And what drove me to run in the first place is what drives me to run for reelection which is my desire to ensure that every young person in this city has the same opportunities in life that I did that we maintain our libraries that we give them good quality schools at those school buildings treat them the buildings themselves. Are adequate buildings where they feel like as they were expected that our teachers have the

resources they need to teach. Now we focus on those issues and that's how we're going to get to the root of many of our problems in our society including youth violence which I in the interest of time all wrapped up now but say I'm hoping we'll get to it later. But it really is by looking at young people and making sure that there are opportunities to succeed real ones not perceived ones and that they know that they matter. OK City Council President Steven Murphy thanks for having me. Cali needs of every neighborhood. I basically have the same people you know have the same wants and desires and they want to be able to live in peace and harmony and have protected police protection fire protection and ambulance to come in a timely manner if they meet it. Street street cleaning snow plowing all of those important things and quality education from our public schools. Where are 2.5 billion dollar miscible Corporation the city of Boston. And we've been hamstrung through local aid cuts both at federal state level in federal level over the years and so it's been managing in this fiscal

downturn that you know I've put my attention on the council has as well working with the administration of the mayor to make sure that when the economic downturn we're delivering those services the people frankly expect and deserve. And during the course of the time of the hour here I'll cite many examples I don't want to get into specifics right now in light of all of my friends waiting to speak. So I thank you for that. Michael Flaherty thank you Cali to be in Atlanta City Council you truly need to be citywide. You know you can take any neighborhood or any demographic for granted. I spent a lot of time talking to people and asking them whether or not Boston is working for them. And if you've lost someone to senseless violent crime or if your neighborhood resembles a shooting gallery or if your child does not go to a good quality school or worse is unassigned and doesn't have a good quality school in their neighborhood or they're out of work and have been out of work for a period of time they're looking for a strong experienced in dependant member the city council to make sure that they're rolling up the sleeves and doing the best they

can working for everyone so that we can get Boston working for EVERYONE. Welcome to Cali I want to thank you for inviting me to have me on your show and having me on your show today. Born and raised in Dorchester number one on the ballot then my parents came from Haiti and came to this country in 1963 and really looking for a quality life and to do what many of the councils here have said today which is be able to provide for their kids provide quality education for us. And unfortunately the neighborhood where I grew up many of the families don't see that. And so my essential message to the residents of the city is we have to move Boston in the right direction I do see the city moving in the wrong direction. The crime and violence is escalating through many of the neighborhoods in the city. Many of the residents are without jobs or drive by the construction sites and you don't see a lot of local residents working at those sites and will play musical chairs with the Boston public schools moving one school to this building to this building to that building. Spending over a billion dollars a year on the Boston public schools and not providing all the kids with textbooks. I have a 2 year old daughter and I refuse to

raise her in the city without being proactive and speaking out out against some of the decisions that have been made to make sure that we can move the city in the right direction so that her future can be promising so that listeners and folks are going to vote for you can have a sense of what your. What you're known for if you're an incumbent and we have some incumbents here at the table and what you hope to be known for if you are elected William Dorsey and I want you to speak to the single issue by which you know you sort of put your stake in the ground. Incumbents and those who are. And then those who are coming back in tell me where you will put your stake in the ground. Let me start with you Michael Flaherty. Well having children that attend the Boston Public Schools my passion is obviously improving the quality of education in our city. For me it's never been about an us versus them private versus charter versus public versus Procul. What I've what I've fought for is to have good quality educational opportunities throughout all of our neighborhoods and in the hopes that we could have children that can compete for some of the best colleges and

universities in the world that currently call Boston their home. Each year tens of thousands of students come to our city in search of quality education. Yet our children children from the neighbors of Boston not only they cannot compete at that level they can't even get in. So we need to do a better job preparing our children the children the neighborhoods of Boston to be able to compete. And if you think about it that's. Our city's next generation that's the next generation and workforce of our city and if we're not doing our best and and as a parent that's your most important fundamental obligation it's the education of your children so clearly I'll be a fighter for people to make sure that we're getting quality opportunities in each and every neighborhood and they're going to keep families in the city because so many families have left our city in search of quality education for the children. So Michael Flaherty quality education he's coming back on to the council if he should win. Stephen Murphy you're an incumbent. Where have you put your stake in the ground your 15 years as a member of the city council and currently leading the council right now and we've had a responsible responsive substantive city council and we've If you look at

what's going on in D.C. there's an economic downturn everywhere families are feeling it. Individuals are feeling it. The federal government is dysfunctional at best and here at the City Council working in the city we've managed to make some strides. I have a financial background that many others don't have. I was in public finance and in private business before joining the city council so I'm looking at the bottom line all the time trying to find ways to raise revenue or to save money because it all flows from the money we can talk about great schools and talk about a whole host of other things. But frankly if we don't have the money for it and Beacon Hill has cut us back over 400 million in local aid over the past 10 years. You know it's all pie in the sky you've got to find the money so working with the mayor. I've been on the payment in lieu of taxes issue for large hospitals and colleges to make sure that they increase their cash payments to the

city of Boston we have a new formula that's going to raise thirty two million dollars more over the next five years. And also last year I am working with the mayor and the CFO who recommended that we refinance some of our convention center bonds when we were talking about closing libraries and other essential services that people expect and deserve. And by refinancing our bonds we were able to save 26 million dollars going from the debt service line item of our budget over into the operating budget so you know mine is a financial outlook and I think frankly everything flows from that how healthy your finances are. OK that would be Steven Murphy. Bottom line finances paying attention to those is where he puts his stake in the ground. OK Felix Roy you know you're the other incumbent here at this table. Where did you put your stake in the ground. I'm proud of the work I've done the City Council and my focus being young people in the city as the chair of the Committee on youth affairs. I have some victories that I'm proud of

you know in the last two budget cycle there was a proposal to cut thousands of summer jobs. We led the effort on the city council work with my colleagues but leading that effort to restore those summer jobs and to fully fund your own jobs when there was an effort to close libraries. I was working with my colleagues and in a very symbiotic relationship but I led the effort and standing up tall for saving branch libraries. More things that do what young people of my own free time outside of my time as a city council. I'm a mentor to young people have some great success stories like Lewis who's from Dixville street and square who I've had with me for six years now graduating with high school. He's the first in his family go to college a Suffolk University I'm very proud of him. I have some sad stories where I've had to bury two children who have called for over five years when as recently as just this weekend victim of youth violence. Good kids but their surroundings were not good. And that's where my focus was on when I said Do what you young people issue. I don't just talk about them. I talk with them this summer alone. I visited over 25 different organizations where I spoke to

over five hundred young people asking them what do they need from the city what is the one thing they would change. And we're working on those issues right now. Also on the education piece I believe we have a full show of civics in our classrooms for I think we have arts and music in our classrooms we should teach sex ed in our classrooms. But what's striking is how many young people have no idea what their government is and how it operates at the pure basic civic level. So this summer I decided I would do would my best to deal with that issue and I didn't. An institute at city hall on my dime. All the expenses that were incurred came out of other than the space at City Hall came out of my campaign where we did an institute where we taught young people on how to do commute organizing how does the government work. How does the budget work. Who are your elected officials how do you approach them. And these are all the things that I've been focused on and should the voters of Boston deem me worthy of having a second term on a Boston City Council. I'll continue to focus on our young people. Well you see No you are not an incumbent. What would you where would you put your

stake. Should you be elected. I think the voters would get in me a person a man of action you know someone who's not interested in just coming up with nice plans and nice ideas but actually providing action and acting out on those actions to come up with some solutions. Where I was born and raised there are many issues that plague my old neighborhood and many neighbors throughout the city that have been. Persistent in the city for 30 years for 35 years and yet we're able to put people on the moon. We're able to you know send hundreds of thousands of people to go fight wars and go build other countries. And yet crime violence poor education these issues continue to hurt many of our families in the city. So electing world Orsino is electing a man of action a person who will not stay inside the building of city hall but actually go into the neighborhoods and engage. When it comes time to elections a lot of elected officials find every civic association a neighborhood group and grandmother and where in front of these people to

talk to him to reach him. We need to take that same sort of effort in terms of outreach what many of these issues so we can engage the public and inform them given that they're the one who's funding the system. And I think if we do that we can have the public support many of these great efforts so we can actually change some of the issues that have been plaguing the city for decades. That's William DORSEY You know he says he's a man of action that's where he would put his stake in the ground and he would be. In the neighborhoods whether or not it's election time. Michael Flaherty says quality education. Steven Murphy says he's about the bottom line saving it and squeezing out what we need for the city and Felix of all things youth with a specific interest and focus on youth violence. Much more to talk about with these candidates. I'm Kelly Crossley we're hearing from the candidates running for city councilor at large. We are opening up the lines tell us what you want from your city councilor. Call if you have a question call if there is an issue you want them to tackle. 8 7 7 3 0 170 8

7 7 3 0 1 8 0 9 7 8 and you can post a question or comment to our Facebook page. We'll be back after this break. Stay with us on WGBH. This program is made possible thanks to you. And Boston Private Bank and Trust Company committed to helping successful individuals and businesses accumulate preserve and grow their wealth. You can learn more at Boston private bank dot com. And arts Emerson the world on stage presenting Mabu minds dollhouse the world renowned reinterpretation of Ibsen's classic November 1st through the 6th at the Cutler Majestic Theater. More information at Art's Emerson dot org. After Steve Jobs was diagnosed with cancer he asked Walter Isaacson to write his biography.

It's just been published. The next FRESH AIR we talk with Isaacson He conducted more than 40 interviews with Jobs and a hundred with friends relatives colleagues and adversaries. The book chronicles how Jobs revolutionized the personal computer and tells job's personal story. Joining us. This afternoon to an eighty nine point seven. 13th Annual classical cartoon festival lands at Boston Symphony Hall this Saturday October 21 we got a joy music from some of Boston's best ensembles. Meet WGBH characters. Make your own musical instruments and see your favorite classic Warner Brothers cartoons as they were meant to be seen. On the. Big Screen. Tickets are available at the door or online at WGBH dot org slash cartoon fest. Insights ideas and opinions about issues rooted here in Boston who is now the park manager at the Cape Cod Canal says trails were under construction. Bicycles horses and off road vehicles.

Local issues local talk Boston Public Radio. Welcome back to the Cali Crossley Show. If you're just joining us you've tuned in to our city council election series. Today we're talking about the at large race. There are seven names on the ballot here today are four of the seven candidates. Boston City Council City Council President Steven Murphy Mike celerity a former city councilor at large who ran for mayor in 2009 and businessman William DORSEY You know as well as Felix Arroyo. Last week we heard from the other four candidates. We're opening up the lines. Tell us if you're voting. Call us if you have a question for the candidates call if you want to voice an issue you're concerned about 8 7 7 3 0 1 89 70 8 7 7 3 0 1 89 70. It's a question that I've pondered because we've I've had this discussion with with folks who are running in districts particularly Dorchester around here being born and raised in Boston is a high value.

I mean there's a lot of value placed on it. But I wondered as we look at a 21st century Boston if you all have too much of a narrow focus on what Boston is today because you were born and raised here I mean it's an advantage in one way but it seems to me that there's probably a lot of folks in this changing Boston now who say gee I don't know if these people really understand where I'm coming from because it's a new day it's a new time feel to where you want you start. I am indeed born and raised in the city of Boston. And so if you're saying that's important to some voters I'll say it again. But what. I don't mean to overplay that is just a fact of my life. My my mom and dad are not born and raised in the city of Boston as a matter of fact they moved to Boston from Puerto Rico without even being able to speak English. They came here looking for a better opportunity for their family. I believe they found that you know and and and I'm doing everything I can as a member the city council to make sure that Boston is a welcoming city

a city that's open to our new residents and a city that works for all residents whether you're a lifelong Bostonian a longtime Bostonian a brand new Bostonian the city needs to work for you and that's been my commitment and that's been my work. So if you're if you don't have too narrow a vision just because you've been born and raised here you think you have you ever brought perspective on what is actually you know lifelong Bostonians of which the four of us are will say that Boston is a city of neighborhoods. Yes. And so every neighborhood has its own perspective its own culture its own style its own way of being. And so being born and raised in Boston. Does it make you in my mind because we're so its neighbors so distinct It's as if we're like twenty two different small cities within one and I think that's one of the benefits of Boston is our neighborhoods that you can be in different neighborhoods and have a different experience and so I feel like I can understand but I know that in my parents life in this story I know I understand. Steven MURPHY Well being from here and I am from here and I do think

there are some people that play at a place a high value one that I don't think that qualifies you for anything specific or disqualifies you I think you you have the appreciation of the history I think a little bit more personally than you might if you were someone who just moved into the city. But our job is what it is and it really is the guardians of a quality a life in the neighborhoods of Boston all in neighborhoods. And the city is in transition right now we see a lot of families of people that grew up in the city of Austin accessing the city of Boston and leaving to go to the suburbs. We've actually had an increase in population based on that. 2010 census I think around almost forty two thousand people and where the new growth is is in downtown neighborhoods. So it's a new people. People that didn't grow up in the city of Boston moving from suburbia or from someplace else into the city. And that's our greatest challenge moving forward. How do we make sure that as people move into

downtown areas that don't have that have more density I guess in a neighborhood less parking more people kind of living in a closer quarters how do we maintain that quality of life. The park system the streets the playgrounds all of it how do we make sure that we may have to build schools in fact there are several downtown neighborhoods that don't have schools. So that's a challenge for all of us moving forward. How do we move with the times I guess how do we make sure that we can continue to do our job which is to impact the quality of lives in a good way. Image changing Boston. Michael Flaherty the strength of our city is its diversity. Whether it's our new Bostonians or our senior citizens we all play an important role. That's why we're all proud to be from Boston. And we all want basically the same things you want good quality schools for our children for our families. We want safe and clean streets. We want economic opportunity and access to good jobs with good wages and good benefits and. And

I've said from the onset is that if you truly want to be an at large council you really need to be citywide you need to have relationships in every nook and cranny of the city in the different neighborhood associations and community groups. But also the different demographics whether it's the strength and support I have from the LGBT community the Vietnamese community the Haitian community the Russian community Cape Verde community and on and on and on. They all add tremendous value to our city. And when I served on the council as council president created a committee on new Bostonians to recognize the added value that new Bostonians not just new immigrants coming to the city but new folks that were moving into the city are in some instances people that were moving back to the city. Boston is a great city not unlike a lot of other major cities but I know one thing is that if you're born and raised in Boston or if you've only been living here for a shepherd a time we're all proud to be from Boston. Well I'm Doris and I too. Local local very local Dorchester born and raised up in school and I'm very proud of that. My parents came from Haiti so we do have an immigrant story in our family and I understand the value of

it and the greatness of this country. I myself I've traveled to dozens of cities across the U.S. I've traveled to Europe the Middle East and Haiti and Mexico. And I you know before say you know what I like Earl Grey be in trouble because when you and so have a couple languages that I can converse in as well. And so I think the combination between someone from being someone who's from here in the neighborhood and someone who understands the world both through my work and through the civic engagement that I participate in. That's what I think makes me very well-rounded in being able to deal with a lot of the issues that we continue to face in the city. You're listening to eighty nine point seven WGBH an online at WGBH dot org. I'm Kelly Crossley we're hosting our second city council at large candidates roundtable. I'm joined by city councilor at large Felix Arroyo a local businessman Williams Orsino. Mike Flaherty a former city councilor at large who ran for mayor in 2009 and Boston City Council President Steven Murphy. Last week we heard from the other three candidates. OK we're

going to take some calls now. Go ahead. Donna from Charlestown Massachusetts you're on the Kelly Crossley Show. Thank you for taking my call Kelly. I would have one specific question that I'd like every sponsor me to one of the candidates. Would you like to see the cat to be appointed school committee stay in place or would you be excuse me support of reinstituting the elected school committee. Thanks. Thank you very much for your call Donna. Go ahead Felix. Thank you for the call Donna. I actually believe in a hybrid model. I I believe that the call for elected school committee comes from the feeling that the school committee as it's presently constituted is not accountable to parents. And so I believe that there should be members of the Boston School Committee who have that natural accountability to parents and what's more natural than the need of that parent and that parent support to keep your job. So I do believe in that but I also fearful of an all elected

body because frankly I believe that there's a level of seriousness that should be taken with our school that sometimes in politics I don't want decisions to be made based soley on popular thought. For that I mean there are there are. Right now we're very quickly moving into a school system that's the majority of the students in the Boston Public Schools speak another language other than English at home. Papa thought a limited bilingual education something that is harmful to those students and I think we have had a school committee where you appointed people who are either teachers parents or academics who studied education and also elected people who who were felt accountable to the parents should have a good mix whether thought can be what I think would be very good for the education of our children and for setting policy in that way. Hybrid model William DORSEY You know I actually called for an elected school committee on the floor of the Boston school committee meeting and said to them My father taught me at a young age if you need to

say something to someone you should say directly. And I called for it directly in front of them. I trust the people. I think the same way the people who would vote for that like you know who would vote for an elected the same way. You know many of us who are running for Boston City Council it's an elected body. I think the seriousness of the issues of education also in the Boston City Council there are a slew of serious issues that we also have to address. I think with an elected school committee we have to make sure is there's accountability and the way to do that is to make sure conversations and decisions aren't being made behind closed doors and that we take the information to the public and that's really the number one reason why I'm running is to put the information in the hands of the public. I'm confident that if the public knows what's really going on that they would hold people accountable. And until we have that it will be very difficult whether it's a hybrid model or in a fully elected model to get that type of accountability and one example we'll probably talk about is the casinos and how

in the fine line of the legislation it says only the ward in which the casino will be located can vote against the casino being located in that ward. In the case of the city of Boston That's Ward 1 in Suffolk Downs. And it makes no sense that only Ward 1 in these Boston would vote on a casino that will have impact all of the 22 wards of the city. And so that's an example of something that needs to be front and center information in the hands of the people. And I think we can trust the people. OK William Dorsey you know elected model with transparency Michael Flaherty. But we need to do is we need to get the decisions out of court Street School side budgeting. Let's give. Parents and teachers the tools and the resources that they need to educate their children so we saw the problems that existed at one point in our city with the elected school committee. We all can tell you firsthand the problems that we're having with the appointed. It's all sort of they're all beholden to one person which is the mayor of the city who announced on several occasions judge me by the schools and judge me harshly yet not a lot of folks want to

judge harshly. And you're looking at a strong independent voice that will judge harshly based on graduation rates based on caste based on the dropout crisis based on kids that are not getting into colleges so what I consider a hybrid model. I would if it was totally representative of the student population I would not want to see people on there that do not have a vested interest that don't have children or grandchildren in the system I would like to see educators be part of the solution as well as as taxpayers and so I know that we can talk about the flaws or the shortcomings of both the elected and the appointed is hybrid the solution not quite sure. It would obviously again as I said would have to be representative of the people in accountable. But most importantly let's take those decision let's get those decisions out of court street very precious dollars are being wasted particularly on school transportation. We're going to get 100 million dollars a couple years from now. That's money that would be better spent in the classroom for extended school day before and after school programs art music physical ed and yes and I would require this or at least I'd be continuing to push this mandatory S.A.T. prep for high

school students in the city of Boston. Stephen Murphy hybrid model elected or or appointed these guys are good they get a lot of stuff in that one little question that you ask. We did have problems with the elected School Committee back in the 80s and 90s we obviously desegregation order grew out of an elected school committee's reluctance to follow the law. And then we had running up budget deficits year after year and a rotating revolving door for a school superintendent so somebody would come in and start taking the system in one direction and boom somebody else would come in a year or two later and that was all with the elected so they can get a little frustrated with that. There's a huge disconnect with the appointment and that disconnect is that most people don't even know who the school committee members are. And a lot of times we're getting call councillor Arroyo and I are getting called for a school committee type issues and which we have very little. Direct

power authority we have the power over the budget. We can cut the budget. We can't cut the budget with a line item cut. So if we say we cut the budget 30 million dollars on transportation and say that's too much they could take it out of school lunches and then turn around say the city council just took away your school lunches you need to march on City Hall you know so I think a hybrid makes sense. I think you do have some professional educate is people that have been appointed to the school committee that are responsible. And then you also have to give parents and students an opportunity to reconnect and be part of the discussion at the highest level. The only way you can do that I think is at the ballot box so I would support a hybrid school committee. That was city council president Steven Murphy he's one of several candidates here today at the Round Table also William Dorsey and a local businessman Michael Flaherty a former city councilor at large who ran for mayor in 2009 and city councilor at large Felix Arroyo. They're all running for a seat on the city

council now. There are only so many seats on the city council and there's been a little conversation about politicking to ensure certain seats. But at least two of you at this table I'm talking about. Michael Flaherty who is coming back into the race as a city councilor at large candidate accusing you Stephen Murphy and Felix Oreo and Yana Presley and John Connelly of being part of Tommy's team. That would be Mayor Thomas Menino state he says and has just said a moment ago he's an independent voice. You four have banded together to vote to run your own campaigns but also to encourage others to support the other three of you. How do you respond to that. That's what he says. And I was there. I mean I know you know I will in 2009. Michael Flaherty ran against Tom Menino and they both ran for mayor of Boston and neither one of them to my knowledge got involved in the city council race. They were both focused on

each other. And Stephen Murphy as a member of the city council Felix Arroyo as a candidate John Connelly as a council member and Ayanna Pressley all ran and were successfully elected on their own to the Boston City Council. So you know every one of us went out and made our case and we were the four people that were elected. And for the last two years we worked very very well together in a down economy. We don't always agree on everything but we understand where each other is coming from. And we've kind of learned to kind of co-exist and support one another in particular efforts. And in fact General efforts of the city council and you know we've disagreed a lot with Tom Menino over the past two years. Tom Menino had the fire contract foisted upon us when in fact he had gone to arbitration with the fire department and when they had gone aberration They said Whatever happens happens they kind of shake hands and agree on that of course. I think the mayor was unhappy with the

award and it kind of came to the council and the council diligently worked to save taxpayers 43 million dollars and still uphold the right of public unions to collectively bargain. The administration citing fiscal punch as one of the close a lot of libraries layoff a whole bunch of people. The council stood up to them time and time again community centers this year a streak of independence. We didn't get nasty We didn't get personal. We kept it professional and you know what I did. All three of my colleagues at large have supported me as the president and I made a commitment to them in January regardless of who is running that I was going to support my friends and my colleagues at large. All right I just think that ever you say there's no i in team this time. I mean there are there is an i in team and it's you know when you're running individually and don't be limping you want to team before Felix your way and I want Michael Flaherty What do you mean by that. Well first of all at the end of the day the people of Boston will decide which four of the seven candidates all good candidates in their own right working extremely hard bringing a

lot to the table at the end of the day anyone that puts their name on the ballot puts themselves out there. Puts in the hours has my respect. This isn't a credit union elections is the people's seat. The people of Boston this is the municipal seat that's closest to the people its people that you see at the local coffee shop local church community organization at the library. And they want to make sure that they know you that you're paying attention to detail that you're showing up at the same time there's lots of issues in our city and most importantly the people of Boston they don't want to be told who to vote for. They have four choices and they're going to making those choices over the next couple weeks. And when they go to the polls on November 8th we hope in big numbers they'll be selecting me as one of the four and they'll choose which of the three they want in. But are you a more independent voice because you're not a part of quote unquote. I mean yeah I mean it's the council the way that the structure works I served there for 10 years I served as council president. There's no one at this table can tell me that the council of times is marginalized. Counsel Murphy and I we worked the first pilot reform efforts when I was council president I created the first single committee on pilot reform and council Murphy had accepted the chairmanship in our

first series of meetings we reached out to the colleges and universities to commit to sort of tell us sort of what they do for the city and we want to explain to them what they're getting in exchange. And a lot of them didn't show up. Because they were told not to show up and they called both Council Murphy and I and cities would like to communicate dissipated your hearing and we understand this issue but. But you know we have an expansion plan and we have our Master Plan A We're afraid. So that happens pretty regularly in the city of Boston and one here that says that it doesn't. Are there instances where people stand up on a particular issue that they're passionate about or once a year or during the budget process no doubt about and I can see can cite countless examples of that. But I'm talking about being a strong and effective experience consistent independent voice day in and day out every single Wednesday in the Florida Council not just here in there not just quarterly. And I think that's the difference and this council tends to be marginalized in a strong strong mayor form of government when it takes seven to the most part to affect change and the strength of the councils also the bully pulpit it's the Wednesday afternoon meetings when you have the floor you have the attention of the people of Boston and I want people to roll their sleeves and fight to put people

back to work fix the schools and make our streets safer and cleaner. I promise you a chance to respond to that if you look around the other side of this break. I'm Kelli Crossley we're hearing from the candidates running for city council or at large opening up the lines. That's 8 7 7 3 0 1 8 8 9 7 8 8 7 7 3 0 1 89 70. We'll be back after this break. Keep your dial on eighty nine point seven. WGBH Boston Public Radio. This program is on WGBH thanks to you. And Newbury Comics your pop culture destination for music movies rock shirts and posters comics toys and gifts. With 29 New England locations Newbury Comics for a wicked good time more at Newbury Comics dot com. And Hebrew senior life you can learn how to make the transition in retirement at Hebrew senior life college of retirement living two sessions starting

October 27 registration online at h s l independent living dot org. And frontline examining the death penalty and the evidence used to convict and execute a father for killing his children. Did Texas kill an innocent man. Watch death by fire on Frontline tonight at 9 on WGBH too. Next time on the world a new high school student comes to study in the Bosnian city of Mostar. Yes he's not just any junior. He's the grandson of North Korea's Kim Jong Il. And this isn't just any European school its curriculum fosters multiculturalism and reconciliation. One of the Dear Leader's grandkids studies peace next time on the world. Coming up at 3 o'clock here at eighty nine point seven WGBH. I'm Brian O'Donovan inviting you to join the WGBH Celtic. Not only win. Receive discounts and invitations to concerts and events all over town. Right now we see thanks with a pair of tickets to a Christmas Catholic social coming this

December to a concert hall near you. Membership starts at a hundred fifty dollars a year visit WGBH dot org slash Celtic. The latest local news headlines are as close as your smartphone with the new WGBH app. A single tap keeps you up to date with headlines from business to arts and culture. Just a free download away at the App Store or learn more at WGBH dot org. Good afternoon I'm Kalee Crossley If you're just joining us we're continuing our city council series meeting the candidates running for various seats today we're talking about the at large race. There are seven candidates on the ballot. Here with me in the studio are four of the seven candidates running to win or keep a seat on the city council. I'm joined by my clarity a former city councilor at large who ran for mayor in 2009. Businessman William Dorsey ina Boston City Council President Stephen Murphy and city councilor at large Felix Arroyo.

Last week we heard from the other four candidates. And you can join us at 8 7 7 3 0 1 8 9 seventy 8 7 7 3 0 1 89 70. I would be remiss. Michael Flaherty if I didn't point out that when you ran for mayor you and Sam you came together so that was in effect asking people to vote for the two of you as one. And there was no official Slate In that way. You just reached out in that way it's for the two of you and often for him to be deputy mayor. There's one name on the ballot that was my name in the mayor's name obviously you know but I you know my point is that you ran together and that wasn't an official thing that's not part of something that you can legally do but you did that to make it clear that that's what would happen should you be elected so in some ways this is not something we've not you know what what's happening here with the four is not unusual or different from what you did just want to put at a table. Well yeah but it's not but it's again it's not a credit union it's not a slate. OK so all right let's leave here. Right I mean that's what I got. What it is

I promised Felix that he would get a minute to answer this and then we got to get back to some other stuff. You know as I said in the newspaper story that you're referring to where you got the name Tommy's team I quote couldn't been more clear. I am not a part of any slate asking Boston voters to give me one of their four votes and in the end the voters in Boston will decide who gets any if not all of their four votes that that's their decision. It's also frankly a campaign a first for me because it's the first time I've ever been accused of not being independent and an independent thinker. You know no one was questioning my independence when I was taking the lead on the library issue or the lead on selling the firefighters contract and out of respect for Mike the controversy MURPHY No one's questioning his independence was taking the lead on health care reform at the city of Boston. You know there there are times when I agree with the administration and there are times when I don't it is no more independent to always. It is not more independent. The same way saying yes all the time to somebody is not independent saying no all the

time is not independent disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing is not independent it is very dependent on the position of that person for you to get to yours. I have never I have never said that yes when when I met no and Ive never said no when I meant yes and I'm very proud of that fact and that is my reputation that's my record. I put that out for anyone to judge. All right we got a caller. Let's take a Mohammad from Dorchester Go ahead please. Thank you for taking my call. I live in Dorchester and to start with and I'm a cab driver in Boston and when I need a cab to take to walk away I'm going to get a cab. I don't get a cabin door just a door just to Roxbury in mad abandon neighborhood have missed service of transportation when it comes into the cabbies. Then others in the neighborhood so like to be can hear or jobless and I was wondering would the council of the lodge one in what I think of and what we have is as it

has 20 cows and cabbies with only 800 caps are all gone in and said as such. Some area in the city. Is that because there are fewer licenses given is that what you're saying to people you just realize this is the one and the other one is that because of the amount of money that was put on the Smith that is four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Oh and it was expensive and we left the largest neighborhood that had no stoves at all. God how do I thing having a Transportation specifically for this neighborhood. You know this neighborhood taxis. That was sure this deprived all right mom when I'm going to let them answer you so here you go. Well interesting I wanted to take that. OK being someone who was born and raised in Dorchester and haven't had a difficult time throughout my life to catch a cab in Dorchester and my uncle has driven a cab for about 30 years in the city. I think we need training. I think we need to go directly to the taxi companies and really speak to them directly and take the leadership and I

would take the leadership and make them understand that the people in Dorchester are really no different than the people in Jamaica Plain and all the people in the south and I do understand there is a safety concern because you don't ever read about the positive things that happen in Dorchester. But when there's a shooting. Just you know turn on the news and it will be there. So are you saying that there's not enough kids because they don't want to sign them they're not that it's a money situation first. Say I'm saying there are calves that go through there that just will not stop for you because it's Dorchester. All right so it's a larger problem and just a license it is getting a larger larger problem than that. That's why I say I would take the leadership that I just want to address one thing from from the whole Tommy Steen as a first time candidate and I will say that the mayor is putting his weight behind a four incumbent and that doesn't work for me because I'm not interested in being collateral damage. But many of his people and I've asked them hey what you know what why just the for why not me as a newcomer to politics and I don't know why I don't know if it's because of a distain for Michael Flatley or what it is but I think honestly we have to have

some honesty in this conversation and the honest truth is the mayor is supporting the four incumbents and that's William Dorsey you know on Tommy's team. Michael Flaherty about the taxes you say. No neighborhood should be under served I see it you know whether at the Roxbury mall or you're up at the Grove Hall supermarket. But for gypsy cabs folks would be able to get to and from. Shopping there doctors appointments. There are a lot of folks also that depend on the ride. We learn from talking to the ride drivers that there's a tremendous amount of abuse. They tell me that people who really need it don't get it and the people that don't need it take full advantage of it so there's a huge disconnect. My grandfather drove a cab and was very proud to do so. I can tell you how difficult it is after talking with cabbies and led the effort with cabbies on the Boston City Council. The cost of medallions the cost of fuel. The regulations that are now put on taxicab drivers as well as the fees whether they're using credit card in the back mean all that stuff comes out of the hourly wage

of attacks again. We passed legislation years ago with respect to the convention center and making sure that funds that went. On behalf of the residents and the taxpayers of Boston that we were going to increase the number of medallions because it would be bringing in new tourist and new conventions are coming to Boston but we really haven't seen an uptick. If you're talking about communities that don't see taxis I believe it in and should stop. And also taxi drivers who are really feeling the pinch to the point where it's costing them money to actually go on to the shift is unacceptable we need to do something in City Council clearly can play a role it's definitely within their purview and oversight. All right I'm changing the subject because there's a couple of other hot button issues I want you all the way in. In a very brief way Occupy Boston Occupy the Hood. This is right where you all live as city councilors and if you are one William DORSEY You know Stephen Murphy I know you've spoken about the cost of protecting them. You want to weigh in right now about because this could go on through the winter. What would be your position. Well I mean I'm supportive of their message again. I think they're right about the ninety nine percent of

people that have been bailed out of Big Oil and mall street and all of the people of that combined to wreck the economy and some by design. I just I don't think there's an in-game purpose for them. And I think they need to articulate that because. It just can't go on and on forever with with no set of action items what do we collectively we have agreements do. Well you but your point is really not so much about their lack of messaging or or the message they perceive but how much it cost the city. Oh yeah because it isn't the city of Boston that they are occupying because we need something. It's their Occupy it's the Occupy Wall Street and they've taken it to different venues. It isn't Wall Street that's going to pick up the tab here it's the taxpayers of Boston. That's my job to defend them. OK I will never see an Occupy Boston occupy that I support I spoke at Occupy the Hood have been down to Occupy Boston I support civil disobedience. OK what about the cost. Well I think as long as they're not destroying city property and as long as they're not

disrupting life in the downtown area or throughout the city that I think we should continue to bear the cost. All right. Let me change subject once more. Wal-Mart some of you were like yes or no I just want to know I know Mayor Menino is very clear no some communities we've talked about this on this show a couple times. Where do you all fall down. William Dorsey no no in Dudley Square. But maybe other places maybe other places. OK. Michael Flaherty I make sure that rules are fairly applied not just to Wal-Mart but to all of the shopping centers in markets. Last time I checked there are a lot of people in Boston out of work not saying a site specific is appropriate but we get a commitment from Wal-Mart to treat their employees with dignity and respect. So yeah wages and good benefits then I think we should be at least entertaining the concept of them coming here provided that they're going to be good employee good employees lawyers to their employees. Yes with some concerns. Felix are you agreeing where candidates are seen or not in Delhi but it's because there should be community control around development in the residence and they would have made it clear that that's not the future they see for their for their neighborhood but it could be someplace else.

It should not be the decision of politicians or some of the decisions of the neighborhoods and the residents of those neighborhoods. Stephen Murphy five disagreed with the mayor out of the gate on this. In fact I basically said we should have an adult conversation about this thing. The idea that Walmart wants to come in they want to build a union they want to pay union that's at least what they're telling us. And we could actually sit down with community members and say OK can we put some variation of a store here. We don't want to put moms and pops out of business maybe it's a grocery store. Maybe that's the iteration Wal-Mart takes there. There are a lot of grocery stores in the deadly Triangle area right there so that's something that we should be engaged in the conversation not just a blanket no out of the gate. There are some folks who have been working for anti-violent in an anti-violence movement in Boston which continues to you know see all of these deaths by young people as you mentioned Felix. Are you in support of some more tangible support of them. I'm thinking you know supporting the Peace Institute for example that you know we've been out there with

this yes or no where would you be on this because this is going to come up again. Absolutely this is very personal to me. Just this past weekend I buried a young man who was one of my brother's best friends my brother spoke at the service my brother was just in the Dominican Republic with him weeks ago and he spent just days before his mother was at my mother's house is very personal to me we need to do everything we can to stop our young people from dying and stopping people from killing you know. OK Tina Terry's piece Institute or some program like that Stephen Murray would you be in favor of supporting that. I mean with no one want to homicide is one too many and obviously I'd love to look at it and try to be helpful keeping in mind that there is a bottom line it's 2.5 billion. The council can increase it. Excuse me. I feel it's cold I mean yeah. Well the council couldn't increase that they can only cut a budget so we have to look to find a way to find the money and whether we take it from that's a question. Michael Flaherty always avoided Tina Chery in the Peace Institute in fact my staff has worked very closely with her over the years of not only support of that but a number of other peace initiatives. I've

attended memorials and demonstrations as well as have reached out I think that as a former prosecutor I've had a front row seat in terms of what we need to do with respect to crime and violence. I know that the city does a great job of reacting to crime. We need to do a better job of preventing these things from happening which means putting people back to work in providing quality education tangible support for programs like the answer the answer is absolutely yes. In any municipality there's waste and I'm pretty sure in the city of Boston there's waste in the two point five billion dollar budget. So I absolutely would look at supporting the Peace Institute as also mothers for justice in a number of other organizations that do great worthy work. I think counsel Murphy said it. You know one homicide is too many. I was at a wake a funeral of a good friend of mine who lost his 22 year old son who was a student at B.C. pumping gas a man of Penn Square. Has an exchange with an individual and took three bullets in the chest. And so that type

of violence it's like the Wild Wild West out here and it was that way when I was growing up as a kid and it continues to be this way and that's why I say if we could put people on the moon then we certainly can come together and do what's best to stop the killings on the streets. Well there you have it. Four of the seven candidates running for city council are at large. The vote is November the 8th we've been talking with them about their issues and concerns. I've been joined by my clarity will door Ciena city councilor Steven Murphy and city councilor Felix Arroyo. You can keep on top of the Calla Crossley Show at WGBH dot org slash Calla Crossley follow us on Twitter. Become a fan of the Calla Crossley Show on Facebook. Thank you all for joining us for having us today show we're going to hear by Antonio only art introduced by Chelsea murders. Well Rose lip and Abbey Rebekah Ware production of WGBH Boston Public Radio.