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Press Room
Fall 2005

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Housing activists call for more affordability
Yawu Miller, Boston Banner
October 27, 2005

On Friday, Oct. 14, Cheryl Lawrence was among the four housing activists arrested in Egleston Square protesting the eviction of a tenant.

The following Tuesday, she joined scores of tenant activists in the city council’s Ianella Chamber in a hearing calling on the city to re-define what it considers affordable housing.

“The lack of affordable housing is having a profound effect on our families,” she says. “The city councilors keep saying production of more housing is the answer. It hasn’t done much.”

While Mayor Thomas Menino has touted the city’s record of developing affordable housing — including more than 2,000 units in the last three years — housing activists are increasingly questioning who in the city can afford to buy or rent the new units.

Most of the 3,000 units produced in the city are geared toward households earning between $42,000 and $66,000 a year. But, as UMass Boston Professor Michael Stone notes, fewer than half of the city’s households earn that much.

The problem, according to affordable housing activists, is that the area median income statistics used by the city incorporate cities and towns including Brookline, Wellesley, Lexington and Concord where incomes are much higher than those in Boston.

Consequently, what is median for the area is twice what is the median for Boston.

“The question is, affordable to whom?” asked activist Jerry Coats during his testimony. “People are going from being renters to being homeless. People in our communities are struggling. I ask the city council to do all it can to bring the guidelines to real affordability.”

Councilors Arroyo, Turner and Yancey listened to Coats and dozens of other tenants and housing activists for more than two hours of testimony on their struggles with housing. Councilors John Tobin and Paul Scapiccio also made appearances in the hearing, as did council candidate Gibran Rivera, who is challenging Tobin.

“I think we have to ask ourselves two very important values-related questions,” said Rivera, who has made affordable housing a cornerstone of his campaign. “Is housing a human right? Is the city of Boston going to have working people at the center of its life?”

Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative Executive Director John Barros also advocated for housing as a “fundamental human right” in voicing support for a re-calibration of the city’s affordability guidelines.

“Today, I strongly urge the Housing Committee of the Boston City Council to stand by your neighbors — stand with and for those that might not be able to live here any longer,” Barros said. “Push for a more responsive definition of affordability.”

Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance Executive Director Tom Callahan took a decidedly different note during last week’s hearing, arguing that altering affordability guidelines in Boston could open the door for the wealthier communities to slant their affordability in favor of higher-income home buyers.

“Just imagine if Boston did this,” he said. “Why wouldn’t Wellesley change to a town-wide formula? We feel like this might have unintended consequences.”

Barros, however, urged the council to disregard Wellesley’s affordable housing decisions.

“I respectfully disagree with the notion that Wellesley even wants to think about affordable housing, let alone welcome people from this city into their community,” he said.

“We can’t wait for other cities to establish housing programs that they haven’t established so far,” Arroyo agreed. “If we keep the established guidelines, people who can’t afford to live here will leave. And it won’t be for Wellesley or Needham.”

Arroyo called the exodus of low-income families from Boston a hemorrage, urging fellow councilors to change the affordability guidelines.

Arroyo, the sponsor of last week’s hearing, has not yet crafted a proposed ordinance on the affordability guidelines.

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Jamaica Plain Family Spared Contentious Eviction
Dawn Witlin, Boston Herald
October 15, 2005

A diabetic mother collapsed as she and her three children were evicted from a Jamaica Plain apartment while protesters clashed with police yesterday - but the family was allowed back into its home thanks to a city councilor's intervention.

With arms linked and voices raised, the protesters attempted to block police officers who assisted the landlord in the eviction at 3226 Washington St.

``Four individuals locked arms, preventing (the constable) from going in. They were placed under arrest for unlawful assembly and disorderly persons,'' said Boston police officer John Boyle.

Minerva Martinez collapsed in court while attempting to get a stay of eviction as the rally was going on. She was taken to an area hospital and released later in the day.

A protester also fainted at the rally.

``They told her that she hadn't paid rent in the last two months, that there were more damages and she owed money, but there were no damages and she had already paid them. They just wanted her out of the apartment,'' Minerva's 14-year-old daughter, Jennifer, said of Urban Edge, the property management company that ordered the eviction.

Jennifer said she was terrified of being homeless.

``I couldn't go to school because I couldn't concentrate,'' she said. ``I just was worried about my mom.''

``We are ready to give Urban Edge the money, but they are unwilling to talk to us,'' said Cheryl Lawrence, an organizer for the housing advocacy group City Life, minutes before she became one of the four protesters arrested.

Tenants at the rally claimed the property management company had ignored repair requests for months.

City Councilor Felix Arroyo listened to the protesters' complaints and negotiated the family's position with the landlord. ``I wanted to tell them that although I was unaware of all the issues, I was very concerned about the well-being of the family,'' he said.

Arroyo convinced the landlord to reverse the decision to throw the family out.

``They just said we could stay here but I don't know for how long,'' Jennifer said.

Urban Edge did not return phone calls yesterday.

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Arroyo Sweeps JP Vote
John Ruch, Jamaica Plain Gazette
October 7, 2005

Progressive candidates Felix Arroyo and Sam Yoon took the lion's share of the Jamaica Plain vote in the at-large City Council preliminary election Sept. 27.

Arroyo, an incumbent, pulled 24 percent of the local vote, and Yoon pulled 17 percent.

JP voted for the same top eight candidates who won citywide, but in a very different order that emphasized progressive politics and new blood. City council President Michael Flaherty, who was number one citywide, was number six in JP. Arroyo and Yoon finished second and fifth citywide.

Following Arroyo and Yoon in the JP vote were Matt O'Malley (10 percent), Patricia White (9 percent), John Connolly (8 percent) Flaherty (8 percent), incumbent Stephen Murphy (7 percent) and Ed Flynn (4 percent).

Despite a sunny election day with moderate temperatures, JP's 17 percent voter turnout was only slightly better than the citywide 15 percent average. As usual, Ward 19 was JP's highest-voter turnout area, with about 22 percent.

There was apparently not much "bullet voting," or voting only for a single candidate to increase his or her chances. JP showed about three votes per ballot on average.

The top four vote getters citywide in the Nov. 8 final election will win council seats.

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El Mundo Editorial
Felix Arroyo Makes History Again...
October 6th, 2005

We are conservatively guessing that last week Felix Arroyo celebrated his primary election party amidst a very wide range of supporters. If one were to describe racial diversity, all you would have to do is point in the direction of Arroyo's campaign.

Running on a platform best described as progressive and inclusive, Felix has been able to not only mobilize the Latino vote, but he has also won the hearts of many non-Latino progressive voters who have embraced his politics and his commitment to his community and his constituents over the past two years. With short money, no political machine, and no big money backers, Arroyo was able to secure 15,681 votes (12.24%), placing him second to City Council President and fellow incumbent Michael Flaherty (17,820 votes,13.9%) - a most impressive deed, considering he was viewed upon as a political long shot a few years ago by many experts who Arroyo has proven wrong once again.

Arroyo has solidly demonstrated that a legitimate grassroots campaign,founded upon truly dedicated and committed campaign volunteers, can make all the difference in the world. He has inspired and motivated many who had lost faith in our political system. For that we congratulate and thank him. Felix Arroyo is a passionate leader who leads by example as he confided to /El Mundo/ this week that he begins campaigning at 6am and ends at 11pm. He has often times described his campaign as one that simply reflects those who need and deserve a voice. And we agree.

In this week's edition of /El Mundo/ (page 28), Felix, as he always has,continues to encourage his Latino community to register and vote on November 8th. He is in the midst of a series of weekly activities that celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (every Thursday) at City Hall, as he builds on his well-deserved reputation as a man of the people. /El Mundo/ strongly encourages Arroyo to persevere in proving all of theso-called experts wrong. He has done it before and we are confident hewill continue to do so.

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Arroyo, Yoon Secure Spots on November’s At-large Ballot
Yawu Miller, Bay State Banner
October 6, 2005

As the Arroyo campaign’s precinct captains filtered into Merengue Restaurant with tallies from across the city, supporters were crowded around restaurant owner Hector Pina’s laptop computer viewing the results that filtered in from the city’s Election Department.

While the city’s results initially put Arroyo in seventh place, the mood in the restaurant shifted from anxiety to elation as results from precincts in communities of color filtered in propelling Arroyo to second place, within 2,200 votes of first-place finisher Michael Flaherty.

In the final tally, newcomer John Connolly clinched third place, bumping incumbent Stephen Murphy to fourth place, within 900 votes of fifth-place finisher Sam Yoon. Rounding out the top eight were Patricia White, Matt O’Malley and Edward Flynn.

Fifteen candidates were in the running for the eight at-large city council ballot slots that will appear on the November ballot.

Arroyo and Yoon’s finish in the top eight demonstrated again what many say is the increasing clout in the city’s communities of color.

While neither candidate did particularly well in the traditionally powerful white ethnic enclaves, both were able to draw votes from wards populated by Asian, black and Latino voters. With African Americans constituting the city’s largest single non-white group, the black vote was key to Arroyo and Yoon’s success.

Activists say the willingness of blacks to vote for candidates of color bodes well for the future of politics in a city long known for its ethnic balkanization.

“When black people are going to the polls to vote for a Puerto Rican and an Asian, you know things have changed,” commented long-time political activist Danielle Williams.

Arroyo’s strong finish, despite having raised little more than $41,000 by September, sparked talk of a mayoral run among political pundits, but Arroyo says it’s too early to think about anything other than getting re-elected.

“It’s a very premature question,” he said responding to the mayoral talk. “At this point I think I play an important role on the council.”

Arroyo says his campaign is aiming to raise another $50,000 by the November 8 final election in order to do mass mailings. But Arroyo acknowledges that his success at the polls has so far depended very little on fundraising.

“I raised less money than the other people, but we use more people power than money to get our message out — phone calls, literature drops, emails,” he said.

Arroyo campaign manager Pat Keaney says the campaign has depended on 300 volunteers.

Even without raising the $200,000 Flaherty raised before the preliminary, Arroyo could well get a boost from the traditional spike in progressive voters and voters of color that comes with the final election. Preliminaries tend to draw a smaller, more conservative voting population that does not favor candidates of color.

In 2003, Arroyo finished in fifth place in the preliminary before rocketing into a second place finish in the final. If pattern holds true in the November election, not only could Arroyo advance to the number one slot, Yoon too could benefit, moving from his fifth place to one of the four at-large seats.

“What these votes show is that political change is happening in this city,” said Chinese Progressive Association Executive Director Lydia Lowe. “Areas that in the past were political strongholds are not as monolithic as before and there’s more participation in communities of color.”

As Lowe points out, Arroyo and Yoon were able to draw votes from areas like Hyde Park’s Ward 18, where Murphy topped the ticket with 2061 votes, but Arroyo came in a close second with 1925 votes. Although Yoon finished seventh in Ward 18, he still walked away with 1,100 votes.

At the same time, Arroyo and Yoon cleaned up in the lower-turnout predominately black and Latino inner city neighborhoods. In Roxbury’s predominately African American Ward 12, for instance, Arroyo finished in first place with 800 votes. Perennial candidate Roy Owens finished second with 526 votes and Yoon was in third with 442 votes.

Arroyo and Yoon finished in first and second place respectively in wards in Lower Roxbury, the South End, Fenway, Mission Hill and the Back Bay/Beacon Hill.

In all, Arroyo won in 11 of the city’s 22 wards — more than any other candidate — although he won in wards with fewer registered voters and lower voter turnout percentages.

While voters of color are expected to turn out in greater numbers in the final election, two high-turnout white neighborhoods could also see elevated turnout in the final election. In South Boston, incumbent district Councilor James Kelly faces off against South Ender Susan Passaoni. In West Roxbury, incumbent John Tobin faces a challenge from Jamaica Plain resident Gibran Rivera.

With the two contested races and two white candidates squaring off for mayor — Maura Hennigan and Thomas Menino — whites could make up a larger percentage of the increased voter turnout in November.

Arroyo says he’s not leaving anything to chance in the final election.

“We feel confident in going forward, but understand that we have to campaign as hard as if we were in it for the first time,” he said. “We have a very little amount of time. We have to get to the voters with information about who we are and what we stand for.”

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Council Results Signal Voting Shift
Fuel A Quest for Support of Minorities, Liberals
Andrea Estes and Lisa Wangsness, Boston Globe
September 30, 2005

Felix D. Arroyo carried more of Boston's 22 wards than any other candidate in Tuesday's preliminary election, a fact that has ignited mayoral aspirations for Arroyo and has given fuel to City Council challengers who have been trying to appeal to minority voters and white liberals.

It has also exposed some soft spots for Council President Michael F. Flaherty, who has been plotting a bid for mayor in 2009 and is eager to demonstrate that his popularity transcends racial and neighborhood boundaries.

Arroyo finished second overall behind Flaherty in Tuesday's election. But according to a Globe analysis of the polling results, the city's first Hispanic councilor at large won 11 of the city's 22 wards while Flaherty won only six in predominately white areas, including Charlestown, Dorchester, and his home neighborhood of South Boston.

The results appear to reinforce the belief of some candidates and political observers that voting patterns and preferences in Boston no longer automatically favor traditional candidates, who have been more typically white males, often with pedigrees in the city's Irish political establishment.

Challenger Sam Yoon -- the city's first Asian-American council candidate, who placed a strong fifth -- did well in the same neighborhoods as Arroyo, including Beacon Hill, the South End, Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain. Yoon also placed first in the ward that includes Chinatown and the North End.

An endorsement by Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi of the Massachusetts House of Representatives was seen as helping him in that neighborhood. Patricia White, the campaign's only woman, also did well in some of the same sections of the city as Arroyo.

During the final weeks of the campaign, when the mayor's race is likely to draw attention among more liberal voters, Arroyo, Yoon, and White believe they have nowhere to go but up.

''There's no improvement except to go to first place," said Arroyo, who two years ago did dramatically better in the final election than the preliminary race, riding an unprecedented wave of voters turning out in predominately black and Hispanic areas.

Arroyo outpolled his opponents in predominantly minority areas of the city and in white, liberal sections including Beacon Hill. He came in a close second to Councilor Stephen J. Murphy in the neighborhood where both live, Hyde Park.

Arroyo said his voters have a common bond. ''The city is becoming more expensive, and gentrification is there," he said. ''I represent the people who are less rich."

Arroyo said that he will decide whether to run for mayor ''when it is more pragmatically right to do so."

Flaherty has made no secret of his hope to run for mayor when Thomas M. Menino leaves office. The council president's large campaign war chest and first-place finishes in recent elections have made such a move seem inevitable. But yesterday, Flaherty said he is concerned merely with finishing in the top four spots in November and said it's too early to talk about a run for mayor.

Flaherty did well throughout the city, poll results indicate. And in part because the neighborhoods where he ran strong have high voter turnout, he finished 2,200 votes ahead of Arroyo overall.

But Flaherty's campaign is looking to shore up support in minority and liberal areas. He said he planned to devote a great deal of time to talking about closing the achievement gap in the Boston schools, an issue he said is of universal concern but particularly important to minority parents.

In recent weeks, Flaherty's decisions to oppose the Biosafety Level 4 lab proposed for the Boston University Medical Center campus and to advocate return to an elected School Committee may have helped him in minority and liberal neighborhoods.

In Ward 17, for example, a predominantly minority section of Dorchester, Flaherty came in third, after Arroyo and Yoon. In 16 of the city's 22 wards, Flaherty finished in the top four.

''On the issues, with the exception of rent control, I'm pretty liberal," he said. ''That's how it is."

He said he has also tried to expand his support in communities of color, holding a string of house parties over the last several months in Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury.

''My three youngest children attend the Boston Public Schools, I was born in public housing, so I'm going to go right back to my roots," he said.

Yoon, a Korean-American from Dorchester, said he will also try to build on his support by tapping into the city's diverse population.

''The face of the city is changing," Yoon said. ''And I do feel I represent a very positive aspect of that change, which is that certain communities, linguistic minorities, different cultures and backgrounds have not been represented in government."

White, who placed sixth behind Yoon, did well in both conservative and liberal neighborhoods. She said she believes she can break away from the pack by advocating for women's issues and by proposing initiatives on topics such as child care, education, and child health.

She also said she was encouraged by her performance in predominantly minority neighborhoods.

''Knowing that those numbers are going to increase in terms of turnout in November is very encouraging," she said. ''These communities that voted for me certainly understand my ability to build bridges across ethnic lines."

But there are other eager challengers too. John Connolly, the son of the former secretary of state, finished first in voter-rich West Roxbury. And Matt O'Malley, though he lacked a first-place finish in the preliminary voting, has stressed his ability to reach out to voters of all backgrounds, in part because of his experience managing the campaign of Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral.

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Editorial: TAB Endorses Four Councilors
Allston-Brighton TAB
Friday, September 23, 2005

The Allston-Brighton TAB is proud to endorse Felix Arroyo, Sam Yoon, Patricia White and Matt O'Malley for the four At-Large City Council seats in Tuesday's primary. The four bring a diversity of perspective that city government desperately needs.

They will also bring a whole bunch of new ideas to City Hall.

The U.S. Census reported waaaaaay back in 2000 that whites were a minority in Boston for the first time in almost 400 years. But five years later, municipal government is still run by a bunch of white men. This fall, 10 of the 14 city councilors were white guys, and those numbers may get worse with Maura Hennigan stepping down to run for mayor.

We wish there were 14 Felix Arroyos on the city council. But until cloning technology gets perfected, we'll have to endorse just one.

Arroyo rewrote the rules of Boston politics by proving by energizing liberals and Hispanics, you could get someone elected to the City Council. And not just anyone, but Arroyo, who brings an uncanny ability to take care of mundane problems such as streetlights while remaining one of the most progressive members of the board.

Sam Yoon's run has been one of the feel-good stories of the race, as the traditionally disinterested Asian-America community has rallied around this candidate. Yoon has, by far, the biggest warchest as Asian-Americans from across the United States back the Dorchester resident's run.

Yoon is a strong supporter of charter and pilot schools and rent control, which seem smart ways to deal with the two biggest problems facing the Hub: lousy public schools and incredibly expensive housing. His campaign motto is "A new voice for a New Boston," to which we say "Amen."

Patricia White looked like a rising star in 2003, when she finished third in the primary. But she slipped to fifth in the general, and never got a chance to serve on the council. White has obvious appeal as Kevin White's daughter, the popular mayor from the '70s.

But this time around, White has broadened her campaign and has made a point that the council needs more working moms on it. White promises to focus on education and knows that it is future of the city.

The only white guy on our list is Matt O'Malley of Roslindale. But he was Andrea Cabral's campaign manager and helped her become the first black female sheriff in county history, the earthshaking event which prompted many to talk about how there was a new paradigm in Hub politics.

Few remember this, but O'Malley's work truly was selfless. He finished sixth in the At-Large race in 2003 and would have had to wait for only one more retirement had Cabral lost to Stephen J. Murphy. But O'Malley put the good of the county ahead of his own political good, which is beyond rare.

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Editorial: Primary Picks
Roslindale & West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, September 22, 2005

Next Tuesday, voters have the opportunity to select the candidates they would like to see serve as at-large councilors on the Boston City Council. There is a sizable field of 15 people running for four seats. After Tuesday, that field shrinks to eight.

The mayor and City Council have some challenging issues to deal with over the next few years. Boston is one of the most unaffordable cities in the country. Younger workers, especially those with families, are finding it difficult to stay in eastern Massachusetts because the cost of living is so high. Many elderly people are having trouble being able to afford skyrocketing property taxes.

The quality of education is certainly an issue and in this age of MCAS, it takes on additional meaning.

Residents are concerned about development in their neighborhoods.

And of course, the quality of city services is always something on the mind of residents. Voters want city officials who will listen to their needs and take appropriate action.

The great thing about an election campaign is that residents get a chance to hear what elected officials and those who wish to be elected officials have to say. Residents should take an active role in picking the leaders they believe will best be able to come up with and enact the idea and policies that are needed to help move the city forward. Ideally, officials should be people with wisdom and the ability to learn along the way. They should have the creativity and flexibility to adjust to the ever-evolving needs of the city and its residents. And naturally, they should care about the residents and be accessible to listen to their needs - and not just during the few months prior to an election.

The next five weeks will hopefully be a time when the candidates will engage in the debate necessary for voters to make the most intelligent selections of the final four people who will take their seats as at-large councilors.

Here are seven candidates we hope will move on to the final election. We feel these candidates best represent the needs of the people of West Roxbury and Roslindale, as well as the city overall:

Felix Arroyo - There are times when he has tried to take the City Council into directions that are more suited for Congress, but he has also been a strong advocate for the middle class and poor in the city. He's shown concern for people in all neighborhoods in the city, including West Roxbury and Roslindale.

John Connolly - For people in West Roxbury and Roslindale, he's an excellent pick. This West Roxbury resident would add a strong voice to the council, especially when it comes to education issues. He has experience teaching inner-city kids, both in public and charter schools. So far, he has been one of the most impressive candidates in this race in terms of being able to articulate his ideas and in talking about what type of city councilor he would be.

Michael F. Flaherty - As president of the City Council, he has done as good a job as could be expected in keeping the councilors focused on what is important for the city and its residents. He has certainly done a better job at this than many other past presidents.

Kevin R. McCrea - There is no question about the fact that this candidate is very different from any running in this race. He is a well-accomplished man and his candor is certainly refreshing.

Matt O'Malley - He is bright, articulate and has a lot of good ideas. So far, O'Malley, who is one of the youngest candidates in the field at age 25, appears to be someone who would make a great addition to the City Council. And he lives in Roslindale.

Patricia White - She is the new mom candidate. One plus side of this campaign is that she has been more specific about issues than she was the last time she ran. She is also currently a Roslindale resident.

Sam Yoon - He could turn out to be another new effective voice on the council. We are interested in hearing more of what he has to say in the period leading up to the final election in November. What he needs to show is that he will be a city councilor who will really represent people all across the city.

There is very little doubt that Councilor Stephen Murphy will finish in the top eight next Tuesday. He is running on a platform based on being the most senior member of the City Council.

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"Times Have Changed"
After Years of Resistance, the City Finally Gets Its Ass in Gear on Biodiesel
Paul McMorrow, Weekly Dig
September 7, 2005

When Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo filed into the council chambers on August 30, the smart money said he had a fight on his hands. The council was slated to hear testimony on Arroyo’s bid to convert the city’s automotive fleet to biodiesel; last year, Public Works Commissioner Joseph Casazza spoke against (and effectively killed) a similar Arroyo-sponsored bid, deeming it too expensive to implement.

Biodiesel, an organically derived fuel that can be combusted in any diesel engine, has been one of Arroyo’s top environmental priorities since he joined the council. In its purest form (B100, made of pure bio-matter), it contains virtually no sulfur, eliminates 60-90 percent of pollution-borne carcinogens, has less than half the hydrocarbons and respiratory pollutants as normal diesel, and 43 percent less carbon monoxide.

In its most common commercial form, B20 (a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent normal diesel) still dramatically reduces harmful emissions. And according to Arroyo, Suffolk County, which suffers the third-highest rate of respiratory diseases in the country, needs to take dramatic steps to curb air pollution. He claims switching the city’s sizable diesel-burning fleet to cleaner-burning fuels would be a significant step in that direction.

But currently, biodiesel is also slightly more expensive than straight diesel, giving rise to speculation that Arroyo’s current proposal, despite garnering support from nine of his colleagues, faced a tough fight. After all, Casazza stymied a transition to biodiesel last year on similar grounds; as DPW commissioner, he’s been notoriously change-averse, and has garnered a reputation within City Hall as an individual whose labyrinthine bureaucracy is designed to maintain inertia and foster low service expectations.

Arroyo began Tuesday’s hearing by touting the environmental and public health benefits of biodiesel, noting that it had the added benefits of reducing dependence on foreign oil and promoting domestic economic development. Then he turned over the floor to Casazza; David Higgins, the director of DPW’s fleet maintenance; and Jim Hunt, Boston’s chief of environment and energy services.

Hunt laid out a PowerPoint presentation contrasting the cost and emissions reductions associated with B20, B5 (a 5 percent biodiesel blend), ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD—by federal mandate, the only diesel that will be allowed on the market by 2006; it has a sulfur content of 15 parts per million, versus normal diesel’s 500ppm) and a B5 blend made with ULSD.

“I’m recommending that we move forward today with the ultra-low sulfur diesel-B5 blend, and work with the EPA to monitor the results and get more grant money,” Hunt said. “It’s a smart move, the mayor is fully supportive of it, and it makes sense.”

Huh?

“It’s something we’ve been looking at for quite some time,” Casazza added. “The timing is right, the economics are there, and it should be talked about.”

Jigga who? Jigga what?

After the hearing, Casazza told the Dig he was amenable to biodiesel because “it can be done at a slight additional cost, and it’s a contribution to the environment that this administration wants to look at.” When asked why he favored Arroyo’s proposal this year, and not last year, he cited changing American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for the fuel, adding, “Times have changed.”

The ASTM first drafted biodiesel standards in 1998, and issued final specifications in 2002.

In Boston, things the mayor doesn’t like don’t happen—or at least, they don’t happen often. And when the mayor gets behind an issue, you get your ass in gear and get it done. It appears, then, that when Menino brought Hunt into his cabinet early this year, it wasn’t just election-year noise; he might actually be serious about greening city policy—and be willing to knock heads to get it done.

“I came on board because I liked what the administration was doing environmentally, pushing green buildings and energy efficiency,” Hunt told the Dig. “We’re going to continue to take steps to improve air quality because it’s a significant issue—we live in a great, vibrant city, and at the same time we don’t want the city’s growth to impact residents’ quality of life.”

In Hunt’s tenure, Boston has overseen particle-filter retrofitting on its trolley and school bus fleet; the buses now run exclusively on ULSD. New energy-efficient LED traffic lights will save the city $300,000 in energy costs in their first year, and a long-stalled Jamaica Plain pesticide-free partnership with the state appears to be getting back on track.

“I’ve found all facets of city government open to the green agenda, primarily because the mayor has identified it as a priority,” Hunt argued. “He has driven the agenda personally—for example, with green buildings—and you can see that in the budget.”

As for Arroyo’s biodiesel initiative, Hunt maintained that ultra-low sulfur diesel has “equal, if not better” air quality benefits, but that blending biodiesel with ULSD improves engine lubricity and furthers energy independence. He added that Casazza had brought the question of biodiesel to him, asking for advice because it had been “kicking around for a while.”

Others are crediting Hunt’s presence for breaking the biodiesel stalemate. Asked if Hunt’s involvement helped push the biodiesel debate toward passing legislation this year, Arroyo said, “It seems to be so. He looked seriously at the issues. I was able to meet with Hunt and look at the research, and it’s a safe way to improve the city. The experts are all together on this, economically and environmentally.

“Through this, we can show that a lot of environmental initiatives are achievable; moving in that direction seems more possible. It shows that if you keep the pressure up on important issues, eventually people will catch up.”

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Menino Plans to Trade SUV for Gas-sipper
City Vehicles to Meet Stricter Fuel Standards
Lisa Wangsness, Boston Globe
September 3, 2005

With the nation on the verge of an energy panic in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Mayor Thomas M. Menino told reporters gathered on City Hall Plaza yesterday that he would trade in his gas-guzzling Ford Expedition for a more energy-efficient vehicle.

Menino also announced that all new city vehicles would be ''alternative fuel vehicles or vehicles with similar fuel economy," and said the city would begin using biodiesel to fuel 450 vehicles that now run on diesel.

''This is a very difficult time for the entire country," he said. ''As we try to cope with the skyrocketing costs of fuel and energy, we are committed to doing everything we can in becoming more energy efficient, reducing costs, and improving air quality for all Boston residents."

The mayor promised to immediately trade in his city-owned Expedition, a sport utility vehicle that gets 14 miles per gallon in the city. As television cameras rolled, he climbed into the Public Health Commission's new Ford Escape hybrid SUV and drove away across the plaza. Aides said later that Menino has not decided what kind of vehicle he wants or when he will get it.

It is unclear how long it will take for the city to convert its fleet to more fuel-efficient vehicles. The city has about 3,300 cars and trucks, and this year's budget includes money for only about 10 new vehicles.

Jim Hunt, the city's chief of environmental and energy services, said the city would consider replacing additional older vehicles with more fuel-efficient models this year, with the goal of reducing the city's vehicle fuel consumption by 10 percent. Some heavy-equipment vehicles and public safety vehicles such as ambulances are not available in hybrid models and will not be covered by the policy, officials said.

''We're going to do a full analysis of the entire fleet and develop an implementation plan around that," Hunt said.

A resolution urging the city to begin using biodiesel fuel was passed by the City Council this week. The initiative was spearheaded by At-Large Councilor Felix D. Arroyo, who first introduced a similar proposal last year and drives a biodiesel car. Menino did not invite Arroyo to join him at his press conference yesterday, an aide to the councilor said.

''I'm really honored that the mayor has decided to implement so fast the resolution already approved by our council," Arroyo said. ''We had worked with his energy adviser on this."

At Menino's press conference, Hunt and Mike Galvin, the chief of Basic City Services, detailed efforts the mayor previously announced to reduce energy consumption in city buildings.

The city's Energy Management Board has been working on ways to cut use, including turning off down escalators, installing more efficient heating and cooling systems, using motion sensors to control lights, and -- in some cases -- using solar panels, Galvin and Hunt said.

The mayor also urged residents and city employees to help save energy by turning off computers and shutting off lights when they leave their offices for the evening.

Menino's decision to switch vehicles is a reversal from his position this spring, when an aide told The Boston Herald that a Ford Escape would not be large enough to accommodate the mayor's staff, security detail, and equipment.

City Councilor Maura Hennigan, who is challenging Menino for reelection this year, said Menino should have made the changes long ago.

Hennigan acknowledged that she drives a Jeep Cherokee, but said that is different because it is her private vehicle.

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Wal-Mart Opts to Pass on Downtown Crossing
Unions, Residents, City Councilor Were Set to Oppose Chain
Jenn Abelson, Boston Globe
September 1, 2005

Wal-Mart Inc. yesterday confirmed the company met with Boston officials about opening a store in Downtown Crossing, but said it is not interested in the location.

The statement comes about a month after Wal-Mart executives approached the city to discuss moving into one of the massive buildings on Washington Street due to be vacated next year by Federated Department Stores Inc.

''We're not interested in that location at this time," said Wal-Mart spokesman Philip Serghini, who declined to explain why the world's largest retailer does not want to move into Downtown Crossing.

''In the long term, we will be looking at Boston," Serghini added. ''We see no reason why our customers in Boston should be denied access to our low-priced goods."

Still, as unions, politicians and residents learned yesterday about Wal-Mart's meeting with Boston officials, the possibility of the giant discounter opening in the middle of the struggling shopping district set off a firestorm of opposition.

''The Greater Boston Labor Council will do everything in its power to stop Wal-Mart from moving into Downtown Crossing," said Rich Rogers, the executive secretary-treasurer of the regional labor organization, which represents 90,000 workers. ''We will be calling on our community allies and elected officials to join us in opposing Wal-Mart."

His comments follow about two weeks after Rogers and a coalition of labor leaders, healthcare advocates, and workplace safety activists organized a Wal-Mart protest in Boston as part of a nationwide back-to-school boycott of the retail giant. The coalition, which urged parents to shop elsewhere for school supplies, blasted Wal-Mart for breaking child labor laws, paying low wages, and discriminating against women. Wal-Mart has fought union attempts to organize workers at its stores.

Serghini, the Wal-Mart spokesman, said the labor groups are engaging in ''a national campaign to vilify our company, and they certainly don't care about our employees or our consumers. The one and only thing the unions care about are their own special interests."

Meanwhile, Boston City Councilor Felix D. Arroyo yesterday said he had planned to write letters to other councilors and the Boston Redevelopment Authority, which oversees projects in Downtown Crossing, to express his opposition to a Wal-Mart in the middle of Boston.

''We don't need that kind of neighbor," Arroyo said.

The Downtown Crossing site has garnered increasing attention since Federated Department Stores, a Cincinnati-based company, said last month that it planned to vacate either the Macy's or the Filene's building on Washington Street. Federated, which on Tuesday completed its $17 billion acquisition of May Department Stores Co., has said it plans to retire the Filene's brand and close its flagship store in Downtown Crossing.

Federated officials say they have not decided whether to keep Macy's at its current location, or move it across Washington Street to the Filene's building.

So far, discounter Target Corp. has expressed interest in occupying one of the buildings in Downtown Crossing, Mayor Thomas M. Menino has said. Other retailers, including Home Depot Inc., Jordan's Furniture, and Kohl's Corp., have also approached the city about the sites.

In a Boston.com poll conducted yesterday, Nordstrom and Target were the people's choices. The unscientific sampling, which attracted 3,351 online responses, asked people what they would like to see in Downtown Crossing after Filene's closes.

According to the results as of 6 p.m., about 38 percent favored upscale department store Nordstrom and 31 percent preferred Target. Meanwhile, Jordan's Furniture placed third with 7.1 percent of the vote, ahead of Wal-Mart with 6.8 percent. About 4 percent of the responses favored Old Navy, while Home Depot received 1.9 percent of the vote.

A Nordstrom spokeswoman this week said the company wants to open a store in Boston but is not considering the Downtown Crossing site. A spokeswoman for Gap Inc., which owns Old Navy, said the company does not comment on real estate strategies.

''As to who specifically will move down there, it's all speculation at this point," said Meredith Baumann, a spokeswoman for the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

''Our goal is to bring a retailer that has a wide appeal to the diverse population that visits Downtown Crossing today, and one that is a good community neighbor."

Jenn Abelson can be reached at abelson@globe.com.

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The New Corporate MFA
Boston Globe, Op-Ed
September 1, 2005

GRACING THE front lawn of Boston's Museum of Fine Arts are two huge and streamlined American Cup yachts with 90-foot masts. They are a fitting introduction to the new MFA, which features the boats and art of multimillionaire Bill Koch, the automobiles of fashion king Ralph Lauren, lavish parties for wealthy donors, and the half billion dollar expansion of the museum that is to come.

Along with most other large art institutions in this country, the MFA has gone the way of profits, expansions, and popularity. Publicists, developers, and wealthy patrons rule at the top of the museum hierarchy. In all but tax status, the museum has become part of corporate America, building wealth by whittling away the salaries and benefits of its low-wage workers.

Having embraced corporate culture, the museum has also taken on some of its worst characteristics. This has become especially evident in the workplace. While museum director Malcolm Rogers and his colleagues in management make huge salaries with large raises, the rest of the museum staff has faced layoffs and cuts in salaries and/or benefits. Scholar curators have found themselves to be expendable pieces of the machine. Many staff members have gone years without a raise. The museum's low-wage security guards are now fighting for their life in contract negotiations.

The present standoff between the museum and their security guards has lasted half a year. These same guards serve at the museum's high-end parties and watch over their expensive treasures. They barely get by from week to week on what the MFA pays. According to salary.com, which compares all the security guards in the Boston area, they are in the lower 25th percentile for pay of all guards in Boston. By most standards, the MFA guards' annual income places them among the ''working poor."

Yet Rogers claims they are highly paid. He has stood firm on taking away huge hunks of their wages and benefits even as he sees another banner year for the museum with the cash registers clinking far above expectations for the year.

The MFA's sizable profits in 2004 are detailed in museum board minutes of September 2004, telling of large MFA gains all across the board with their total assets increasing by almost $90 million dollars. Yet the museum had deliberately misled its own workers into believing that the MFA had hit upon hard times. Meanwhile, Rogers enjoyed a $55,000 raise to his $512,000 salary, while insisting that the layoffs were a ''painful last resort" and salary cuts were part of ''tough economic times."

Because Rogers has cut 40 percent of the full-time gallery guard force since he came to the MFA, a majority of these guards are now part-time. Since they can't work 40 regular hours, they have to work overtime to make ends meet. But Rogers wants to cut any overtime pay except that over 40 hours (and that only because he has to pay it by law). This will cost many of these guards thousands of dollars. Not much money for Rogers, but for people who live from week to week, it's huge.

These scenarios come right out of the corporate notebook. But the public, which troops into the museum in ever-increasing numbers, still expects something different from an institution dedicated to the higher ideals of humanity. Indeed, state Senator Dianne Wilkerson, state Representatives Byron Rushing and Gloria Fox, and City Councilors Felix Arroyo and Chuck Turner, five community leaders who represent the area of the museum, came to see Rogers. They told him to get the takeaways off the table. They reminded him that the cuts from the guards' salaries would just about equal the raise in his salary. They told him that taking money away from his low-wage workers was not bargaining in good faith. Rogers, standing firm in his corporate ideals, ignored them.

Those leaders see in the security guards of the MFA the only department in the museum which represents the multicultural mix of their neighborhoods. The people who come to the museum from all over the world also see that mix. It reflects their own diversity and gives them a chance to ask questions of someone who understands their own language. Likewise, many guards have backgrounds which allow them to speak knowledgably about the art in the museum. The guards take pride in their work and are happy to be the frontline ambassadors of the MFA. They should not be treated with economic contempt.

The sad thing is that we have to be talking about things like this. It should never happen in an institution like the MFA. The museum should be setting examples for corporations like Wal-mart, instead of taking lessons from them.

Michael Raysson is president of the Museum Independent Security Union at Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

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