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CandiDATE - An evening with the City Council At Large Candidates
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Voting Is Sexy
I hate politics.
That’s not completely true. I understand that politics are a needed part of our lives. It’s how we get things done. And when they work for the good of people, they are a great thing. So I don’t hate politics per se. But what I do detest is the manipulative aspect of it that allows the person who may not be gifted in speech to lose to the guy who’s spit game is a little more proper. Like most people I have a distain for the way that the needs of the people get lost in the process. Plus my BS meter goes into overdrive when in political settings.
But my allergy to bullsh*t needed to be put to the side. Like many people my civic duty was ignited by our last Presidential election. But what most don’t understand is that our renewed sense of civic duty has a cost. The reality is that the work to make that change we heard so much about didn’t end last November on Election Day. In fact I feel like most of the work is to be done on a much less sexy local level. And if that’s the case, this year’s city council and mayoral elections mean more than ever for those who want Boston to have a vibrant nightlife or cultural scene. I found myself and my hatred of politics looking for answers. Amongst the places I looked was at Roxbury’s Hibernia Hall last Monday, “CandiDate” with Boston City Council At- Large candidates sponsored by community organization Greatest Minds.
The concept of the CandiDATE event was pretty innovative. Designed like speed dating, each candidate went from table to table and addressed voters’ questions around a variety of issues with each table having its own focus. When the bell rang they moved on to the next group and issue. Everything from economic growth to the importance of Boston nightlife and the arts (the subject of my table) was covered.
City Council At Large candidates Tomas Gonzalez, Andrew P. Kenneally, Ayanna S. Pressley, John R. Connolly, Tito Jackson and Felix G. Arroyo were in attendance to share their views. The first thing that struck me was how there seemed to be a real understanding of why Boston night life needed to be improved. The candidates understood that it’s not just that you have a bunch of people who want to get drunk and dance later. It’s about growing fully into our role as an international city.
One of the beauties of being in an urban environment is that vibrant life that goes on after dark. Also it’s about making our city make sense. We have a whole industry of people who can’t get home from work after they serve us because they don’t have access to public transportation. We endanger ourselves by shutting down transportation before last call and forcing the choice of drinking and driving. That just doesn’t work. So you can get “wrecked” and then have to roll the dice and possibly get wrecked for real. Then we have venues that are less then welcoming to all of us. The problems are multifaceted and plentiful. At CandiDATE the candidates each spoke to their vision of the future of Boston’s nights.
Kenneally spoke about how not having a vibrant nightlife contributed to the “brain drain” of talented resident and non-resident college graduates who leave our city and head directly to greener pastures. He also spoke of how the city could benefit from a 2 tier liquor license system like London or Chicago. The current 2am license would be available with a more expensive (to the licensee) 4am option for club in areas that aren’t in residential areas. Connolly explained how he wanted to see a cultural and night life that all Bostonians could feel a part of. Also he explained that he wanted to see the red tape removed so that more people could be involved in ownership. Arroyo offered the idea of leasing the coveted liquor licenses instead of selling them to help break the hold that some have on them. Gonzalez explained how he could help guide prospective owners through the process of ownership. Gonzalez broke down the "one percenter" plan popular in other cities. Developers looking to build certain structures would be required to contribute 1 percent of their budget to fund arts and culture in the city. Ayana Pressley talked about cutting the red tape to diversify the ownership of clubs and being an advocate for arts in the schools. She also spoke of redefining trade schools and training Bostonians for growing Boston film industry. All in all they had some pretty interesting and well thought out perspectives and ideas.
Wait. People are coming with some sincerity and actually thinking about the problems? We keep this up and something might actually get done around here. A few things have awakened my interest in this year’s election. For the first time in my life the running field seems to reflect the new face of the city. Latino, Asian, African American, and Caribbean communities have all been growing. And we have all been working side by side. That’s the Boston we live in. We should be able to govern side by side as well. There is a new energy in the election as well. Passion and fresh ideas are being offered instead of the same old thing. The time for change has come; particularly in the District 7 race between long time incumbent Chuck Turner and challenger Carlos “Tony” Henriquez. This is a case of experience not being the most desired trait. District 7 needs change like T-Pain needs Auto-tune.
And that change is coming. In fact I believe it’s coming throughout the city. But it’s not big. Its not sexy and on primetime. It’s in small community meetings like the Greatest Minds’ CandiDATE where people are getting a chance to make informed decisions about the future. This was just one great chance to get in the know. Hopefully people will seize that last few opportunities like this and use them to get out and vote on November 3.
For more info on the upcoming election check out Boston Fab's recap of the Floon One On One Meeting with Voters http://bostonfab.thefabempire.com/2009/11/01/one-on-one-with-flaherty-and-yoon/
CandiDate from HDsince1980 Productions on Vimeo.
courtesy HDsince1980 Productions
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