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He won't be voting for Menino

Bobby Constantino reads Tom Menino is going for another term and lists several reasons why he won't be voting for Menino this fall, starting with the case of a restaurant owner who can't open because the Fire Department inspector simply refuses to show up:

... Each time they call to check the status they are told, "He will get there when he gets there," as if his opening and precious profits are a trivial nuisance to the city. You see, Boston is a club, and our business owner is not in it. So, despite his understandable eagerness to open, he is ignored. And he can't even speak out about it because he worries he may never open if he does.

Meanwhile, across town, as our business owner hourly loses profits, the city's inspectors are harassing Mayoral Candidate Sam Yoon for site violations, as if that is a better use of time than granting an inspection to a small business owner trying to boost a flagging economy.

This is Menino's Boston, the city at its worst, where insiders get rewarded and everyone else, including the little guy, gets screwed. Where part-time Licensing Board members make $85-100k and streetworkers that are saving kids' lives can barely afford to eat. ...


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Comments

No inspection from fire ? are you suprised? keep reaching for straws not to vote for him, at the end of the day he is best for the city.

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We can do better than a wannabe Mafia don.

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idleness breeds corruption.

He's had his run, time for someone new.

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Anyone who thinks the site violations at Yoon's HQ weren't harrassment should check out Aaron Michlewitz's HQ in the North End, also has windows plastered with campaign posters. I dont think this should be a problem for either candidate, but obviously Menino is harassing Yoon.

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Constantino is speaking out against a culture of thuggishness and exclusion that still dominates too much of Boston. The post is worth reading in its entirety, because it says some courageous things about racial inclusion in this town, and it makes a good case that the Mayor does not represent positive change in that regard. How much blame for this can be assigned to Menino is an unsettled question, but it's fair to say his administration and the messages he projects are less than fully inclusive.

Boston has many things going for it. But when it comes to a certain core element of this city, it has been my observation and experience that -- with few exceptions -- Boston remains a place where the only people of color and other "minorities" who "make it" here are those who shamelessly kiss up to the Powers That Be. And some become masters of talking the diversity talk while selling out bigtime when it's time to take a genuine stand.

Again, this isn't all Menino's fault. But at this point it's also not the case that he's part of the solution.

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Time for Boston to move on with new leadership. Menino has had his chance as Mayor for 16 years ... we need new leadership.

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"the Mayor does not represent positive change"

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That shamelessly kissing up to the Powers That Be is a tried-and-true method for advancement no matter what your race, no matter what the venue, and no matter who the Mayor is.

There are probably a lot of things that could be legitimately blamed on Tom Menino, but I don't think this is one of them.

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Of course that's the case. We all have to make compromises, pick our battles, and play nice. But the more specific point is that in the context of inclusion issues in Boston, for many people of color, women, etc., kissing up means having to abandon, sabotage, or co-opt certain principles. I have found, for example, that the well-behaved, hear no evil/see no evil person of color -- even one who frankly isn't all that good -- has a chance to be tokenized; a highly qualified but uppity one is likely to be marginalized completely. Again, there are exceptions to the rule, but they are exactly that, exceptions.

In the political realm, I'm hoping that this fresh crop of candidates for at-large City Council seats will help to change that dynamic. We're also seeing a gradual change in the state legislature. So there's some hope.

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How about this comment. This business owner is not telling the truth. I guarantee there are safety concerns or the required paperwork was not completed by his contractor to open his restaurant. This paperwork and safety inspection is completed for EVERY new restaurant. The people of Rhode Island wanted the fire inspector imprisioned after the nightclub fire. Do a freedom of information act request for the last 50 new restaurants if you don't believe me.

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Apparently, you didn't read the article.

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I read the article. I'm saying there is a real problem with credibility from the owner. At the very least, his contractor is stringing him along and making fire the bad guy. Some contractors take the check and hit the road, leaving owners as the victims (sound familiar). Like I said, check it out.

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Your comments have a lot more credibility when you're willing to put a name behind them, and disclose any direct interests in the topic.

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I saw the Mayor at my kid's school earlier this year, he was there to speak to Elementary school kids about college. He started out more or less on topic and then started talking about some sort of union situation in Dorchester. It was really awkward to watch, the parents, teachers and kids present had no idea what the hell he was talking about. It was like a drunk giving a toast, maybe he has been doing the job too long.

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