Doug Bennett reports he's knocked on his 100,000th Boston door. The next Bennett challenge: Removing the 100,000 stickers he and his supporters have put on light poles and utility boxes.

District 7 Councilor Chuck Turner and challenger Carlos Henriquez debate Wednesday, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Vine Street Community Center in Roxbury. The main topic: "Does Roxbury matter?" Details.

Michael Flaherty heads to Suffolk Superior Court today - for jury duty - the Lit Drop folks at the Dorchester Reporter report.

Josh Dawson looks at some factors that could swing the November vote for at-large city council candidates, including endorsements by current elected officials and more "sample ballots" such as the ones that told elderly Russian Jews in Brighton how to vote. Also? Doug Bennett is toast.

The Globe reports voter turnout was up in "predominantly minority neighborhoods" in the preliminary elections - Codman Square saw three times the turnout off 2005.

Because I didn't feel like traipsing upstairs to answer the phone, I picked up the receiver on our old wall-mounted rotary phone in the kitchen, so when your robo-lady told me to press 1 or 2 depending on whether I planned to vote for at-large City Council Candidate Doug Bennett, I couldn't, ha ha.

Not sure why that makes me feel so good, but there you are. Sometimes there's value in being a Luddite.

My call-waiting beeps and my caller id says it is

617-227-2081
K Galligan

who I do not know. I let it go to voice mail. The message left on my answering machine reveals it is political robo call by Doug Bennett who, by the way, is 100% certain that he will be the next city councilor-at-large.

I'm not opposed to Doug's candidacy, heck I don't even know him, I'm just against robo calls made under someone else's name.

The Boston City Council discussed Mayor Menino's proposal to raise local meals and hotel-room taxes, but took no action on the plan so that its Committee on Government Operations can hold a hearing in August - standard procedure under council rules for new business.

Menino has proposed a 0.75% meals tax - on top of the 6.25% state tax going into effect on Saturday - and an increase of 2 percentage points in the current tax on hotel rooms. The council's Committee on Government Operations will host a hearing in early to mid August.

During the council discussion today, at-large candidate Doug Bennett, stood up behind councilors with a large "No New Taxes Mayor!" sign. Bennett argues with unemployment near 10%, now is the worst time to be raising any taxes.

On noticing the sign, council President Mike Ross "recessed the meeting and asked him to take the sign down," Reuben Kantor, Ross's chief of staff said. "So he did, and left." Bennett says he was kicked out; Kantor says he was simply asked to take the sign down.

Video of Bennett raising his sign.

So Doug Bennett is at it again and this time instead of stickers on street lights it's holding up signs at city council meetings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFl1etwox4s

Doug really needs to get a steady cameraman or at least invest in a tripod.

At-large City Council candidate Doug Bennett is proposing creation of "a gigantic big brother program through a partnership between the universities of Boston and the City Government through the Boston's Department of Public Health" to help curb youth violence:

... Since there are thousands of University Students who are majoring in Criminal Science, the City would create an internship program that awards college credits to participating students who are then teamed up with these 2nd Level Criminal offenders. These college students who are signed up in this internship program would be tasked with providing not only mentorship and counsel, but brotherly and sisterly love with the hope that these offenders will be able to find jobs and begin adding to society in a positive manner, not hurt humanity. ...

His complete statement:

The candidate for an at-large Boston City Council seat says he submitted 4,013 signatures to the elections department this morning. Candidates for the one of the four open seats need 1,500 valid signatures.

The Dorchester Reporter reports that Doug Bennett got himself a $300 fine from Inspectional Services - and the ire of some Dorchester community groups who are tired of seeing his stickers all over the place.

Dear Doug Bennett,

It's cute and all that you've moved up here from Nantucket so you could run for an at-large city council seat. And, gosh, we appreciate the advance robo-call to let us know you'd be in our neighborhood today and I surely did miss meeting you, even though I was home all day and never heard anybody knocking at my door, because I can certainly appreciate a candidate who is for less crime, better paying jobs, lower property taxes and clean streets (unlike all those other candidates).

But, Doug, look: I don't know how they do things down on the Islands, but up here in the big city, people don't really appreciate having campaign palm cards taped to their doors. So if you promise not to do that again, I promise not to try to make up an entire limerick about you (or rather, another one, since the first one was pretty bad). Deal?