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City Councilor Mark Ciommo won't seek re-election this fall

Ciommo

Mark Ciommo, who has represented Allston/Brighton as a city councilor for almost 12 years, announced today he will not run for re-election to his District 9 seat this fall.

He joins Councilors Tim McCarthy (Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale) and Josh Zakim (Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Mission Hill, Fenway, Bay Village) in not seeking re-election.

At least three people have already announced runs for the District 9 seat: Brandon Bowser, who ran against Ciommo two years ago, and Elizabeth Breadon and Lee Nave, Jr..

Ciommo did not cite a specific reason for stepping down, but noted the changes in the district and Boston since he was first elected:

When I was first elected there was an impending foreclosure crisis, declining property values and the worst recession since the Great Depression. Approximately 25 schools were closed and/or merged, libraries were threatened and hundreds of layoffs occurred. Allston-Brighton did not have a single inch of bike lanes, community open space was in need of more investment and Boston Landing was a blighted industrial area and polluting bus yard. We have since emerged from these very difficult times to boast a solid economy, steady job growth and a AAA bond rating, the highest municipal bond rating in our city’s history. Although many challenges remain, the state of our city is strong and prepared to face those challenges head on.

H/t Matt Robare.

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Comments

All those "changes" in Allston-Brighton would seem like reasons to seek re-election but I don't Ciommo's life so...

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brighton is not the same place it was 12 years go. maybe he looked around and realized he didnt know who anyone was anymore? greener pastures.

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will maybe lend his experience/expertise to Bowser's campaign and pass the torch along...or at least give Bowser an endorsement?

We shall see...

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He ran against Ciommo two years ago. I’m sure other candidates will emerge soon.

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I would go with this one right here... I think what he is saying that he has fought for everything he wanted to see. Sometimes a good leader is one who realizes that maybe someone else should take a trip at the wheel for a bit.

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More chances for Magoo to win. Magoo.

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I think he's aware of the push back from home owners who are watching the neighborhood go to crap because he promotes developers wanting to get around current zoning laws.

Not a fan.

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Can (expletive) themselves.

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why as a homeowner I can (expletive) myself.

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To protect the value of your own shelter. Do you?

If you get your nut in the end, great, but I have no sympathy for you if you answer yes.

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The zoning code is ignored, for all the ranting about NIMBY-ism online, the BPDA makes the rules as it goes along and approves most projects. There is NO PLANNING! No thought of how various projects relate to each other. No interest in providing more than the minimum number of affordable housing units. Outright hostility to home ownership vs. rental units. A recent proposal to knock down a two-family house in Allston and replace it with three town houses that will cost close to a million dollars each is typical. It will just inflate prices even higher and push out more people.

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Haha that’s a good one. Back in the real world, Boston zoning is a joke and highly regressive for a growing city. It should be ignored. Sounds like Councilor Ciommo understands that.

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Perfect timing as the City Council's self-indulgent pay raise to $99,500 has now been in effect for three years, meaning Mr. Ciommo has maxed out in that position. At age 62, combined with all of the city jobs he had before being elected (all of that time counts) he's already looking at a nice pension and benefits. Maybe he can come back as a lobbyist like Coakley and fight against the issues he once cared about. Better yet, maybe Marty can find him a job in the high six figures for three more years and he can retire at that rate. I hear they may be a couple of openings coming up at City Hall.

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The "highest three years" formula is the most obscene aspect of government pensions.

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I wonder which pot company just gave him a gig.

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Bowser has a real NIMBY vibe to him despite being pretty young. Hope that changes.

https://twitter.com/VoteBowserD9/status/1106012249599152128

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To be fair he was complaining more about the lack of transport options for Allston residents that forced them to drive.

From my interactions with him he didn't stirk me as a NIMBY as than as a we need more services and plans to address all of the development.

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Who else might be a good potential Candidate?... if they would run.

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But I wouldn't know the first thing about running and I'd have to be okay with a loss of pay.

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It's the challenge of Public Service that interests the best. Blame for doing things wrong. Credit for doing things right often unnoticed or misattributed https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/document-file-02-2019/officia...

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(crickets)

I'll write myself in again. Everyone else will just screw up and reward another Democrat with a job that they don't deserve.

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Likewise the Councilor for District 3 https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council

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I’ve seen her take a leadership role in community when Menino wanted to close Faneuil Library and win.
Same when Archdiocese wanted to use Presentation School and people wanted it as a Community Center, which it is.
No doubt we’ll see developer cash pour into someone else’s campaign, but I trust Liz to keep fighting for people and green space.

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I can't trust the judgement of someone who is a self-described homeopath.

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