Boston City Councilor At-Large Michael F. Flaherty announced that he is the first candidate to qualify for the preliminary ballot in his re-election efforts. In a strong show of city-wide organizational strength, Councilor Flaherty is the first candidate to collect the necessary number of certified signatures.
“I am pleased to announce that the City of Boston’s Elections Department informed me that they certified the minimum 1,500 signatures necessary for me to qualify for the ballot. I am grateful for voters across our city who continue to support our efforts, and I am thankful to my team who asked voters to sign my nomination paper,” stated Councilor Flaherty.
As a Boston City Councilor At-Large, Councilor Flaherty’s office continues to work with residents throughout the city to address quality-of-life concerns that impact every neighborhood and community.
“I’m proud of the work I have accomplished through collaborative efforts on the Boston City Council over the course of this term,” stated Councilor Flaherty. “To name a few: I called for implementation of citywide parking permits for Personal Care Attendants (PCA) – understanding that time and accessibility are of concern to those who are in need of PCAs. I continue my ongoing commitment to engage in recurring dialogues with seniors, appreciating that the key role they play in the development of our city. Further, as with our seniors, I understand the responsibility we have to the youth in our city. To that end, in an effort to close the achievement gap, I called for a public discussion on the implementation of a Year 13 program in our school system.”
Councilor Flaherty additionally highlighted his unique role on the City Council with respect to passage of legislation in Boston. “As the Chair of the Committee on Government Operations, I continue to work with the Walsh Administration, my colleagues on the Boston City Council, and a wide variety of advocacy groups to hold public hearings on a range of legislative proposals,” Councilor Flaherty said. “Last year, I heard from numerous stakeholders on the significant concerns surrounding short-term rentals as we resolved to stabilize housing in our neighborhoods. Additionally, as Chair, I have held committee meetings on an array of proposed matters, including
- increasing access to affordable housing through the means of updating the City’s Linkage Law and Inclusionary Development Policy;
- strengthening opportunities for civic engagement through various City departments and resources; and
- guiding equitable regulations for emerging industries.”
In addition to his role as the Chair of the Committee on Government Operations, Councilor Flaherty made note of his role in relation to the City of Boston’s Community Preservation Program. “As Chair of the City Council’s Committee on the Community Preservation Act (CPA), I recommended nearly $43 million in funding approval for 91 projects. Every neighborhood across Boston has received funding for a project that falls under the three aspects of the Community Preservation Act – historic sites, parks & open spaces, and/or affordable housing. It is great to see how much progress has been made since the passage of the ballot initiative less than 3 years ago, and I look forward to residents’ continued efforts to preserve our city.”
Councilor Flaherty acknowledges that while much progress has been made, there are still disparities that need our urgent attention. These include: public health and safety concerns surrounding the opioid epidemic; violence intervention and trauma support services; working to ensure that all of our communities benefit from the ongoing rapid growth and development across Boston; sustainable solutions to make Boston more climate resilient and environmentally conscious; and a school system that should implement a district-wide STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)-based school-to-career pipeline.
As a husband, father, neighbor and proud lifelong Bostonian, Boston City Councilor At-Large Michael F. Flaherty is committed to ensuring that Boston is an accessible, equitable, and inclusive city for our residents to work, play and live in. He looks forward to kicking-off his re-election campaign at Coppersmith Restaurant in South Boston on Thursday, May 30th at 5:30 PM. Councilor Flaherty looks forward to earning the support of voters in the election season ahead.
