Keller @ Large: Boston Voters - Pay Attention To Mayor's Race
BOSTON (CBS) - This is it for the Boston mayoral candidates, the final stretch before Tuesday's election.
And all indications are that we're heading for a pitifully low turnout yet again.
There is absolutely no excuse for this potentially abysmal show of civic disinterest.
Listen to Jon's commentary:
Keller at Large Nov 1 2013
Last time I checked, the baseball season was over.
While Mayor Menino did a good job, the city faces pressing problems. The two candidates, City Councillor John Connolly and State Rep. Marty Walsh, have worked their hearts out since the preliminary, which was preceded by a long campaign filled with thoughtful discussion of important public issues.
And no one can claim it doesn't matter which man wins.
Connolly promises to bring dramatic reform to the way the city's schools are run. That stance has won him substantial backing from an out-of-state group called Stand for Children that takes controversial positions on student testing and teacher evaluation, and has earned him the contempt of the Boston Teachers Union leadership.
And Connolly offers a change from the Menino mayoral style, with more time spent in City Hall overseeing policy implementation.
Walsh is more of a Menino-esque street guy.
He vows to focus on economic development, while matching Connolly's commitment to school reform. Walsh has benefitted from millions in spending by organized labor groups, which along with his own staunchly pro-union background makes critics wonder if he'll be able to maintain the city's financial stability.
I'm impressed with both guys, but this choice matters.
There are no more legitimate distractions.
But how many Boston voters are willing to outsource a crucial decision they should be clamoring to make themselves?
You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.
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