A Shift in Boston City Council

The new year for the Boston City Council has begun with what some observers are calling a swing to the left.

Although the city council's first Black President Bruce C. Bolling had the support of the mayor and was once thought a shoe-in for a third term, council members voted him out and replaced him with long-time Boston City Councilor Chistopher Ianella.

According to Elizabeth Sherman, Director of the Women in Government Program at Boston College, Bolling has lost support from Boston's Black community because he is not progressive enough. "He did not support Mel King and [a move to rename the Roxbury district] Mandela. He really has not done any political log-rolling," she said.

The membership of the 13-member council also appears to have become more progressive. "The most significant change in the council is that one person perceived as conservative is not in this year, and one perceived as progressive is in this year," said Ianella's Press Secretary, Bob Kavin.

School Committee Member Joseph Casper, who flaunted a conservative record, was not reelected to the council this term, and Rosaria Salerno, who ran on a very progressive platform, was elected for the first time.

The growing housing shortage and safety will be the most important issues facing the council this year, observers said. The council will consider Mayor Raymond L. Flynn's new housing package that includes rent control and stricter controls on converting rental units into condominiums.

"Housing is still going to be the biggest issue. There are a lot of empty parcels in Boston that need to be developed," Sherman said.

These issues were also hotly debated last term, and observers predict that this year's more progressive council will deal with them somewhat differently.

Outgoing president Bolling disagreed. "Ianella has been pretty supportive of my progressive agenda," Bolling said. "I don't sense he will change in terms of continuing to support" a progressive solution to the housing shortage.

Some observers also said that gentrification will become an important issue this term if the Orange Line expands beyond Boston's South West corridor. "This expansion will leave at least 1,000 people homeless when businesses start to raise the rent around the new T," Sherman said.

Bolling was not seriously considered for a third term, so Ianella's main competition for council president was long-time moderate, Councilor Maura Hennigan-Casey. Supported mainly by more conservative councilors, Casey had the allegiance of six members within the Council during the election. However, Casey was unable to get the seven votes necessary to become city council president.

When Mayor Raymond Flynn could not convince seven people on the council to go for his candidate, incumbent Bolling, he decided to support Ianella over Casey. Casey charged that the Mayor's choice was based on sexism, saying, "Raymond Flynn has a problem with women."

However the mayor said he disagreed with Casey's conservative position on housing. Ianella "is more a middle-of-the-road candidate," said Ianella's Administrative Assistant, Sarah Martin, "I think he was a compromise for the council."

Kavin, however, disagreed saying, "The councilors felt there was new leadership needed, and Bolling had already served two terms." Kavin also added, "Ianella is not necessarily a moderate. He has a very progressive record, while Bolling is not necessarily progressive."

Although the council has moved towards the left somewhat, Kavin warned against expecting a complete ideological shift. And Bolling said Ianella, who has served on the council since 1958, will not be much more progressive.

He also disagreed that Salerno's addition to the council will make it more progressive. "Thirteen independently thinking people will vote differently, depending on the particular circumstances. One vote is not necessarily going to prove one way or the other," Bolling said.

Kavin agreed, saying, "Salerno's alleged progressivism is yet to be tested."