A Sad State of Affairs

For
the first time in 100 years or so there was no need for an election
primary in this city. The question has arisen – are people satisfied or
complacent? Or maybe are they simply afraid of taking on those already
in power? More than likely, the answer is all three.

We
couldn't be more bored. With one exception, the challengers in this
election are either not viable or being propped up by a wanna-be
political machine that shouts buzzwords but is only interested in
throwing out one group for their own. It's disappointing given the
empowerment so many people supposedly felt after last year's
presidential election.

The following endorsements are to be
read keeping in mind that the choices are few. The question comes to
does one support the sole challenger simply because he or she is new or
do you go with the devil you know? This year, we're sticking with the
tried and true.

Mayor

While
we wish that in a city with as vibrant a community as ours there are
multiple choices for elective office, we've been more than pleased with
Joe Curtatone's performance as Mayor during his last two terms.
Certainly winning the All-America City award had a lot to do with his
leadership, and it was a moment that all of Somerville shared.

Ultimately,
however, that award means little compared to the actual improvement
we've seen in this city. We could not have a more fiercely determined
advocate for progress on the Green Line. The final pieces of the police
department reorganization are coming together. He certainly hasn't been
afraid to make tough decisions, especially during our ongoing budget
crisis. He dove headfirst into citywide permit parking, a divisive
issue that we're hoping he would have pursued even if he weren't
guaranteed a new term.

To keep things interesting, it would be
interesting to see a viable challenger discussing the issues with him
during the next election cycle – assuming he's not on Capitol Hill by
then – but for now we have no problem telling you to vote for the one
choice you have. We could do a lot worse.

Ward 6 Alderman

This
is tough. The Progressive Democrats of Somerville is perhaps the most
secretive pseudo-government body in Somerville (besides the Traffic
Commission), and Rebekah Gewirtz is without question the center of the
group. On the other hand, we would like to support Campano, but his
NIMBY attitude really isn't an antidote to Gewirtz's faux-transparency.
We're holding out hope that Ward 6 will someday have an alderman more
concerned about the well being of constituents than politics.

Maybe next time we'll have a chance to enthusiastically root for one of Gewirtz's challengers. This year, vote blank.

Alderman-at-Large

Here
again we run into the same issue: PDS. Luis Morales, their candidate,
is a religious leader, which is clearly at odds with much of their
agenda (see Ward 5 endorsement below). That means one thing to us: the
PDS believes that since this guy is Latino he automatically deserves a
seat on the Board.

We don't necessarily disagree that the
Board is sorely lacking in diversity, but at the end of the day, the
BOA is about effectiveness, and the current crop of aldermen-at-large
have been some of the most effective on the Board in a long, long time.

At the risk of seeming like hypocrites for decrying the lack of
challengers and then endorsing all the incumbents, we see no reason to
vote anyone out in favor of Morales. Maybe if he had run on his own
initiative it would be different, but for now we're happy to endorse
Jack Connolly, Bruce Desmond, Dennis Sullivan and Bill White.

Each
of them brings a unique point of view to the Board. Desmond brings his
school committee experience and determination to not let issues get
swept under the rug – the Max Pac site is just one example. Sullivan,
who will host his 100th office hour on Saturday, is possibly the most
accessible member. Connolly brings his experience as a long-time
advocate for Davis Square from the days when cafes and all the marks of
a beautiful neighborhood were still unknown.

White is easily
the most intelligent voice on the Board, and has kept the mayor's
office in check more times in the past six months than we can keep
count. Out of all of them, White is perhaps the most important voice on
the Board. And hey, remember when he was a Republican? Here's proof we
agree with a PDS endorsement every once in a while.

Ward 4 School Committee

We're
pleased to endorse News Editor-in-Chief Jamie Norton, who has served
effectively and passionately since being elected two years ago.
Students at the Arthur D. Healey and Winter Hill Community School have
benefited from his advocacy. A far cry from his PDS-created opponent,
who appears to make things up as she goes along, Jamie has a quiet, yet
informed, and very efficient manner about him – and he gets things done.

Norton
has been a voice of reason on a committee that often finds itself
bogged down in issues beyond its control. For the past two years, he
has been a level-headed and hardworking voice for the ward he has lived
in his entire life.

Ward 5 School Committee

Mark
Niedergang, a so-called Progressive Democrat, has really managed to put
his foot in his mouth this year. He came out against religion and
patriotism as worthwhile reasons for school holidays, then spent much
more time "going negative" (and advising others to go negative) than
even our own infamous Newstalkers.

Anna Lavanga, a long-time PTA
member, is more than qualified to take his place and we're pleased to
endorse her, a non-PDS aligned challenger, who is running for the right
reason: our children. Mark Niedergang is only looking out for himself,
period.