September 4, 2025 • 37 mins
Boston mayoral candidate and philanthropist Josh Kraft joined us on NightSide as we inch closer to next week’s preliminary election. Despite a bit of a shakeup to Kraft’s campaign staff this week with two advisors mutually parting ways, Kraft says he remains focused on Tuesday the 9th. Kraft discussed Boston’s pressing issues took listeners' calls.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you, Dan Watkins. We will be talking with Boston
merriw candidate Josh Kraft. But before I do that, I
would invite any of you. Obviously, we would love to
have folks call in and ask questions of the candidate.
You know the number six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. However,
if you would like to use our new iHeartRadio app,
(00:28):
the talk back feature, all you have to do is
get the iHeartRadio app. Make sure you download it and
have it. It's free iHeartRadio app, And while you listen
to Nightside or anytime during the day, you can go
to the red microphone on the the app. It's this
we call a talkback button, and in thirty seconds in
(00:48):
that right corner, you can send us your personalized audio
message and we can play it back on night Side.
It's that simple. Once again, hit the red microphone button
in the top right corner of the app, pretty easy
to find, and you can send us your audio message
cast to keep with hibout thirty seconds and when you
do that, we can play it right back. So if
anyone want to comment on Josh Craft's campaign. This would
(01:11):
be a great time to familiarize yourself with the iHeartRadio app. Now,
I hope you can familiarize yourself with candidate from Mayor
Josh Craft. Joshkraft, Welcome back to night'sat How are.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
You great, Dan, How are you doing tonight? It's always
good to be with you.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Well, great to have you here. By the way, we
have invited the mayor. I do not believe my producer
aka Lightning Marita has heard back from the Mayor's office.
She is welcome to kawan any night as well. But
right now, of course we are. It's less than a
week to go. The primary is next Tuesday in Boston,
(01:48):
and I think people should get out and vote on
September ninth. Right on that job, Josh, that's the day,
right yes.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
To this Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Tuesday, Tuesday, September ninth. The preliminary election is here and
there's four of us Mayor WU, myself, Domingostosa, and Robert Kobuci,
and the top two move on to November.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
And also, I think it's very important to mention that
generally in preliminary elections, the turnout is not overwhelming it's
not like the turnout of a presidential election, which means
that people who will take the time to vote viv
vote will have a greater impact in a preliminary election.
So if you like what you hear from Josh Kraft tonight,
(02:38):
keep that in mind. Josh, let me start off with
a couple of things that have been the news in
the last twenty four hours. These campaigns. I don't know
how you folks keep up with it, to be really
honest with you, I have all I can do to
do a four hour radio show five nights a week,
but you guys are out seven days a week, long days.
They start early day and late. A little bit of
(03:00):
a campaign staff shake up yesterday, and that happens in
campaigns anything that people should be aware of or be
concerned about.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
No, Dan, you said it happens in campaigns, but it
happens in every single business. These things happen. And you know,
Will and Eileen from Kaiser Public Strategies, I'm very grateful
I had up until February fourth, I had never been
a candidate. I didn't know the political game that much,
(03:34):
really at all, and they really got me up to
speed and educated me quite a bit.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
But then this week we mutually agreed to part ways.
It was amicable, it was a.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Professional, respectful parting of ways. And now we're just gearing
up and focused one hundred percent on turning out the
vote and keeping our momentum going on September ninth.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Okay, I want to get to the issues, but I
also want to make note at least the Boston Herald
is reporting tonight, and by the way, you've been in
this game of politics tonight seven months February. I just
did the math February fourth when you announced Yeah, wow,
seven months, and it will be seven months in less
(04:26):
than seven days when the voters get to indicate at
least their first their first thought on Tuesday. You have
lent your campaign a significant amount of money. I don't
think anyone has ever said that Josh Kraft is not
a bright guy. I'm assuming the fact that you have
(04:49):
now put some money in the campaign. You've been doing
a lot of very I think interesting and effective television
ads over the last month, which have all appeared after
that a Boston Globe poll of late July. I assume
that if you didn't feel pretty confident about this campaign,
you wouldn't be throwing more money, you know, so called
(05:12):
good good money after.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Bad exactly, Dan. And look, the first thing I'll say
is we're going up against the power of incumbency. And
the power of incumbency is real. You know, an incumbent
mayor in the City of Boston has not lost an
election since nineteen forty nine, and the mayor has had
(05:39):
twelve thirteen years through our city council days to mayoral
time to build an incredible network, financial support network, as
well as so much name recognition. And you know, the
power of incumbency is real. And I but fighting the
(06:01):
power of incumbency. I also we our campaigned my campaign
no matter what neighborhood we're in, regardless of socioeconomics, race, ethnicity,
we feel we feel people want change. People do not
feel heard or connected to this mayoral administration. And that's
(06:25):
always been a hallmark of Boston mayoral administration, feeling like
they know the mayor, they knew Marty, they knew Mayor Menino,
and they don't feel that now. And we're hearing that
everywhere we go, and that momentum is there.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And we just got to keep.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Building on it. And yes, I wouldn't have loaned myself
that amount of money if I didn't think we had
a legitimate chance to make history.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
I want to ask a question which dovetails with what
you just said. I agree with you Tom Minino's of
twenty years as mayor of Boston. He never had any
aspiration for any job beyond Mayor of Boston. Ray Flynn
was mayor for a long time and then he had
an opportunity to become the US Ambassador to the Vatican,
(07:13):
and I think everybody knows that ray Flynn, as a
very devout Catholic, decided to take that opportunity. Kevin White
sixteen years Marty Walsh, you know, had an opportunity presented
to him. He's a huge labor guy and a huge
hockey guy, and to become the executive director of the
(07:37):
NHL Players Association was just an opportunity that he could
not have turned down. If you are fortunate enough to
be elected mayor, do you commit to serving the full
four year.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Term and hopefully and the plan would be the next
four year term as well.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
So yes, I have no aspirations.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Has that question, the best of your knowledge, been asked
of this mayor? Because there is some thought that that
that her her and maybe this is because of the
the appearance of the national stage that she had, you
know earlier this year, that if an opportunity presented itself.
(08:22):
We have two older US Senators, either of whom any
day could decide that they wanted to retire. Has has
she committed to serving the full four years if she
has the good fortune of being re elected.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I have no idea, Dan, if she's been asked that,
I feel like you do. I think there's definitely some
aspirations in her view to seek higher federal office, and
it really seems that way she's look It seems like
(09:06):
a lot of her focus is national stage, and that
definitely tends to sway me to think that she has
some aspirations for a Senate seat or something else.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Okay, when we get back, I've got to take a break.
I want to talk to you from the point of
view of the intrusion of President Trump into this race.
I know you've made some pretty strong statements and feelings
known about him. I want to talk about that, and then,
most importantly, I want to give my audience an opportunity
to talk with you. Now. Our first sets of phone
(09:48):
calls that we're already lined up. However, we do have
two lines available if anyone would like to jump on
board right now, uh, six one seven nine. The other
line when that clears, I will give that number. But
six one seven nine, if you'd like to be amongst
the first to talk to Boston Merrio candidate Josh Craft.
(10:10):
We have a whole bunch of issues to talk about. Obviously,
white stadium, bike lanes, the state of the city. I
read today that there's a commercial property in New York,
a big building in New York that sold fifty at
fifty seven percent below the market value. And I fear
(10:31):
that Boston may as you know, as a result of
any number of factors, might be ficing some problems that
I'm going to ask you about that how to revitalize
the commercial space in Boston. We'll get to all of
that with Joshkraft and your phone calls right after this
brief message, a couple of messages on Nightside.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
You're on Nightside with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
With me is Josh Kraft. He is running from mayor
of Boston. The preliminary election is next Tuesday. Josh, what
are the issues that you uh really have separated yourself
from the mayor O. I do want to talk about
the sort of the shadow of Donald Trump as well.
(11:21):
And again it's you can you can You can do
either go to the issues or go to Donald Trump first,
whichever you would like.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Thank thanks Dan. Why don't we get Trump out of
the way? Look, look, you know I've never voted for
Donald Trump, I've never donated to him, and you know
I disagree uh with a lot of things he stands for.
(11:51):
You know, however, the mayor continually tries to connect me
to him and what I think we need and a
leader for the city of Boston.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Visa VI. Donald Trump is not the person who has
the best snappy press one liner to hit Trump with
or the bellsian whistles press conference to criticize Donald Trump.
Is who is best equipped with the plans and policies
to deal with the consequence of the impact of a
(12:27):
Donald Donald Trump presidency on the residence of Boston. And
that's what I'm focused on. I'm not focused on optics.
I'm focused on getting things done for the residents of
Boston and the issues that we've heard. I've heard so
(12:48):
much about The number one is housing, especially for working families.
I know that a lot of working family cannot afford
to live in the city, and we know that there's
twenty six thousand units of permanent housing that cannot get built.
(13:10):
It's waiting to be built, sitting on the sideline because
it's too expensive. We want to jump start those twenty
six thousand units first, because first of all, we're in
a housing crisis, a housing emergency. The way out of
it is to build more housing. But also with those
housing units comes one hundred and twenty five to one
(13:33):
hundred and forty million dollars of tax revenue. So we
want to take a portion of that tax revenue and
create a first time home buyer program that includes working
families because right now, too many working families make too
much money to qualify for a first time home buyer program,
but not enough money to purchase a home. So we're
(13:56):
going to increase the income eligibility so that more working
families can participate in the first time home buyer program.
So housing is one issue. I don't know if do
you want to interject or no.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
I'm more than happy to listen to you on that,
but I do want to ask about mass and casts.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Well, yeah, seems to.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Be a problem that no one has been able to solve.
Now I'm assuming, and if I'm wrong, please tell me
that we don't need federal troops in Boston to solve
the mass and cast problem. If they're elected mayor, how
would you address that from day one?
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Right, So that was going to be one of the
other two issues, mass and cast.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
I just left a meeting, a community meeting, a city
council meeting, Council Fitzgerald sponsored over at the Hampton End
right in.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
The midst of mass and casts. And this is a
real problem. It's a problem with two fai. One of
the obvious problem, a problem of so many vulnerable people
trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, mental health, a
mental illness, and homelessness. But there's a second issue, and
(15:16):
it goes it's the issue that is impacting the spillover
from mass and cast is impacting so many neighborhoods in
the city. And it's not a quality of life impact.
It has now become a safety impact. You know, kids
walking by piles of needles in a tree planter, excrement
(15:40):
on a climbing apparatus, in a park, people defecating in
front of people eating dinner at a restaurant, looking out
the window at someone defecating in the streets. This is
no longer a quality of life. This is a legitimate
public safety issue. And if you don't have safety in
(16:01):
the city, you really got nothing else. If people don't
feel safe, nothing is going to happen in that city.
And right now, intervention is needed because without intervention, the
status quo will continue. So what would you do that
mayor would recovery first? It's got to be recovery first.
(16:24):
Emphasis on recovery first.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And we will work with the.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
State surrounding municipalities to create the Recover Boston Campus, which
was which was a policy or a program that was
introduced almost four years ago to the current administration, they
ignored it. And it's a recovery for its housing, but
(16:53):
it's recovery mental health support. And then as people move
down their recovery process and move along, then they start
to get those first basics of homeowner ofme of basics
of quality of life, home living in a home, renting
(17:15):
a home, and workforce development so that they can get
to a more stable life. It's based on the model
in Durham, North Carolina. It costs probably ten to twelve
million dollars a year to operate. We obviously need a
site for it, and the site because this is not
a Boston issue, it's a regional issue, could be in
(17:38):
greater Boston. In fact, I've talked to a local leader
of a city slash town, and this person has told
me they have a potential site to put this place.
And that's number one. We need to intervene as soon
as possible. The second are these safety issues you know
(18:00):
in the South End, families in Nubian Square, walking by
people using drugs in public, defecating in public. Police can
no longer turn a blind eye. We need to win
power and work proactively with police to stop people from
doing this, and then emphasize services over sentences through drug
(18:24):
and Recovery Court and mental health court and mental illness court.
That's the way, all right.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
My guest is Josh Kraft running for mayor to Boston.
You have an opportunity. We have full lines, Josh, so
I want to get to as many callers as I can.
I will always advise my folks that when you call
and speak with anyone in my program whether it's Mayor
Wu or Josh Kraft or anyone, I'm just going to
ask you to be polite. Someone who's on my program
is the equivalent of a guest in my home, and
(18:54):
just if you were coming into my home, you would
be respectful to the other guests. So with that general rule,
we're going to take a break for news and we'll
be right back here on Nightside with questions until ten
o'clock for Mayor Ol Kennedy, Josh Kraft, Josh, if people
want to get in touch with your campaign, we'll give
this a couple of times. But uh, since since we're
(19:15):
going to break here, what's the easiest way for people
to get in touch with the campaign? If they contact
through tonight, either with questions or support, go.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
To Josh for Josh for Boston dot com and all
the information is there. And of course, with the election,
the prelim election coming this Tuesday, I humbly request I'm
humbly asking people for their votes tonight, but please go
to Josh for Boston dot com.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Is that Josh with the numerals? Good enough? Fair enough.
We'll be back with Josh Craft on Night Side right
after the news and a quick break.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
It's Night Side with.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
My guess it is Josh Kraft. He's running from mayor.
The preliminary election is on Tuesday. The polls open generally
at seven o'clock in the morning. They stay open until
about eight o'clock at night. We got full lines, Josh,
let's weigh in here, and it looks as if everybody
is most of them are from Boston. Frank is in
the back bay. Frank, welcome you of First Tonight Versus
Out with Josh Kraft. Got a comment or question, Frank,
(20:24):
go right ahead.
Speaker 7 (20:26):
Hi, Yeah, I'm Frank. So the other day I was
actually walking my dog Samson through Copley Square and I
it's it's nothing else. I mean, first it was the
the mop Head. The Boilson Street almost feels like the
Mophead Tour de France. Copley Square got ripped up, and
now is just this concrete. And then now, I mean,
(20:49):
I'm being accosted by people who are obviously from math
and cast a strung out. How are you going to, like,
I know you've talked a little bit about containing it,
but how are you going to keep it from spreading?
We're seeing at all over the city.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
It's okay, stay right there, Josh.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
And it is spreading, at least that's what I have heard.
I haven't had the personal experience that frank Is are
referred to, but I can imagine coming here as a tourist.
Uh in Copley Square which used to be I mean,
just the epitome of grace and style, the public Library,
the Company, Plaza Hotel, that beautiful you know park area.
(21:24):
Uh what what what can you do?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Yeah, it is spreading. In fact, I was at, as
I mentioned earlier, the Hampton in meeting tonight with the
which was predominantly people from the South End who their
safety is at risk. But before I went, I had
a meeting with a bunch of residents from Beacon Hill
(21:50):
and this issue came up for them as well. So
the issue is spreading. And as I mentioned before, we
need to a make sure people feel safe. You know,
the mayor talks about the safest city in America statistically,
but let me tell you, statistics do not translate to feeling.
(22:11):
People don't In many areas out then Beacon Hell, people
don't feel safe. And we also need to address people
that are struggling with addiction and mental illness intervention. Without intervention,
the status quo is going to remain, and we need
(22:33):
to work proactively with our law enforcement to make sure,
you know, drug induced crimes and public use of drugs
are no longer tolerated. We also need to emphasize recovery
for those struggling with addiction.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
But by the way, I'm looking at an article that
John Ellman wrote in the Boston Globe. Boston has recorded.
This is from last week, twenty four homicides so far
this year, tying the number of violent debts in all
of twenty twenty four, when the city's murder rate dropped
to its lowest level in nearly seven decades. So in
twenty twenty five as of you know, September. First, we're
(23:13):
going in the wrong direction. So they can talk about
the homicide rate, but it is worse this year than
it was a year ago. And I suspect that some
of that might be related to some of the issues
you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Josh exactly. And as I just said, you know, safety
is not about statistics. That's how people feel when they
walk outside their home, when they walk their child to school,
when they walk the elder, their senior parent along a sidewalk.
(23:45):
It's a feeling, it's not a statistic, and people in
many neighborhoods do not feel safe.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
All right, let's keep rolling here. We're going to go
next to Jim, different neighborhood. Jim is calling in from Brighton. Jim,
you're next to a nice side with Joshkraft running from mayor.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Go ahead, Jim, Hey, sir, Jim.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Here.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Today was the first day of school in Boston. So
it's really the first thing on everyone's minds if you
got elected mayor, what will be different about Boston public
schools after you're in office?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Oh wow, well that is a law. It is a
good question. So again I'll name a few things. You
can go to Josh Froboston dot com and see look
up our policy, our education policy, and we just added
(24:38):
we built up our first head policy and added the
second one just today Education two point zero. But let
me just give you three or four highlights. First thing
is we're going to add back elected members to the
School Committee. There was a non binding referendum four years
ago and I think close high seventies, so we're close
(25:00):
to eighty percent. The people wanted elected members back on
the School Committee. So we're going to do that. We're
going to have a hybrid school committee with appointed and
elected members. That's one of the things that might you know,
I assume we have to do some work with the
legislature to get the elected members again, so it'll take
a little time. In addition, the school lottery system is antiquated.
(25:24):
It's from twenty thirteen, which might not seem but the
city has changed so much. The demographics of the city
have changed so much, the algorithms used in those lottery
programs have all changed so much. We need to update
the lottery system so the parents have a cleaner and
(25:45):
more transparent process to understand how their child's school is selected.
In addition, we want to raise literacy rates by ten
percent a year, especially in lower elementary school because we
know if a child's literacy rate is on target in
those younger age, they have a much more positive trajectory
(26:09):
in their educational career. And we know that high dose tutoring.
Literacy tutoring has shown a lot of success in other
parts of the country, and we know that there is
that over the last ten years, eighty five hundred kids
have left the school system, but we've added one hundred
and thirty administrative positions. So I want we need to
(26:31):
direct some of that money back into the classroom to
make high dose literacy tutoring a reality.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Now, Josseh, I just want to mention, when ever we
talk about schools in Boston since April twenty eighth, I
just want to remind people of what happened to five
year old Lynz Joseph with a little boy who was
killed in April twenty eighth, just literally across the street
from where he lived. The city has been very slow.
The District Attorney's office has been very slow. It's almost
(27:01):
as if I've said I fail, like they're investigating something
in terms of complexity, akin to the Kennedy assassination. It's
pretty obvious what I think happened here. There's people who
should be held responsible. I don't understand if this accident,
and if you want to call it an accident, whether
it's negligence or gross negligence, had happened in Weston or
(27:22):
Wellesley or any of the other suburbs around Boston, we
would know and people would have already been put a
notice that there were going to be some dire consequences.
This little boy is dead and I've heard so little
in terms of not only empathy, but in terms of
action from the city. If this happened in Wellesley, Josh,
(27:46):
we wouldn't be sitting around four months later and saying, well,
we don't know what's going to happen, but they're investigating, right.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
And Dan, part of our education two point zero is
to look hard at busting and figure out a say
for moral, reliable, reliable busting service ye for the kids
and families uh that use it, because that's not that's
(28:14):
what they deserve. I mean education to school on time.
If you can't get to school on time, you're not
going to get the education you deserve. And that it
needs to be.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Better, absolutely, Josha, I gotta take quick break here. I
got more phone calls on the other side. We'll get
as many questions and as many callers in. I got
one line at six one, seven thirty. If you'd like
to fill that, we'll try to get you in as well.
We've got Laura in West Roxbury, Jen in Dorchester and
Alex in Newton coming up.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
On the other side, it's night Side with Dan Ray
Boston's news radio Gus.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
We've got full lines want to try to move as
many folks as we can. Let me go to Laura
in West Roxbury. Laura next on Nights Side with Josh Kraft.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Right, Laura, Yeah, Hi Josh.
Speaker 8 (29:03):
I feel like the mayor is running our budget out
of control. Since COVID, my property taxes are through the roof.
Can you commit to not raising taxes because I can
barely afford my mortgage anymore.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Okay, and that was Laura.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Yes, Laura from West Roxford.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
All right, thank you, Laura. Look right now we are
on the precipice of some tough fiscal times for the city.
We're going to lose one point seven billion dollars in
commercial real estate taxes because of the decline and building
(29:45):
values in the downtown area. So that being said, we
all have to be a lot more disciplined fiscally, and
that starts with the city. I know last spring, a
year year ago spring a year ago, when the mayor
was working on a home rule petition to raise commercial taxes,
(30:11):
commercial real estate taxes, she was asked by the state,
what about savings in your own budget, and she said,
there's not a penny to be saved. This is from
a budget that had grown more than twenty percent in
three years, which was the equivalent of roughly a billion dollars.
(30:32):
For her to say that it was completely hard to believe,
but also more disrespectful to so many Boston residents that
make hard fiscal choices in their lives every day. This
is what I can say about residential property taxes, real
estate taxes for our residents. I will only raise taxes
(30:55):
after first finding savings in the city budget. That's priority one.
Find savings in the city budget and hopefully that will
be enough to keep taxes flat. But I can promise
you this, taxes will never be raised without us first
finding significant savings in the men.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Just what about going after some of the tax exempt
institutions in Boston, some of the big universities and colleges,
and for that matter, some of you know, even the
medical facilities, and even getting some of the religious facilities,
perhaps to pony up a little bit of money and
take the pressure off of some of the draggled property
(31:40):
tax payers.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Definitely two points to that. Obviously, the pilot, the payment
and lieu of taxes program. Now as mayor, one of
the first thing I'll do first things I will do,
will to will Is. I will sit with the leaders
of a lot of those institutions, especially the larger one,
and we have to talk about the payment and lieu
(32:02):
of taxes because the times are coming, are going to
be tough for a few years, and we need all
the help we can get, and Boston should be unified
and working together to get us through that.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
All right, Laura, Laura, I thank you for the call,
but I'm going to try to get a couple more
callers in here for Josh.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
One last thing I want just on tax revenue. Two,
we will be open for business downtown. I will I
will go to any trade show, reach out to any
business nationally and incentivize them to move their headquarters or
create a secondary headquarters in downtown Boston. We got we
(32:40):
need to bring them here for a number of reasons,
of course, tax revenue, jobs, community support as well. So
please know we will be open for business for all
businesses across the country to move to downtown Boston.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
All right, Laura, thank you again for your question. Appreciate it.
Let me keep rolling. He going to go to gen
Indutsch just to Jen, want to get you and maybe
one more in.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Go ahead, Jen, Hi, I was just wondering.
Speaker 9 (33:05):
I hear a lot you talking about White Stadium, this
White Stadium, that I was wondering why it needs to
be such a big conversation, especially for someone like myself,
who you know, I obviously care that people and get
to use the facility, but like, why should I care
as just a Boston resident. It's such a big message.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Great question, Great question, Josh, Well.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Thank you. And I think then every time I've been
on we have talked in depth about this, but and
sometimes I go, I give too many details. But look,
we all know White Stadium need to be It needed
to be upgraded. It's needed to be upgraded for forty
plus years. Okay. The mayor is committed as of today,
(33:49):
one hundred and seventy two million dollars of taxpayer money
with tough fiscal times coming to upgrade the stadium. That
will not be for the exclusive use of bought some
public school students and the generations of families that have
used the park. The stadium could be fixed exclusively for
(34:13):
the use of BPS students and the generations of families
that have used the park for between eight million dollars
and thirty million dollars. Eight million dollars is what Hauley
Stadium and loll was done for and for the exclusive
use of Lowell High School kids. And there's a proposal
from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy that is in the low thirties.
(34:37):
Depending on how much you want to add to it,
it could be more. So it's for somewhere between eight
million and thirty million dollars, not one hundred and seventy
two million dollars. We could have a brand new, state
of the art stadium for exclusive use of BPS students
and the generations of people that have used for the
(34:58):
park Franklin Park, and and you know they've taken down
one hundred and forty seven trees so they can build
a beer garden. I mean, that's not fair to any
of the people that live around that park.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
And those are the issues that I think a lot
of people are concerned about. Thank you for the question. Good. Okay,
I'm going to try Alex has been on a while. Alex,
I can give you about a minute. If you can
ask a quick question, we'll get a quick answer.
Speaker 10 (35:24):
Go ahead, Alex, very quick. About housing situation in Massachusetts.
Oriental's pay very high prices and then lots have very
difficult time management. Eviction can take years and lots can
take can lose many thousand dollars for legal fees and
for loss of oriental income.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
And Alex, I just need a quick question. I'm running
out of time.
Speaker 10 (35:50):
Yes, very quick about the oriental situation in Massachusetts.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
You want a quick comment about the housing situation.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
Look, we're in a housing not a housing crisis. As
I mentioned, we're in a housing emergency. We need more housing,
and the best way out of a housing emergency is
build more housing. Availability equals affordability.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
All right, thank you, Alex. I wish I could have
got you on a little earlier, but we're flat out
of time. Josh again, if folks would like to ask
you questions or to support your campaign, it is Josh
for Boston, with the four being fr Josh from Boston
dot Com. I wish your best of luck in the
preliminary election on Tuesday, and I suspect we'll be talking
(36:36):
again sometime after Tuesday in advance of the final election.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Thank you, Dan, It's always great to come on. And
I said, Look, our administration is going to put residents first.
We're going to be about accessibility, accountability, and transparency. And
we're going to be neighborhood based, neighborhood facing, because that's
what the residents deserve, and residents will all be the priority.
(37:01):
And I humbly ask for your vote on Tuesday, September nine.
Thank you so much. Dan.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
All right, we will talk soon, Thanks very much. Josh Kraft,
Josh for Boston, Josh far Boston dot com. We get back.
We are going to talk about the need for a
state seal in Massachusetts. If you want to talk about
the incompetence of government, it is exhibit A
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you, Dan Watkins. We will be talking with Boston
merriw candidate Josh Kraft. But before I do that, I
would invite any of you. Obviously, we would love to
have folks call in and ask questions of the candidate.
You know the number six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. However,
if you would like to use our new iHeartRadio app,
(00:28):
the talk back feature, all you have to do is
get the iHeartRadio app. Make sure you download it and
have it. It's free iHeartRadio app, And while you listen
to Nightside or anytime during the day, you can go
to the red microphone on the the app. It's this
we call a talkback button, and in thirty seconds in
(00:48):
that right corner, you can send us your personalized audio
message and we can play it back on night Side.
It's that simple. Once again, hit the red microphone button
in the top right corner of the app, pretty easy
to find, and you can send us your audio message
cast to keep with hibout thirty seconds and when you
do that, we can play it right back. So if
anyone want to comment on Josh Craft's campaign. This would
(01:11):
be a great time to familiarize yourself with the iHeartRadio app. Now,
I hope you can familiarize yourself with candidate from Mayor
Josh Craft. Joshkraft, Welcome back to night'sat How are.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
You great, Dan, How are you doing tonight? It's always
good to be with you.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Well, great to have you here. By the way, we
have invited the mayor. I do not believe my producer
aka Lightning Marita has heard back from the Mayor's office.
She is welcome to kawan any night as well. But
right now, of course we are. It's less than a
week to go. The primary is next Tuesday in Boston,
(01:48):
and I think people should get out and vote on
September ninth. Right on that job, Josh, that's the day,
right yes.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
To this Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Tuesday, Tuesday, September ninth. The preliminary election is here and
there's four of us Mayor WU, myself, Domingostosa, and Robert Kobuci,
and the top two move on to November.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
And also, I think it's very important to mention that
generally in preliminary elections, the turnout is not overwhelming it's
not like the turnout of a presidential election, which means
that people who will take the time to vote viv
vote will have a greater impact in a preliminary election.
So if you like what you hear from Josh Kraft tonight,
(02:38):
keep that in mind. Josh, let me start off with
a couple of things that have been the news in
the last twenty four hours. These campaigns. I don't know
how you folks keep up with it, to be really
honest with you, I have all I can do to
do a four hour radio show five nights a week,
but you guys are out seven days a week, long days.
They start early day and late. A little bit of
(03:00):
a campaign staff shake up yesterday, and that happens in
campaigns anything that people should be aware of or be
concerned about.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
No, Dan, you said it happens in campaigns, but it
happens in every single business. These things happen. And you know,
Will and Eileen from Kaiser Public Strategies, I'm very grateful
I had up until February fourth, I had never been
a candidate. I didn't know the political game that much,
(03:34):
really at all, and they really got me up to
speed and educated me quite a bit.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
But then this week we mutually agreed to part ways.
It was amicable, it was a.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Professional, respectful parting of ways. And now we're just gearing
up and focused one hundred percent on turning out the
vote and keeping our momentum going on September ninth.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Okay, I want to get to the issues, but I
also want to make note at least the Boston Herald
is reporting tonight, and by the way, you've been in
this game of politics tonight seven months February. I just
did the math February fourth when you announced Yeah, wow,
seven months, and it will be seven months in less
(04:26):
than seven days when the voters get to indicate at
least their first their first thought on Tuesday. You have
lent your campaign a significant amount of money. I don't
think anyone has ever said that Josh Kraft is not
a bright guy. I'm assuming the fact that you have
(04:49):
now put some money in the campaign. You've been doing
a lot of very I think interesting and effective television
ads over the last month, which have all appeared after
that a Boston Globe poll of late July. I assume
that if you didn't feel pretty confident about this campaign,
you wouldn't be throwing more money, you know, so called
(05:12):
good good money after.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Bad exactly, Dan. And look, the first thing I'll say
is we're going up against the power of incumbency. And
the power of incumbency is real. You know, an incumbent
mayor in the City of Boston has not lost an
election since nineteen forty nine, and the mayor has had
(05:39):
twelve thirteen years through our city council days to mayoral
time to build an incredible network, financial support network, as
well as so much name recognition. And you know, the
power of incumbency is real. And I but fighting the
(06:01):
power of incumbency. I also we our campaigned my campaign
no matter what neighborhood we're in, regardless of socioeconomics, race, ethnicity,
we feel we feel people want change. People do not
feel heard or connected to this mayoral administration. And that's
(06:25):
always been a hallmark of Boston mayoral administration, feeling like
they know the mayor, they knew Marty, they knew Mayor Menino,
and they don't feel that now. And we're hearing that
everywhere we go, and that momentum is there.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And we just got to keep.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Building on it. And yes, I wouldn't have loaned myself
that amount of money if I didn't think we had
a legitimate chance to make history.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
I want to ask a question which dovetails with what
you just said. I agree with you Tom Minino's of
twenty years as mayor of Boston. He never had any
aspiration for any job beyond Mayor of Boston. Ray Flynn
was mayor for a long time and then he had
an opportunity to become the US Ambassador to the Vatican,
(07:13):
and I think everybody knows that ray Flynn, as a
very devout Catholic, decided to take that opportunity. Kevin White
sixteen years Marty Walsh, you know, had an opportunity presented
to him. He's a huge labor guy and a huge
hockey guy, and to become the executive director of the
(07:37):
NHL Players Association was just an opportunity that he could
not have turned down. If you are fortunate enough to
be elected mayor, do you commit to serving the full
four year.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Term and hopefully and the plan would be the next
four year term as well.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
So yes, I have no aspirations.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Has that question, the best of your knowledge, been asked
of this mayor? Because there is some thought that that
that her her and maybe this is because of the
the appearance of the national stage that she had, you
know earlier this year, that if an opportunity presented itself.
(08:22):
We have two older US Senators, either of whom any
day could decide that they wanted to retire. Has has
she committed to serving the full four years if she
has the good fortune of being re elected.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I have no idea, Dan, if she's been asked that,
I feel like you do. I think there's definitely some
aspirations in her view to seek higher federal office, and
it really seems that way she's look It seems like
(09:06):
a lot of her focus is national stage, and that
definitely tends to sway me to think that she has
some aspirations for a Senate seat or something else.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Okay, when we get back, I've got to take a break.
I want to talk to you from the point of
view of the intrusion of President Trump into this race.
I know you've made some pretty strong statements and feelings
known about him. I want to talk about that, and then,
most importantly, I want to give my audience an opportunity
to talk with you. Now. Our first sets of phone
(09:48):
calls that we're already lined up. However, we do have
two lines available if anyone would like to jump on
board right now, uh, six one seven nine. The other
line when that clears, I will give that number. But
six one seven nine, if you'd like to be amongst
the first to talk to Boston Merrio candidate Josh Craft.
(10:10):
We have a whole bunch of issues to talk about. Obviously,
white stadium, bike lanes, the state of the city. I
read today that there's a commercial property in New York,
a big building in New York that sold fifty at
fifty seven percent below the market value. And I fear
(10:31):
that Boston may as you know, as a result of
any number of factors, might be ficing some problems that
I'm going to ask you about that how to revitalize
the commercial space in Boston. We'll get to all of
that with Joshkraft and your phone calls right after this
brief message, a couple of messages on Nightside.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
You're on Nightside with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
With me is Josh Kraft. He is running from mayor
of Boston. The preliminary election is next Tuesday. Josh, what
are the issues that you uh really have separated yourself
from the mayor O. I do want to talk about
the sort of the shadow of Donald Trump as well.
(11:21):
And again it's you can you can You can do
either go to the issues or go to Donald Trump first,
whichever you would like.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Thank thanks Dan. Why don't we get Trump out of
the way? Look, look, you know I've never voted for
Donald Trump, I've never donated to him, and you know
I disagree uh with a lot of things he stands for.
(11:51):
You know, however, the mayor continually tries to connect me
to him and what I think we need and a
leader for the city of Boston.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Visa VI. Donald Trump is not the person who has
the best snappy press one liner to hit Trump with
or the bellsian whistles press conference to criticize Donald Trump.
Is who is best equipped with the plans and policies
to deal with the consequence of the impact of a
(12:27):
Donald Donald Trump presidency on the residence of Boston. And
that's what I'm focused on. I'm not focused on optics.
I'm focused on getting things done for the residents of
Boston and the issues that we've heard. I've heard so
(12:48):
much about The number one is housing, especially for working families.
I know that a lot of working family cannot afford
to live in the city, and we know that there's
twenty six thousand units of permanent housing that cannot get built.
(13:10):
It's waiting to be built, sitting on the sideline because
it's too expensive. We want to jump start those twenty
six thousand units first, because first of all, we're in
a housing crisis, a housing emergency. The way out of
it is to build more housing. But also with those
housing units comes one hundred and twenty five to one
(13:33):
hundred and forty million dollars of tax revenue. So we
want to take a portion of that tax revenue and
create a first time home buyer program that includes working
families because right now, too many working families make too
much money to qualify for a first time home buyer program,
but not enough money to purchase a home. So we're
(13:56):
going to increase the income eligibility so that more working
families can participate in the first time home buyer program.
So housing is one issue. I don't know if do
you want to interject or no.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
I'm more than happy to listen to you on that,
but I do want to ask about mass and casts.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Well, yeah, seems to.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Be a problem that no one has been able to solve.
Now I'm assuming, and if I'm wrong, please tell me
that we don't need federal troops in Boston to solve
the mass and cast problem. If they're elected mayor, how
would you address that from day one?
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Right, So that was going to be one of the
other two issues, mass and cast.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
I just left a meeting, a community meeting, a city
council meeting, Council Fitzgerald sponsored over at the Hampton End
right in.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
The midst of mass and casts. And this is a
real problem. It's a problem with two fai. One of
the obvious problem, a problem of so many vulnerable people
trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, mental health, a
mental illness, and homelessness. But there's a second issue, and
(15:16):
it goes it's the issue that is impacting the spillover
from mass and cast is impacting so many neighborhoods in
the city. And it's not a quality of life impact.
It has now become a safety impact. You know, kids
walking by piles of needles in a tree planter, excrement
(15:40):
on a climbing apparatus, in a park, people defecating in
front of people eating dinner at a restaurant, looking out
the window at someone defecating in the streets. This is
no longer a quality of life. This is a legitimate
public safety issue. And if you don't have safety in
(16:01):
the city, you really got nothing else. If people don't
feel safe, nothing is going to happen in that city.
And right now, intervention is needed because without intervention, the
status quo will continue. So what would you do that
mayor would recovery first? It's got to be recovery first.
(16:24):
Emphasis on recovery first.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And we will work with the.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
State surrounding municipalities to create the Recover Boston Campus, which
was which was a policy or a program that was
introduced almost four years ago to the current administration, they
ignored it. And it's a recovery for its housing, but
(16:53):
it's recovery mental health support. And then as people move
down their recovery process and move along, then they start
to get those first basics of homeowner ofme of basics
of quality of life, home living in a home, renting
(17:15):
a home, and workforce development so that they can get
to a more stable life. It's based on the model
in Durham, North Carolina. It costs probably ten to twelve
million dollars a year to operate. We obviously need a
site for it, and the site because this is not
a Boston issue, it's a regional issue, could be in
(17:38):
greater Boston. In fact, I've talked to a local leader
of a city slash town, and this person has told
me they have a potential site to put this place.
And that's number one. We need to intervene as soon
as possible. The second are these safety issues you know
(18:00):
in the South End, families in Nubian Square, walking by
people using drugs in public, defecating in public. Police can
no longer turn a blind eye. We need to win
power and work proactively with police to stop people from
doing this, and then emphasize services over sentences through drug
(18:24):
and Recovery Court and mental health court and mental illness court.
That's the way, all right.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
My guest is Josh Kraft running for mayor to Boston.
You have an opportunity. We have full lines, Josh, so
I want to get to as many callers as I can.
I will always advise my folks that when you call
and speak with anyone in my program whether it's Mayor
Wu or Josh Kraft or anyone, I'm just going to
ask you to be polite. Someone who's on my program
is the equivalent of a guest in my home, and
(18:54):
just if you were coming into my home, you would
be respectful to the other guests. So with that general rule,
we're going to take a break for news and we'll
be right back here on Nightside with questions until ten
o'clock for Mayor Ol Kennedy, Josh Kraft, Josh, if people
want to get in touch with your campaign, we'll give
this a couple of times. But uh, since since we're
(19:15):
going to break here, what's the easiest way for people
to get in touch with the campaign? If they contact
through tonight, either with questions or support, go.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
To Josh for Josh for Boston dot com and all
the information is there. And of course, with the election,
the prelim election coming this Tuesday, I humbly request I'm
humbly asking people for their votes tonight, but please go
to Josh for Boston dot com.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Is that Josh with the numerals? Good enough? Fair enough.
We'll be back with Josh Craft on Night Side right
after the news and a quick break.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
It's Night Side with.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
My guess it is Josh Kraft. He's running from mayor.
The preliminary election is on Tuesday. The polls open generally
at seven o'clock in the morning. They stay open until
about eight o'clock at night. We got full lines, Josh,
let's weigh in here, and it looks as if everybody
is most of them are from Boston. Frank is in
the back bay. Frank, welcome you of First Tonight Versus
Out with Josh Kraft. Got a comment or question, Frank,
(20:24):
go right ahead.
Speaker 7 (20:26):
Hi, Yeah, I'm Frank. So the other day I was
actually walking my dog Samson through Copley Square and I
it's it's nothing else. I mean, first it was the
the mop Head. The Boilson Street almost feels like the
Mophead Tour de France. Copley Square got ripped up, and
now is just this concrete. And then now, I mean,
(20:49):
I'm being accosted by people who are obviously from math
and cast a strung out. How are you going to, like,
I know you've talked a little bit about containing it,
but how are you going to keep it from spreading?
We're seeing at all over the city.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
It's okay, stay right there, Josh.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
And it is spreading, at least that's what I have heard.
I haven't had the personal experience that frank Is are
referred to, but I can imagine coming here as a tourist.
Uh in Copley Square which used to be I mean,
just the epitome of grace and style, the public Library,
the Company, Plaza Hotel, that beautiful you know park area.
(21:24):
Uh what what what can you do?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Yeah, it is spreading. In fact, I was at, as
I mentioned earlier, the Hampton in meeting tonight with the
which was predominantly people from the South End who their
safety is at risk. But before I went, I had
a meeting with a bunch of residents from Beacon Hill
(21:50):
and this issue came up for them as well. So
the issue is spreading. And as I mentioned before, we
need to a make sure people feel safe. You know,
the mayor talks about the safest city in America statistically,
but let me tell you, statistics do not translate to feeling.
(22:11):
People don't In many areas out then Beacon Hell, people
don't feel safe. And we also need to address people
that are struggling with addiction and mental illness intervention. Without intervention,
the status quo is going to remain, and we need
(22:33):
to work proactively with our law enforcement to make sure,
you know, drug induced crimes and public use of drugs
are no longer tolerated. We also need to emphasize recovery
for those struggling with addiction.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
But by the way, I'm looking at an article that
John Ellman wrote in the Boston Globe. Boston has recorded.
This is from last week, twenty four homicides so far
this year, tying the number of violent debts in all
of twenty twenty four, when the city's murder rate dropped
to its lowest level in nearly seven decades. So in
twenty twenty five as of you know, September. First, we're
(23:13):
going in the wrong direction. So they can talk about
the homicide rate, but it is worse this year than
it was a year ago. And I suspect that some
of that might be related to some of the issues
you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Josh exactly. And as I just said, you know, safety
is not about statistics. That's how people feel when they
walk outside their home, when they walk their child to school,
when they walk the elder, their senior parent along a sidewalk.
(23:45):
It's a feeling, it's not a statistic, and people in
many neighborhoods do not feel safe.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
All right, let's keep rolling here. We're going to go
next to Jim, different neighborhood. Jim is calling in from Brighton. Jim,
you're next to a nice side with Joshkraft running from mayor.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Go ahead, Jim, Hey, sir, Jim.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Here.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Today was the first day of school in Boston. So
it's really the first thing on everyone's minds if you
got elected mayor, what will be different about Boston public
schools after you're in office?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Oh wow, well that is a law. It is a
good question. So again I'll name a few things. You
can go to Josh Froboston dot com and see look
up our policy, our education policy, and we just added
(24:38):
we built up our first head policy and added the
second one just today Education two point zero. But let
me just give you three or four highlights. First thing
is we're going to add back elected members to the
School Committee. There was a non binding referendum four years
ago and I think close high seventies, so we're close
(25:00):
to eighty percent. The people wanted elected members back on
the School Committee. So we're going to do that. We're
going to have a hybrid school committee with appointed and
elected members. That's one of the things that might you know,
I assume we have to do some work with the
legislature to get the elected members again, so it'll take
a little time. In addition, the school lottery system is antiquated.
(25:24):
It's from twenty thirteen, which might not seem but the
city has changed so much. The demographics of the city
have changed so much, the algorithms used in those lottery
programs have all changed so much. We need to update
the lottery system so the parents have a cleaner and
(25:45):
more transparent process to understand how their child's school is selected.
In addition, we want to raise literacy rates by ten
percent a year, especially in lower elementary school because we
know if a child's literacy rate is on target in
those younger age, they have a much more positive trajectory
(26:09):
in their educational career. And we know that high dose tutoring.
Literacy tutoring has shown a lot of success in other
parts of the country, and we know that there is
that over the last ten years, eighty five hundred kids
have left the school system, but we've added one hundred
and thirty administrative positions. So I want we need to
(26:31):
direct some of that money back into the classroom to
make high dose literacy tutoring a reality.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Now, Josseh, I just want to mention, when ever we
talk about schools in Boston since April twenty eighth, I
just want to remind people of what happened to five
year old Lynz Joseph with a little boy who was
killed in April twenty eighth, just literally across the street
from where he lived. The city has been very slow.
The District Attorney's office has been very slow. It's almost
(27:01):
as if I've said I fail, like they're investigating something
in terms of complexity, akin to the Kennedy assassination. It's
pretty obvious what I think happened here. There's people who
should be held responsible. I don't understand if this accident,
and if you want to call it an accident, whether
it's negligence or gross negligence, had happened in Weston or
(27:22):
Wellesley or any of the other suburbs around Boston, we
would know and people would have already been put a
notice that there were going to be some dire consequences.
This little boy is dead and I've heard so little
in terms of not only empathy, but in terms of
action from the city. If this happened in Wellesley, Josh,
(27:46):
we wouldn't be sitting around four months later and saying, well,
we don't know what's going to happen, but they're investigating, right.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
And Dan, part of our education two point zero is
to look hard at busting and figure out a say
for moral, reliable, reliable busting service ye for the kids
and families uh that use it, because that's not that's
(28:14):
what they deserve. I mean education to school on time.
If you can't get to school on time, you're not
going to get the education you deserve. And that it
needs to be.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Better, absolutely, Josha, I gotta take quick break here. I
got more phone calls on the other side. We'll get
as many questions and as many callers in. I got
one line at six one, seven thirty. If you'd like
to fill that, we'll try to get you in as well.
We've got Laura in West Roxbury, Jen in Dorchester and
Alex in Newton coming up.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
On the other side, it's night Side with Dan Ray
Boston's news radio Gus.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
We've got full lines want to try to move as
many folks as we can. Let me go to Laura
in West Roxbury. Laura next on Nights Side with Josh Kraft.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Right, Laura, Yeah, Hi Josh.
Speaker 8 (29:03):
I feel like the mayor is running our budget out
of control. Since COVID, my property taxes are through the roof.
Can you commit to not raising taxes because I can
barely afford my mortgage anymore.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Okay, and that was Laura.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Yes, Laura from West Roxford.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
All right, thank you, Laura. Look right now we are
on the precipice of some tough fiscal times for the city.
We're going to lose one point seven billion dollars in
commercial real estate taxes because of the decline and building
(29:45):
values in the downtown area. So that being said, we
all have to be a lot more disciplined fiscally, and
that starts with the city. I know last spring, a
year year ago spring a year ago, when the mayor
was working on a home rule petition to raise commercial taxes,
(30:11):
commercial real estate taxes, she was asked by the state,
what about savings in your own budget, and she said,
there's not a penny to be saved. This is from
a budget that had grown more than twenty percent in
three years, which was the equivalent of roughly a billion dollars.
(30:32):
For her to say that it was completely hard to believe,
but also more disrespectful to so many Boston residents that
make hard fiscal choices in their lives every day. This
is what I can say about residential property taxes, real
estate taxes for our residents. I will only raise taxes
(30:55):
after first finding savings in the city budget. That's priority one.
Find savings in the city budget and hopefully that will
be enough to keep taxes flat. But I can promise
you this, taxes will never be raised without us first
finding significant savings in the men.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Just what about going after some of the tax exempt
institutions in Boston, some of the big universities and colleges,
and for that matter, some of you know, even the
medical facilities, and even getting some of the religious facilities,
perhaps to pony up a little bit of money and
take the pressure off of some of the draggled property
(31:40):
tax payers.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Definitely two points to that. Obviously, the pilot, the payment
and lieu of taxes program. Now as mayor, one of
the first thing I'll do first things I will do,
will to will Is. I will sit with the leaders
of a lot of those institutions, especially the larger one,
and we have to talk about the payment and lieu
(32:02):
of taxes because the times are coming, are going to
be tough for a few years, and we need all
the help we can get, and Boston should be unified
and working together to get us through that.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
All right, Laura, Laura, I thank you for the call,
but I'm going to try to get a couple more
callers in here for Josh.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
One last thing I want just on tax revenue. Two,
we will be open for business downtown. I will I
will go to any trade show, reach out to any
business nationally and incentivize them to move their headquarters or
create a secondary headquarters in downtown Boston. We got we
(32:40):
need to bring them here for a number of reasons,
of course, tax revenue, jobs, community support as well. So
please know we will be open for business for all
businesses across the country to move to downtown Boston.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
All right, Laura, thank you again for your question. Appreciate it.
Let me keep rolling. He going to go to gen
Indutsch just to Jen, want to get you and maybe
one more in.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Go ahead, Jen, Hi, I was just wondering.
Speaker 9 (33:05):
I hear a lot you talking about White Stadium, this
White Stadium, that I was wondering why it needs to
be such a big conversation, especially for someone like myself,
who you know, I obviously care that people and get
to use the facility, but like, why should I care
as just a Boston resident. It's such a big message.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Great question, Great question, Josh, Well.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Thank you. And I think then every time I've been
on we have talked in depth about this, but and
sometimes I go, I give too many details. But look,
we all know White Stadium need to be It needed
to be upgraded. It's needed to be upgraded for forty
plus years. Okay. The mayor is committed as of today,
(33:49):
one hundred and seventy two million dollars of taxpayer money
with tough fiscal times coming to upgrade the stadium. That
will not be for the exclusive use of bought some
public school students and the generations of families that have
used the park. The stadium could be fixed exclusively for
(34:13):
the use of BPS students and the generations of families
that have used the park for between eight million dollars
and thirty million dollars. Eight million dollars is what Hauley
Stadium and loll was done for and for the exclusive
use of Lowell High School kids. And there's a proposal
from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy that is in the low thirties.
(34:37):
Depending on how much you want to add to it,
it could be more. So it's for somewhere between eight
million and thirty million dollars, not one hundred and seventy
two million dollars. We could have a brand new, state
of the art stadium for exclusive use of BPS students
and the generations of people that have used for the
(34:58):
park Franklin Park, and and you know they've taken down
one hundred and forty seven trees so they can build
a beer garden. I mean, that's not fair to any
of the people that live around that park.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
And those are the issues that I think a lot
of people are concerned about. Thank you for the question. Good. Okay,
I'm going to try Alex has been on a while. Alex,
I can give you about a minute. If you can
ask a quick question, we'll get a quick answer.
Speaker 10 (35:24):
Go ahead, Alex, very quick. About housing situation in Massachusetts.
Oriental's pay very high prices and then lots have very
difficult time management. Eviction can take years and lots can
take can lose many thousand dollars for legal fees and
for loss of oriental income.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
And Alex, I just need a quick question. I'm running
out of time.
Speaker 10 (35:50):
Yes, very quick about the oriental situation in Massachusetts.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
You want a quick comment about the housing situation.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
Look, we're in a housing not a housing crisis. As
I mentioned, we're in a housing emergency. We need more housing,
and the best way out of a housing emergency is
build more housing. Availability equals affordability.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
All right, thank you, Alex. I wish I could have
got you on a little earlier, but we're flat out
of time. Josh again, if folks would like to ask
you questions or to support your campaign, it is Josh
for Boston, with the four being fr Josh from Boston
dot Com. I wish your best of luck in the
preliminary election on Tuesday, and I suspect we'll be talking
(36:36):
again sometime after Tuesday in advance of the final election.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Thank you, Dan, It's always great to come on. And
I said, Look, our administration is going to put residents first.
We're going to be about accessibility, accountability, and transparency. And
we're going to be neighborhood based, neighborhood facing, because that's
what the residents deserve, and residents will all be the priority.
(37:01):
And I humbly ask for your vote on Tuesday, September nine.
Thank you so much. Dan.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
All right, we will talk soon, Thanks very much. Josh Kraft,
Josh for Boston, Josh far Boston dot com. We get back.
We are going to talk about the need for a
state seal in Massachusetts. If you want to talk about
the incompetence of government, it is exhibit A
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