Who I’m Voting For On Tuesday…

First, to save time and energy, let me present my ABH voting list (Anybody But Him/Her) and simply remark I believe it’s time we take down the curtains and remove the old furniture from the council chamber. In other words, it’s time to let in some light and create space for new faces and new ideas.

My Anybody But Him/Her list starts with the usual cast of suspects, the council members that have spent much too much time on the starting team without scoring any points. In other words, to someone like myself who’s gravely concerned with Cambridge’s lemming-like run off the development cliff, these folks repeatedly vote yes to practically any up-zoning petition that comes their way. They give lip service to caring about families and the economically disadvantaged, but they don’t care enough to question whether they’re actually contributing to the roaring fires of gentrification that are driving out those on the middle and lower runs of Cambridge’s economic ladder. Misters Maher, Reeves, Cheung and Toomey, as well as Ms. Denise Simmons, all deserve our thanks for their many contributions, but also a long, perhaps permanent, vacation from the City Council, in my humble estimation. Sorry, but there it is.

Which means I do support the re-election of two current council members, Minka vanBeuzekom and Craig Kelley, both of whom have shown the courage of their convictions many times in council chambers, Minka’s most valiantly when she stood up to the bullying of fellow council members to vote No on the MIT 26-acre Grand Giveaway.

So, the question now arises, who amongst the crowded field of new candidates most deserves our single-digit numbered votes? First I would have to list Dennis Carlone who has already scored three endorsements (including one from the Cambridge Residents Alliance, of which I am a member) as the only candidate with a background in urban planning. Given the mad scramble to build 14-16-and 18-story apartment towers in Central Square, Dennis’ background and convictions would bring a critical contribution to any discussion about the future of our city. After Dennis come the following, though not in any prescribed order: Kristen von Hoffman, James Williamson, Gary Mello and Nadeem Mazen, all of whom appear worthy of our votes. I apologize for most likely missing other worthy candidates, but there are just too many for me to juggle without dropping a few on the floor. Alone among the crowded field, I believe only Dennis Carlone and Gary Mello have made a point of rejecting donations from developers, a critical decision when some of your most important upcoming council votes will most likely concern those very same developers. Also, it should be mentioned that Dennis Benzan, alone among many, seemed to be the Golden Child in raising money for his campaign. Good thing or bad thing? You decide. Only If Dennis had any more signs around the city we might consider re-christening Cambridge as Benzanville.

Anyway, in two days you, I and our fellow citizens will either make history or fall into the trap of sending the same old faces back to clean up the mess they’ve been making for the last four, twelve or 24 years.

I don’t know about you, but that’s a mistake I’ve made for the last time.