I haven't been paying too much attention to the Boston mayoral election this year, or ever. In the past there barely anyone there to challenge the incumbent mayor, Mayor Menino has been in the office for as long as I've been living in and around Boston, 16 years.
When I first moved to the city, I was told to stay out of the east side of Mass ave, street like Tremont Street and Columbus Ave at night. Apparently Chinatown was filled with prostitutes and street lined with adult entertainment businesses.
Gradually, those place weren't that "scary" anymore, Columbus street and Tremont street, the Southend as the local called it are now bustling with fine restaurants and Chinatown is no longer the adult entertainment paradise.
Just 3 weeks ago I took couple of hiker friends from out of state to Chinatown, we walked around the corner of Essex St and Lincoln St. I was amazed to see a clean and beautiful small Chinese garden along South St. Years ago that area was a dump, streets filled with potholes, trash everywhere, homeless make a home in the back alley. Now, there is a small bamboo garden with a man-made stream flows along it. Side streets being rerouted and turned into a clean open square with cast-iron benches for visitor to rest.
I have yet to visit the waterfront and South Boston, but from what I read and heard, that area seems to be doing very well too. South Boston back then was one of the "scary" place, now, it is the home of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Few years ago, the institute of Comtemporary Art made a new home in waterfront area.
I don't know much about the politic in Boston, all I know is what I see, and I have seen good things happening under Mayor Menino's leadership. The younger and better looking Flaherty may be a good leader too, but I have yet to hear a compelling reason why we need the "Courage for Change". If it's not broken, don't fix it.
Congratulations Mayor Menino, now get back to work!
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