As the keynote speaker of the 82nd annual Boston Municipal Research Bureau meeting, Mayor Walsh had plenty to discuss. In hopes of bolstering the city’s business landscape the mayor not only mentioned the formation of a late night task force to investigate the possibility of keeping Boston’s bar and restaurant scenes open into the wee hours, but his hopes of making Boston an international powerhouse across a variety of industries.
Emphasizing his intent to further educate and retain young professional talent, a municipal commitment to technology and innovation, and a thriving ecosystem of creative workspaces, Mayor Walsh’s motives are clear: He wants to bring a New York City style flair in many respects both cultural and economical to a metropolis with population that’s just a fraction of its own.
In order to foster what he called ” a truly cosmopolitan culture,” Boston has to be able to provide late-night services like food and drink to those burning the midnight oil.
“And it’s why I’m appointing a Late Night Task Force, a diverse group of restaurant and bar owners who will look at how we can foster a safe and vibrant late-night culture,” said the mayor to the satisfaction of the crowd. “Working with the state on legal barriers, and listening to voices from all over the city, we can create the kind of nightlife that visitors expect in a world-class city.”
Bostonians are likely to benefit from this initiative in various way, some of which will be felt more directly than others. One of those is transportation.
The Hub has made significant strides in making our streets friendlier to pedestrians and bikers but sometimes, those options simply don’t cut it. With our infamously brutal and snowy weather, oftentimes the best mode of transportation is that which we all love to hate on, the MBTA.
And as we are the ones who utilize the T and bus system, Mayor Walsh aptly wants to hear directly from us.
“I’m pleased to announce the Boston Mobility Action Plan, a public process to guide and envision our transportation future. We will cut travel times, help the environment, and make Boston a better place to live and work,” continued Mayor Walsh.
Though he didn’t delve deeply into the specifics of how he plans to achieve all of the aforementioned, he’s already made good on his word in multiple situations and there’s no reason why this will be any different.
But first, Boston must be able to live and thrive on a balanced budget, something that Mayor Walsh has vowed to bring to City Hall. As many of the gubernatorial candidates are promising to do for the state, Mayor Walsh is proposing a budget that exemplifies efficiency and will do away with waste in the form of disorganization, redundancies and overhauling citywide innovation to keep the mayor, his cabinet and various constituencies fully up-to-date.
“As I prepare to bring my first budget to the City Council, we will not do anything to jeopardize this coveted status, relayed the mayor. “We will present a balanced budget and a smart budget. Embracing efficiency, we can be lean and provide the same level of service. Embracing innovation, we can take our services to another level.”
In closing, the mayor mentioned the upcoming Boston Marathon and the unwavering support he and his peers in City Hall are throwing behind the event. By rising up through the tragic adversity subjected to the victims of the Marathon bombings one year ago, Mayor Walsh contends that as a whole Boston will be able to show the international community our grit, fortitude and resolve.
