4. Creating Real Transparency

As taxpayers, we have a right to know what the government is doing with our money. We need to know where it’s being spent and invested, and the long-term impact of those decisions on our City. For example, if the City of Boston spends $120 million to move the Boston Public Schools department from one part of the city to another, what are we giving up to make that happen? How many schools can we keep open for that amount? Can we buy better school supplies for the students who are said to be everyone’s priority? How many textbooks do you think $120M would buy our kids? I would say a lot more than they have now, since what they have now are photocopied chapters of books?

To achieve true open government, Boston needs leaders that are willing to stand up and ask the difficult questions, like what percentage of local businesses participated in that new development project? As your City Councilor, I will stand up and fight for you. I will work tirelessly for answers to these questions, even when it isn’t the popular thing to do. I truly believe that the lack of transparency at all levels of government hurts the taxpayers. Decisions that are made behind closed doors, blocked from the public eye and the scrutiny of the media and community, do not serve Boston well.

I’m committed to working together with other members of the Boston City Council to establish a system of informing the public in real time. The public should be able to see and hear all that is happening, such as the reasoning behind closing community centers at a time when violence is spiking in the city.

I will perform my City Council duties in an open and transparent manner in order to empower Boston’s residents and bring them to the table. Some of the policies I will pursue are to:
• Put the city’s checkbook register online. The City of Boston will spend $2.4 billion of taxpayers’ dollars this year. The public deserves to know where that money, our money, is being spent;
• Use social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to foster better and more efficient communication between the City Council and residents, and make information readily available to the public;
• Hold town hall meetings throughout the city’s neighborhoods to engage residents on important issues such as neighborhood development, school closures/openings, and where the tax dollars are being spent; and
• Announce via the City Council website all official meetings on my schedule. The Office of Campaign and Political Finance does a good job of reporting who donates to elected officials' campaigns. Publishing my official meetings tells the other half of the story. Voters get to see who is meeting with me and on what issues.

I plan to hold City Hall accountable for all its actions, from spending taxpayer dollars to holding open meetings on critical issues and that’s why you should vote for me.