On the fly with Maura Hennigan
Mayoral quest
Boston Business Journal
Monday, October 3, 2005
Maura Hennigan, a 24-year veteran of city politics,
trails Mayor Thomas Menino in the polls and in fund raising, but
has no shortage of opinions on what she would do as Boston's mayor.
Hennigan believes she can make Boston more friendly to business
by lowering housing costs, improving public education and overhauling
the Boston Redevelopment Authority. She talked recently with Boston
Business Journal senior reporter Edward Mason.
Why should business leaders back your campaign?
It's very important for the business community and the city to
have a mayor who understands that the most important thing for
a thriving city is to recognize that when business does well,
the city as a whole will do well. It's so important we send the
right message to the financial community and all businesses, including
those giving Boston a look. You will have fairness and be treated
(in a Hennigan administration) in an even-handed manner by someone
with an education background who's the longest-serving city councilor.
How do you attract employers?
I'd seek to provide a business climate enticing to existing businesses
but also welcoming to other major companies who want to move here.
Businesses look for an educated work force. I want to extend the
school day from six to at least eight hours to mirror the working
day.
Why do you advocate splitting the Boston Redevelopment Authority?
A separate planning agency dealing with the community and the
developer (could) save the developer time and money, and they'd
know what they were dealing with. Time is money for a developer.
We'll get projects in the ground faster. When that happens, everybody
benefits.
Who would be your BRA chief?
It would not be Mark Maloney. He's a nice man, but my experience
is that whatever the mayor wants is what he does. We need to spin
off the planning department; it would be part of a department
within city government with its own budget and accountable to
the people.
The Fan Pier development took a step forward recently with the
parcel's acquisition from the Pritzker family by Massachusetts
Mutual Insurance Co. and Joseph Fallon. And at one time, Frank
McCourt was among those eyeing the site. What took so long?
If (Menino) hadn't let his dislike of Frank McCourt get in the
way of what was in the best interest of this city, and responded
to a project that was supported by the Conservation Law Foundation
and many organizations, we would have a development up and built
today that would be generating tax revenue, instead of a vast
wasteland because the mayor is petty in his politics.
The whole problem seems to be that Mayor Menino is very active
on a number of issues during an election season. Both the Pritzkers
and McCourt had proposals -- how sad he let a four-year period
go by.