Mayor marty walsh biography

Marty Walsh served orang-utan mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 2015 through 2021.

Walsh was regarded primate friendly towards real estate developers, nearby the city experienced a building booming during his mayoralty. In 2021, Walsh successfully added to the city's zoning code policies inspired by the fed affirmatively furthering fair housing policy. Onetime Walsh supported Boston's bid for honourableness 2024 Summer Olympics, he ultimately reneged on his commitment to signing say publicly Host City Contract's financial guarantee which contributed to the collapse of ethics bid. In 2016, Walsh's administration present-day General Electric struck a deal digress saw corporation to move its base to Boston. Walsh supported the movement an ordinance in the city conference which regulated short-term rental of cover units, which he signed into criticize in 2018.

As mayor, Walsh victoriously negotiated for a 40-minute school short holiday extension in Boston Public Schools. Notwithstanding, his overall handling of the city's schools has been assessed as in need. Walsh served on the leadership rob the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Genre. During much of Walsh's mayoralty, Beantown struggled with homelessness at Mass ride Cass, a matter that was open to question at the time Walsh departed implant office. Walsh supported the city hold its status as a sanctuary movement. In 2015, Walsh supported the contents of a city ordinance to make up municipal employees with paid parental mandate, which was passed and signed demeanour law by Walsh. At the take in for questioning of his tenure, Walsh dealt letter the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts on Beantown.

As mayor, Walsh referred to bodily as the city's "54th mayor", a-okay numbering for which he cited Wikipedia's article on mayors of Boston (which had listed him as such tiny the time he adopted that numbering).^[1] Walsh was regarded to be on the rocks popular mayor,^[2] which was reflected cut opinion polling.^[3]

Elections

2013

See also: 2013 Boston mayoral election

In April 2013, Walsh announced closure would run for Mayor of Beantown in the 2013 mayoral election.^[4] Walsh resigned from his position as authority head of the Boston Building Trades Council position in April 2013 back formally announcing his bid for politician, but stayed on as the overseer of Laborer's Union Local 223 add-on remained a member of the Colony House of Representatives while campaigning.^[5] During the time that Walsh initially announced his candidacy, powder lacked substantial name recognition outside bring into play his own state house district.^[6]

Walsh campaigned on the promise to champion nifty 24-hour Boston, including extending the twelve o\'clock noon of operation of the "T" turnoff the night.^[7] The MBTA answers difficulty the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which is a state and not municipality agency, but Walsh campaigned on righteousness promise to extend MBTA service gratitude to his tenure in the executive house. "As a sixteen-year veteran pleasant the House," he said, "I congeal uniquely qualified to negotiate transportation array with the legislature."^[8]

David Scharfenberg of WBUR considered Walsh's candidacy as being, "built on his against-the-odds biography: a incongruity of Irish immigrants who overcame clever childhood fight against cancer and excellent young adult's struggle with alcoholism."^[6]

On Sept 24, 2013, Walsh received a greater number of the vote, among twelve competition in the mayoral preliminary election, proper 18.4% of the vote.^[9] As spiffy tidy up result, he advanced to the communal election, facing second place vote-getter Beantown City CouncilorJohn R. Connolly, who customary 17.2% of the vote.^[9] Walsh hangdog Connolly in the general election toil November 5, 2013, with 51.5% style the vote, compared to Connolly's 48.1%.^[10] Walsh's roughly 5,000-vote victory was assisted by a strong performance in communities of color.^[11]

Walsh received strong funding superior trade unions.^[12] Andrew Ryan of Boston.com wrote that the general election featured very few policy differences, and turn this way Walsh won, in part, by marked an "everyman" image and sharing uncomplicated "compelling life story" involving his frontiersman roots, childhood battle with cancer, beam his battle with alcoholism.^[12] Ryan along with credited the general election endorsements marketplace eliminated mayoral candidates John Barros, Felix G. Arroyo, and Charlotte Golar Richie as helping Walsh to overcome Connolly's initial polling lead.^[12] Among the information that have been credited for top victory over Connolly in the usual election was a last-minute half-million pocket in television advertising against Connolly existing in support of Walsh, secretly funded by the Boston Teachers Union. Connolly was a supporter of charter schools, and his education reform proposals abstruse run into opposition from the union.^[13] David Scharfenberg of WBUR wrote depart Walsh, "built a broad coalition defer stretched down the eastern half rejoice the city — from South Beantown through the heart of black Beantown and into a diverse Hyde Park."^[6] Yawu Miller of The Bay Say Banner later described Walsh as receipt won the general election due count up the support of an "odd federation of voters" made up of, "a majority of the support from Murky and Latino voters as well whereas white progressives and his conservative-leaning Dorchester/South Boston base."^[14] Walsh was sworn keep as mayor on January 6, 2014.^[15]

2017

See also: 2017 Boston mayoral election

In July 2017, Walsh announced he would pursue a second term in the 2017 mayoral election.^[16] On September 26, 2017, he received 62% of the elect in the preliminary election. He avant-garde to the general election and above suspicion second place vote-getter, Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson, who had received 29% of the vote. Walsh defeated President in the general election held indictment November 7,^[17] with 65% of significance vote, compared to Jackson's 34%.

Walsh performed strongly in many neighborhoods, containing South Boston, North End, West Absurd, Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Neponset and areas of West Roxbury, Charlestown, Allston, City, and East Boston. Some of character neighborhoods that Walsh carried in 2017 had favored Connolly in the 2013 election. Walsh, however, performed weakly take away Roxbury and portions of Dorchester.^[11] Roxbury is regarded to be the "center" of Boston's Black community.^[18] Walsh's dissentient, Jackson, is Black himself.^[19]

Walsh was corporal in for his second term nature January 1, 2018; then-former vice-president Joe Biden presided at the ceremony.^[20]

Relations approximate the Boston City Council

Boston's strong politician form of government had conventionally unadulterated the impact that members of leadership Boston City Council had on righteousness city government.^[21] However, during Walsh's mayoralty, the Boston City Council began figure out increasingly wield its power. The entity yielded less to the mayor escape previous iterations of the council locked away in the preceding decades, and along with made use of its subpoena reason for the first time in decades.^[22] In December 2019, Milton J. City of The Boston Globe opined cruise, beginning under the City Council presidencies of Michelle Wu (in 2016 significant 2017) and Andrea Campbell (beginning essential 2018), the council had "been, it may be, the most aggressive in recent record in pushing reforms, often to influence left of the mayor, on issues addressing climate change and economic extort racial equity."^[23]

In February 2024, David Conductor of Boston magazine wrote that sooner than and after his mayoralty, Boston's statesmanship machiavel had been shifting away from wheel Walsh's were grounded, idiomatically writing give it some thought in the city of Boston "ideological and demographic sands...shift[ed] under Walsh during the time that he was mayor," and had "remade the entire landscape" in the as to after he left office. Representative virtuous this, he observed, was the strengthen of progressives on the city council.^[24]

Appointments and staffing decisions

Soon after taking supremacy, Walsh appointed a number of often proles to his staff.^[25] This included Writer Linehan as his chief of policy.^[26] He hired Eugene O'Flaherty as dignity city's corporation counsel.^[27] Walsh also determined William B. Evans the permanent lieutenant of the Boston Police Department.^[28] Walsh also reappointed a number of chest of drawers chiefs from his predecessor, Tom Menino's, administration.^[25]

In his first term, Walsh built some new positions and departments incarcerated the mayor's office. In February 2014, he appointed John Barros as depiction city's first-ever chief of economic development.^[29][30][31] In December 2014, he created character Office of Diversity, headed by well-organized chief diversity officer.^[32][33]

Development and zoning

Walsh was seen as friendly towards real cash developers throughout his mayoralty, and Beantown underwent a substantial building boom nigh his seven years in office.^[34] Nearby the course of his mayoralty, authorities in Boston granted approval to 7.7 million square feet of real assets developments, including more than 40,000 modernize housing units.^[35] Steve LeBlanc of Distinction Associated Press wrote in 2021, "during his tenure as mayor, Walsh has overseen the city's ongoing rejuvenation, which has led to challenges that protract gentrification and rising housing costs."^[36]

In Sept 2019, after a city official underhand guilty in court to accepting bribes in exchange for peddling their competence on a member of the Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA), Walsh businesslike an independent investigation into the ZBA.^[37] The resulting investigation found no be a witness of wrongdoing by members of prestige ZBA. Nevertheless, in February 2020 Walsh signed an executive order imposing a- number of ethics requirements on depiction ZBA's members.^[38]

In December 2020, after socket was advanced by a vote use up the Boston City Council, Walsh proclaimed that the city would become interpretation first major United States city add up put "affirmatively furthering fair housing" complications into its zoning code.^[39][40] In Jan 2021, the Boston Zoning Commission nem co voted to add them to justness city's zoning code,^[41] and Walsh organized it into effect that month.^[42]

Economic matters

After Walsh left office, the editorial fare of The Boston Globe would comment that, as mayor, Walsh, "kept Beantown on an even keel financially point of view invited economic growth".^[43] Similarly, Bill Forry of the Dorchester Reporter wrote meander, prior to the outbreak of primacy COVID-19 pandemic, Walsh's tenure was defined by, "remarkable growth and relative hush and prosperity."^[44] During Walsh's tenure, Beantown maintained a AAA bond credit rating.^[3]

In March 2015, Walsh and Councilor Michelle Wu co-authored an op-ed in The Boston Globe calling paid parental unshackle, "a must for working families".^[45] Severely a month later the Boston Right Council passed a paid parental set off ordinance that was authored by Wu.^[46] The ordinance provided city employees colleague six weeks of paid parental get rid of after childbirth, stillbirth, or adoption.^[47] Walsh signed the ordinance into law observe May.^[48]

In January 2016, Boston struck elegant deal for General Electric to wear their headquarters to the city.^[49] Integrity city, together with the state authority of Massachusetts, offered General Electric keen combined $140 million in business incentives ($120 million in grants, and $25 million in city tax relief).^[50] Varied critics argued that Boston had open General Electric a "sweetheart deal".^[49] Regardless, The Boston Globe jointly named three deputies of Walsh and Governor Berk Baker who had been involved harvest striking the deal as their "Bostonians of the Year" for their roles in the deal.^[51]

In April 2016, Walsh came out in support of accepting Massachusetts implement a gradual increase be keen on its minimum wage to $15.^[52]

Walsh phony to have IndyCar host a longedfor at the South Boston Seaport, acceptance cooperation from Baker's gubernatorial administration budget these efforts (the race circuit would have included land owned by ethics state).^[53] The Grand Prix of Beantown was scheduled to take place as good as Labor Day weekend in September 2016. It would have been the primary IndyCar race to take place lure Boston.^[54] The planned race faced claimant, including from residents of nearby neighborhoods who expressed concerns over impacts specified as noise and additional traffic. Appearance May 2016, Walsh and IndyCar fullstrength an agreement to host the event.^[55] However, in March 2016 Indycar aback cancelled the event. The president female the Grand Prix of Boston's embodied board blamed the cancellation on reiteration made by Walsh's mayoral administration, which he characterized as unreasonable.^[53] Both Walsh and the spokesperson for IndyCar late expressed an openness to hosting dexterous race in Boston sometime in integrity future.^[56]

Education

In Walsh's time as mayor, Beantown cycled through several school superintendents, perception two permanent and two interim superintendents over the duration of his mayoralty.^[3] A 2020 state audit of Beantown Public Schools found the city ascend lack any, "clear, coherent, district-wide expertise for supporting low-performing schools."^[57]

Towards the contribution of 2014, Walsh proposed and negotiated a 40-minute extension to the academy day of Boston Public Schools,^[58][59] which was implemented.^[60]

After the end bad buy his tenure as mayor, the line board of The Boston Globe criticized Walsh's leadership on education, writing,

Walsh's record on public education — ethics single biggest part of the city's operating budget and arguably its nigh important obligation to its residents — was a profound disappointment. He cycled through school superintendents, depriving the custom of needed stability. When the schools did attempt reform, like moving elevated schools to later start times, filth folded at the first whiff reduce speed opposition. Walsh showed little appetite quota tough decisions on education, such in that consolidating schools in a system constitute huge overcapacity or reducing the puffy school transportation budget. By some setting up, the schools are worse now overrun when he took office in 2014.^[43]

Similarly, Jon Keller of WBZ-TV considered Walsh to have had missteps in greetings to handling public schools, writing fall out the end of Walsh's tenure turn "too many of the city's schoolkids continue to lag behind."^[3]

Environmental matters

In 2015, Walsh launched the Climate Ready Beantown initiative to prepare Boston for interpretation effects of climate change.^[61]

Walsh served play a part the leadership of C40 Cities Out of sorts Leadership Group.^[62]

In 2017, Walsh spoke instructions opposition to President Donald Trump's choose to withdraw the United States circumvent the Paris Agreement.^[63]

In 2016, Walsh's control opposed a proposed plastic bag bar that was debated by the Beantown City Council in 2016.^[64][65] However, fasten December 2017, Walsh signed into injure a plastic bag ban authored indifference City Councilors Michelle Wu and Dead O'Malley.^[66][64]

Homelessness

On October 8, 2014, Walsh, downcast the advisement of various City departments, agencies and leaders, and the Colony Department of Transportation, ordered the go like a bullet of the Long Island Bridge inspection to disrepair and the evacuation work out the programs for the homeless come to pass on Long Island.^[67] Later that period, he unveiled plans to renovate straighten up facility to house hundreds of nomadic people displaced due to the whiz of the Long Island Bridge.^[68]

In emperor 2018 second mayoral inauguration address, Walsh announced establishment of the Boston's Impart Home Fund, with the aim forestall raising $10 million to establish Cardinal units of permanent supportive housing lay out the chronically homeless.^[69] The fund tumble its $10 million goal in 2020, two years earlier than its target.^[70]

In November 2019, Walsh announced that loftiness city had obtained a $4.7 meg grant from the United States Bureau of Housing and Urban Development depart would go towards housing homeless youth.^[71] In March 2020, he announced defer the city had secured hundreds take delivery of additional interim bed capacity to demonstrate homeless.^[72]

While Walsh, in 2019, outlined adaptation to deal with the homelessness vital moment on Boston's so-called "Methadone Mile" (also known as "Mass & Cass" lack the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue paramount Melena Cass Boulevard), it persisted surrender be a problem when he compare office in 2021.^[73][74]

Olympic bid

See also: Beantown bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics

Boston was originally selected as the Leagued States' bid city for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Walsh supported the bid,^[75] regarding it as an opportunity tablet elevate Boston's international profile.^[3] In Oct 2014, he signed a letter stating that he would sign the Hotelier City Contract without reservation; however, focal point July 2015, he stated that let go was not comfortable signing the commercial guarantee in its current form timepiece that time.^[75] This was one have a high opinion of a number of events that in a state to the cancellation of Boston's instruction for the Olympics on July 27, 2015.^[76] Boston's bid had run insert opposition from residents.^[3]

Policing

Soon after taking hold sway, Walsh appointed William B. Evans excellence permanent commissioner of the Boston The long arm of the law Department.^[28] In 2018, Walsh appointed William G. Gross as commissioner, making Misshapen the first African American individual put your name down hold the position.^[77] In January 2021, upon Gross' retirement, Walsh made Dennis White, also African American, the another commissioner of the Boston Police Department.^[78][79] Days after appointing White, Walsh drooping him pending an investigation into allegations of domestic violence.^[80] Walsh is held not to have properly vetted Snowy before appointing him.^[3]

While Walsh was originally hesitant to implement police body cameras,^[81][82] in 2016 his administration launched regular body camera pilot program.^[83] He fixed $2 million of the 2019 power budget to fund a police intent camera program.^[84]

During the George Floyd protests, Boston area activists called on Walsh to reduce spending on Boston The cops Department by at least 10% back the 2021 fiscal budget. He as an alternative diverted $12 million from police in the fullness of time spending, less than 3% of distinction overall department budget.^[85][86] Ultimately, the arm overspent that year's overtime budget.^[87]

In June 2020, Walsh created the Boston The cops Reform Taskforce.^[88] In October 2020, misstep pledged to adopt all of representation final recommendations that the taskforce locked away made.^[89] In January 2021, he sign into law an ordinance that coined a police accountability office, one disbursement the recommendations the taskforce had made.^[88]

In January 2021, Walsh vetoed an affectation that would have limited the produce of tear gas, pepper spray, arena rubber bullets by the Boston The long arm of the law Department, calling into question the "practicality and potential consequences" of the style in the ordinance.^[90][91] He also argued that it infringed on the go of the police commissioner.^[92]

Social issues

Under Walsh, the city of Boston took measurement in the My Brother's Keeper Challenge.^[93] In 2014, Walsh vetoed an bit by the Boston City Council be acquainted with create a commission on Black joe six-pack and boys, claiming that he sincere so because such a commission would, "duplicate and complicate efforts that furious administration is already engaged in", prep added to that the ordinance was written divide such a way that he deemed it would violate the city charter.^[93]

In a speech given on January 25, 2017, Walsh reaffirmed Boston's status considerably a sanctuary city for people mete out in the country without documentation. Nobility address was given in the selfsame week that President Donald Trump imperilled to pull federal funding to cities that have a policy of defence illegal immigrants by not prosecuting them for violating federal immigration laws. Topping defiant Walsh said: "If people thirst for to live here, they'll live sagacity. They can use my office. They can use any office in that building."^[94]

In April 2017, Walsh announced ensure he would create a new Make public of Women's Advancement.^[95]

In June 2020, Walsh declared racism to be a lever health crisis.^[96] That month, in eminence effort to address institutional racism, take steps announced he would create an "equity and inclusion cabinet" in his conduct, launch a racial equity fund, reprove declared his intent to pursue orderly new zoning amendment aimed at addressing the issue of resident displacement.^[97][98] Goodness racial equity fund launched months later,^[99] with Walsh stating it would destine in nonprofits that, "empower Black suffer brown residents in economic development, envelop public health, in youth employment, creepy-crawly education, in the arts, and all over the place areas."^[100]

During his 2013 mayoral campaign, Walsh had laid-out a policy platform band support for gay rights.^[101] In 2014, Walsh refused to march in grandeur city's Saint Patrick's Day parade end to LGBTQ groups being blocked escape participating.^[102] Walsh had unsuccessfully attempted come to get negotiate with organizers to have them drop a two-decade prohibition on unfastened LGBTQ displays in the parade.^[103] Walsh's predecessor, Thomas Menino, had also boycotted the parade since 1995 for that reason.^[104] After the parade organizers rid the LGBTQ-veterans group OUTVETS to hoof it in the 2015 parade, Walsh impressive to participate in the parade.^[105] Like that which the parade organizers, in 2017, were planning to bar the group distance from again participating, Walsh and other politicians threatened not to participate in interpretation parade. The organizers reversed course near allowed the group to participate flash the parade.^[106] In May 2016, confident Walsh's support, for the first constantly in the city's history, the transgendered pride flag was flown on picture Boston City Hall Plaza flagpole.^[107]

Drug soft-cover and opioid crisis

Walsh was a conspicuous opponent of the legalization of time off cannabis in Massachusetts ahead of picture vote on 2016 Massachusetts Question 4.^[108] In October 2015, Walsh joined Regulator Charlie Baker in urging quick paragraph of Baker's bill to address description opioid epidemic.^[109] They testified together previously a joint committee of the Colony Legislature on November 16, 2015.^[110][111]

At excellent joint forum with Governor Baker get going February 2018, Walsh expressed skepticism reputation safe injection sites as a coiled of dealing with the impacts invoke the opioid epidemic, remarking, "I conclusive don't see how that helps. Distracted actually think you hurt the visionary because now they're going to hair preyed upon more by the painkiller dealers because they know where they are all day long."^[112] However, exceed early 2019, Walsh had come to hand support safe injection sites.^[113]

COVID-19 pandemic

See also: COVID-19 pandemic in Boston and Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Boston

Walsh was mayor during the first era of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[114] During greatness course of the pandemic, Walsh indiscriminately updated the public using social publicity, robocalls, and text alerts.^[115]

On March 14, 2020, Walsh declared a municipal ensconce of emergency regarding the pandemic.^[116] Get somebody on your side Walsh, the city put in alter restrictions aimed at stymieing the wideranging of the COVID-19 virus.^[117] Walsh urged Bostonians to adhere to social distancing guidelines, and made efforts to authority public activity.^[115] Days after declaring organized state of emergency, he suspended chic construction projects and closing all pay the bill the Boston Public Library locations bear city community centers.^[118] In March, influence City of Boston also closed go into battle playgrounds at its parks.^[119]

On April 5, 2020, Walsh issued an advisory go off at a tangent individuals leaving their place of dwellingplace to wear masks or other facial coverings.^[119][120] At the same time, unquestionable also announced an interim 9pm appropriate curfew, and the interim closure funding all recreation sports areas at flexibility parks.^[119]

In early April, a field retreat was erected at the Boston Firm and Exhibition Center.^{[115][121][122][123]}

On March 16, 2020, Walsh announced the Boston Resiliency Subsidize countersign, a city-led fundraising effort to prop programs and charities serving those compact by the pandemic.^[124][125] Walsh established prestige Boston Rental Relief Fund in Apr 2020, using $3 million of prerogative funds. The fund, using city pucker up, would provide aid to those file risk of losing their rental residences amid the pandemic.^[126] He later with the addition of an additional $5 million in June 2020.^[127]

Due to the pandemic, in 2020, Walsh extended the due date teach property tax bills from May 1 to June 1, and waived description interest fees on delayed payments carefulness motor vehicle and property taxes.^[119]

Walsh canceled the 2020 edition of the Beantown Marathon (after having first postponed it) due to pandemic concerns.^[128][129]

In 2020, integrity city expedited licensing to allow out-of-doors dining for restaurants as part be totally convinced by a COVID-19 reopening plan.^[130] The city's outdoor dining program returned in 2021.^[131]

In October 2020, amid a rise populate cases, he launched an initiative be adjacent to encourage all Bostonians to take uncluttered COVID-19 tests, including providing all power point employees eligible for benefits with tune paid hour every other week communication get tested.^[132]

During the 2020 winter circle season, he warned Bostonians against belongings holiday parties.^[133]

At the end of Walsh's tenure, Jon Keller of WBZ-TV wrote that, "Walsh's calm, empathic leadership fabric the pandemic has drawn high dangle from city residents."^[3] Bill Forry personal the Dorchester Reporter opined that Walsh had been a, "sure and stable hand during a time of unexampled crisis."^[44]

Trade unions

The Boston Teachers Union confidential provided Walsh with an important sanction in the 2013 election. In her highness 2017 re-election campaign, Walsh was certified by the city's patrolmen and firefighters union.^[134]

Walsh and the Boston Teachers Joining were at odds late in rule mayoralty over the details of fillet plan for re-opening the city's schools for in-person instruction after schools difficult to understand been using remote learning during honourableness early COVID pandemic.^[135] This included case against the city by the organization union.^[136]

Municipal contracts

When Walsh assumed office, rectitude city had contracts with most pressure its employee unions, with the exceptions of its contracts with the unions for firefighters, police superior officers, upperlevel detectives, detectives and EMTs.^[137] Most capacity the existing 44 contracts were down expire in mid-2016.^[138]

In April 2014, Walsh's administration announced that it has reached contract agreement with the city's firefighters union. The contract applied retroactively walkout the previous three years in which the union had been without regular contract, and extended a further one years.^[139] The union ratified the sphere in May 2014.^[140] In November 2018, Walsh's administration reached an agreement collect a new contract with the union.^[141] The union soon after ratified ethics agreement,^[142] which was thereafter approved exceed the city council in a common vote.^[143]

In September 2015, the city most important its police detectives union entered bandaging arbitration to reach a contract.^[138] Mission December 2015, a decision was reached in which the union received swell 28.7% salary increase over six years.^[137]

In August 2017, Walsh's administration and honesty Boston Teachers Union reached a put your name down agreement following 18 months of negotiation.^[144] The contract did not settle indefinite key points of contention between excellence city and the union, and discarded after two years.^[145] The union delighted the city reached an agreement yearn a new contract in mid-2019.^[146]

When authority elected successor, Michelle Wu, took centre of operations in November 2021, all 48 method the city's union contracts had expired.^[147]

Shurtleff v. City of Boston

Main article: Shurtleff v. City of Boston

In 2017, Walsh and his administration refused to branch Hal Shurtleff and his Camp Combination organization to fly what Shurtleff hollered the "Christian Flag" on the Municipality Hall Plaza flagpole. The City nucleus Boston had routinely permitted a class of groups to fly flags one and only this flagpole. Walsh justified his refusal of Shurtleff's petition with a Be in first place Amendment rationale tied to the authority speech doctrine and the Establishment Attentiveness of the First Amendment, arguing ensure permitting the flying of this "Christian Flag" would be perceived as unblended city government endorsement of Christianity mention other religions in violation of honesty Establishment Clause.^[148][149]

Shurtleff sued the city lacking Boston, alleging that the rejection admire his petition amounted to a Cardinal Amendment violation. While lower courts difficult sided with the City of Boston,^[148] the Supreme Court of the In partnership States ultimately sided with Shurtleff carry out May 22, 2022. In the agreeing Shurtleff v. City of Boston alternative, the Supreme Court of the Mutual States rejected that the matter amounted to government speech, and therefore weighty that the Boston city government's affairs were in violation of Shurtleff's open under the First Amendment's Free Enunciation Clause by performing viewpoint discrimination. Find time for reach this ruling, the court weighed the circumstances of the situation, inclusive of what it found to be on the rocks lack of meaningful involvement by decency city government in selecting flags before flown.^[149][150] The City of Boston confidential to compensate Shurtleff $2.1 million rag his legal fees.^[151]

Other matters

Walsh worked fitting Councilor Ayanna Pressley on an accomplishment requiring municipal trucks to have side-guards in order to protect cyclists. Get back to normal passed unanimously in the City Conclave in November 2014.^[153]

In January 2015, Walsh filed a lawsuit in an desire to stop a casino from entity built in nearby Everett, Massachusetts.^[154] Bankruptcy dropped his legal objections in Jan 2016, after striking a deal halfway the city of Boston and Wynn Resorts, who were behind the Everett casino project.^[155]

Walsh supported an ordinance take away the city council which regulated impermanent rental of housing units. It passed in the City Council, and let go signed it into law in June 2018.^[156] The ordinance restricted short-term rentals to owner-occupied housing units, required accompaniment to register with the city, distinguished required the city to collect most recent publish data on short-term rentals.^{[157][158][159]}Airbnb sued the city over the ordinance; interpretation suit was settled in August 2019 with an agreement which included acceptance Airbnb hosts in Boston enter their ordinance-required city-issued registration number into goodness website, or face having their archivings removed from the website.^[160]

In July 2020, construction began on a remodel exert a pull on Boston City Hall Plaza,^[161] which Walsh had been working planning on supportive of years.^[81]

In 2016, Walsh announced goals concentrate on increase minority participation in municipal contracts.^[162] However, in 2021, a study in readiness for the city by BBC Exploration & Consulting found that, during Walsh's first term, only 2.5% of honesty $2.1 billion in city contracts awarded during Walsh's first term were awarded to minority-owned businesses, and only 8.5% went to businesses owned by women.^[163][164] The city-commissioned study also found saunter, between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2019, only 1.2% of rendering $2.2 billion that Boston spent allocation contracts and procurement went to Black-owned or Latino-owned businesses. This came neglect the fact that the study core that it should be expected range nearly 5% of contracting and procurance should go to such companies household upon the availability of such companies for municipal work.^[165] In February 2021, Walsh signed an executive order production it a stated goal for 25% of city contracts to be awarded to businesses owned by minorities or else women.^[164][166]

Federal politics

In November 2015, ahead tactic the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries, Walsh endorsed Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.^[167] Populate August 2019, Walsh announced his aid for Ed Markey's reelection in character 2020 U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts.^[168]

Departure

On January 7, 2021, Walsh was declared by President-elect Joe Biden to attach his designated nominee for secretary range labor.^[169] By mid-February, in anticipation Walsh's confirmation, a mayoral transition was ongoing between Walsh and City Council Number one Kim Janey, since the president break into the Boston City Council serves gorilla acting mayor of Boston in magnanimity absence of a permanent mayor. Rough February 16, Janey had conducted warm up twenty briefings with key municipal baton members, including cabinet members and heads of departments. Walsh and Janey unsystematically communicated, and Janey attended the twice-weekly meetings that Walsh held with rectitude leadership of his mayoral administration.^[170] Walsh resigned as mayor on March 22, 2021, the same day that unwind was confirmed to his position inlet the Cabinet of Joe Biden.^[171] Janey became acting mayor upon Walsh's resignation.^[172]

In November, Michelle Wu won election primate Walsh's permanent successor.^[173] Wu had archaic somewhat of a political rival remaining Walsh's.^[24] The two were occasionally forthright at odds.^[174] She had launched go backward 2021 campaign for mayor at nifty time where it appeared Walsh would be seeking reelection. In 2024, King Bernstein of Boston magazine wrote, "Wu's reform agenda is implicitly–and sometimes openly–a repudiation of Walsh's tenure."^[24] Wu difficult won a landslide victory over Annissa Essaibi George in the nonpartisan usual election.^[175] Essaibi George was regarded chimp being far more aligned with Walsh,^[176] having been a longtime friend vital political ally of his.^[177]

See also

References