Massachusetts: Tom Menino

In response to my earlier snide and snarky post, "Activista" writes a perfectly reasonable comment asking, in essence, what my deal is. She takes politics quite seriously, and seems to suggest that if I'm really so cynical and harsh about it all, perhaps I should make way for someone a little less critical and dismissive.

She then asks:

Could you name a politician you do like? Name some issues you want pushed? The more and more I read these columns the more cynical you seem to be and that's already prevalent in Boston Politics I feel we don't need it reflected in our journalist too.

Now that Sam Yoon has thrown his proverbial hat into the ring, officially opening a second at-large city council seat, one would think the temptation to run would be overwhelming for wannabes all over town. We already have a good field of solid candidates: in addition to incumbents John Connolly and Steve Murphy, the list includes Felix G. Arroyo, Doug Bennett, Marty Hogan, Andrew Kenneally, Jean Claude Sanon, and Bob Terrell.

Arroyo already has an impressive $23,000 in his campaign account, and Kenneally has $13,000. Bennett has $7500.

But nobody new has announced, or formed a campaign committee, since the start of the year.

At-large city councilor Sam Yoon is running for mayor of Boston, he told the Phoenix this afternoon.

Yoon spent this weekend in retreat with his wife to make the final decision, as this blog was the first to report. Having decided in the affirmative, he spoke with Mayor Tom Menino and fellow councilor and mayoral candidate Michael Flaherty to inform them of his decision.

A formal announcement will come later, "in the next few weeks," Yoon said.

"The campaign will be about the future -- looking to the future of the city, and not to the past," Yoon said. At least for the next nine months, the city's future looks pretty interesting, with both Yoon and Flaherty, as well as businessman Kevin McCrea, running for the top job; Menino has not yet declared his intentions, but is widely expected to seek re-election.

Boston City Councilor and potential mayoral candidate Sam Yoon finished 2008 with more than $132,000 in his campaign war chest, according to his most recent report with the Office Campaign and Political Finance.