As the mayoral race in Boston begins to take shape and excitement grows among voters who live in the city, there might be yawns in the suburbs. That would be a very big mistake.
No, suburbanites, you can’t vote for Tom Menino’s successor, but don’t think Boston isn’t electing your mayor, too.
“Mayor of Greater Boston” would be a far more appropriate title for the job. Nearly every day a Boston mayor spends time on decisions that greatly will affect a broad area around the city.
If you live in Lexington or Cohasset and work in Boston, the mayor could play a big role in matters such as where you park, how much it costs you, and where you go for lunch. The design, size and shape of the building in which you work probably came under the mayor’s review.
If you live in Marblehead or Cambridge and work for a nonprofit institution in Boston, your university, hospital, museum or agency probably can’t expand without the mayor’s nod. Even the amount of money that your agency has for direct services might be affected by the next mayor, because he or she will be seeking payments to the city for services to Boston residents.
A real estate developer living in Saugus? A housing developer residing in Walpole? The next mayor will determine how long it is going to take to get your projects approved. In the case of housing, the mayor likely will let you know how many units of affordable housing or other benefits the city will require of you. The location, size, density and look of your development will more than likely land on the next mayor’s desk before you can start construction.
Just looking to visit Boston? The new mayor will decide on the city’s approach to tourism, special events, number of hotels and the general attractiveness of the city as a tourist destination.
The reality is that, while the mayor of Boston has to ensure that basic city services such as cleaning streets, plowing snow and removing trash gets done, the job inevitably includes making decisions and developing policies that impact those who live outside Boston. Watch for candidates to issue some positions that cater to suburban as well as Boston concerns. For every candidate, it makes political sense in this day and age, and could wind up bringing in badly needed financial support for their campaigns from suburbanites with a stake in Boston.
Boston is not just the commonwealth’s capital city. It’s the state’s economic engine and the very heart of the region. So whether you live in Harvard Square, Quincy Center or Roslindale Square, this mayoral race is your race, too.
Better watch closely. After all, if history is any indicator, it might be another 20 years before this show comes to town again.