Boston City Council President Ed Flynn on crime:

BOSTON — The area’s greatest metropolis and main financial engine is dealing with lots of necessary points lately of inexpensive housing (or the dearth of it), the standard of public schooling, and crime.

Subsequent week, WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller will likely be sitting down Boston Mayor Michelle Wu to get her tackle issues, however this week, Jon received the angle of President of the Boston Metropolis Council Ed Flynn.

He is in his third time period because the District Counselor representing down South Boston, south in Chinatown, Bay Village, Ford Level, and components of Again Bay and Beacon HIll.

(WATCH: Flynn converse on hire management and Wu’s proposal for hire stabilization)

Jon Keller: “Is that this metropolis too balkanized for issues to get completed?”

Ed Flynn: “I do not assume so. We now have fantastic metropolis employees. They do an amazing job. They do not get the appreciation, or the pay, or the popularity that they need to, however they do large work. And lots of our providers in our metropolis, it is by these devoted metropolis employees which are on the market daily, supporting the residents. So we’re actually happy with them.”

Keller: “However you understand, you do hear and we, town, kind of has a popularity as a spot the place there are lots of very lively and vocal neighborhood teams. There’s all types of various pursuits at play, and that it makes it arduous to get something completed. A brand new inexpensive housing developments, most notably. Is that true?”

Flynn: “No, I do not assume so. It is about working. If in case you have a proposal, and you’re employed nicely with the residents, the neighborhood organizations, the impacted group, I feel you may get a good shake at Metropolis Corridor. It is about listening to folks, working with folks. Not all people has the suitable reply. It is about compromise. That is what authorities is about. Compromising, giving, and giving again. However hopefully on the finish of the day, there is a proposal that individuals can assist. And it is primarily based on either side respecting one another as nicely.”

Keller: “Proper now, there is a controversial proposal from Mayor Wu for…she calls it “hire stabilization.” Others name it “hire management.” Her proposal would restrict hire improve or would hyperlink them to inflation with a ten % cap. There be some exemptions for brand spanking new development and triple deckers, for example, which are owner-occupied. You have come ahead with your individual proposal. What’s there within the mayor’s proposal that you simply assume you possibly can assist, if something?”

Flynn: “Nicely, I feel the mayor offered proposal. I feel she listened to residents. I feel she listened to the enterprise group as nicely. And it is a proposal primarily based on ensuring that residents of Boston have the chance to proceed to reside within the metropolis, as costs of housing escalate in Boston is a metropolis of neighborhoods, and it is about residents that will not have some huge cash, however there ought to at all times be a chance for them there.

I assist the proposal the Mayor offered. I additionally wished to focus on a problem that I’ve heard many, many occasions. And it is landlords which are offering an residence to a household or an aged individual, and so they’re charging lower than what they might get. Beneath market. And so what I used to be proposing, in case you try this, and we’re in a position to confirm it, perhaps there’s a chance so that you can get some tax reduction, evaluation in your taxes in your property taxes. I haven’t got precisely what the components is. I am speaking to residents. I am speaking to the enterprise group. However I want to have a critical dialogue about it. Perhaps it could actually assist.”

Keller: “The [Boston] Globe reported the opposite day that there was a gathering of native clergy final week over on the Charles St. AME Church to debate crime and violence. And the paper quoted the pastor of that church. Reverend Gregory Groover is saying, ‘We’re in a disaster. Now, I do know that elected officers and others would like to not use that language for no matter causes, however it’s a disaster.’ Do you agree with him?”

Flynn: “Nicely, what I what I do know is we desperately want extra police in our metropolis. And I am advocating for hiring at the very least two-to-three hundred cops yearly constantly for the subsequent 10 years. However I additionally know that in the course of the pandemic, psychological well being challenges elevated considerably. And we have to present residents with the important providers assist that they want. It is about working collectively, together with the clergy, bringing one another, bringing town collectively. However we do have main challenges with public security. However we now have a superb police commissioner as nicely, a superb police division – the women and men of the Boston Police – working with the residents. Group policing does work. It’s working. And it is about us persevering with to work collectively.”

Keller: “Can we rent 200 new cops a 12 months? I imply, can we get the individuals who will need these jobs?”

Flynn: “I feel we are able to. I feel we now have to do an excellent job of recruiting. It is not a sexy job as a police officer, prefer it was earlier than. And I feel we now have to deal with our cops and their households with extra respect as nicely. They’re a part of our group. They’re our neighbors. They’re our literal coaches. However we have to have a greater angle of constructing positive that they’re handled with respect.”

Keller: “Right me if I am flawed, however police are already exempt from the residency requirement. Proper?”

Flynn: “Nicely, there is a time period if you first get on the job, that you need to keep within the metropolis for a sure variety of years.” 

Keller: “So there’s been lots of discuss removing that the residency requirement for a metropolis of Boston workers all collectively? The place do you come down on that?”

Flynn: “I assist a few of it. I feel particularly for low-income, low-salary employees. Perhaps you are making $40,000 a 12 months, and also you’re pressured to reside within the metropolis, extraordinarily troublesome for you and your loved ones. So I feel there needs to be exemptions primarily based on wage. However, we have to present the very best schooling in addition to we are able to to our younger folks within the Boston Public Faculty system. And I feel that is additionally a part of the technique.”

Keller: “I did wish to carry up one thing that simply type of popped up final week. Mayor Wu fulfilled the marketing campaign promise by hiring a brand new administrator to supervise the enhancement of town’s nightlife as an financial growth initiative. They need higher late night time T service and lots of extra liquor licenses as a part of the combination. Do you assume these are workable concepts?”

Flynn: “Nicely, I feel we undoubtedly want a MBTA system that works and is opened later…we’re going to maintain the eating places and bars open…however we want guarantee that residents are additionally on board with conserving liquor institutions open later at night time. So these could be unfold out throughout town, so there needs to be a group engagement. However I am assured that if that is the plan town is seeking to do, I am assured that they may interact the residents throughout town searching for their enter as nicely.”

Keller: “What’s your bedtime counselor? I am going to go first. Mine’s about 10 o’clock at night time, on the newest.”

Flynn: “I am going to mattress in all probability 11 o’clock. My spouse and I like to observe tv. We watch these house enchancment packages.” 

Keller: “Oh yeah?”

Flynn: “Yeah, I prefer to take my thoughts off of politics and study find out how to repair up a home. Though I am not helpful myself.”