Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is facing pushback on her commercial tax petition, which has sparked a debate about the city's economic plans. Democratic political analyst Marianne Marsh and Republican political analyst Jenny Buckingham recently discussed the issue on WCVB Boston's OTR Round Table.
Marsh believes that Mayor Wu can afford to have deep pockets against her because she is listening to the residents of Boston. However, if Wu proposes a double-digit property tax increase on residents, she may face a political problem. On the other hand, Buckingham argues that Wu will also have a political problem if the economy does not continue to recover.
The analysts also discussed the possibility of commercial property owners converting their buildings into housing and the potential benefits for businesses. They touched on President Biden's border policy and the split among Democrats. Marsh believes that Biden got it right politically, while Buckingham argues that the policy may not be the right one. They mentioned a WCVB UMASS Amherst poll that shows blame for the border policy is divided among Republicans in Congress, President Biden, the state legislature, and the migrants themselves. Marsh believes that attitudes are unlikely to change unless progress is made on the shelter crisis.
In addition, the analysts briefly touched on the GOP's promise of a revenge tour against Democrats if former President Donald Trump is reelected and the perception of bias against Republicans in the Justice Department [a37f1d50].
This discussion adds to the ongoing conversation about Boston's economic plans and the challenges Mayor Wu may face with her commercial tax petition. It highlights the differing perspectives on the issue and the potential political implications for the mayor and the city [a37f1d50].