The Hiller Instinct: State of the City Address

First elected in 1993, Mayor Menino has been summarizing the State of the City in his annual addresses for fifteen years.  Listen carefully to the words he used tonight:

"The state of the city is in our hands, and for that reason I know it's strong," the Mayor said.

Now listen to the unqualified words he's used in years past:

2001 "The state of our city is safe, secure and strong"

2004 "The state of our city is solid"

2005 "The state of the city is strong"

2007 "The state of our city is inclusive, unlimited, and strong."

In the past, the Mayor was always confident of where the city stood on its own...but, now, he doesn't sound so sure.  And why should he? He says Boston is facing a $140 million budget deficit...so he's proposing a one-year wage freeze for the city's union workers to save Boston as we know it.

"I know this will be hard on working families, but the way I see it, a one-year wage freeze beats core service reductions and painful, painful layoffs, " the Mayor said.

Menino's bold call for a wage freeze could set the battle lines for the mayoral election later this year.  Menino's challenge is to make Boston voters separate what they think of him from what they think about what may be ahead: reduced services, or clashes with city unions.  If Menino can do it, then get ready for his fifth term. But--if he can't--then here's another key word: change.

I'm Andy Hiller, and that's my instinct.

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