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– News about Quincy MA from Quincy Quarry News
Quincy LGBT Candidates forum scorecard.
Last week the Quincy Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Meet-Up hosted its first time ever hosting of a local candidates forum last week.  All things considered, it was a successful opening night event for this relatively new local organization.
Roughly 150 people attended this event, although it must be noted that many attending would appear to have either come out in support of individual candidates or have yet to come out.

Regardless, the Quincy Quarry reporter assigned to cover the event was especially appreciate that LGBT Quincy arranged for a no-host bar at this event, although an open bar would have been even more appreciated.
Additionally, it must be noted the light food offerings were several steps above the usual fare.
As for the candidates’ performances, however, the Quarry can only properly again report a mixed bag.
Starting with the two candidates for School Committee who made it to this event, they were about as exciting as a high school commencement speech.
Then again, as one candidate and former School Committee member some years ago dropped out of the race, the three remaining candidates still in the race are all but guaranteed to win four year terms on the School Committee given that three seats are open this election cycle barring a last minute and successful write-in candidate.
As for the remaining candidates still in the race, one incumbent running for reelection was again unable to attend this second local elections candidates forum.  As such, she arranged for one of the husbands of gay neighbors to read a prepared statement written by the candidate.  A decent addressing of likely to be LBGT parents’ as well as parents of LGBT students’ concerns were so broached
As for the eighteen year old and recent Quincy High School graduate running for School Committee in his first run for political office was again was warmly received by the audience given his considerable enthusiasm and charisma.
Even so, at least some of his responses continue to at least suggest that he still has a lot to learn.  As such, here is hoping that there will be a new School Committee Chair come the first of the year so that his lessons are positive ones.  In the meanwhile, while he was less than smooth with his discussion of LGBT topics, it was clear that he has the typical comfort with others who are different that is increasingly common with younger generations other than those still struggling within themselves.
The retired school teacher and first term incumbent School Committee member, on the other hand, was less fluid on such topics and which is to be expected from someone of his generation and background.  That and his key focus continues to appear to be sports.
Next up were the two candidates for the Ward One City Council seat.  The three term incumbent again put in a fast talking laundry list of all sorts of topics that one can only assume that she felt would show her competence.
Fortunately for her opponent, she so turned off many in the audience, and perhaps given her actual record.
On top of wreaking of wonky inside politics pape, she clearly lost favor with the audience when she responded to a question about her support for a proposal to bail out a struggling restaurateur by buying its parking lot for use as public parking.
So what, apparently for the many business in her ward that have long been deprived of public parking in Quincy Center nor seen any of the typical mitigation provided given the long ongoing Hancock Street misalignment project in Quincy Center and even longer ongoing as well as way over budget old City Hall project.
That and touting her continued obsession with her plans for developing a projected $5 million-plus marine center at a site which is surely but coincidentally adjacent to a local yacht club to which she belongs.
Her opponent, on the other hand, stuck to tight list meat and potatoes issues to ward constituents that he might actually at least address as well as expressed a clear appreciation of the LBGT community’s concerns and issues in spite of his many years of hetrosexual married status.
As a result, given that many of the attendees at this event appeared less than pleased with politics and government as usual, they clearly responded more warmly to the challenger.
In turn, Quincy Quarry continues to view the Ward One incumbent ward heeler as the second most vulnerable local political incumbent after duly embattled incumbent Mayor Thomas P. Koch.
As for the next bout, the Ward Two race, the incumbent was absent given the birth of his first child and apparently that very day.
One challenger is a retired and well-meaning immigrant who clearly means well but faces an uphill struggle in this race.
At the same time, as a naturalized citizen, he did convey an understanding of what it is to not be white bread and mayo.
The other challenger is a longtime city employee.  His views were focused on mainline ward constituent service issues such as fixing potholes and snow removal so as to provide such local services to all.
While offering no endorsement, Quincy Quincy does expect that the less than flashy incumbent to at least survive the September primary, if not also win reelection in November’s general election.
The Ward Three  race features three candidates for an open seat as the current incumbent is not running for reelection.
The male first time candidate for office presented himself more as the technology executive that he is than someone who is running in a ward council race wherein taking care of constituent services expectations is going away most constituents’ key expectation.
The other male candidate has run for other offices previously and it is safe to say that he gets it, especially as regards ward level constituents issues.  Whether – or not – he is elected to office this time remains to be seen.
In the meanwhile, it wouldn’t be a bad bet to book that he will at least survive the primary.
Next up, while the only female in the race was a tad more restrained at this forum than she was at the first candidates forum a week earlier, she continues to show herself to be a driven little terrier in increasingly fat rat-infested Quincy, if not also City Hall in particular.
At this point, Quincy Quarry expects the terrier to do well enough in the primary to make the ballot in the general election.
In the Ward Four race, the incumbent is running unopposed and such is apparently the reason why he did not appear at this LGBT election forum event.
Next up, in the Ward Five race, one challenger dropped out in what is now the only females-only race in Quincy this year.
Even so, there was little to see here as well as that the unfortunately so-far lackluster incumbent is likely to win reelection.
The Ward Six forum, on other hand, provided a glint of a hint of excitement.  While the incumbent has long more than filled his seat on the council, the challenger clearly scored some points opposite a surprisingly dull performance by the usually entertaining incumbent.
As such, Quincy Quarry views this ward race as perhaps having the potential to perhaps become a close one, or at least somewhat interesting.
As for the At Large candidates, the significantly larger of the two At Large incumbents failed to show in spite of his well-known penchant for careful attention to his attire.  Could he be assuming that his candidacy is a lock or might voter annoyance with the same old same old result in him becoming the odd man outed come November?
On the other hand, the other incumbent as well as widely respected current President of the City Council provided a truly heartfelt and impassioned call for inclusion as well as exuded a clear understanding of the travails of the LGBT community.
Next up, a long time School Committee member and first time City Council candidate acquitted himself well as well as showed himself to be inclusive.  Then again, as the father of very large family including a number of special needs and otherwise diverse adopted children, he clearly as well actually does walk the walk.
Even better, he tends to not go on and on but talking the talk.
The only female in this race as well as a first time candidate for any local office continues to do well during her introduction and summary, but was a tad less strong with her answers during the questions round.  Even so, she was again well-received her second ever campaign major forum event, especially as regarded her call for greater enhanced transparency in what is currently an opaque administration in City Hall.
And as for the fifth candidate in this race, he is a first term School Committee member currently halfway through his first four term in that office.  While clearly high energy and sincere on at least some of his campaign planks, he continues to show himself to be more of an old school Quincy candidate and it is currently unclear if local voter demographics are still sufficiently old school.
Next up for the main event, the Mayor’s race, it proved to be almost as close to as dramatic a forum as was expected, at least at this point earlier on in what is expected to be a 15 round heavyweight championship bout.

A former mayor yet again running for mayor noted the considerable diversity of his past administration’s staffing efforts as well as that he felt privileged to have been present when the first same sex couple in Quincy applied for a marriage license in City Hall during his previous tenure as mayor.  He also called for a return to greater diversity within local government if reelected, enhanced diversity appreciation programs in local public schools and the resumption of the responsible management of taxpayers’ money and local services.
The At Large City Councillor targeted his time to the concerns of the LGBT community, including his support of his gay brother’s coming out and then later serving as the best man at his brother’s marriage.  All in all, an impassioned as well as generally organized presentation by someone not particularly noted for either during his time on the City Council.
The only School Committee member as well as only female in this race emphasized both diversity and her (correct, ed.) view that Quincy is currently at a make it or break it crossroads.  She was clearly focused and tight to her messages this time out after suffering a touch of the yips at the first candidates forum a week earlier.
Finally, there was the incumbent.
In all honesty, this reporter must note as the bar had been open for quite a while, he cannot state with certainty whether – or not – the mayor actually said LGBT during his times with the microphone, much less said lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender, during his comments.
At the same time, a number at this forum claim that they did not hear him say either the acronym or even but one of any of these words.
Even so, the mayor did offer to set up a meeting if a group could gathered up to discuss their issues with him.
Apparently he forget about the group that was hosting this event.
What this reporter can recall is that when the embattled incumbent was asked about the readily fathomed reasons that LGBT youth are far more likely to be homeless as they transition from adolescence to early adulthood, the mayor responded that his administration has supported programming in support of providing housing to veterans and lower income seniors.
Again, he apparently forget about the group that was hosting this event.
As for his clear lack of attention, perhaps the mayor was off his game given that earlier in the day he had advised Quincy’s long time City Planning Director that he was being demoted in ways surely the mayor should know are patently illegal.
On the other hand, duly embattled incumbent Mayor Thomas P. Koch has been criticized over his past opposition to same sex marriage and other LGBT issues and perhaps he still continues to oppose at least some LGBT issues that increasingly more non-LGBT people are both understanding as well as at least generally supporting.
While Quincy Quarry expects the mayor to probably survive the primary as well as does not yet have a sense as to which of the three challenger will do likewise, if those attending the LGBT event were making the decision that night, the incumbent surely would have been given the hook as opposed to reelection.
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