Get to know Bill Linehan

City Council District 2

Bill Linehan is a life-long resident of South Boston elected to the Boston City Council in May of 2007. For the past twenty five years, Bill has been working to improve the quality of life for Boston residents, as the Director of Operations for the City of Boston’s Parks Dept., the Special Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer of the City of Boston, and for the past four terms as your District 2 Boston City Councilor. The oldest of Jack and Edie’s eight children, Bill has been active in politics since his teenage years.   Prior to working for the City of Boston he worked at the University of Massachusetts Boston for twelve years where he graduated magna cum laude. He and his wife Judy have four children, Christin, Brendan, Sean and Brooke and six grandchildren, who all live in South Boston except one. Bill has fostered job growth and investment in what was the most difficult times of the “great recession”. For the past six years Bill Linehan has continued to work hard for the residents of District 2.  It is no accident that Boston is one of the best cities in America, and one of the quickest to recover from the financial challenges of past years.  Councilor Linehan has accomplished so much in his short six years in office:

• Economic Development- Jobs & Investment
• Filed order for property tax relief for long term homeowners
• More jobs – Over 2000 new construction jobs and permanent jobs created
• New growth tax revenues $30 million in each of the past 5 years, totaling $150 million
• $100 million in Public housing infrastructure in the past two years
• Phase 1 of Old Colony Housing completed on time and under budget
• Phase 2 projected the same
• District 2 fewest foreclosures in the City of Boston
• Largest private investment in one S.Boston development, Vertex Corp $1 billion
• Better Zoning – First Street Zoning Initiative
• 100s of  Affordable Housing units created

Public Safety – fortified and expanded

• 15 New police officers in District 2, calling for 200 new officers to be added
• Full time Drug Unit placed in South Boston
• 500 Drug Arrests in South Boston since April 2012
• Monitor Police activity and coordinate community relations
• Supports Legislation to limit hand guns
• Called for the re-instatement of the Boston Police Cadet program

City Services – preserved and improved

• Tynan Community Center remained open and active
• Perry School funding restored
• Condon School infrastructure improvements, new gym and handicap ramps
• Clap School scheduled for closing, remains open as City’s first Innovation School; supporting 6th grade classroom addition
• Capital Investment $22 Million FY 2010/2015
• Public Park improvements – M Street Park, 5th Street Park, 3rd Street Park, Sparrow Park, Ringgold Park, Childe Hasim, Union Park
• Expanded Street Cleaning for District 2
• Creation of over 500 new resident parking spaces to date.
• Fighting to get the Quincy Upper School project sited and underway

Green Initiatives – Improving our Neighborhood

• Single stream recycling with new wheeled carts/Advocated for public space recycling
• Berkeley Street Community Gardens preserved with improvements
• Continues to demand to retro-fit energy efficiencies in all public buildings
• Josiah Quincy School living wall/vertical garden

Supporting our local non-profits & institutions

• Founding member of the South Boston Boys & Girls Club Golf Tournament which has raised over $250,000 to date for the club
• Thousands donated to local non-profits each year
• Millions of dollars given to South Boston Association of Non-Profits through MCCA
• Host of the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast

Q&A

Favorite Restaurant?
The next one to open.  Over 20 new restaurants opened in South Boston alone since getting elected.
Favorite bar?
Lost a great one, The Quencher. Shamrock is the closest and Shennanigans, best pub and grub.  Lincoln is also another favorite.
You sing – tell us your favorite song to perform?
Van Morrison songs, songs with feeling. New trio act comining soon!  Southie debut after I get re-elected.
Why should people vote for you??I’ve committed a major portion of my life to making Southie and Boston a better place to live and work.  It continues to get better, and I want to continue to use my skills to help make the progress reasonable and enjoyable. During the past six years as your City Councilor, this City Council District has done extraordinarily well, better than most.  Property values remain solid, more jobs have been created than any other section of the City and the investment both public and private makes other neighborhoods envious.  Population continues to expand and an experienced leader is necessary to manage the prosperity.  I feel I have played a significant role in working to retain the culture of a friendly and open neighborhood that looks out for one and other.  I have and will stand up for what is fair and good which sometimes is a test with such competing interest in South Boston.  I have demonstrated leadership when we shared in tough times.  My office is open and accesible to all and my staff and I have attended over a thousand meetings since getting elected.  My request to the reader is to recognize what has been done to create this great place we call Southie and join me in my campaign and participate.  It means a lot to us all, and we need you all involved.  Vote on November 5th and please vote for me as your City Councilor.

? ???Photography by Jen Bodnar