John Barros to run for mayor of Boston

John Barros, who resigned last week from his spot as Boston’s chief of economic development, will run for mayor.

Barros announced the run in a news release Wednesday evening in advance of his formal announcement Thursday morning in front of the restaurant his family has long owned.

“Community development leader, small business owner, and Boston’s first Chief of Economic Development John Barros will launch his campaign for Mayor of Boston on Thursday,” the sudden press release said.

His announcement will come in his home neighborhood of Dorchester, in front of Restaurante Cesaria on Bowdoin Street.

Barros’ announcement describes him as a lifelong resident of Boston, the city to which his Cape Verdean parents immigrated.

Barros became the executive director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, which is the largest urban community land trust in the country, for 13 years. He also spent three years on the Boston School Committee.

Barros then ran for mayor in 2013, finishing in the middle of the pack in a crowded field. The man who won that race, now-Mayor Martin Walsh, picked Barros to serve as his economic development chief, a cabinet position, and Barros kept the job throughout Walsh’s seven-year tenure — right up until last week, when he resigned in a move that was widely seen as portending a mayoral run.

Barros, in his resignation letter last week, wrote to Walsh that he’s “proud” of the work they’ve done together.

He said, “I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me in 2014 to establish and lead the new cabinet of Economic Development, focused on growing our city’s economy in an equitable and sustainable way.”

Barros is now the fifth mayoral candidate to jump into the race, and the third since his old boss became President Biden’s pick for Labor secretary in early January.

City Councilors Michelle Wu and Andrea Campbell began running in September, before Walsh was out of the race. City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George announced at the end of January, and state Rep. Jon Santiago jumped in last week.

Also considering runs are state Sen. Nick Collins and City Council President Kim Janey, who will become acting mayor when Walsh is confirmed and leaves.

Barros will have financial ground to gain. He zeroed out his 2013 campaign account in 2016, so he’s starting with an empty war chest as of the end of January. In February, the three councilors in the race and Santiago all raised six figures, with Santiago leading the way with more than $233,000. Campbell and Wu, who had big Januaries after months of steady fundraising, are leading the pack in total cash on hand with $841,000 and $833,000, respectively.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3qgcsvN