Kraft announced his campaign to unseat Michelle Wu as Mayor. He said Wu acts like she “has all the answers.”

Josh Kraft announced his official mayoral bid on Tuesday, after months of speculations and rumors.

Kraft, who addressed a crowd in Dorchester’s Prince Hall on Monday, outlined his vision and personal history for Boston and outlined some of the ways he intends to attack Boston Mayor Michelle Wu during this year’s campaign.

Kraft is 57 years old and the son of Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft. He has been a philanthropist for many years. He worked for Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston for 30 years, 12 of them as the president and CEO. He is president of the New England Patriots Foundation, and chair of Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.

Kraft is running in the Democratic primary against Wu. Wu has said she intends to run for re-election but has not yet announced her campaign.

Takeaways from the announcement on Tuesday

Listening is important

Kraft’s main message was very clear. He wanted to express his desire to build Boston’s collective future by listening to the residents, which he claimed Wu had failed to do.

Kraft expressed concern that, when interacting with members of the community, people feel they are unable to communicate with anyone at City Hall.

“We have an unlistening leader.” Kraft stated that Mayor Wu acted as if she had all the answers too often. “On issue after question, the mayor is becoming less and less receptive, and increasingly disconnected from communities, their feedback and their needs.”

Kraft’s decision to focus his argument on Wu’s supposed disconnect with the community is a way of capitalizing on the frustration that exists towards the mayor. The mayor’s failed attempt to move the John D. O’Bryant school to West Roxbury prompted accusations that the Wu administration had not engaged with the community properly. Residents claim that the administration did not receive enough feedback from the community before embarking on its ambitious plan to remodel White Stadium.

Kraft stated that Wu’s refusal to listen was evident last year when the mayor refused a possible way to stop homeowners from experiencing a large increase in their property tax. Wu supported another tax relief plan that failed to pass the State House. She will try again this year.

Kraft stated that “no one person knows all the answers.” We are successful when we invite many people to the table, and listen to their opinions. People with different opinions or with whom we might not agree.

Housing

Many residents of Massachusetts are concerned about the lack of affordable housing. They are frustrated by rising rents and fear an exodus to states with lower costs. Kraft said housing was the “number-one challenge” for Boston.

Kraft criticised Wu for not delivering on her election promise to enact rent control in Boston. Wu’s rent control plan was approved by the City Council but failed to gain support at the State House. Massachusetts cities cannot enact rent control unless state legislators approve a city’s home rule petition.

Kraft said that he would implement a rent-control program that benefits both building owners and tenants. He suggested that the city reduce real estate taxes on building owners in return for the ability of tenants to limit rent increases over a 10 year period. He said the program would target properties that served middle- and low-income families.

He said, “Renters deserve protection from massive increases year after year, and this plan does that.” “Mayor Wu promised rent control to us three years ago. We will deliver it.”

Kraft stated that reducing regulations is another way to increase housing affordability. These regulations are currently stopping housing projects from being built. He claimed that there are “ready-to-build” projects which would result in more than 20,000 new housing units. He said that they are “stuck”, due to the regulations imposed by Wu’s administration.

Kraft wants to encourage new housing construction through one-time incentives for projects aimed at middle class families or first time homebuyers.

Kraft stated that “having all these projects on the shelf does not generate any new housing, affordable housing, new jobs, or new tax revenues.”

Education

Kraft stated that Boston urgently needs a School Committee to challenge the city leadership and hold Boston Public Schools responsible. Kraft called for the creation of a School Committee with both elected and appointed representatives. Currently, the committee is made up entirely of appointed members. Wu vetoed in 2023 a proposal that the Boston School Committee be an elected body.

Boston’s start to the school year was marred with late buses. Some of them were even delayed for hours. Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper have been heavily criticized by the City Council for these delays. Some members of the City Council even called for an investigation.

Kraft stated that the city spends about $171 million per year on bus transportation for approximately 20,000 BPS pupils.

“$8,500 per student for buses that cannot even reach the opening bell. How can a parent trust that the school system will educate their children when it can’t even get them there on time? “That is unacceptable,” said he.

Transport

Kraft’s comments that Boston streets are “jammed by poorly designed, hastily constructed bus and bike lanes” and that they increase congestion and eliminate parkaing, led to a loud cheer when he made the statement. This is bad for residents, including small business owners, seniors and disabled people.

Kraft called for an “everyday common sense” transportation strategy that targets traffic congestion. This plan would include a halt to all new bike lanes.

Kraft stated that the situation had become chaotic. Don’t get it wrong, I am all for finding creative solutions to our transportation problems, but under this administration, our transportation issue has rapidly spiraled into an issue of quality of life.