Candidate: Frank Baker
Age: 53
Birthplace Dorchester.
Residence: 53 Grampian Way, Savin Hill.

Q. What is your present occupation? Also, please note any past employment that may be relevant to your candidacy. Please detail your personal educational background and achievements.
I am currently the District 3 Boston City Councillor. Prior to being elected in 2011, I spent my career in the City of Boston’s Printing Department until the department shuttered. In 1986, I graduated from Don Bosco Technical High School, where I studied the printing trade and immediately jumped into the workforce. It was not until I was a City Councillor that I was back in the classroom. I am also a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School Senior Executive Fellows program for State and Local Government.

Q. Please list some of your affiliations with non-profits, civic associations, and political groups.
Past Vice President of the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association, and Past Ward 13 Democratic Committee co-chair and current member.

Q. What is your top priority if elected?
My top priority would be to ensure that the proper infrastructure improvements will be implemented to ensure that neighborhoods will be properly connected to the Columbia Point peninsula. Another priority of mine would be to bring more job training programs for the incoming life science industry to my district so our neighbors and children can gain access to these top paying jobs.

Q. Do you favor a return to an elected School Committee? Please explain.
I have been advocating since I first got elected for a hybrid School Committee. The School Committee needs to be held accountable, not just by the mayor or the School Department but also by the people of Boston, who trust them with their children. A hybrid School Committee seems like a fair way to do that. At a bare minimum, City Councillors should have confirmation powers on School Committee members.

Q. What is your assessment of the Climate Ready Boston initiative conceived and executed to date by the Walsh administration?
I think the initiative is a good plan for along our waterfronts, taking sufficient steps at protecting our city from sea level rise and coastal flooding. There are new developments along the Dorchester waterfront that are being planned to be built to protect us from the rising sea levels. Projects like Moakley Park, McConnell Park, and Dorchester Bay City are key at protecting the abutting neighbors from coastal flooding. In addition to the Climate Ready Boston Initiative, I believe it is crucial that we plant trees where we can. Things like planting trees is one of the best ways to protect our city from climate change and mitigate some of the anticipated coastal flooding.

Q. What is your assessment of the Walsh administration’s overall performance? Please offer a letter grade or pass/fail as part of your answer.

Q. When not on the campaign trail, how do you unwind?
When I am trying to unwind, I like to sit in a local establishment with my wife and have a nice dinner.

Read Frank Baker's full responses to the Reporter questionnaire here.

Candidate: Stephen McBride
Age: 31
Birthplace: Hermitage, PA.
Residence: Dorchester.

Q. What is your present occupation? Please detail your personal educational background and achievements.
I currently manage a team of Customer Success Managers at HubSpot. I attended Northeastern, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in political science and economics.

Q. Please list some of your affiliations with non-profits, civic associations and political groups.
I am a member of the Jones Hill Civic Association; a former member of SPARK Boston, a council of people aged 20-35 focused on increasing civic engagement; a United Way volunteer; and I will be serving as a
delegate this September at the Massachusetts State Convention for the Boston Ward 13 Democrats.

Q. What is your top priority if elected?
In addition to leading us through an equitable Covid-19 recovery and ensuring that everyone is informed on, and has access to, the resources needed to combat the emerging variants, my top priority, if elected, is to fight for safe, stable, and affordable housing.
As Boston continues to grow, we must view development through the lens of community rather than profit, focusing on improving neighborhoods instead of simply lining the pockets of big developers.

Q. Do you favor a return to an elected School Committee? Please explain.
I believe that a portion of the School Committee should be elected. I favor having over 50 percent be elected so that a majority of the committee is responsible to the people. To ensure that partisan politics aren’t the only factor, retaining an appointed component will keep the committee grounded. I also believe that the student member should have a vote as the rest of the committee does.

Q. What is your assessment of the Climate Ready Boston initiative?
The Climate Ready Boston initiative provides an excellent foundation for us to tackle climate change, but there is much more work to be done. The current plan focuses mainly on climate resilience. I believe we must take steps to expedite resilience measures while also refocusing on what we can do to slow, stop, and reverse the effects of climate change…District 3 exemplifies the necessity of these infrastructure upgrades. Roads such as Morrissey Boulevard already regularly flood, posing a threat to local homes and community access to what should be shared and sustainable public resources. Additionally, we must prioritize public transit as a means to confront climate-related threats to our city and improve the quality of life for all Bostonians. This begins by reimagining public transit as a public good that is free and reliable for all. Finally, we must work to improve our buildings’ efficiencies as they are currently the largest source of carbon emissions in Boston.

Q. What is your assessment of the Walsh administration’s overall performance? Please offer a letter grade or pass/fail as part of your answer.
Pass - Mayor Walsh was dedicated to remaining connected to the community throughout his tenure. Mayor Walsh truly made every effort to let people know that he was there to serve them and make the city a better place, reflecting this sentiment through his policy.

Q. When not on the campaign trail, how do you unwind?
When I’m not out knocking doors and talking to District 3 voters, I enjoy taking my dog, Pru, for a walk around Victory Park. [My husband] Matt and I also try to maintain a regular date night, be it an evening out for dinner (our favorite spot is the original Yellow Door) or just a night at home catching up on the latest Drag Race.

Read Stephen McBride's full answers to the Reporter questionnaire here.