Mayor Thomas Menino has hit “electoral gold” by laying down a moratorium on significant development decisions, a Banker and Tradesman columnist and former Boston Herald reporter writes.

The aim is to prevent any controversies that might affect his high approval rating before the November election, Scott Van Voorhis says in this week’s paper. (The column is behind a subscription wall.)

Voorhis writes:

But once a fifth term is securely in his grasp, my prediction is a return of Menino’s alter ego, the would-be pyramid builder who gave us both an elegantly designed and successful convention center and the bold but arguably unrealistic plan for a 1,000-foot skyscraper.

That, in turn, could shift the balance of power back once again to those who want to add to Boston’s skyline.

“He does not want to have any group of people in a room who are unhappy,” said one local development industry executive of the mayor. “[Menino] is not going to let you push it. He controls the process. It’s his game.”

The mayor appears to take a different view.

"Of course I would disagree with every statement made in your e-mail," writes Menino’s press secretary, Dot Joyce.