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Boston.com readers don’t think Kendra Lara should run for reelection
“Councilor Lara is absolutely not the right person to represent Bostonians,” one of the 750 respondents said.
At the preliminary municipal elections on Sept. 12, Boston City Councilors will be up for reelection. But there’s one city councilor Boston.com readers say they don’t think should be on the ballot: Councilor Kendra Lara.
The District 6 councilor was involved in a car crash with her son in Jamaica Plain on June 30, and has since come under fire for her driving record and whether she should hold office.
Police said she was going more than double the 25 mph speed limit when she crashed an unregistered, uninsured car without a license into a home on Centre Street, according to police.
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“It’s just not a place to go fast,” Georgia Kalogerakis, the owner of the home, told The Boston Globe. “It’s a residential area. … Anybody could have been walking by.”
The crash sent Lara’s son to a local hospital to receive several stitches and caused “significant damage to the front porch, foundation, bushes, and metal fence” of Kalogerakis’ home, according to a police report obtained by the Globe.
She is facing a number of charges in connection to the crash, including reckless driving, speeding, and a seatbelt violation, along with two additional charges for operating negligently so as to endanger, and recklessly permitting bodily injury to a child under 14.
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Before appearing in court in mid-July to face charges related to the crash, Lara admitted to reporters that she made mistakes, including not paying fines. Her license was suspended in 2013 after she failed to pay a fine for a seatbelt violation, according to a police report. It was revoked in 2015 after she was cited in Connecticut.
“I am wanting to be fully accountable for my mistake, and I plan on doing everything possible to remedy any issues,” she said. “There are often circumstances that prevent good people from checking off all of their boxes, and that sometimes manifests itself as things like unpaid fines. I know that, as an elected official, I have to hold myself to a higher standard, and I intend to do that.”
In response to the incident and revelations about her driving record, Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty has called on Lara to resign as city councilor.
“The behavior is one of a habitual scofflaw,” Flaherty told hosts of NBC10 Boston’s @Issue. “To go 10 years without a license isn’t a mistake; it’s the middle finger, frankly.”
Lara told the Globe that she is still planning to seek her second term on the council this fall, despite the controversy.
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“My hope is that my worst day is not being weighed against the two years of work I’ve done on the City Council,” Lara said.
Lara’s office did not respond to Boston.com’s request for comment at the time of publication.
We asked Boston.com readers whether they think Lara should run for reelection. Ninety-six percent of the 748 readers responded to our poll saying she should not run for reelection, and many actively called for her to resign. Just 4% said she should run.
Should Kendra Lara run for reelection?
Yes
4%
No
96%
It depends
0%
“If she is not capable of maintaining a valid driver’s license, why should her constituents trust her to be able to manage their needs?” Sue from Dorchester said. “Her flagrant disregard for the law, public safety, and the safety of her child makes her wholly unqualified to run again. An embarrassment to the city of Boston.”
Other readers called the entire state of the Boston City Council into question, with Lenny from Dorchester calling it “shameful who we have representing us,” and Frank T. from West Roxbury calling on Councilors Tania Fernandez-Anderson and Ricardo Arroyo not to run for reelection either (the former paid a $5,000 penalty for conflict of interest violations and the latter has faced sexual assault allegations).
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“We need ethical, upstanding citizens to run and represent us on the City Council. Councilor Lara is absolutely not the right person to represent Bostonians,” Richard from Dorchester said.
See examples of what readers had to say about Kendra Lara’s plans to run for reelection.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Should Kendra Lara run for reelection?
No
“She violated the law and shows little remorse. Lara feels entitled to special treatment. She put her own child in danger. She does not represent me even though I live in [District] 6. Not only should she withdraw from the election but she should resign her seat on the council.” — Eileen K., West Roxbury
“There are some current and former councilors who were wonderful and were genuine about the people. Some now are abusing their power. To have a blatant disregard for the law and claim it was a mistake is absolutely ridiculous. We are very lucky that the crash she caused did not kill her child or someone else. If so there would be no question at all about reelection.” — Sheila P., Dorchester
“Does she have a right to? Yes. Should she? No. A public servant, elected or appointed, should hold themselves to at least the same standards as those they serve.” — Todd L., West Roxbury
“She willfully disregarded and broke multiple laws for a decade; she got caught only because the crash involved other people, including her own kid. She wants to be ‘fully accountable’? Resign. No one is above the law: not a president, a senator, a city councilor, not a Democrat or a Republican.” — Tom B., Dorchester
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“I live in JP and don’t want someone who chooses not to follow basic rules representing me.” — Anne, Jamaica Plain
“Lara is my councilor and she is doing [a] disservice to the residents of District 6 specifically and of the city broadly by not proactively resigning and forgoing a re-election bid. Her statement of ‘one bad day’ is ludicrous in light of 10 years of suspended licenses in multiple states, continuing to drive regularly including to City Hall, and endangering her own child and other drivers, pedestrians, and homeowners. How are we to trust her to care for our district and our city?” — Lauren, Jamaica Plain
“The standards for public service don’t need to be sainthood. But a clear and demonstrated violation of laws over a sustained period of time, including actions that put citizens and children at risk should absolutely be a cause for resignation or at the least not running for reelection. The lack of judgment, ethics, and concern for the safety of others feels like it should be disqualifying. The complete dismissal of facts or trying to claim persecution in the face of community standards is right out of the playbook of the anti-democratic leaders across the US. It’s not OK for any public official to use that playbook.” — Mike, Jamaica Plain
“I voted for Lara last election but will not be voting for her again. This isn’t ‘one bad day’ it’s ten years of driving on a revoked license. It’s not ‘failing to check a box.’ She was going 53 mph on a 25 mph street known to be frequently used by pedestrians. But the fact that the car was uninsured is what really gets me. Everyone insures … not only because it’s a requirement, but to make sure if accidents do happen, people who are hurt have their medical bills covered. Councilor Lara’s conduct indicates that she wasn’t thinking about anyone else but herself.” — Nick S., Jamaica Plain
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“100% NO. She is not above the law, although her actions indicate she believes so. She has allowed her personal agenda to obliterate her obligations as a public servant, as a role model to the community and young girls who might aspire to enter into service for the city of Boston. She needs to pay the price for abusing her status as City Councilor. Maybe, in the future, she could try again, after having paid her due penance and recognizing she needs to abide by the law like the people she serves.” — Lorian, Brighton
“I still believe in accountability. It feels like Trump opened the door for politicians to no longer be accountable for any of their actions. I’d like to go back to the old days when our elected officials were held to a higher standard than typical citizens. Let’s go back to the pre-Trump times when we actually expected our elected officials to put our best interests in front of their own.” — Andy G., Dorchester
Yes
“Let the voters decide. She has been a spokesperson for the unheard. She has called out racism. Your summary omits that important fact.” — Richard N., South End
“She has not been convicted of anything and has the right to run as does any other citizen.” — Len D., Dorchester
“Sure, why not? They voted her in once already. Her running will be a good gauge to see how out of touch voters really are. Referring the council as a ‘a clown show’ is being kind.” — Tom, Dorchester
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“She’s human, none of us are perfect…let the people decide her fate as far as the seat goes.” — James M., Boston
“Voter choice is crucial. Hopefully, the court is able to find justice. Hopefully, the City Council as a whole can learn to work together collaboratively for the good of the city.” — Joanne S., West Roxbury
“If she feels confident she can serve the community, she should stand for election. Let the constituents decide.” — Meg, Roxbury
“Councilor Lara apologized publicly. I’m in full support of her voting record while on the council (easy enough to Google) — what is notable and important: Councilor Lara and her office are responsive to constituents: weekly newsletters about council business, updates on the budget process, responsive to contact, and quarterly coffee chats open to all constituents. I think about my students…everyone makes mistakes or makes a wrong choice. What matters is how someone responds/handles their own situation. Do they admit it? Do they learn and grow from it? In Councilor Lara’s case, she is doing that. She is a strong voice for our community on the council and District 6 should return her to the council. In terms of the entire Council…I am glad to see the council has asserted its own authority (such as participatory budgeting and the police budget item). The redistricting…chaos…was ridiculous but blame seems to be assigned to councilors who called out the systemic racism in our city, spoke to the lived experience of their constituents, and their own. … Democracy is messy and often inefficient…particularly when established power is challenged…and historic wrongs are addressed.” — Edward H., Jamaica Plain
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“Like more powerful politicians, Ms. Lara will take her candidacy to the people with the expectation that the voters will decide and their ballots will be respected. Discussions in the neighborhood lament the long-term, right-wing driven verbiage ‘clown show’ used now by the Globe to describe the progressive counselors and subsequently the mayor. Much happens on that council floor that on balance is not reported. The media sits on one side of the chamber in the dark, immune to the time-outs and the smirking of councilors who lecture others on their behavior.” — Beth N., Roslindale
“She is being picked on.” — Reagan, Somerville
Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
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