Tell us: Should Cambridge annex Boston?
Cambridge city councilor Burhan Azeem placed April Fool's Day ads across Boston calling for its annexation.
On Monday, a Cambridge city councilor pulled an epic — and expensive — April Fool’s prank on Boston, calling for his city to annex Boston, reclaim its title as the state’s capital, and create “MegaCambridge.”
“In 1630 Cambridge was chosen to be capital,” the ad’s copy reads. “That was until Boston took that from us. It’s time to fix that. Let’s annex Boston.”
Councilor Burhan Azeem spent $5,000 on 77 billboard ads to be placed across Boston in time for April Fools Day, and even launched the website annexboston.com to further the stunt. In a form on the website, visitors are invited to provide their “honest feedback” on the annexation of Boston.
“Cambridge has got it all — world renowned universities, the hottest companies, good governance, and of course great elected officials. Don’t you think it’s time we do Boston a favor and annex them?” the form’s copy reads.
While it might be an April Fool’s joke, Azeem told the Boston Globe the ads have a serious point to make about inter-city collaboration.
“We do a great job of running our city, I think that Boston has been running into some budget issues; I saw their school budget was struggling,” Azeem said in a phone interview with the Globe. “And in Cambridge, we don’t have those issues.”
He told the Globe the ads aim to make people think more about how collaboration between local communities and the state on issues like the MBTA and public infrastructure could be beneficial to both cities.
Not to mention that if Boston ever needs a financial helping hand, Azeem said Cambridge — or, rather, MegaCambridge – has it covered.
“If Boston needs any financial help, we’d be happy to bail them out,” Azeem said.
In all seriousness (er, silliness?), should Cambridge annex Boston? Or vice versa?
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