MassGOP Statement on Mayor Michelle Wu’s State of the City Address

March 19, 2025

 

Boston, MA– Tonight, Mayor Michelle Wu delivered her State of the City Address, attempting to sell Bostonians on her tenure. But just like the majority of residents, the MassGOP isn’t buying it. Her radical policies have turned Boston into a progressive experiment at the expense of hardworking families, and we stand firmly against her disastrous agenda.

 

Under Wu’s leadership, Boston Common—once a cherished gathering space—has descended into an open-air drug market plagued by crime. Even Freedom Trail tour guides now avoid the area, unable to showcase it as the safe landmark it once was.

 

Mayor Wu’s leadership has failed the people of Boston, especially on public safety,” said MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale. “What was once the heart of the city has become dangerous and unrecognizable. This is not the Boston residents deserve.”

 

Now, she is pushing to redevelop White Stadium in Franklin Park into a professional women’s soccer facility, restricting access for Boston Public School students who have long relied on it for sports and recreation. This costly deal, done despite significant community opposition, will provide little economic benefit while stripping resources from local youth.

 

“The redevelopment of White Stadium is a direct blow to the communities of Roxbury and Dorchester,” Carnevale continued. “This isn’t just a financial blunder; it’s a betrayal of Boston families.”

 

Meanwhile, Wu’s stubborn commitment to reckless policies extends to transportation. Her aggressive bike lane expansions have worsened congestion, delayed emergency services, and frustrated commuters, all while catering to a small subset of residents.

 

“Bostonians are fed up with these bike lanes,” said Carnevale. “They create more traffic, more delays, and only seem to benefit illegal scooter riders. Wu is playing political games at the expense of everyday citizens.”

 

Beyond infrastructure failures, Wu has misled the public on tax policy. She falsely claimed that rejecting a commercial tax hike would result in a 33% increase in residential taxes, when the real figure is just 10.5%—a typical inflation adjustment. This fearmongering tactic was designed to pressure lawmakers and residents into supporting higher taxes, despite Boston’s struggling commercial real estate market.

 

“Mayor Wu distorts facts to justify her progressive agenda,” Carnevale said. “She isn’t protecting taxpayers—she’s squeezing them to fund bloated city spending.”

 

Concerns over transparency only deepened when Wu testified before the House Oversight Committee about Boston’s sanctuary city policies. Despite spending $650,000 in consulting fees to prepare for her testimony, she failed to provide basic data on how many illegal immigrants have entered the city or how much taxpayer money is being spent to support them, raising serious questions about fiscal responsibility.

 

“Wu refuses to be honest with the people she’s supposed to serve,” said Carnevale. “Her policies drain resources from essential services and put public safety at risk.”

 

Since taking office, Wu has increased Boston’s budget by over 15%, ballooning it to $4.6 billion. Rather than cutting wasteful spending, she relies on scare tactics to justify raising taxes and expanding government control.

 

“Bostonians deserve fiscal responsibility, not higher taxes to fund Wu’s extreme agenda,” Carnevale concluded.

 

The people of Boston make this city great—not City Hall. But under Wu’s leadership, reckless policies, mismanagement, and deception have become the norm. The MassGOP remains committed to fighting for a Boston that prioritizes safety, and prosperity for all residents—not just the political elite.

 

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