The already moribund plan of Mayor Tom Menino and the Boston Red Sox to build a new ballpark in the Fenway received another blow Wednesday. The Boston City Council voted 7-6 in favor of a resolution opposing the use of eminent domain to take land of private landowners for a new ballpark for the Red Sox Wednesday.

While non-binding, the passage of the resolution signals that Menino and the Red Sox don’t have enough support in the council to win approval of the bonds the city would have to issue to fulfill Menino’s pledge of $200 million in aid to the team. Nor is there support for eminent domain land takings. Both measures require two-thirds support of the council. If nothing else, the vote will surely send a message to prospective buyers of the Red Sox. Councilors Chuck Turner, Mickey Roache, Michael Ross, Maura Hennigan, and Peggy Davis-Mullen co-sponsored the measure.

" What is the role of government? " asked District 6 councilor Hennigan, who is running for reelection as an at-large councilor this year. " It should not be our role to subsidize millionaires. "

At-Large Councilor Peggy Davis-Mullen, who is running for mayor, used the discussion on the vote to lash out against Mayor Tom Menino. " This discussion highlights the priorities of not only the administration but the members of this body, " she said. " The fact that the administration has let this hang out there so long is a travesty. " (The plan that requires the city to contribute some $200 million for the new Red Sox stadium has been on the table since June, but Menino has not yet gone to the council for approval.)

The most vocal opponents of the measure were Councilors Daniel Conley of West Roxbury and Paul Scapicchio of the North End. Others, such as at-large councilor Michael Flaherty, objected to the resolution on the grounds that it did not address specifics. " The resolution is vague, " said Flaherty. " To commit to something a year from now in a different part of the city, we would be precluded from doing so. "

At the urging of Councilor James Kelly of South Boston, council members added an amendment to the resolution authorizing " the infrastructure money, appropriated by the state legislature for the Fenway neighborhood ... be transferred to whatever neighborhood in which a new ballpark would be built. " This language opened the door for Kelly’s home neighborhood to receive its share of benefits for the project.

Issue Date: October 24, 2001