Transparency

Good government requires regular and open dialogue with residents and taxpayers.  The ability of residents to meaningfully participate in decision making is the heart of our democracy, and to do so, residents must be able to see how their local government functions and be able to participate in the decision making that affects their lives.

• Last year, Sam held a series of town hall meetings in neighborhoods around the city to inform residents about the city’s income and expenses and to solicit feedback from residents about their priorities.
• This year Sam developed a series on online surveys to which thousands of residents responded to weigh in on their spending priorities for the city.
• During last year’s budget vote, Sam helped to bring over 300 residents to the Council Chambers to witness the vote. 
• Sam sponsored legislation proposing text message, e-mail and phone alerts to remind residents of street cleaning days, snow emergencies and other important city services.

Public Safety & Violence Prevention

Raising his family in the Fields Corner neighborhood of Dorchester, Sam is deeply concerned by the violence in our city and committed to comprehensive solutions. Sam has worked directly with police, community members and young people to ensure good communication and effective community policing. 

Sam has proposed legislation to…

·         Stop the flow of illegal guns on our streets.

·         Secure additional funds (as much as $35 million) to provide opportunities, jobs and programming for young people.

Housing

As Chair of the Housing Committee, and with an extensive background in affordable housing development, Sam is leading the charge to ensure that people of every means can live and raise a family in Boston. 

Sam…

• Worked to bring housing advocates, renters, owners, academics and developers to the table to work together for creative solutions to the city’s affordable housing problem. 
• Worked with the state legislature to find a solution to the problem of developers converting affordable units to market-rate housing.  
• Sponsored a public hearing to talk about the rash of mortgage foreclosures happening across the City of Boston and look into possible solutions. 

Education

As the proud parent of a child in the Boston Public School system, Sam is deeply invested in the success of our schools for every one of Boston’s children.  Sam believes that a school system that meets the needs of all our children is one in which middle class families, low income, immigrant, and families of every ethnic background are engaged and succeeding.  Profoundly concerned about the achievement gap for students of color, Sam is working with his colleagues to address all the components needed to make change.

Sam is…

• Ensuring that teachers receive the support they need to do their critical work, that school buildings are in proper physical condition, and that schools are violence-free safe spaces for learning and enrichment. 
• Helping parents become active partners in their child’s learning and schools.  His work helped to secure additional Family and Community Outreach Coordinators, dedicated to engaging parents of all backgrounds in the schools.
• Working with community partners to expand working parents’ access to their child’s school.

Seniors

As a Korean-American, Sam was raised to honor elders by spending time with them and giving their needs and issues attention. 

Sam…

• Sponsored legislation that was later adopted by Mayor Menino to lower the interest rate used in the City’s Elderly Tax Deferment Program.
• Worked with state, local and federal officials to ensure that seniors feel safe and secure in their homes by successfully saving the security guards at Boston Housing Authority senior buildings.
• Instituted his own senior program, visiting senior buildings, lunch sites, and other adult programming to listen and learn. 

Environment

From reducing our carbon footprint; restoring public trust in our recycling program; updating the municipal vehicle fleet; cleaning up the beaches of South Boston, East Boston, and Dorchester; or updating municipal buildings to be energy efficient, Sam is a vocal supporter of the environmental movement in City Hall. 

Sam…

·         Supported legislation to eliminate plastic bags in the City of Boston, to provide incentives for recycling and reduce idling by tour buses, taxis, news trucks and other frequent offenders. 

·         Participated in planning processes that promote urban planning while emphasizing economic and environmental sustainability. 

·         Is working with the City’s Transportation Department to install more bike racks at City Hall.

·         Has an office policy encouraging staff to re-use paper instead of throwing it away.