Quincy councilor Mahoney challenges incumbent Mayor Koch

QUINCY − City Councilor-at-large Anne Mahoney has announced she will run for mayor against six-term incumbent Thomas Koch, who announced his bid for reelection last month, and fellow challenger James Maloney.

"We need leadership in the executive office that is tireless and focused on the people we serve," Mahoney said in a video posted to Twitter earlier this week. "That is why I'm running for mayor."

Mahoney came up short in attempts to unseat Koch in 2011 and 2015. Koch has held office since 2007 and is the city's longest-serving mayor.

Mahoney has held elected office in Quincy for more than a decade, seven of which she spent on the school committee followed by six years on the city council. She highlighted her support for Quincy public schools, including her support for free full-day kindergarten.

Born and raised in Quincy, Mahoney received a finance degree from Suffolk University and worked in finance and marketing for 25 years, including 15 years running her own company. She raised her three children in the same Quincy home that belonged to her great-grandparents.

Mahoney said she has experience working with high budgets and managing people. She said her qualifications combined with a "love for the city and passion for helping people solve problems here" led to her decision to run.

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She said transparency and budgetary oversight are two of her key campaign issues.

"People want to know how their tax dollars are being spent," she said.

As an example, Mahoney pointed to city's spending of American Rescue Plan Act money.

"It hasn't been shared with the council," she said. "The community has had no input, no say in it. That's $46 million spent without transparency."

Mahoney criticized the allocation of almost $3 million of federal COVID relief money for improvements to Wollaston Cemetery, including a new entrance and a gate.

"There was no input from city council," she said. "People call us. 'How is that helping us out of a pandemic, paying our bills?'"

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Mahoney said she'd bring "a different skill set to city hall" that would "meet the needs of all the people who live here and future residents."

"People encourage me to run because I problem solve," she said.

Mahoney said her approach to government is inclusive.

"I bring people to the table to find the best solutions," she said. "The people of Quincy can be a part of the long-term vision of our city. They have the ability to provide input."

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The city's preliminary elections will be held Aug. 29, and election day is scheduled for Nov. 7. In addition to mayor, all nine council seats will be on the ballot.

City Councilors Noel DiBona, Nina Liang, David McCarthy, Anthony Andronico, Ian Cain, James Devine and William Harris have obtained nomination papers, as have councilor-at-large challenger Scott Campbell, Ward 2 challenger Richard Ash, Ward 4 challenger Matthew Lyons and Ward 5 candidates Daniel Minton and Richard Iacobucci.

Ward 5 Councilor Chuck Phelan had not taken out papers as of Thursday morning.

School committee seats held by Paul Bregoli, Kathryn Hubley and Frank Santoro also will be up for grabs. All three have obtained nomination papers, as have Liberty Schaaf, Kathryn Campbell and Courtney Perdios.

Nomination papers for elected offices must be submitted by 5 p.m. July 11.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Mahoney to challenge Koch in bid for Quincy mayoral seat