He even goes as far as to say the council is no longer an effectively working body.

“The City Council does not have real power in this community,” Williamson says. “There are other locations where decisions are being made, and it’s not there.”

Pushing For Change

But while Williamson bashes the current councillors, saying none of the incumbents deserve to be reelected, he still believes some positive change can be made through the council.

Williamson says the city manager—who handles the daily operations of the city—currently has too much power, but that the balance could easily be changed by giving councillors the power to make and approve appointments to citywide boards.

“This imbalance of power needs to be changed in the city,” says Williamson, who says he believes giving the council more control would “enhance the accountablility of the process” since councillors are directly elected and the city manager is not.

“Citizen power and real democracy are what’s important to me,” Williamson says. “People are more satisfied if they are really participating.”

Williamson says there should be elected neighborhood community boards that cover all aspects of city life, from development and zoning to budgetary matters.

“Where and when does the city spend its money in the city?” Williamson asks. “Why shouldn’t neighborhoods be deciding that?”

And like almost all Cambridge political hopefuls, Williamson says that Harvard and MIT have a greater responsibility to their surroundings regarding overdevelopment and tax payments.

Williamson calls Harvard and MIT “giant corpororate tax shelters” that should either pay higher payment in lieu of taxes or face losing their tax exempt status.

“They were given it, and it can be taken away,” Williamson says of the University’s tax-exempt status. “Who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf?”

Regarding overdevelopment, William-son says Harvard should consider following a “land for peace” plan to give land back to Cambridge neighborhoods in areas where residents are adamantly opposed to further development.

“Harvard is endlessly expanding,” Williamson says. “When does it stop?”

But overdevelopment is not just a Harvard-related problem, says William-son, who decries the sprawling buildings and retail outlets that have taken over the city.