A fifth term is debatable

Despite numerous references to spring and renewal in his campaign announcement, the 66-year-old mayor could still face voter fatigue after 16 years in office. And he confronts legitimate challenges by younger opponents.

City Councilor Michael Flaherty boasts a strong base in South Boston and an aggressive style that could get under Menino's thin skin. City Councilor Sam Yoon, the first Asian-American to run for mayor in the city, projects a fresh image. He could make inroads with newcomers and cut into Menino's base in the city's liberal and minority wards. And Kevin McCrea, an outspoken businessman, is sure to prod painfully at Menino's reputation for developer cronyism.

Menino engaged in only two televised mayoral debates during three past reelection campaigns, including his unopposed race in 1997. It's a sorry record, and the city has been poorer for it. While Bostonians appreciate the mayor's legendary accessibility at community events, that can't replace head-to-head debates on the effects of stalled development projects, cushy contracts for city workers, and runaway school transportation costs. Menino yesterday said he looks forward to "debating our city's future." But he didn't specify how many debates.

"He needs to respect the electoral process more than he's done in the past," says Sam Tyler, president of the nonprofit Boston Municipal Research Bureau, which hopes to host a debate in October. "He owes the voters a defense of his tenure and how he sees the next four years."

Voters should demand that Menino debate his opponents at least once before the September preliminary and, assuming he finishes in the top two, at least twice before the November final.

One good area for debate is how Boston's next mayor would respond to major shifts in urban policy at the federal level. The Obama administration wants to break mayors of the habit of coming to Washington mainly as supplicants on behalf of the poor. The new approach promotes cities as economic engines for surrounding regions. To succeed with the new administration, mayors will need to champion regional cooperation on issues such as transportation, the environment, crime, and immigration. Menino, who enjoys a good dust-up with the suburbs, will need to develop a more flexible approach with neighboring towns if he hopes to do the best for Bostonians.

This is a credible mayoral field. And if Menino resists going into the bunker, Bostonians should benefit from an active race.