FELIX G. ARROYO
Age: 30.
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain.
Occupation: field director for universal health care campaign.
How he distinguishes himself from the pack: Career community and labor organizer says he can bring organizing principles to City Hall to make local voices heard.
Top goal for next year: Provide more structured opportunities for youth, after school and in summer months, and ensure that existing programs are properly promoted and easily accessible.
DOUG BENNETT
Age: 33.
Neighborhood: Waterfront/North End.
Occupation: criminal case specialist, Suffolk Superior Court.
How he distinguishes himself from the pack: Former Nantucket selectman says he is free of ties to established local politicians and conventional ways of doing things.
Top goal for next year: Reinstate a neighborhood school system and spend the money saved by reducing school transportation expenses on classroom education.
JOHN R. CONNOLLY
Age: 36.
Neighborhood: West Roxbury.
Occupation: city councilor.
How he distinguishes himself from the pack: Former teacher and new father - his second child was born on the eve of the preliminary election - says he wants to make the city more livable for families.
Top goal for next year: Advance proposal for environmental science academy to prepare Boston students for the green economy.
TOMÁS GONZALEZ
Age: 38.
Neighborhood: Hyde Park.
Occupation: Most recently worked in community outreach for Boston University medical campus.
How he distinguishes himself from the pack: Only candidate with children in Boston schools and the only one to manage a city agency, as former chief of staff for Boston’s Elderly Commission.
Top goal for next year: Address youth violence more coherently by better coordinating law enforcement with neighborhood, nonprofit, and other community groups.
TITO JACKSON
Age: 34.
Neighborhood: Dorchester.
Occupation: director for information technology industry, Mass. Office of Business Development.
How he distinguishes himself from the pack: Says he is the only candidate who has worked to create jobs in the region, luring existing firms and helping new ones.
Top goal for next year: Improve permitting and regulatory environment for businesses, developers, and homeowners to promote fairness and consistency and reduce unnecessary hurdles.
ANDREW P. KENNEALLY
Age: 34.
Neighborhood: East Boston.
Occupation: research consultant for Sheet Metal Workers Local 17
How he distinguishes himself from the pack: Self-described “Mr. Specifics,’’ who was immersed in detailed policy and constituent services work during five years on staff for two at-large councilors.
Top goal for next year: Boost city’s revolving loan fund to jump-start financially stalled development projects, creating jobs, alleviating eyesores, and improving property tax potential.
STEPHEN J. MURPHY
Age: 52.
Neighborhood: Hyde Park.
Occupation: city councilor.
How he distinguishes himself from the pack: City Council vice president, he says he has the most experience with budgets, policy, and constituent service.
Top goal for next year: Relieve pressure on residential taxpayers while boosting revenue by pressing tax-exempt nonprofits to increase payments in lieu of taxes and lobbying to retain more state taxes collected locally.
AYANNA S. PRESSLEY
Age: 35.
Neighborhood: Dorchester.
Occupation: former political director for US Senator John F. Kerry.
How she distinguishes herself from the pack: As one who seeks to serve in the “form of government closest to the community’’ and as a daughter whose father struggled with addiction and incarceration, making her passionate about “breaking cycles and reversing trends.’’
Top goal for next year: Improve relationship between City Council and constituents and to improve neighborhood life.
