The questions

1) Do you favor the Community Preservation Act ballot initiative, which would implement a property-tax surcharge to spend on affordable housing, open space, and preservation?

2) Economists say the state is in a recession, and tourism has been down dramatically since September 11. In this climate, do you favor continuing with plans to build a new convention center on the waterfront?

3) Consensus seems to be forming that the plan to build a new park for the Boston Red Sox in the Fenway will never be carried out. Do you agree with this? And are there any other areas of the city where you’d support building a new stadium?

4) List three things that would improve the Boston public schools.

5) What’s the most important issue Boston will face over the next four years?

Thomas M. Menino, mayoral incumbent

Did not respond.

Peggy Davis-Mullen, mayoral challenger

1) Yes.

2) No.

3) First of all, I do not support giving public funds to the Red Sox. I do not support taking private land by eminent domain just to give to the Red Sox. I would not be in favor of allowing the Red Sox to build a stadium anywhere else unless I was convinced that the entire community, including businesses, was in favor of the proposal. There are several alternative plans to renovate the current stadium that the Red Sox should seriously consider before they attempt to move forward with any plans.

4) Kindergarten for four-year-olds. Building a dozen new schools and renovating existing structures. Scheduling school sessions to last longer.

5) Without a doubt, the economy. Even prior to September 11, the economy was on shaky ground. In Boston, plans to finance the convention center through hotel taxes and funds from the state that were supposed to help out with our basic services have dried up as a result of the loss of tourism dollars and the belt-tightening that followed the terrorist attacks. We had an excellent economy for the last eight years. While our leaders could not have prepared for the events following the September 11 attacks, they did not plan very well for the downturn that naturally follows a strong economy.