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By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
A monthly look at ways to get involved with your city
As August becomes September and summer becomes fall, that means more than just changing leaves here in Somerville. We’re on the brink of a new school year, Board of Aldermen meetings resuming, a quickly approaching Election Day, and a slew of new ways to get involved with your city.
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Residents and public officials gathered at the Somerville High School concourse to show support for the Sanctuary City status that Somerville has held since 1987. — Photo by Bobbie Toner
By Joe Ruvido
Cold and brisk conditions did not stop nearly 5,000 people from gathering on the lawn in front of Somerville High School for the #OneSomerville rally on Saturday.
The rally was co-hosted by The City of Somerville and The Welcome Project, an immigrant rights advocacy group based in Somerville. Joining the mayor on stage were members of the Board of Aldermen, the Somerville Police and Fire Departments and Congressman Michael Capuano.
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Advocates of the $50 million contribution to the Green Line Extension (GLX) project, including Mayor Curtatone, scored a huge victory last week as the BOA voted unanimously in favor of the plan.
By Joe Ruvido
The Somerville Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to approve a $50 million contribution to the Green Line Extension (GLX) project. The vote was held at the Board’s regular meeting last Thursday. The money will be bonded and paid to the state in $10 million dollar installments.
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By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
Taking a closer look at this month’s notable city data.
8: That’s the percent of Somerville High School students who reported taking part in binge alcohol use (consuming 5 or more drinks in a row within a couple hours) on a recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered by the Massachusetts Department of Education. While this figure shows a significant decline from the 21 percent of students who reported binge drinking to the same degree in 2006, it proves there is still work to be done to ensure our youth are engaging in safe and productive behavior.
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(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
I’m writing to urge the Board of Aldermen to approve Somerville’s $50 million funding of the Green Line Extension. Financial analysis of the bond issue is complex, and I can’t begin to offer an opinion on it. I think we have to have faith that our city and legislative delegation have negotiated the best deal that we get in order to have the GLX go forward. We need to remember that there are some in the Baker Administration which would be extremely happy to cancel the project using our indecision or lack of approval of this as an excuse.
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December 8 deadline for approval
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On Thursday, the Somerville Board of Alderman will convene to deliberate the appropriation of City funds to close budget gaps in the long-anticipated Green Line Extension project. The meeting is scheduled on the eve of the deadline to notify state authorities as to whether the City of Somerville will dedicate $50 million towards the project. The commitment that the Board will vote on is critical to closing the project budget gap and to receiving affirmation from the Federal Transit Administration that the project will receive $1 billion from a New Starts grant.
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By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
You may have noticed that Somerville streets seem a little leafier lately. In a densely built urban city like Somerville, greening our streets and neighborhoods can be a difficult task, but it’s a challenge we’re committed to taking on. Part of the solution to that challenge is expanding our tree canopy, which is why last month we planted 575 new public trees throughout Somerville as we march toward our goal of planting 2,000 new trees by the end of 2015. Public trees do more than beautify our neighborhoods, although that’s important too. Increasing our tree canopy improves our air quality, saves energy costs and can even help slow down traffic and deter crime. In short: the healthier our trees, the healthier our community.
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Appointment will go before Board of Aldermen for approval
David Fallon, current Somerville Police Deputy Chief of Operations, has accepted an offer from Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone to become the City’s new Chief of Police. Mayor Curtatone will formally request the confirmation of Fallon’s appointment at the next regular Board of Aldermen meeting on Thursday, Aug. 28.
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