By Dalia Diaz
Since there is no one that has and will not rebut the Mayor’s State of the City Address, I thought I’d designate myself as that person to do just that – Here is my rebuttal.
First, we thought that the state of the city would be mostly nothing more than further brandishing and posturing of the suppose job Mayor Rivera believes he did to save the City of Lawrence from total destruction by the September gas explosions. He still can’t get to say the actual words “Thank you” to his employees in public and even though Mayor Rivera knows that the first responders did their job, and did it well, he fought the union hard over a very lousy salary increase.
I send my total thanks to the responders – both first responders and people who responded to help. It’s important to celebrate the work of city employees that have been dedicated to the city for so many years and doing great work. At the same time I find it concerning that the successes he is highlighting, some of them, I would say, are areas where the city has great challenges. I think our city leadership needs to mix celebration with honesty about the situation and give us a road map going forward. Mayor Rivera did not show that road map.
Second, we also believe that the overseeing of Lawrence should come to an end. The last two (and only) Latino mayors have saved this city by providing sound budgets and creating free cash savings. However, one (the latest mayor) has totally used the opportunity to give his friends and campaign people salary raises and jobs that you as a Lawrence resident could not have the opportunity to get. He has placed and returned criminals to work alongside other employees – making the workplace unsafe.
Most importantly, just as Mayor Rivera is raising his voice calling for the end of the overseer, he should and needs to raise his voice for the end of the school receivership and give back the school committee and its residents its right to self-govern. It is hypocritical that he demands one but not the other. Mayoral candidates (already indicating that they would run for mayor or at least thinking of running) such as Brian DePeña, Frank Bonet, Frank Moran, Jeovanny Rodriguez, and others have indicated that they would demand and strongly affirm that the schools should be returned to the school committee and its residents.
These continued battles rather than on educating our kids. We still remain miles away from our goal of guaranteeing every child a successful future. Just the fact that Mayor Rivera and his cronies demand that no charter school be built or created in Lawrence says a lot of the leadership and the corruption of those on the education level including those such as Jeff Riley (who wants to only bring in Teach for America, while TFA fills politicians coffers in Boston), Mayor wanting to have a board control the schools versus the actual elected school committee (this was a Ralph Carrero suggestion back in 1998-2000). And there are plenty of characters that we can say do not want to bring additional charter schools into Lawrence because of politics, unions, and money (all corruption opportunity). There are a few mayoral candidates who believe that every parent wants to send their child to the best school, not just any school. Charter schools would provide more opportunity. Why would the liberals want to monopolize!
To ask the City Council for $200,000 for free buses is a conflict of interest for Mayor Rivera. Again, he is asking for funds to pay buses for a board that he used to be part of or at the moment has friends working and/or on the board.
That would pay for two assistant city attorneys which are badly needed. Besides, has he looked at the number of passengers using the buses? Most of the time they are empty and people will continue using local cab companies because they go door-to-door.
$200,000 is more than the new voting machines will cost and it is imperative to acquire them before the month of May in order to be ready for the next elections.
To ask for $1 million for basketball courts is a good thing; lord knows we can keep our youth busy. Fixing the basketball courts to use them half the year doesn’t make sense. Let’s open the school gymnasiums at night all year long and it will be cheaper and safer. But when we look at the sidewalks in the City we find that they are not suitable for disabled people or elderly to walk on. Therefore our response is that the money could be used for better improvements like sidewalks. Although, I will say that if it weren’t for all the money that he provided to his friends and family for salary raises he could have had and used that money for the basketball courts. Or charge Columbia Gas!
Mayor Rivera still has not addressed the housing crisis in Lawrence, except to accept a housing crisis report. Rents, in the city, are being charged at above the $1800 level making it unaffordable for most Latino people to rent. Buying is not an option since the housing market is a sellers’ market and the inventory is very, very low. Additionally, most of the ordinances on Lawrence’s law stifle building additional apartments or homes. The Lawrence Housing Authority is being paid just for maintaining the apartments they have with no plans to build further.
We also ask:
- That someone or some firm investigate a second and/or third employment contract that takes the current Police Chief for a 6 year period – but he has a little less than one year as commencing the job of Police Chief. Mayor, nice way of taking care of yours prior to departing your last tenure. Forget the next Mayor coming in!
- Make fire houses safer. The firehouses are still in bad conditions. The only thing that has been done in capital improvement is a new floor at the fire headquarters.
- Need trust. Still, there is no trust or confidence in municipal government. The basic needs are not being met now more than ever!
- More economic development. There is little economic development news.
- The cemetery is still an embarrassment, even after council approves salary increases for the Mayor’s employee. The cemetery board can’t even agree on a fence!
- The morale of city employees is down. The pride of the City is still down.
- Mayor Rivera has made a mockery of the selection process for City Attorney.
- Council and Mayor Corruption are at its worse level ever.
So, how is the State of the City? Not very good. I know that differences don’t have to divide us even though Mayor Rivera continues to do so.
We need to find the development that will strengthen our city and create a future where people can live in housing they can afford, work in jobs that pay a living wage in 21st-century industries, and raise their families in a community that is defined by its diversity, inclusiveness, and opportunity for all. Rather than being complacent following what the mayor called substantial progress, we need the city to instead be prepared for new opportunities.
