Seems that Ed Deveau has dropped out of the race for the soon-to-be vacant First Suffolk seat in the state House of Representatives. It's probably a smart move on Ed's part. There didn't seem to be much of a gap for him to squeeze through. Jeff Drago, a longtime City Hall employee, and Carlo Basile, a local political operative, seem to be the two frontrunners, while word is that local activist Mary Berninger will be running as well.Basile bumperstickers have become noticeable in Eastie, but it seems that Drago is, at this early juncture, in the best position. He has the support of the mayor, as well as District 1 City Councilor Sal LaMattina and Anthony Petruccelli, the outgoing rep who will win the general election for Bob Travaglini's senate seat on Tuesday (as he is unopposed). Word is that he will be sworn in on July 11, and at that point the specifics of the special election for his rep seat will be announced. Early indications are for an October election.
I ran into Jeff today and spoke with him for a while. He seems excited about the campaign. He mentioned his web site, which is just now up and running.
13 comments:
I really think that people in East Boston need to stop thinking the way "Menino" thinks, and start to think for themselves. By that, I mean start giving more attention to Mary Berninger. She might not have the "political backing" of our elected officials, but she has the support of many Eastie families who are ready for a change in this "old boy network".
I have already seen Berninger's bumper stickers and lawn signs, and they stand out to me because she thinks "out of the box" and got away from "red, white, and blue". Berninger might not have "political" experience but she has always done everything she could for our community. I have seen her at countless neighborhood meetings, school meetings, and LOGAN meetings. She is the ONLY candidate who is NOT afraid to take on Massport and see that East Boston gets the best that we deserve.
So when you see those green and white signs, think about how you will decide in October, and think about the changes you want, and think Mary Berninger.
Thank you for your comments. I appreciate hearing other points of view. I hope you haven't found my posts on this race too biased. Just commenting on what I see and hear. (Although, of course, it is biased as it is my blog.)
Driving around East Boston the other day, I took notice at the cars driving by; just to get an idea as to who is for who in this town. Ive seen the classic red, white and blue bumper stickers backing Basile. Then theres the Easty colors that say Drago on them. And finally the Green and White for Mary Berninger, I guess shes not afraid to show her Irish side. But the more and more I looked, the more Berninger bumper stickers and signs I saw. And in a recent article I read in the East Boston Times about Mary Berninger, I got the feeling she is going to be a strong candidate for this seat. And her advertizing proves it, shes stands out from the other candidates and she isnt afraid to show it. Shes going to bring different ideas and strong opinions to her campaign.
Now the article did say she wont be a yes person for the city/state and I view that as a good thing. We elect people to speak for us, not other elected officials; and I think Mary will do that. Now I know in the up coming months Im going to see more Basile and Drago signs but for right now Berninger is showing strong support from the community. Dont be surprised if my house has a sign for her in the next few weeks.
I think we need bew leadership in Eastie and I am tired of being called for the last 2 years to rally behind candidates like Sal and Anthony who I love personally but have not brought home the bacon. When Dan Ryan looked like he might win the council seat we rallied behind Sal. when Dan Rizzo looked like he could be carried by Revere we rallied behind Anthony. What have we gotten in return? Million dollar condos pushing out our families and the loss of Savio Prep. where is my son going to go to high school in 3 years? We have had the Senate President, recently the House Speaker and the Mayor and i don't see our streets getting cleaner or property taxes getter lower. We are in yet another fiscal crisis and I'm sick of these million dollar condos and land being given to Trinity financial for rich people when we need another high school. i'm going to be watching Gloribell Mota very closely. She came to my door on Saturday and really impressed me with her education plans of longer days, longer years, smaller classes and more resources for teachers. what got me is not the policy cause i mean who doesn't want smaller classes and mores support for our teachers but she had a plan to pay for it that includes Massport, telecommunications companies and the richest 1 percent of Mass residents paying their fair share of taxes as I have done here for over 20 years. some call me bitter but I am damn tired of backing the same crew and still not seeing results. Sorry Jeff.
Any one could run for state rep in East Boston, I think the best candidate that could relate to the people of East Boston is actor steven seagal he's got the East Boston look The East Boston talk and East Boston walk, anyway who ever wins, just make sure to not embarress yourselves by giving close family members $200.000 a year state jobs.
I'm glad that you'intersting in each candidate's political but I will donate $500:00 for Gloribell mota really think that people In East Boston need to stop thinking the way “ menino “ thinks, and start to think for themselves, I means start giving more attention to Gloribell Mota, She migh not have the “political backing of our elected official, but she has the support of many latinos families who are ready for cambio
I'm glad that you'intersting in each candidate's political but I will donate $500:00 for Gloribell mota really think that people In East Boston need to stop thinking the way “ menino “ thinks, and start to think for themselves, I means start giving more attention to Gloribell Mota, She migh not have the “political backing of our elected official, but she has the support of many latinos families who are ready for cambio
As I recall from the neighborhood meetings regarding the Blast Fence and its affects on the Orient Heights neighborhood, Mary Berninger stood firmly on the side of Massport and not with her neighbors on Bayswater and other streets in the area of concern. Also, as chairperson for the Blast Fence Committee, where has she been in the last 6 years regarding spending the $4million promised by Massport for the removal of the Blast Fence. I would be cautious in giving her a label of "supporting Eastie familes and not being afraid to stand up to Massport."
what is going to surprise the so-called political experts in East Boston is the turnout for this special election for state rep--I think between 4500 and 5000 votes will be cast because the town is interested in this race--I predict a resounding Basile victory that will shock the Menino crowd--they are ready for a fall.
Transparency vs. Anonymity,by Mary Berninger
My motto has always been, what impacts any part of East Boston, impacts us all. I have expressed that theme in all my oral and written testimony before state and federal panels regarding airport expansion and environmental justice. If elected as State Representative, I will never pit one part of East Boston against another and I would never condone the past practices by Massport to do just that. It is a divisive tactic and blogs that promote inaccurate portrayals of individuals are also divisive to a sense of community. The local political race in East Boston to choose our next State Representative has garnered a great deal of interest and discussion on The Hubster Blog web site. Although a useful resource for residents to access views and opinions, some anonymous entries run the risk of presenting information that may be questionable or simply untrue. Since I am being accused of something in a blog that is blatantly untrue, I feel compelled to respond in a manner that is the polar opposite of the blog's author. I have chosen to identify myself as the writer of this response. I am Mary Berninger, candidate for State Representative for the First Suffolk District. Actually, I want to thank the blog's writer. You have succeeded in proving my level of involvement in community affairs for many years in East Boston. I was on the Blast Fence Committee. I was part of the working group that helped the MDC (now the DCR) design and bring to fruition the renovations of Constitution Beach and the Bath House. I was a member of the Board of Directors for Piers Park Sailing Center when Massport pulled its financial support from the sailing program and I fought MassportÕs intentions to abandon the program. I wrote and submitted a grant to the city's NICE program for funding for the design and purchase of the electronic scoreboard that is enjoyed by young baseball players and their families at Conigliaro Field in Orient Heights. I presented an idea for a tot lot at Noyes Playground and I didn't stop pursuing the idea until it was built and being enjoyed by East Boston's youngsters. I was part of a ten person, class action lawsuit to try to prevent Massport's leasing of land on McClellan Highway to a developer for more airport related business. I attended the charette at East Boston High School several years ago where residents met to formalize a plan to revitalize our community. I attended a Massport Board of Directors meeting to come face-to-face with residents of Lexington and Concord who want to stop any attempts at true regionalization of airports and I argued on behalf of all East Boston that regionalization must happen. I have chaired many fundraising projects for Saint Mary's School and for Savio Prep.
As for my being a member of the Blast Fence Committee, I am proud of the efforts I made to bring transparency to that process. My fellow committee members Co-Chairman Richard Lynds, Ron Hardaway, George Arrigo, Richard Bertulli, Karen Previte, David Arinella, Mary DiMarzo and Robert D'Amico chose me as Chairman and I helped exact a commitment from Massport to fund an outside consultant for the community to help explain the environmental implications for removing the fence. Yes, East Boston was offered $4 million in mitigation funds for the fence's removal, but we were told throughout the process that Massport could remove the fence with or without our approval. So, having the committee help foster consensus in the community for suggested projects that would benefit all of East Boston is something I remember with pride. Part of that dialogue included a decision to have all the suggestions be funneled through our elected officials to Massport. Residents need to remember that the agreement with Massport regarding the $4 million was actually an agreement with the City of Boston, through the Commissioner of Transportation, not with the Blast Fence Committee. We were simply a mechanism to bring residents together to discuss the matter and to present our wish list of projects to Mayor Menino, then-Senator Travaglini, then-City Councilor Scapicchio and then-State Representative Petruccelli. I have notes from all the committee meetings, which include comments from our elected officials about what they did or did not want done with the money. Specifically, they did not want the money to go to replace faulty windows installed by Massport during the first phase of the soundproofing program. Their thinking was that, since Massport and the FAA had already acknowledged that the windows were faulty and were no longer a chosen design, the funds to remedy that situation had to come from funds other than the Blast Fence mitigation money. Also, to quote Senator Travaglini, the projects needed to be"the most defensible" to everyone in East Boston. Therefore, the suggested upgrades to the Youth Center at St. Joseph-St. Lazarus Church, improvements to the Boardman Street Community Center, period lighting, and trees or plantings were the projects presented to the elected representatives. They were projects that benefitted all of East Boston, whether children or the elderly. It is correct that only one project was done and that was the Youth Center on Ashley Street. As to an answer why the money has not been fully spent, the blame rests squarely with those elected representatives, not with the Blast Fence Committee and certainly not with me.
My involvement with the 440 McClellan Highway project lawsuit resulted in a settlement of $650,000 to be used for programs in East Boston and in Chelsea that benefitted the environment. That, too, I point to with pride. As mentioned, the genesis for my becoming involved was to try to stop Massport from further encroachment into our community. Massport owns the land, Massport should have been made to fund that mitigation agreement. Instead, the developer became the funding source. Residents should know that I wanted that money to be held by the East Boston Foundation, because I thought it was the correct vehicle for ensuring that the money was spent wisely. Some members of the group voiced their opposition to that due to political considerations. However, after a vote was taken, it was decided that the money would be deposited with the Boston Foundation. I may have been the lone dissenting vote, but I am happy to report that the following East Boston projects received grants in the first cycle of funding: East Boston Little League ($5000,) Friends of Belle Isle Marsh ($12,000,) Neighborhood of Affordable Housing ($25,000,) Piers Park Sailing Center ($20,000,) and the East Boston YMCA ($18,000.)
It is my hope that providing this information to the community clarifies the process that took place for each fund's creation. Thank you.
Who out there remembers the state rep race for east boston in 1977 war vet Robert (Meaney) Cappucci VS Emmanual "Gus" Serra that was a race, as an 8 year old i can recall Cappucci doing it the old fashion way, campaigning door to door, the grass roots way, the hard way,some one who I still respect from this day, I still have a cappucci bumper sticker on my basement wall 30 years later.I remember cappucci walking down London Street with a cane, a street with a political history, london street in the late 60's and 70's was home to former state rep sonny Buttiglieri and home to Joe DiLorenzo a political operative of 203 London st
brother of former state rep George Dilorenzo, back then there were other political races, one of them was Kevin White ,I remember his signs were blue and white, so was Joe Timilty's who ran against him .
Can anyone beat Carlo? Is Jeff "Italian" ENOUGH (we know Carlo is)? Can Mota mobilize her Latino base (probably about 100 registered voters)? These are important questions. But the most important question is where the candidates stand not only on the casino, but also on the casino support plan (which insiders tell me is at least two strip clubs along the Revere-Eastie line). Personally, I think the plan would be a boon to the area, providing excellent paying jobs and also significantly contributing to our tax base (the more commercial property in Eastie the lower our taxes will be). I would love to get a job there as a dancer. Anyway, I hope Carlo supports this plan, because I think he's going to win. He can work with Mayor Ambrosino to make this amenable to the folks in Eastie and Revere. At the end of the day, Jeff's connections to Mayor Menino may be irrelevant as to whether Eastie survives fiscally. It might instead come down to whether he, or Carlo or Mary or Gabby, can work with the elected officials (and non-elected officials) from our fair neighbor just north of us.
Hey, why not I used to work at Hooters in Florida (just moved to Orient Heights) and I made beaucoup bucks. I would love to dance at one of these places in the area if they open up so I hope you're right. I think Carlo's cute but Jeff is ok too.
:)
Jenni
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