~ Political Announcement ~ Michele Capone announces her candidacy for Ward 1 City Councilor

My name is Michele Capone, and I am running for the Everett City Council Ward 1 open seat.  This is my first run for public office, and I would like to thank everyone for their encouragement and support of my campaign. I have lived in Everett my entire life and have made 383 Broadway, in Ward 1, my home, for over 28 years. Like many people, I balanced my time raising my family and contributing to my community. Now that my children, Zachary and Gabrielle, have grown up, it is time to give back to the city that has given so much to me.

My first introduction to politics was from my mother, Camelle Pensavalli Simione. She served on the Everett School Committee twice and as the Assistant City Clerk until she succumbed to cancer at the young age of 58. She first ran for School Committee in 1978 when I was nine years old. She was outspoken and ran for office when many women didn’t enter the political arena.  Mom instilled in me valuable lessons about life, including not being afraid to ask tough questions and the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity. To honor her memory, I have chosen to use her first campaign colors, red and white.

I grew up in the Village area of Everett between Teddy Peanut Butter and Monsanto Chemical Company, now Gateway Shopping Center.  My great grandparents, on my mother’s side, were Italian immigrants and settled in the neighborhood in 1890. They raised 12 children in the house where I lived on May Street.  I was fortunate to grow up in a close-knit neighborhood surrounded by family, including my grandparents across the street.  Service was always central to my upbringing, and my grandfather and my grandmother’s 7 brothers served their country in World War II, representing all branches of the military. I am proud that they are all represented at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Ward 1.

My father Joseph Simione Jr. was a retired ironworker and member of Ironworkers Local 7 and the Boston Carmen’s Union Local 589.  His father, Joseph Sr., was a landscaper for the City of Everett and was responsible for the care of Lt. Joseph Werner Park.  Through him, I developed an appreciation for the preservation of public spaces.

I attended the Adams School and Parlin Junior High School and later graduated from Pope John XXIII High School. I then went on to Boston College where I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1990. I was the first person in my family to attend and graduate from college. My experience with paying for school and student loans was a driving force in why my law office gave academic scholarships for 25 years. While at Boston College I worked at Cambridge Probate Court in the Judge’s Lobby where I developed a passion for the law.  During that time I also worked as a residential staff counselor for the League School of Boston and coached the Special Olympics.

The following year I graduated from the Women and Politics and Government Program at Boston College.  I interned at the Massachusetts House of Representatives and was hired as a legislative aide.  One of my responsibilities was drafting legislation.  Working with the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, I drafted and helped pass the first bill regulating the fitting and sale of hearing aids in the state.

Two years later, I became an evening student at New England Law, graduating in 1997 with my Juris Doctor Degree.  As a law student, I served as a Student Bar Association Class Representative and taught a weekly law class at a local high school.  One of the driving forces to attend law school was my work at the State House assisting families with children with disabilities who were forced out of the system as adults. After passing the Massachusetts Bar exam I became a partner at Capone & Capone Law Office and started my family. For over 25 years, my office was located in Ward 1 on Broadway. The office gave back to the community in academic scholarships, book donations, technology upgrades for the Everett Public Libraries, and supported local fundraisers for cancer research and sports. Since graduating from law school, I have also been a guest speaker at New England Law and sworn into the Supreme Court of the United States.

My legal experience includes working in the Massachusetts State Senate as counsel for former State Senator Jarrett Barrios, where I helped draft new fire sprinkler regulations for the state of Massachusetts after the Station Fire Tragedy in Rhode Island. Additionally, I served as an Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Everett. The position was invaluable and gave me an inside view of the responsibilities of the Everett City Council and all of the city departments.  Not only did I conduct legal research and draft ordinances, I also was responsible for preparing and arguing cases before the Appellate Tax Board, the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, participated in employment mediation, and had appearances in district and superior court. I also worked with the Everett Police and School Departments with debt collection. I strongly feel this experience would make me an asset on the Everett City Council because I already have a working knowledge of how government works in our city.

My slogan is Community Work That Counts. I have served on several local boards and committees, including:

• the Everett Literacy Committee
• the Friends of the Everett Public Libraries Executive Board for over 23 years
• Trustee of the Everett Public Libraries for 7 years where I served as Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and was a member of the Shute Memorial Library Capital Campaign Committee
• the Everett Public Schools Library’s Strategic Planning Focus Group, advocating to keep library space available in schools while balancing the need for classroom space in the harsh reality of overcrowding
• Trustee for Pope John XXIII High School, serving as Vice Chairperson and member of the Executive and Governance Subcommittee and Alumni Engagement Subcommittee
• Member of The Bunker Hill Monument Association in recognition of the 250^th Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
• Board of Directors for the Everett Foundation of the Aged where I have served as Vice Chairperson and currently serve as the Chairperson.
• the Saint Anthony School Advisory Board for almost three years and am an active member of Saint Anthony’s Parish
• the Community Reads Book Club, which I helped start, meets once a month, and just celebrated its third birthday.

I bring my entire background and experience into what I will value and fight for as a city councilor. As a parent I care about education. As a homeowner, I care about taxes and public infrastructure. As a small business owner, I care about access to our city’s business districts. I’m also deeply concerned about services for our seniors, including affordable housing and accessibility, and about children with disabilities and inclusion in all activities.

Additionally, public safety must be a top priority in our community. Housing development should be made in a smart and controlled setting with an emphasis on public input to avoid traffic and lack of parking caused by overdevelopment. I’m also concerned by the current city’s direction on school overcrowding and classroom size while the former Pope John school sits vacant when it could be reused as a new public school.

My wish list for city government includes monthly public meetings with city departments to ask questions and offer feedback, the availability of a monthly city expense sheet to show financial transparency, a more inclusive community for children with disabilities, the expansion of the arts using all three large auditoriums in the city, and a mentor educational program that brings veterans into our community organizations and classrooms.

I sincerely ask for your support.  This is my first time as a candidate and I hope you will consider me when you vote on Tuesday, November 4^th.  I look forward to meeting all of you at your front door this election season.  A warm thank you to everyone who has signed my nomination papers and welcomed me into their homes.  Your kindness and response to my candidacy has been overwhelming.  If you have any questions about volunteering or would like to have a sign for your house, please feel free to contact me at 617-669-7015 or reach out to my email, mi*****@*******aw.net.  For details about my upcoming fundraiser at the Village Bar & Grill at 38 Norman Street on Thursday, August 21^st from 6 to 8, please contact my treasurer Trina Landers at 617-291-7739.