Advocate proudly endorses Mayor DeMaria

  For nearly 14 years, Mayor Carlo DeMaria has shouldered the weight of the city while simultaneously spearheading a herculean revitalization effort. As a result, Everett has become one of the most desirable communities on the North Shore.

  In April, DeMaria announced that for the second year in a row, the city was named one of the Top Spots to Live North of Boston.

  The low crime rate, the public schools and having some of the lowest taxes in Greater Boston are just a few of the reasons why scores of new residents now call Everett home. None of this would have been possible without DeMaria’s leadership.

  Naturally, having more residents has triggered the need for more housing. Therefore, DeMaria has created 3,000 new housing units with another 10,000 units in the pipeline over the next decade. In addition, the city’s current residents have no intention of leaving. This is especially true for Everett’s seniors. To begin meeting the need for affordable senior housing, construction of St. Therese Townhomes is now underway. The development will feature 77 affordable rental units and six townhomes for working families under MassHousing’s CommonWealth Builder Program. East Boston Neighborhood Health Center will also have a clinic on the ground floor.

  In response to the age-old problem of traffic congestion, DeMaria introduced the Bus Rapid Transit service and continues to promote bikeshare programs. He is also working to open a Commuter Rail stop in the city and to extend the Silver Line into Everett Square. In the coming years, DeMaria is ultimately looking to create a shift in which residents opt for public transportation rather than using their own vehicles.

  Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, DeMaria has worked tirelessly to bolster the number of testing and vaccination sites as well as provide thousands of meals to needy residents. In addition, DeMaria did not settle when Everett’s pandemic relief funding was severely shortchanged by the federal government. Working with U.S. Senator Ed Markey and Governor Charlie Baker, DeMaria secured an additional $30 million for Everett.

  In addition, Everett High School is bursting at the seams with 2,177 students. Therefore, DeMaria is pushing for the construction of a new high school. One with an expanded vocational program and facilities for a crew team.

  Then there is the mayor’s opponent, Ward 1 Councillor Fred Capone.

  If anything, Capone is best-known for his attempts to slash the city’s budget by hundreds of thousands of dollars every spring. Most recently, he proposed cutting the city’s fiscal year 2022 budget by $207,300. One of his suggestions was to cut funding for official celebrations by $25,000. Another recommendation was to cut the city’s advertising budget by $16,300. Although the DPW budget came in $700,000 lower than last year, Capone still wanted to reduce the landscaping line item by $25,000. Fortunately, none of Capone’s cost-cutting proposals were approved by the City Council.
Capone’s accomplishments during his eight years on the council have been negligible at best. In fact, he may only be remembered for passing an ordinance that prohibits balloons from being released. Capone’s vision and the mayor’s vision are clearly two different things.
In this year’s election, The Everett Advocate proudly endorses Mayor Carlo DeMaria.