To the editor:

(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)

The Home Stretch

Every Somervillian should be proud of what our officials and activists are doing together to move forward the process of divesting the city’s pension system from the fossil fuel industry. It is frustrating to see that the state legislature is siding with the status quo and it’s opposing a move that would increase the long-term stability of the city’s pension fund. I am certain that every reader will side with Mayor Curtatone’s idea that the city should decide how to invest its money to minimize financial risks. Even the Rockefellers, who made their fortune in oil, are divesting. That tells us everything we need to know.

Too often cities that want to raise the bar and operate under higher standards are limited by old-school thinking. We are told that with the federal government in shambles, cities need to lead in addressing the environmental crisis and climate change. How can they lead if mayors are not given more flexibility? If Somerville wants to divest from fossil fuels, it should be allowed to do so.

Paola Massoli

Somerville