(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)
By Chris Dwan
On October 7, 2017, Newport Construction and their subcontractor Northern Tree Service removed 38 street trees along Beacon Street in Somerville, MA. They did this with none of the notice or public process required under either city ordinance or state law.
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UPDATE: The City of Somerville has extended the public comment period for rent stabilization. Written comments will now be accepted through August 31, 2023.
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(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)
By Will Mbah
Candidate for Somerville City Councilor at Large
The process of Participatory Budgeting began this year as an experiment in citizen participation with the intent to help educate all residents about the methods of budgeting and, especially, to give high school students an initial experience in democratic process as they look forward to becoming active citizens when they reach voting age.
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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Ward 2 Councilor J.T. Scott invite you to a virtual community meeting about a new park planned for 217 Somerville Ave. The city is transforming the site, currently a vacant lot at the corner of Somerville Avenue and Rossmore Street, into a pocket park, which will add approximately .15 acres to Somerville’s open space network. Join this meeting to learn more about potential design elements and share ideas for the park. This is the first of several meetings that will take place in the coming months to gather input from the community. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 2, at 6:00 p.m. on Zoom. To learn more and attend, go to voice.somervillema.gov/217-somerville-ave.
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By Maile Blume
Somerville tenants advocated for rent stabilization legislation that is stronger than that of Boston, during the second of two listening sessions on rent stabilization held by the Somerville Anti-Displacement Task Force last Thursday. The goal of the listening session was to inform a draft of rent stabilization laws for the city.
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(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)
By Somerville City Councilor At-Large Willie Burnley Jr.
As your At-Large Somerville City Councilor, I’ve poured myself into making our community as welcoming as it can be for all. From making Somerville a sanctuary for those seeking gender-affirming healthcare to uplifting Somerville’s Black history by being the first person to name a park after an African-American (Leonard Grimes Park is on its way) to passing first-in-the-nation non-discrimination ordinances that protect non-traditional family structures from discrimination, I’ve sought to ensure that Somerville sends the message far and wide that we are an inclusive community. However, I know that there is no future for equitable inclusion without affordability.
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