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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
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sweetdeal2007
Member
29 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2012 : 11:44:52 AM
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| Is this the new paper that is coming this year to Everett, it's going to be based out of Somerville. Starting out on line and then I believe it will be a Tuesday paper but not sure. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2012 : 12:05:21 PM
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No, this is online only started by a former Everett resident. I didn't know Everett is getting another newspaper. I sure hope it's better than what we already have.
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Edited by - massdee on 01/02/2012 4:04:22 PM |
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2012 : 5:34:33 PM
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| Nice to see a Keith Spencer byline again. However, one has to wonder about how objective this new venture will be on local issues when the other main contributor to this site appears to be the city's Communication Director. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 11:15:35 AM
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| I believe Keith Spencer originated this online magazine. I hope it isn't too biased one way or the other. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
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snoopy1
Member
64 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2012 : 11:30:41 AM
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Well put and facts that cannot be disputed
The Real Missed Opportunities
A Guest Op-Ed by Alderman Robert Van Campen
Over the past several years, the people of Everett have watched as our city budget has exploded; our taxes have substantially increased; our housing values have plummeted; businesses have left; our ability to realize meaningful economic development and attract new business has been virtually non-existent; unqualified political allies have been hired by the current Administration into jobs for which they are unqualified; and the same old political winds continue to prevail at City Hall. This is hardly the blueprint for a City to move forward.
The Mayor recently sought to place blame for his inability to make greater improvements to Everett’s infrastructure squarely on the Board of Aldermen for its recent vote against his proposed linkage fee program. He labeled this a “missed opportunity.” In summary, the Mayor’s linkage fee program would have imposed a new substantial fee on potential business development seeking to come to Everett, and would have done nothing more than further stunt our current inability to attract business and other development to Everett in today’s fragile economic climate. Unfortunately, the current Administration’s economic development strategy has left the old High School vacant during its entire tenure in office, has left the Revere Beach Parkway relatively undeveloped – excluding the concrete bunker that is the Restaurant Deport – and has Everett and Glendale Squares looking just as they did when this Administration took office.
Although the Mayor wants the people of Everett to see him as a strenuous advocate for his proposed linkage fee, during a recent community meeting held on October 17th at City Hall he spoke eloquently of the need to ease restrictions on businesses in order to “start creating jobs.” The Mayor’s comments from that evening are totally inconsistent with his desire to enact a linkage fee. In fact, isn’t a linkage fee the type of restriction on business that the Mayor believes must be eased in order to “start creating jobs”? My current opposition to the linkage fee is for the very reason that it would hinder business and other development, would likely result in a financial decision not to invest in Everett, and would therefore be a job killer not a job creator.
In fact, a representative of L. Knife & Sons – a business which recently announced it was coming to Everett, whose arrival in Everett has been heavily publicized and touted by the Mayor – publicly admitted that the imposition of a linkage fee would be considered as a negative in its decision to come to Everett. At this critical and fragile economic time, this Administration should not be advocating measures that make it more difficult for development to occur here, it should be advocating measures that make it less difficult.
The facts are striking. Since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2008, the City budget – including all municipal departments –has exploded by $35,430,146. This amounts to a staggering spending increase of $19,413.78 per day for each day since the first day of Fiscal Year 2008. In Fiscal Year 2008, our residential tax rate was $10.35 per thousand of valuation. It is currently $15.52 per thousand of valuation – an increase of more than $5 on the rate alone! In Fiscal Year 2008, our commercial tax rate was $24.61. Today, it is $41.66 – likely the highest in all of Massachusetts! Our inability to control spending and taxes are some of the real reasons why Everett is not currently moving forward.
Our neighbor the City of Chelsea is bustling with development opportunities right now – including a brand new Marriott hotel – and frankly part of this success is likely the result of Chelsea’s pro-business climate, as well as the fact that it does not impose a linkage fee. What is Chelsea doing differently than Everett to attract the multiple development projects that have occurred in that community in recent years? Although Everett did not get the opportunity to site Marriott’s new hotel – perhaps along Route 16 – it is likely that the Mayor’s proposed linkage fee would have been a detractor in bringing that type of development to Everett.
The real missed opportunities over the past several years have been our inability to control spending, stabilize our tax rates and bills; retain and attract good businesses; and change a political culture that has permeated our City for far too long. If Everett is truly to move forward, we must put politics aside, stop blaming others, take responsibility as community leaders, and collectively address the real problems facing Everett today.
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New online magazine
Posted - 01/02/2012 : 10:51:12 AM
