election

From The Boston Globe …

http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-19/metro/30650933_1_housing-authority-employees-lieutenant-governor-murray

By Rosalie Tirella

It’s funny, but with all the hero-worship/cult of personality going on around soon-to-be D-4 city councilor Sarai Rivera and all the threatening phone calls Rivera’s team has made to people who worked for D-4 incumbent Barbara Haller during the recent election (irrate calls to our mayor, to Congressman Jim McGovern, to the family health center and (yesterday) to me! I knew you all would call – and whine about reverse racism. (Let’s hope the Sarai Rivera camp doesn’t play the race card every time someone disagrees with her or gives her a thumping (just like most polititicians experience in the press – I have taken city councilors Ric Rushton, Joff Smith to task for years!).

But I digress.

You would think some of the folks at Sarai Rivera’s camp would actually encourage her to behave like a public leader/new city councilor and come out with some IDEAS and PLANS for District 4.

Plans, goals, ideas – even campaign promises!

She hasn’t! Ever!

I have never ever seen or heard of any Sarai Rivera policy points, campaign issues, etc.

What are Sarai’s plans for District 4?

Pro-halfway house folks have written to me, hinting that Rivera will support them/the houses in District 4. On the other hand, Sarai met with funeral director and Main South biz owner Peter Stefan a few weeks ago and told him NO WAY was she an enabler – no way were folks going to get something without work. Peter said Sarai sounded an awful lot like … City Councilor Barbara Haller. Or at least Sarai did then, with Peter – at that moment.

What does Sarai Rivera stand for? Really?

Worcesterites need to know. Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

… Or fib? Or bull-shit? Or pad her resume?

District 4 voters need to know.

Incumbent District 4 City Councilor Barbara Haller has so much integrity. She works tirelessly – at everything. Her relationship with the Main South CDC goes back years. She and director Steve Teasdale are friends who have worked on countless projects together through the years.

So why did her challenger, Sarai Rivera, attach a doctored Main South CDC logo to her campaign literature? Why did she bull shit the community and make it seem like the Main CDC was endorsing her candidacy, when, according to Teasdale, it was most clearly NOT. The CDC was shocked that Rivera would do such a thing.

Sarai gave a weak excuse. Click to continue »

Hilda Ramirez is working to earn a seat on the Worcester School Committee.

With her ivy league education, running the Worcester Youth Center and her business background, this savvy Latina may be just what Worcester kids need!

By Mara Sindoni

While articles in other papers debate the lack of diversity in spite of district representation in the Worcester City Council and resistance by current Worcester School Committee members to adding district representation to the Worcester School Committee – all eyes should focus on the exceptional candidacy for School Committee of Hilda Ramirez.

Hilda is just what the kids of Worcester need! Ramirez’s background includes a B.A. in Business from Lesley College and a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University. After 16 years in the financial industry in Boston, Ramirez became a home-owner in Worcester and, in 2003, founded Ritmos Academy, a Dance, Art and Music School with fully-licensed Preschool and Afterschool programs. Hilda is presently the Executive Director of the Worcester Youth Center.

Ramirez’s recommendations on ways to improve Worcester’s schools are based on her personal experience and professional expertise. While our cities flounder and our international educational rankings plunge when compared to 70 other countries – the USA kids are 25th in math, 17th in science and 14th in reading – blame is unfairly set on the influx of foreigners. Click to continue »

Do Worcester (and yourself) proud! Please go out and vote!

Thank you!

- R.Tirella

INCITY TIMES ENDORSES THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES/Please vote for:

Mayor: Konstantina Lukes

City Council District 4: Barbara Haller

City Council District 1: Virginia Ryan

City Council-at-Large:

Konstantina Lukes
Bill (William) Coleman
Mike (Michael) Germain
Joseph O’Brien

Worcester School Committee:

Hilda Ramirez
John Monfredo
Jack Foley

Ballot Question
Vote YES for School District Representation! YES!

By Peggy Middaugh

District 4 City Councilor Barbara Haller understands the many values of trees – from shade and beauty to cleaning the air and attracting wildlife – and she especially knows how important they are in District 4. Even though District 4 has been spared from the devastation created in other neighborhoods of the city by the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Barbara was the first City Councilor to show her financial support for the Worcester Tree Initiative and actively encouraged us to plant trees her district.

With her usual style of collaboration and moving things ahead, she contacted me soon after the Worcester Tree Initiative was established in 2009 with a mission: how and where do we get trees planted in District 4? With small yards and narrow sidewalks, are there any spaces left to plant them? So with a “tree focus”, she picked me up in her car and we drove around the district, looking for planting sites. And I must say we were surprised – there were lots of possible places for planting trees! Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

Tough, smart, classy, fearless. Konstantina Lukes, former mayor of Worcester, and one of 2011′s mayoral candidates, goes toe to toe with the boys in this boys town. She is not afraid to stake out her own territory – yet she will listen and evolve. (Lukes gave City Manager Mike O’Brien a perfect score during his job evaluation this year, after being a friend of former Worcester City Manager Tom Hoover and hating the way he was pushed out of his job.)

She is anti-chicken but pro-homeowner, voting for lowest residential tax rate for years and years (unlike opponent Joe Petty, who will most likely vote to raise it).

Konnie is fun – even though many people think she isn’t.

Konnie is progressive. If it weren’t for Konnie Lukes (acting as head of the Worcester School Committee, when she was Worcester mayor), the Worcester Public Schools would not have Melinda Boone, PHd, leading our schools. The first female, African American school superintendent for Worcester, Boone is the epitome of professional. She is also caring and committed to all the students in the WPSchools -white, brown, black. Click to continue »

By Mary K. Moule

As the outside temperature rose in late May, the temperature in several of our Senior Citizen apartment complexes in Worcester reached 90+ degrees. Yes, ninety-plus degrees! Our building is recently-built, has central air conditioning, and individual controls in each apartment. We tenants are between 62 and 90+ years of age. It was unbearably hot, and, clearly unhealthy!

When I asked “management” to turn on the central air conditioning I was told that state law “requires apartment building owners to provide heat from September 15 to June 15 of each year”.

Thus, “management” said, “when it is unusually hot during this time frame, it is beyond our control to switch from heat to air conditioning”.

Within hours of learning of our stifling situation, Councilwoman Barbara Haller brought our plight to the attention of the entire City Council at its May 31, 2011 meeting. As a result of her action, supported by the entire Council, a City Inspector promptly inspected our units, and directed that the air conditioning be turned on.

Barbara Haller is aware that the law which requires heat during certain dates also has a waiver clause, which permits apartment owners/managers to gain permission to shut the heat and turn on the air conditioning, “when it is unusually hot” before June 15th.

Thank you, Councilwoman Barbara Haller, for acting swiftly and effectively on behalf of your then-sweltering, senior constituents.

By Rosalie Tirella

At the candidate forum at Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church, held a few days ago, in Worcester’s innercity – 55 Illinois St. – two candidates blatantly lied to the voters.

School committee incumbent Tracy O’Connell Novick has made it her mantra to not renew the contract of Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Melinda Boone. Her criticism of Dr. Boone at school committee meeetings has bordered on racism. At the black church, where Novick (along with two other school committee incumbents Brian O’Connell and Dianna Biancheria) was specifically asked about her feelings about Dr. Boone.

From the T and G: “The first issue Mr. Perry raised was the future of School Superintendent Melinda J. Boone, whose initial three-year contract expires next year. Specifically, he addressed the issue to School Committee incumbents Dianna L. Biancheria, Brian A. O’Connell and Tracy O’Connell Novick … Mr. O’Connell said he would favor giving Ms. Boone a two-year contract extension, while Ms. Novick and Ms. Biancheria said the matter was an ongoing issue in School Committee executive session and not a public matter at this point.”

How insulting! Ol’ Dianna and Tracy have been nothing but threatening to NOT renew Dr. Boone’s contract – at school comittee meetings, at other candidate forums, etc. But they blatantly lied to the people at this inner-city black church – mostly minority folks.

Then the T & G reported that city council candidate Stephen S. Buchalter spoke in favor of LOWERING homeowners tax bills when he has gone on public record saying he will DEFINITELY NOTE VOTE FOR THE LOWEST RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE.

Stephen was lying to the people at this inner-ctiy forum too – the last folks who want their property taxes raised.

This is why people hate politicians.

By Rosalie Tirella

… Or fib? Or bull-shit? Or pad her resume?

District 4 voters need to know.

Incumbent District 4 City Councilor Barbara Haller has so much integrity. She works tirelessly – at everything. Her relationship with the Main South CDC goes back years. She and director Steve Teasdale are friends who have worked on countless projects together through the years.

So why did her challenger, Sarai Rivera, attach a doctored Main South CDC logo to her campaign literature? Why did she bull shit the community and make it seem like the Main CDC was endorsing her candidacy, when, according to Teasdale, it was most clearly NOT. The CDC was shocked that Rivera would do such a thing.

Sarai gave a weak excuse.

This kind of bull shit must stop.

Another example of Sarai Rivera’s “stretching the truth”: during the recent debate between the two District 4 candidates a few nights ago, the daily reported that Sarai said something like to the crowd: I am already doing all the work of a city councilor and I will continue to … .

No, Sarai, you are not doing ALL the work – especially all the work that City Councilor Barbara Haller does for her district. Pretty much from the morning to night – all the time. For years …

Let’s stop stretching the truth, Sarai Rivera. Voters don’t want to elect liars.

Of course, creepy rabble rouser Keven Ksen is running Rivera’s campaign. The 40-soemthing Ksen does not even have a job – living off his parents bucks/trust fund, no doubt. And – of course – he is not getting paid by Sarai. More “volunteer” work for Kev! Keven was pretty much fired by the City of Worcester from his Common Ground CDC job after an incident with the Worcester police over his camera. Ksen, whose short fuse makes him scary-mean, saw the funds for his job at Common Ground magically disappear after that incident – years ago. He hasn’t made traction since – but he always makes it a point every election cycle to try to destroy Barbara Haller. Every election cycle Ksen throws his weight behind Haller’s challengers – any challenger really. Which is what a few biz owners/property developers on Chandler Street do, too. Cynical moves, really.

So now it’s Sarai for Kev. Or Kev for Sarai!

But not for District 4 – we hope! Because they are playing the election game a little dirty.

Another question: Sarai claims she is a pastor and then claims she is a social worker. Which is it? What does she do?

Voters need to be respected. Not finessed.