In this second of a series of posts, we are highlighting specific resident questions from the recent District 1 City Council Candidates Forum hosted by the North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC). The three candidates running to fill the seat being vacated by Sal LaMattina are Lydia Edwards, Margaret Farmer and Stephen Passacantilli. District 1 includes the North End, Charlestown and East Boston.
Question: The streets seem to be a little dirtier, what are you plans for cleaner streets?
Margaret Farmer:
The North End attracts tourists from around the world and some of that revenue needs to be invested back to the neighborhood.
We need to bring back the hoakies, the individual with brooms and a garbage pail that can reach between cars and small spaces.
Around September 1st, the City needs to ensure we have a plan for additional coverage here. I would like to see that happen with Greenovate.
Stephen Passacantilli:
I don’t think we have landlords who take pride in their property anymore and sweep their sidewalks. We need to take advantage of technology, such as they did after the St. Anthony’s Feast using blowers to get into the curbs. They need to get creative.
AirBnb has become a real problem in putting trash on the streets and we need to find a way to regulate that. We need to start composting and separate our trash better. For new or expanded buildings, we need a requirement to have a trash room.
We have a thriving business district here and multi-million dollar landlords. To supplement the city services, we need to have a chamber of commerce or business improvement district that would bring hoakies and other cleanup services.
Lydia Edwards:
It’s a matter of enforcing and bringing landlords to the table. It shouldn’t be as easy as it is to pollute the streets with no accountability. We need to fine and enforce our laws on the books and make sure people are held accountable.
A lot of folks turning over units are students. We need universities to have a policy that tells them that when they move into a neighborhood, they need to cleanup.
We need to look how, as a city, we are treating our streets. There was a culture within our neighborhoods to keep clean not just the inside of homes, but the outside as well.
I’d like to see us have Boston Shines not just once a year, but on a regular basis. It’s a wonderful opportunity for community empowerment.
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The above quotes are only bits and pieces from the forum. Hear the complete answer of each of the candidates in the above video and see the entire candidates forum in this prior post.
The preliminary municipal election will be on September 26th, 2017. The top two candidates from that election will appear on the general municipal election ballot on November 7th, 2017. Polls are open 7am-8pm. Find more information at CityofBoston.gov/elections.
For more information on the District 1 City Council Race, follow our District 1 Tag.
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