Newsletter, No. 3 -- March 2010
2010!
I was honored to be reelected last November to the City Council, and I am looking forward to this new term to continue the good work I was able to accomplish during my first term on the Council, and to start on new initiatives as well.
Last November’s Council elections had a very vibrant and diverse field of candidates. This played a big role in the large voter turnout, up by 17 percent from two years before. This all by itself is a tremendously positive outcome of this election. I am happy to welcome Leland Cheung as the newest member of the Cambridge City Council.
As we start this new term, I congratulate David Maher on becoming the mayor of Cambridge. He will be joined by Vice Mayor Henrietta Davis. With their leadership, the work of the Council can now begin, and we are all excited to get underway.
Making A Greener City
I believe we have an important responsibility to maintain our leadership role in protecting the environment and reducing our emissions. Here are some recent actions that are having a positive impact in Cambridge and beyond:
Green Communities Act. The City Council passed the Stretch Code, an energy efficient building code that will ensure that new construction and significant rehabilitation projects will be energy efficient. This code makes Cambridge eligible for state funding from the state Green Communities Act.
Cambridge Climate Congress. The recent Cambridge Climate Congress brought together 100 delegates to develop a broad-based commitment to tackling global warming and has offered a range of proposals to help guide the City Council and Cambridge residents. The Congress helps us address this challenge from the ground up.
The Middle Grades and Baby U.
The Middle Schools and After Schools. The new Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jeffrey Young, recently put forward to the Cambridge School Committee his plan for middle schools in Cambridge, and he stated clearly that afterschool partnerships play a big role in his considerations because of the strength that afterschool adds to the system. His goals dovetail well with my work heading up the Blue Ribbon Commission on Middle School Youth, co-chaired with Nancy Tauber from the School Committee, in which we laid out a plan on how to build effective, meaningful collaboration between our schools and our city’s afterschools.
I am excited to report that the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission, which promoted coordination between the Department of Human Service Programs and the School Department, has just been awarded $117,000 by the Nellie Mae Foundation. This funding is both a recognition of success, and it lays the foundation for continuing the work of engaging all our resources in the education of our children. I will continue to push for a successful, creative system so that all children will receive an excellent, enriching educational experience, both in and out of the classroom.
Baby University. Another huge success out of the leadership of the Council’s Human Services Committee last term was the creation of Baby University, a pilot program modeled on the work of the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City. Baby U. is structured as a weekly workshop providing support and information for families expecting a baby or with a child 3 or younger. The goal is to make sure that all parents have all the information and resources they need, especially during the child’s crucial developmental phase from 0 to 3 years. This is an exciting new effort for our families and children.
The Fiscal Outlook this Year
Here are some things on my mind as we look at the fiscal challenges ahead and prepare for the FY11 budget:
This Year’s Budget. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts experienced a $600 million drop in revenues last year. While we are early in the city’s budget process for this upcoming year, it makes sense to prepare for cuts in state funds, even though the governor has publicly committed to protect local aid and to fully fund education in his budget.
AAA Rating. The city once again received a AAA rating from the three major credit rating agencies, a real accomplishment in the current fiscal climate. A direct impact has been reduced cost for the renovation of Cambridge Rindge and Latin.
Stimulus Funding. Cambridge has been successful in accessing funds from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also know as stimulus funding. In 2009, the city was awarded close to $6.5 million dollars for a number of different areas, including homelessness prevention, energy efficiency, and technology in schools.
Capital Planning Priorities. In discussions with the City Council, the City Manager recognized that a pressing capital need is physical upgrades to the schools throughout Cambridge, and I am happy that we will be addressing this important city resource soon. Meanwhile, the renovation of Rindge and Latin will complement the new main library which opened recently to rave reviews from patrons and staff alike.
Other Updates
• The Western Avenue and River Street bridges are currently under reconstruction by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, scheduled to be completed by April 2011. There will be a series of meetings to take public input throughout the spring. For more information, go to: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Highway/.
• During this last winter, I worked with my colleagues to make sure our residents were benefiting from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps keep people warm during the coldest months.
• Google is exploring the possibility of a very high speed internet, and the City Council wants to make sure (Updates cont.) that Cambridge ends up on the list of places chosen. There is a great deal of interest in what could be the next wave of the internet, and Cambridge is a logical home for this to take place.
• There have been two very successful public forums on issues of race and class in the first months of this year. I look forward to continuing this important work in this term.
• Former Mayor Simmons and I brought people together last December to discuss Central Square. Our discussion looked at both the challenges and strengths for this important Cambridge destination.
• It has been my privilege over the past year to work with TROMP (Travel Responsibility & Outreach Mentoring Project), a citizen initiated effort dedicated to making Cambridge a safer place to travel by all modes of transit, whether on foot, by bicycle, or in a car. TROMP has actively advocated for more teeth in traffic fines and enforcement.
• I am happy to see that Beacon Hill has addressed the issue of driver safety, with the House recently passing legislation banning texting while driving and requiring a hands-free device in the car, something I called for in the last Council term.
The city is in the process of renegotiating the contract with Comcast. While there is great public support for CCTV and other community benefits that get funded through this contract, if you have further comments about Comcast, contact the City Manager directly by writing him at City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139.
