When the People Rise Up and Are Heard Government Responds

It is very likely that Revere is now experiencing the beginning of an era that will be entirely absent of new billboards, anywhere in this city.

The effort recently by a local businessman to erect a major billboard sign at the Four Points Sheraton end of Squire Road brought out a huge crowd of angry area residents as well as those who have animus about this already being the city of billboards.

In addition, a pamphleteer who went door to door to spread the message that another billboard was coming also aided in bringing out many people who would stay home otherwise.

Everyone opposed made certain to let their voices be heard at city hall, where the city council gave every appearance of preparing to vote for the new billboard.

Instead, they heard, and more importantly, listened to a small hoard of very angry residents, who decried their plight and who railed against billboards in this as if they are a scourge on the well being of the residential real estate market.

Their cries were so well organized and so compelling and directed at the city council that the city council collectively understood that awarding the local businessman with a special permit in order to build another bill board might be detrimental to their political lives as well as detrimental to neighborhood and its sense of aesthetics.

The city council sent the matter to committee, where it is certainly going to die.

For to do otherwise would be to endure the wrath of an awakened neighborhood.

There was also the reappearance into the public fray former Councilwoman Denise Salemi.

She was quite eloquent in condemning the billboard and she seemed to be a leader and a spokesperson warning the city council that this would not be the right thing to do.

Her appearance may have marked the rekindling of a political life in this city or maybe not.

What is for certain is that billboards right now will not be built in this city.

This is probably all fine and good as Revere has more billboards than most other cities its size and is not in need of any more.

We applaud the residents of this neighborhood who chose to use the system and to stand up and to be heard.

They proved that if you shout enough about a perceived wrong, the elected city government will listen and more importantly, will act accordingly.