Letter to the Editor

Why I’m Voting for Arrigo

Dear Editor:

As a Revere High graduate and a lifelong resident, I’m so proud of all the positive change Mayor Brian Arrigo has brought to our city. 

When Mayor Arrigo walked in to office, DPW was understaffed, and their facility and equipment was decrepit. He fixed that. More workers were hired, new equipment was purchased, and, soon, there will be a new facility. Now, the city’s streets are cleaner and safer. The water and sewer system is better managed, and residents’ water bills finally got reduced two years in a row after 15 years of increases. That’s why the DPW union has endorsed him for re-election. 

Average class sizes in Revere Public Schools had crept up to 30 before Mayor Arrigo took office. Under his administration, 50 new teachers were hired, class sizes are back down to the state average, and we’re in the process to build a beautiful new Revere High School that will cement Revere’s status as one of the best urban public school districts in the nation.

When I was a kid growing up in Revere, I would have loved to have had what Mayor Arrigo delivered: a new community center, more sports programs and after-school activities, a much more robust Parks and Recreation department with more staff, and an extra $5,000 earmarked for every extracurricular program at Revere High.

He’s made sure no kid in the community is left behind, re-establishing the Commission on Disabilities, bringing Special Olympics to Revere and adding other programs for children with special needs. Mayor Arrigo’s commitment to the youth of Revere is why the dean of the Revere School Committee, Carol Tye, has endorsed him for re-election, and is why his campaign events are filled with youthful energy from recent Revere High grads. 

Revere has invested in public safety, with new equipment and staffing for the fire department, and a new fire station at the Point of Pines on the way; that’s why Revere’s firefighters have endorsed Mayor Arrigo. (When the other side asks what “tangible assets” have come from the Arrigo administration, take a look at the equipment that pulls up when you call the fire department to respond to an emergency, or call DPW to come fill a pothole.)

Revere has professionalized City Hall, finally creating an HR department, implementing professional hiring practices, and completing an audit that rooted out years of waste to redirect more money to city services.

For years, jobs were fleeing Revere, with Suffolk Downs drifting toward closure, and NECCO decaying and owing Revere more than $3 million in back taxes. Now, commercial investment is coming into the community, bringing jobs and revenue for schools, DPW, police, and fire. More small business are opening up with new restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, fitness studios, and others, making Revere a more vibrant and livable city. 

After previously staking its future on gambling, Revere is finally building a 21st century city government. There’s still a lot more work to do, but much to celebrate. Mayor Arrigo has earned four more years to build on this progress. 

Joe Gravellese

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