Giannino Helps Advance Home-Rule Petition for Change in School Committee Elections

Rep Jessica Giannino is closely monitoring the City of Revere’s request to change the election process for School Committee to six ward representatives and two at-large seat and she expects the measure to be passed by the Legislature.

The Revere School Committee currently consists of six members – Stacey Rizzo, Susan Gravellese, Carol Tye, Michael Ferrante, John Kingston, and Aisha Milbury-Ellis – who are elected citywide – and Mayor Brian Arrigo, who is the ex-officio chair of the Committee.

Under the new format, residents, ages 18 or older, will be eligible to run for election to one of the six ward seats or one of the two at-large seats. The Committee would expand from seven to nine members.

Giannino, an alumna of Revere High School and the youngest person ever elected to the City Council (in 2011 at the age of 20) thoroughly explained the status of the School Committee Bill.

“The Revere School Committee Bill originated as a Home Rule petition and was a late file,” said Giannino. “The bill moved through the legislature and was passed to be engrossed by the House on Nov. 11, 2022. It was sent to the Senate on Nov. 17, 2022, and was passed to be engrossed by the Senate on Jan. 3, 2023. Unfortunately, it did not make it through before the end of session.

“The was refiled last week under docket number HD569, and will go through the committee process again this session,” continued Giannino. “There was no opposition, and this was sent unanimously from the City Council, so it is procedural.”

In a story that appeared in the Journal last week, Vice Chair Stacey Rizzo said that she would run for re-election in at-large race rather than for the seat in Ward 5, where she and School Committee member Aisha Milbury-Ellis reside.

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