By Michelle Kelley, candidate for Revere Councillor At Large
When I announced in May my campaign to represent you as an At-Large City Councilor, there was a lot I didn’t know. Who knew how expensive lawn signs and campaign mail would be?
This is what I did know: I was tired of certain things that were happening in our city. The overdevelopment, lack of input into major municipal decisions that affect all of us, the way seniors were being treated, the fact that we weren’t putting our best foot forward in planning a new high school for our kids.
I was tired of all of that, and I wanted to change it. As an attorney, I am a true advocate, and I want to advocate at City Hall for ALL of the citizens of Revere.
Now, almost six months later, on the doorstep of the November 7, my passion for change has only grown. I’ve been energized and educated by talks with many of my fellow Revere residents – whether they’ve been here their whole lives, the way I have, or if they’re newcomers drawn to a mid-sized city that still feels like a small town sometimes.
I’ve been inspired, too, by talking with so many of you whose love for Revere and hope for its future are, truly, moving. You care about the decisions made in your name because you have pride in this city’s past and you want more from its future. My campaign isn’t about getting the spotlight all the time – it’s about you!
It’s about giving you a voice. It’s about your quality-of-life. It’s about making sure your best interests are being served and protected at all times. Finally, it’s about bringing awareness of the issues to you – so that you will have a voice at City Hall.
Our senior citizens, who have built our neighborhoods, should be able to stay in them if they so choose, and to recognize and be comfortable with the places where they’ve chosen to make their lives.
As an elected official, I will bring a “neighborhood watch” approach to development proposals to ensure that what is built makes sense for Revere residents and adheres to our citizen-authored zoning code. We need to safeguard against traffic congestion, noise, the squeeze on parking spaces, strains on our infrastructure.
The projects that are necessary and undergo the proper vetting – the school, the Squire Road Redevelopment Project – must be built with union labor to ensure good jobs and wages for local residents and ensure quality construction. Eight prominent building trades unions have heard my message, agree with me, and have honored me with their endorsements, because they know I’m always on the side of working families.
Seniors – and everyone else – are interested in preserving what’s best about our city, and leaving it to future generations better than they found it. To me, that means making smart decisions about the new high school, and investing in vocational training for the students who attend that school: preparing them with the requisite skills for career success in a rapidly evolving global economy.
It also means having a municipal government that is transparent, accountable, and responsive – a City Hall in which we can take pride. To that end, when I’m in office representing you, I will champion ethics reform for the City Council.
My campaign, which is 85 percent self-funded, has not accepted and will not accept campaign contributions from developers. They know I’m not on their side – unless their projects do right by the people of Revere.
I’m grateful for all the interactions I’ve had along the campaign trail. And I humbly ask for your vote on November 7th and pledge that I will represent you and your families to the best of my ability, because your voice matters.Michelle Kelley is a candidate for Councillor-at-Large in the Nov. 7 election.
