Councillor McKenna hits three local businesses for ‘price gouging’

Councillor Joanne McKenna never pulls any punches when confronting issues in an effort to help residents in her ward or across the city.

Monday night, McKenna lowered the boom on local businesses “for price gouging and taking advantage of residents in need” during the coronavirus crisis.

McKenna made a motion that Mayor Brian Arrigo “severely fine” businesses that are engaging in price gouging practices.

“It’s shameful and I am disgusted,” said the Ward 1 councillor.

McKenna targeted one store for selling a case of Dasani water for $47.36; another for selling individual rolls of toilet paper for $4 each; and a third for selling a case of water for $10 and also charging $2.50 for a roll of toilet paper.

Speaking to residents watching the meeting, McKenna requested that “If anybody finds out any more businesses that are price gouging, please email me.”

Councillor-at-Large Jesssica Giannino said she supported McKenna’s “great” motion, stating, “Attorney General Maura Healey did file some emergency regulations that prohibit price gouging on goods such as hand sanitizer, face masks, and other essential products during this ongoing state of emergency. So we are backed up by Maura Healey and the Attorney General’s Office.”

Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino also weighed in on price gouging practices in the city. “I just want to commend Councillor McKenna. I found it [price gouging] disgraceful. Constituents were texting me pictures of businesses around the city that in such a difficult time like this were taking advantage of us.”

Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito said he, too, had received numerous complaints about price gouging. 

During the discussion, Councillor-at-Large George Rotondo cited positive examples of businesses being kind and considerate to customers, noting the actions of an assistant manager at Market Basket in helping a senior on her entire shopping trip through the aisles and Danny Luberto at Luberto’s Pastry Shop, who was making sure that his customers were social distancing during their visits to his bakery.