There will be an interfaith prayer service in Peabody on Tuesday night to remember the victims of the Boston Marathon terrorist attack. The service will be held at St. John the Baptist Church at 7 p.m.
More details here in this Peabody Patch article.
To donate to the official charity for the victims of the bombings, please visti the One Fund.
Peabody Democrats from Lynnfield to Lake Street came to realize earlier today that the sun did indeed come up on this frosty cold, un-spring-like morning.
But while sticking with this celestial theme, what we should have been thinking about was this lesson from Bill Shakespeare:
”The fault, dear Democrats, is not in our stars … but in ourselves.”
Leah Cole, Peabody’s State Rep
Before I go any further, I want to congratulate Peabody’s new State Rep, Republican Leah Cole, and urge all of my Democratic colleagues to do themselves a favor today and STOP with the excuses. Cole won fairly, and if you look at the campaign she ran, you immediately come to the conclusion that both Beverley Griffin Dunne and David Gravel likely never saw this coming.
The Dunne and Gravel campaign teams were solid, and worked their tails off throughout the weeks leading up to this special election. But all of us underestimated and mis-calculated when it came to Ms. Cole.
All we saw, and I’m as guilty as anyone else, was a 24-year-old, first-time candidate with zero name recognition on Day 1, and all we thought was … “this is a kid with no chance.”
What didn’t we see?
Well, we didn’t see that she was backed by an aggressive, very experienced, and battle-tested statewide professional political organization. Ron Paul’s Liberty Movement showed once again that it can not only organize, but also infuse a candidate with the Mother’s Milk of Politics: Lots and lots of cash. They were also able to keep her focused on the populist message that government takes too much from us, wastes our money, and is now asking for even more from Peabody’s working classes.
Although I’m sure the mainstream Mass. GOP is crowing this morning about winning a seat which the Dems have held for decades, they don’t deserve the credit and still have no credible, grassroots process for building a “farm team.” This victory belongs to the sons and daughters of the Liberty Movement, who are sort of like the Tea Party, only with younger members and fewer far right zealots.
Oh sure, there is a lot of evidence that leads to the conclusion that had Mr. Gravel not been in the race as an unenrolled candidate, Ms. Dunne would have won this seat back for the Democrats. But he was in, and as Democrats shouldn’t we have all known that it would split our vote? Shouldn’t we have seen more unity and support among Dems behind our only Democratic candidate in this race, especially from some of those who call themselves Peabody Democratic Party leaders?
For weeks, all I heard was speculation on who Cole would hurt more yesterday, Dunne or Gravel. Did anyone really ever stop to consider how much Dunne and Gravel would hurt each other?
But once again, the fault, dear Democrats, is not in Dave Gravel … it’s in ourselves.
Seventy-three votes was the difference. As a party couldn’t we have united enough to find 74 more votes?
Maybe. But this should also be a moment of clarity for us. If you can learn from it, sometimes losing isn’t a bad thing.
It’s time for us to realize that we need to get back to the principles that made fiscally conservative working class people in a city like Peabody embrace Democrats like our late, great State Rep Joyce Spilliotis?
Why have Peabody people suddenly begun turning on us Democrats, and voting for the Scott Browns, Charlie Bakers, and Leah Coles?
Our party has swung too far to the fringe, and people who work for a living are tired of losing more of their paychecks to support tax increases that feed a wasteful, bloated state government. By the way, I’m not talking about Beverley Griffin Dunne or Dave Gravel here. I’m talking about Democrats such as the State Rep from western Mass., who yesterday told me she felt that Governor Deval Patrick’s bloated budget proposal and tax increase don’t go far enough.
Both Dunne and Gravel stated during the campaign that they opposed the Governor’s tax increase. But it didn’t matter, the big-spending stench surrounded them just enough to have people pass on connecting the line next to their name. Guilt simply by association, perhaps.
As Peabody Democrats, it’s time that we adopted a message that we are the party that helps people who need help, but part of that responsibility includes ensuring that struggling working class people aren’t smothered by onerous tax increases designed to fund wasteful spending.
Isn’t it possible as a Democrat to be socially moderate or progressive while at the same time be fiscally conservative? Most people, after all, want to be helped, but not hurt by government.
Aren’t those the type of principles under which Joyce Spilliotis operated?
And isn’t that what the voters of Peabody told us loud and clear yesterday?
Message sent, for sure. But what still remains is, as Democrats, what are we going to do about it?
Click on the image to watch ”Bye, Bye Linden.”
Sometimes you see things that make you think in an entirely different way. I often write about Peabody quality of life issues in this space, but after seeing a short video by a local filmmaker named Perry Hallinan, it has me thinking a little differently about those issues.
We all want level sidewalks and safe streets. But doesn’t killing a beautiful shade tree, that has graced a neighborhood for almost half a century, also have a negative impact on quality of life?
Watch this short film, entitled “Bye, Bye Linden” and then decide. By the way, it’s also entered in the Marblehead Winter Film Festival. It’s the story about a 40-year-old Linden tree that was cut down on Orchard Street because the roots were coming up through the ground, destroying the sidewalk, and creating an unsafe situation for pedestrians. The question to consider here is: Could something have been done to save the tree and preserve the sidewalk? After all, trees uprooting sidewalks is an issue all of the city.
Take a look, and let me know what you think.
To get more details, please read this letter to the editor that Hallinan wrote on the Peabody Patch.
Hi everyone. Please get to a safe place and ride this out today. I’m publishing the following information from the Mayor’s office.
Stay safe,
Bob Croce
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
In anticipation of the expected weather event, Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt, Jr. would like to request the cooperation of residents to help support the City’s response efforts.
Schools: Peabody Public Schools are closed on Friday, February 8, 2013.
Parking restrictions: The City of Peabody will implement its emergency parking ban effective Friday, February 8th at 8 a.m. After 8 a.m., and for the duration of the weather emergency, cars may not be parked on public roadways. Any cars parked on a public roadway are subject to towing.
Mayor Bettencourt reminds both residents and the business community that the purpose of the parking ban is to allow city departments to efficiently and effectively clear the roadways to their proper widths and conditions, which is critical for the safe passage of public safety vehicles and other traffic. The blue lights on utility poles throughout the City signal that a message has been released to the public instructing them to tune into radio 1640 AM for more details on the parking ban.
Snow removal: Mayor Bettencourt would also like to remind residents that certain sidewalks, by city ordinance, need to be cleared. We would ask that residents and businesses assist the cleanup effort by clearing their sidewalks if they are able and it is safe to do so. Please do not place snow from sidewalks into the roadway.
Communication: In addition to the blue light/AM 1640 announcements, residents are advised that all updates and additional notifications will also be made on radio stations WBZ 1030 AM and North Shore 104.9 FM. Notifications will also be made through Nixle Alerts (www.nixle.com), City of Peabody websitewww.peabody-ma.gov, Peabody Police Department Facebook and Twitter accounts, Peabody Public Schools ConnectED system, and the Peabody Access Television channel 9 WebCrawler. The City has also set up an emergency weather telephone line at (978) 538-5758, which will provide recorded information and will be updated throughout the weekend.
Emergency shelter: The City of Peabody is prepared to open a “warming station” at the Council on Aging facility (79 Central Street) for any residents in temporary need of heat or electricity. Residents should call the business line of the Peabody Police Department at (978) 538-6385 first, so that arrangements can be made to have the warming station opened. The Council on Aging will not operate as an overnight shelter. For any residents in need of an overnight shelter, arrangements will be made at the regional American Red Cross shelter.
Power outages: Residents needing to report a power outage or downed power line should contact the Peabody Municipal Light Plant at (978) 531-5975. Please remember that downed power lines may be live, so stay away from them.
Just to update an earlier story here, Governor Deval Patrick has rejected Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt’s request to temporarily fill the 12th Essex State Rep seat left vacant following the death of Joyce Spilliotis, citing that there is no current law that allows for this.
This space wrote about this back in November, and now here’s a real example of what this might actually look like. For now, I thought I’d throw a photo out there and let you weigh in on what you think about the first of our gigantic billboards.
The first one, for which the city of Peabody collects a 5-figure permitting fee, is up on Lowell Street near Route 1, and it’s been causing quite a stir so far with a debate on Facebook. There are dozens of comments, all of them negative.
City Councior Anne Manning-Martin even posted the following photo. No, that’s not a giant ape at the top swatting at airplanes. Let me know what you think in the comments section as to whether you think this in an infringement on quality of life:
The new billboard on Lowell Street near Route 1
(If you are running for any office in Peabody in 2013, please send us your statement, and we will post it here as written by you. Leah Cole will face off in a Republican primary for state rep on March 5th against Greg Bunn, with the winner going on to the final election ballot on April 2.)
Leah Cole
Leah Cole of Lynnfield Street officially announces her intention to run for State Representative in the upcoming special election for 12th Essex district. Cole is dedicated to meeting the residents of Peabody to earn their vote to represent them in the State House. Cole’s campaign collected all the necessary signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Leah Cole, a current Licensed Practical Nurse at a medical practice in Danvers, touted her passion for helping people get better in her community. As a working class nurse, Leah spoke about the struggles she sees people engage in every day, whether they are trying to become healthy or trying to make ends meet.
“My parents always instilled in me the importance of living within one’s means and being fiscally and morally responsible. My vision for the Commonwealth is much like the American Dream! That dream is to have the opportunity to start with basically nothing, work hard, and achieve success and reach your goals. My generation, along with future generations, will be unable to participate in that Dream, unless we participate in the political process, because our current leaders continually increase our debt and steal our liberties.”
As a young middle-class working taxpayer, and not a seasoned politician, Cole believes citizens need to get involved to shape the future of our Commonwealth. Cole sees increased regulations in the healthcare field that result in higher costs and lower quality care. Her experiences in health care, combined with the recent proposals to increase taxes, have motivated Cole to get involved to represent the working class.
“I dreaded hearing the proposals to increase our taxes. People are struggling to get by and we have an out of touch government that keeps on spending our hard earned money. On top of that, the regulations and restrictions of our government are suffocating us, and making it harder to save for our future. I believe we deserve better.”
The special election Primary Day is March 5th and the General Election Day on April 2nd.
Leah Cole can be reached at 978-595-2755 or leahcolecampaign@gmail.com, and can be found on Facebook and Twitter. If you would like to find out more information about Cole’s candidacy please check out her website at www.COLEFORPEABODY.com.
Gov. Deval Patrick
It’s game on when it comes to putting a positive “spin” on the $1.9 billion of tax increases proposed in Governor Deval Patrick’s FY14 State Budget.
An article today in the Peabody Patch reveals that – according to the local aid documents on the state’s website – Peabody is due to receive $524,000 more in local aid, should the governor get what he wants.
They also tell us that this bump in aid will be split between education and the city of Peabody’s general fund. It’s a 2% increase over FY13, but still $3.5 million shy of what Peabody received in local aid back in 2007.
So, here’s what you would have to pay for to get that extra $524K, and if the governor gets his way in raising the state income tax from 5.25% to 6.25%:
If you make the Peabody median household income of about $70K/year, you’re going to lose about $700 out of your paycheck. If you make a modest $100K in combined household income, it’s going to cost you $1,000. But most of that increase isn’t really coming back to Peabody at all. Divide the extra $524K in local aid by the 18,851 households in Peabody, and you realize that …
You pay between $700 and $1,000 more per year, and the state gives your city back just $28 per household.
When you combine it with the federal government’s 2% increase in the social security tax, families making $100K combined annually are going to lose $58 a week from their paychecks. Enjoying that meager 3% raise your boss just gave you? Well, the Governor and the President are looking to take that from you. So much for looking out for the middle class, huh?
I know that taxes are necessary to support our society, and pay for important infrastructure and schools. But does raising the personal income tax an entire percentage point in exchange for this kind of return seem fair to you?
Let me know what you think in the comments section. Would also be interesting to hear from our four State Rep candidates on this issue.
Greg Bunn
Leah Cole
For the first time in a very long time in Peabody, we have what seems like a competitively contested primary on the Republican side.
Political newcomers Greg Bunn and Leah Cole will face off in a primary on March 5, with the winner joining Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne and independent candidate Dave Gravel on April 2nd’s final ballot in the 12th Essex House District State Rep special election.
You are eligible to vote in this Republican primary if you are either a registered Republican or listed as unenrolled (no party affiliation). You must also live in Peabody Wards 1-4 or Precincts 1 or 3 in Ward 5.
So, here’s today’s poll question, which should test the current enthusiasm among the die-hard supporters for Mr. Bunn and Ms. Cole. Please only take the poll if you live in the district and are registered as either Republican or unenrolled. I’ll put you on the honor system here!
Moutsoulos
Saying he failed to qualify for the primary ballot because of a mistake filling out his nomination papers, fromer Ward 3 Councilor Jim Moutsoulos has dropped out of the special election for Peabody State Rep.Moutsoulos told the Peabody Patch that the Secretary of State’s office would not accept the papers, despite 220 approved signatures attached, because he didn’t write “Democrat” in the party designation line at the top of the documents.
This bizarre twist in the race means that Democrat Beverley Dunne will not face a primary challenge on March 5, and will be listed with Dave Gravel on the final ballot on April 2. Local businessman and Ward 5 resident Greg Bunn and Leah Cole, a nurse from South Peabody, will still face off in the Republican primary, with the winner going on to April 2.
