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Council Passes Budget, Edwards Breaks Ranks with Uber Progressives

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Council Passes Budget, Edwards Breaks Ranks with Uber Progressives THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020 FREE charlestown PATRIOT-BRIDGE CELEBRATING PRIDE AT SCHRAFFT’S Council passes budget, Edwards breaks ranks with uber progressives By John Lynds at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, big city Mayors With the ongoing racial tension like Walsh have heard the calls sweeping across the nation and to restructure police budgets loud calls for police reform in almost and clear. every major U.S. city, there was an Walsh proposed to reallocate emotional debate last week in the $12 million in Boston Police over- City Council over Mayor Martin time funds to invest in social equity Walsh’s proposed City Budget – and inclusion programs in Boston. particularly the operations portion The Mayor’s proposed oper- that held funding for public safety. ations budget passed by a slim Since the killing of George Floyd (BUDGET Pg. 2) Charlestown officials and The Flatley Companies combined to hold the 2nd annual Pride Flag Raising at the Schrafft’s City Center on Friday, June 26, to celebrate Pride Month. Flatley employee Steve Moccia is shown TALKING ABOUT BLACK LIVES MATTER: (left) helping Mark Florentino, and others – including Bob Montgomery – to be the first to pull up the Pride Flag. See more photos on Pages 6 and 7. Peace Park serves as a place for racial healing Capt. Ken Fong retires after 33 years with BPD Never did anyone in 2018 By Seth Daniel Staff Report ly available for any comment on know that – in a time of national his retirement. One of the missions of the con- unrest involving race and polic- The Boston Police Department Meanwhile, on an interim basis troversial Peace Park abutting the ing - one day the little space on Lowney Way would host one of (BPD) confirmed late last week right now, Capt. Robert Ciccolo Mystic/Tobin Bridge is to promote the most healing conversations the that long-time District A Capt. has assumed duties in Charlestown healing. At its founding, that was meant Town has ever had between young Ken Fong had quietly retired on and the downtown A District. in terms of healing from the pain people of color, Boston Police, June 19, leaving open his post in He will lead the district efforts of seeing loved ones murdered, community members and elected Charlestown and the downtown for now, and perhaps permanent- family that have died of drug over- officials. Boston district – which has been ly. doses, and other tragedies related That is what happened last to community violence. one of the busiest districts lately He has most recently been (BLACK LIVES MATTER Pg. 5) due to ongoing protests. Capt. Robert Ciccolo and Capt. working on the Night Division, Ken Fong in a BPD photo from Capt. Fong was not immediate- 2019. sources said. Charlestown’s Jack Kelly announces plans for recreational marijuana shop in Sullivan Square By Seth Daniel is part TB12 and part home- a Host Community Agreement grown Charlestown, Jack Kelly that would allow him to pursue Citing a plan to intro- announced this week that he has a recreational marijuana license duce a wellness approach that applied to the City of Boston for to operate a boutique shop at 31 Cambridge St. – the former R. Wesley’s Bistro on Sullivan Square. Office closed Kelly announced his plans on Monday, and still has a lot of rd hoops to jump through and com- Friday July 3 in munity meetings to conduct, but th hopes people will see the value oberservence of July 4 of his small, local approach to College student Fatima Fontes recites a poem about Black Lives Matter, bringing the new marijuana indus- and racial discrimination she has faced, during a healing conversation try to Charlestown. His proposal last Friday between Boston Police, Charlestown youth of color and sev- is bolstered by the fact he is a eral community members who came to listen and talk about how racism and privilege have affected their lives. Recording her in the foreground is Councilor Lydia Edwards, and listening in the background is BPD (KELLY Pg. 9) Supt. Nora Baston. 2 PAGE 2 THE CHARLESTOWN PATRIOT-BRIDGE JULY 2, 2020 Frontline Workers Endorse Ryan: Nurses, Teamsters & Firefighters State Rep. Dan Ryan begins to deliver our food. They clean and their trust in me to continue to rack up endorsements in his re-elec- repair our streets and ensure that fight for patient safety and work- tion effort in the Second Suffolk our society functions during this place protections, which go hand District in the Massachusetts shutdown,” Ryan said. “They in hand.” Legislature. His campaign got a have my back today. I will contin- •Ryan’s passion for workplace boost last week from unions that ue to have their backs in the legis- issues stems from his strong orga- represent some of the very front- lature. I will work to ensure that nized labor background. His Dad, line workers that are at the heart these men and women have the Charlie ‘Carlo’ Ryan, and three of the COVID-19 response. protections and rights they need of his uncles, were members of •Teamsters Local 25, has to get safely home to their fami- Boston Firefighters, Local 718. endorsed Ryan. His leadership in lies after providing critical services Ryan himself was a Teamster in last year’s passage of the post-Ja- for the rest of us. I am honored Local 122 before getting laid-off nus protections for public service to have the Teamsters, Local 25 in the economic downturn of the union members’ right to organize endorsement.” early 1990s; prompting him to is just the tip of the iceberg in •The Massachusetts Nurses pursue a career in non-profit work Ryan’s advocacy on labor issues. Association (MNA) also and eventually government service “From day one, Rep. Ryan has announced their endorsement of where he worked on federal labor been a leader on issues concerning Ryan this week. policy. working families. Collective bar- “When it comes to proper “I understand, first-hand, the State Rep. Dan Ryan announced endorsements from front-line workers gaining rights, workplace safety, staffing and safety precautions importance of organized labor this week. paid family leave…you name it, for nurses and health care pro- and workplace protections. I also he has been at the forefront,” fessionals, Representative Ryan understand what it is like to have we need them, the firefighters were geous stands on behalf of teach- said Sean O’Brien, president of has demonstrated his commitment a parent on the frontlines, going the first ones in on my re-election,” ers’ unions, airport workers, hotel Teamsters Local 25. and leadership by filing legislation into places that most people are he said. “I can’t thank Local 937 workers and the Fight for Fifteen. The Teamsters are well known for workplace development for avoiding,” Ryan reflected. “These and PFFM enough for what they “In what is becoming an for representing truck drivers nurses and keeping patients safe in workers are the people I fight for, do, day in and day out, to protect increasingly unjust and unequal and warehouse workers. Their the Commonwealth,” said Donna because they are me. They are my all of us. I am equally proud and economy, the one principal membership also includes many Kelly Williams, RN, president of family. They are the backbone of honored for their support as I am value that remains strong here public sector employees, such MNA. an increasingly fragile society.” to be a member of their family.” in Massachusetts is the right for as Department of Public Works “This current crisis has shown Ryan adds these endorse- Ryan’s support of all workers workers to organize for better employees and private sector us all how delicate our healthcare ments to those announced earlier throughout his career has made wages, healthcare and working employees who provide munic- system is,” said Ryan. “Nurses in the campaign, including the him a leader on Beacon Hill on conditions,” he said. “My record ipal services such as sanitation and other healthcare workers need Chelsea Firefighters, Local 937 labor issues. Ryan took the legis- on these issues speaks volumes. I workers. to have a seat at the table as we and the Professional Firefighters of lative lead in helping to end the thank these essential workers for “These are the workers that climb out of this pandemic. I am Massachusetts. Tufts New England Nurses and what they do everyday. With their are on the frontlines today. They honored that the MNA has put “Like so many instances when the National Grid gas workers help, I will continue to be a voice lockouts. He has taken coura- for them on Beacon Hill.” BUDGET (from pg. 1) margin in an 8-5 vote after some to people’s concerns is a respon- answer these calls for change, jus- vote, it is several votes, plus lob- In Mayor Walsh’s budget the councilors argued the cuts to sibility that I take seriously as an tice, and investment in our future.” bying, researching, negotiating, reallocated Boston Police overtime police spending did not go far elected official.” Edwards said this year she will and grassroots organizing,” said funds will fund the following: enough. The Eduation Budget Edwards said Both the COVID pass or complete an agenda in Edwards. “The fact is the easiest •$3 million for the BPHC to passed with only two ‘no’ votes, -19 pandemic and the protests the Council that includes charter thing I could do is vote ‘no’ on the begin implementing the eight strat- and the Capital Budget passed after the murder of Floyd have reform language that structurally budget.
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