( - promoted by David)
In two weeks, voters in Boston will go to the polls and cast their ballots for Mayor and City Councilor. I am running to be one of the city's four At Large City Councilors and if you are a Boston voter, I humbly ask for one of your four votes on November 3rd. Yesterday, I announced endorsements from an array of elected officials, labor and political organizations from across Boston, as well as several former City Council candidates (full list available at www.ayannapressley.com). In today's Boston, the diversity of the endorsers was perhaps not surprising, but as a candidate, I'm certainly encouraged to receive such broad-based support. But while endorsements may influence voters towards supporting a specific candidate, at the end of the day most voters, and particularly BMG's audience, make up their own minds about whom they're supporting. With just two weeks remaining before Election Day, I thought this was the perfect time to reintroduce myself to the BMG community and explain the values which will, if elected, inform my decision-making and drive my agenda, and set out my vision for Boston. I hope to have a chance to engage BMG readers on some of the issues facing Boston today. My Values & Vision I am running to bring to the Council accountability to voters, accessibility to constituents, and advocacy for all Bostonians. I will be a leader for good and open government, fighting for the people of Boston when it comes to important issues like affordable housing, great public schools for every child, and ending the violence in our streets. |
After 14 years working behind the scenes in government, I've seen firsthand what good government can mean and what it can achieve. Good government on the municipal level is about good service delivery, done in an open and transparent way, and most critically, done in a manner which ensures equity for all residents in all neighborhoods. That means that every resident of Boston, no matter their background, no matter their neighborhood, should have equal access to excellent schools, safe streets and quality affordable housing. Here is my agenda, my vision for how to ensure equality and justice in Boston. Education I will work to ensure that every child in Boston, whether in Roxbury or West Roxbury, South Boston or South End, Mission Hill or Mattapan, entering kindergarten or starting their senior year, has access to a quality, challenging education. That means fostering relationships between parents, teachers and community organizations in every school, finding and keeping the best teachers, and improving access to mentoring programs. Public Safety When violence occurs, it traumatizes entire communities. I will work to provide access to counseling for those who need it, advocate for families that are impacted or imprisoned by violence, and help coordinate services that can stem the bleeding both literally and figuratively. Longer-term, I intend to work to bring parties together, to build trust that can foster community and reduce violence in the future. I will also fight for CORI reform. As the daughter of an offender, I know the stigma of reentry and the positive outcomes possible with the necessary support and services. Affordable Housing I will advocate for the development of diverse, mixed-use housing that gets built in neighborhoods across all of Boston. I will fight to ensure that expiring-use properties are protected, that renters of foreclosed properties can remain in their homes, and that new “Smart Growth” affordable units are built with easy access to public transportation. Environment & Green Jobs I will push for a Green Jobs workforce, new and improved recycling programs and increased outreach on all existing programs that reduce energy use. I will work to address the staggering rates of asthma in some Boston neighborhoods by supporting increased access to public transportation, designated bike lanes and community-specific transportation plans. Economic Development I believe that what attracts businesses and their employees to Boston coincides with what is important to all Bostonians: excellent schools, safe streets, open spaces, quality service delivery, solid transportation infrastructure. Economic growth must be a city priority for all neighborhoods, and jobs that are created must be available for residents in those neighborhoods, including through the strict adherence to the Boston Jobs Policy. The Budget I am committed to ensuring that we will not lay off teachers, police or fire fighters, and if budget cuts are necessary, that we won’t make short-term cuts that look good on paper, but create greater costs long term. We need to find more efficient programs, like the recent expansion of single-stream recycling, which can realize immediate fiscal savings. There are also technological investments that can help us become more efficient. Open Government Transparency is critical to building trust between those in public service and the public. The Boston City Council has come a long way in the last few years, revising rules, opening up finances, and putting all dockets online in PDF format. As a City Councilor, I will build upon those successes and continue working for new ways to make government accessible and open, including at the Boston Redevelopment Authority. The issues may change but I promise you that the core beliefs which guide my thinking will not. With just two weeks until Election Day, I am working tirelessly to talk with voters and make sure they get to know more about me. Despite my busy schedule, I welcome your questions, and I'll do my best to answer them in a timely fashion. Or feel free to contact the campaign at 617-825-8683 or info@ayannapressley.com. |
