Candidates agree on everything?

Let me begin by saying thank you to Allston Brighton Progressives for putting together the district’s only candidate forum and on short notice! It takes a considerable amount of time to get candidates to come together and thoughtfully discuss the issues our neighborhood faces.

Now, you may have seen some commentary along the lines that both candidates agree on every issue. Allow me to challenge this view point with a more astute takeaway: both candidates agree on the issues (as would most of our candidates for Boston’s City Council), but disagree on the urgency our neighborhood faces. 

All Bostonians are suffering with high rent, lack of homeownership opportunities, problems with transportation. Few are going to say we don't need a community center. The Globe called Cleveland Circle the worst intersection - no one is going to say that shouldn't be fixed.

We are generally a "progressive" city, so our aims will be pretty similar. The difference is in what we choose to do about it. When you look at AB's quality of life - the basic things, we need strong advocacy. Many of us are used to what we get, but we deserve the same improvements other neighborhoods get. Below are some examples from this week's forum and how the issues are not truly as similar as they are made out to be.

Climate Change and Flooding Risk

Our current councilor said that Allston-Brighton is not near the harbor and that Oak Square is not in danger of flooding. I corrected this: parts of the neighborhood are lined by the Charles River, and considerable areas are projected to flood in the coming decades. This focus on one part of our neighborhood discounts the plights that the rest of its residents will face.

Should we not care about protecting Barry’s Corner? Union Square? North Brighton? While other parts of the City flood, will this not impact Allston-Brighton?  Ignoring the Charles River waterfront and low-lying areas is not just shortsighted; it is a failure to prepare our whole neighborhood for climate reality.

Immigration

When asked how we can help our immigrant neighbors, I proactively brought up the need to abolish Boston’s harmful gang database, well before the moderators introduced it.

While the Councilor's idea of requiring ICE agents to unmask is a start toward accountability, it does not stop the brazen raids our neighborhood has seen, nor does it disarm the government from finding ways to deport our neighbors. We need forceful, proactive policies that actually shield our immigrant community, not just minor measures that make it easier to identify the culprits taking them away.

Cleveland Circle

Our Councilor says that she is working with the MBTA to improve infrastructure. However, it has continuously fallen on neighbors coming together and reaching out to the City and MBTA to get attention to the issues. Paving the road is only part of the problem. The area is routinely left with trash due to a lack of high capacity trash cans and recycling bins, and maintenance on public areas.

These conditions have existed since at least 2008 when I came to BC - long before the MBTA planned on new tracks. These are issues the City has jurisdiction over right now, regardless of the MBTA’s timeline. New tracks do not prevent us from taking care of our trash or protecting our green spaces.

Rats

Fenway’s rats are bigger than ours, according to our Councilor. Residents, especially in areas with recent large-scale development, are experiencing a visible increase in the pest population, with some sightings rivaling the size of household pets. Parts of the neighborhood with less active construction may see smaller and fewer rats, but for the rest of us, we have infestations that require a strong and comprehensive approach.

There are more differences between your options this November than headlines would have you believe. I do not think this is done with any ill will, but rather shows the need for our press to better understand what is happening (or not happening) in Allston-Brighton. I encourage you to learn more about the issues close to your life and what has been done in other neighborhoods to improve residents’ quality of life.

Again, I ask: when is it Allston-Brighton’s turn? How long do we have to wait for representation that brings our issues to the table and fights for results?