Nov
3
Last vote still counts
Posted by nathanael. Filed Under politics | 2 Comments
There just under an hour to go before the polls close. I wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to tell anyone how to vote but I think (as I’m pretty sure I said before during the preliminaries) the choice of after-party bar is really all the information you need to make an informed decision on District 9 City Councilor. This rule might not always work but for now it’s holding true.
Sep
18
Ciommo, green?
Posted by nathanael. Filed Under LEED, politics | Leave a Comment
In response to Harry Mattison’s questioning of Mark Ciommo’s qualifications for the MA Sierra Club endorsement, I thought I’d put it to him directly. Here’s the response from his campaign.
- In 2008, Mark filed and Order for a Hearing, which is attached, that encouraged the City to raise awareness of, and promote home energy audits – inspections of a home’s energy efficiency preformed for free by utility companies. These free energy audits not only reduce energy consumption, but also can save homeowners money.
- Mark always uses the most environmentally friendly materials for his campaign. For his literature, he uses paper that is 100% post-consumer waste recycled which is made with wind power and processed chlorine free when ever possible. When that type of paper is not available, he uses 50% recycled with 25% post consumer waste recycled paper. He always uses paper that is Forest Stewardship Council Certified. Mark’s campaign also structures its mailing lists so that there is as little waste as possible and prints digitally as opposed to offset because it is more environmentally friendly.
- As Councilor, Mark pushed for capital funding to be assigned to the Brighton Library renovation. This renovation will make the library one of the first LEED certified municipal buildings in Boston.
- Mark has always been an advocate for open space. As a former little league coach, and as former President of the Allston-Brighton Little League, he knows how important it is for the community to have access to quality parks and open space. As a founding member of the Hobart Park Neighborhood Association, Mark helped write a grant for a beautification of the park and also worked with neighbors to construct a jungle gym there. As City Councilor, Mark brought together the Boston Parks Department, Boston Water and Sewer, the Oak Square YMCA, and the Allston-Brighton Little League on an extreme field makeover at Hardiman Park in Brighton. He also worked closely with the coach of the 2008 Super Bowl Champion Brighton High Bengals to provide access to a closed field house where the team practices at Cassidy Field. Finally, he is working with several state and city agencies on improvements to Commonwealth Avenue, which will include the planting of 250 new trees.
- Mark makes environmental responsibility apart of his everyday life as well. He recycles at home and at work and has implemented many of the home energy efficiencies that he learned about while researching his Order for a Hearing on the topic.
Personally I would have liked to see someone with ostensibly green creds at least give lip service to bike commuting or even the MBTA, but not so much here. But recycled junk mail is a start, I guess. More on the Brighton Library project (& it’s federal stimulus funding) here. I also suppose I should take back what I said about him not returning emails though given what he said yesterday at the debate I’m not the only one waiting on a less timely emails.
Sep
14
District 9 updates
Posted by nathanael. Filed Under politics | Leave a Comment
The four candidates for District 9 City Council (Mark Ciommo, Abigail Furey, Ben Narodick and Alex Selvig) are debating tomorrow at 6pm at WGBH. Note that’s an at WGBH not on WGBH – Jim Lehrer will not be denied. Even though I’m only halfway paying attention to this race, here’s what I’ve gisted as of late. Alex Selvig is against rats and says he’ll be posting his campaign finance report on his website sometime today. Mark Ciommo was endorsed by the Sierra Club and doesn’t return emails. Ben Narodick is pro-dog runs (& pit bulls?) so got himself endorsed by Humane USA. He’s also got some of his own ideas about the now and future rat menace. Abigail Furey is for police details at construction sites, if and when civilian flaggers would be too stupid to do the job. If you’re not satisfied by tomorrow’s debate you can ask them what’s up their own selves this Thursday at the Brighton Elks Club.
The Election Department is testing their Accu-Votes and AutoMarks today, the preliminary election itself is a week from tomorrow (9/22). Vote early/often.
Jul
23
District 9: Human or Non-Human
Posted by nathanael. Filed Under politics | 2 Comments
Nan Davis leaves an interesting comment over on Brighton Centered clarifying why the Ward 21 Committee failed to re-endorse Mark Ciommo (or endorse any of the other District 9 City Councilor candidates) prior to the upcoming municipal primary.
I do not attribute a great deal of significance to the lack of an endorsement. It simply means that no one candidate received two-thirds of the votes, which are by-laws require for us to make an endoresement [sic]. There have been times in the past when the committee has not made an endorsement because no candidate received 2/3 of the votes. We always try to make endorse candidates – it’s one of our most important functions. But when there are several strong candidates, committee members may disagree, as we did in this situation.
As I don’t know enough at this point to make any sort of adult informed decision on this you’ll understand my disappointment to find out that this tremendously horrible Tug-a-Lug Thug video of Chris Crocker vamping around was not made by Ben Narodick, the youngest & only potentially amusing option. That right there is the kind of quality craftsmanship that would have earned him an admiring nod, at the very least.
Regardless, if you’d rather vote based on “issues” or “horribly lit photographs” feel free to peruse the possible options. Alex Selvig, Mark Ciommo, Abigail Furey and Benjamin Narodick.