Ernani Jose DeAraujo: In Support of Dan Conley

The following letter was submitted by Ernani Jose DeAraujo on September 19, 2013
 
[Editor's note: All East Boston residents are invited to submit letters of support for their mayoral candidates. Contact editor@eastboston.com.]


Dear friends and neighbors:

I ask that you please consider voting next Tuesday for our District Attorney, Dan Conley for mayor of Boston.

Dan and I share a mutual legal mentor, an esteemed jurist who speaks highly of Dan’s integrity as a lawyer and thoughtfulness as a prosecutor. As DA, Dan brings justice to victims of crime and works with other law enforcement to keep us safe. Dan has directly managed one of the most successful District Attorney’s Offices in the United States. This experience—of being a good manager, trusted voice to the public, and thoughtful prosecutor dealing with the most significant matters of life and death—gives me confidence that Dan will have the ability and motivation to successfully manage our city government as mayor.

Since Dan announced his candidacy for mayor, I have personally observed his engagement with residents to hear their concerns and provide workable solutions to their problems. When East Boston residents expressed to Dan their concern over taxis and tolls, Dan promised that he would work with residents to put forward a solution that he could champion as mayor. From those discussions was born Dan’s 5-point action plan for East Boston that called for taxi fairness for our neighborhood and a moving of the tolls onto Massport property. Dan’s creation of the 5-point plan showed me how he will deal with residents’ concerns as mayor: Dan will listen first and then listen again for a solution from residents who many times know best on how to improve their neighborhoods. Dan will take what he’s learned from residents and use his experience and guidance from experts to fashion a solution. I want Dan’s approach to problem solving in our next mayor.

Dan has impressed me with his commitment to political independence. No one has been more of leader on the casino issue than Dan Conley. Back in April, Dan took issue with the movement for a casino in Boston and called for more transparency and public engagement in the process. He was the first to propose a citywide vote to engage all residents of Boston on the casino issue and to permit a casino in East Boston only if both the city and East Boston residents said yes. He was also the first to decry the call for a low turnout special election for the casino and championed having the vote on the general election day of November 5th. While Dan respects the right of voters to decide the existing Boston casino application, if that application were to fail Dan would oppose any new casino or slots application for Boston while he is mayor. If you believe in transparency and a fair development process as I do, Dan has been on our side from the beginning and paid the political price for standing by the people. We need Dan’s political courage in our next mayor.

There are many other great candidates on the ballot for Tuesday’s election. A younger generation of leaders—Rob Consalvo, Felix Arroyo, and John Barros—have contributed so much to this race and will doubtless influence our city for decades to come. Dan asked me to entrust him with my vote so he can lead our city government for the next 4 years from good to great. I hope you do the same and vote Dan Conley on Tuesday. Thank you.

EB Ecumenical Community Council to hold mayoral forum on August 30 (Friday)

This just in from EBECC:

For more information contact Rosa Pineda at 617-567-2750.

EBECC is sponsoring a mayoral candidate dialogue with constituencies supported by the organization and the community of East Boston.

The face-to-face dialogue is aimed at getting the leading candidates for mayor to explain how they would ensure that the city has a healthier, fairer, more affordable, and more sustainable and inclusive economy.

Since its founding in 1978, EBECC has served residents of different racial, ethnic and national backgrounds, reflecting demographic changes in East Boston.  Given the neighborhoods large and rapidly growing Latino immigrant population and the numerous challenges this population faces, EBECC, since 2005, has been focusing solely on Latino immigrants of all ages and transforming them into voters or potential voters.

EBECC is a neighborhood-based organization whose mission today is to promote the advancement of Latino constituencies through education, immigration services, advocacy, community organizing and leadership development.  A group of parents, students and staff and board members would like to have a conversation with these candidates and this is an opportunity for you to do the same. 

Concretely, we are interested in hearing their vision about Boston's future and their position on key issues including:

• Education;
• Health & Nutrition for Children;
• Job Creation;
• Safety & Security and Police Diversity;
• Neighborhood Development.

Confirmed candidates:

• Felix Arroyo;
• John Barros;
• Daniel Conley;
• John Connolly.

When: Friday, August 30, 2013, 2 to 4 p.m.  (Doors open at 1:30 pm)

Where: 50 Meridian Street, East Boston (located in the basement of the East Boston Post Office and across from the Police Station).

Source: EBECC, 8/28