Ray Mariano: District 1 City Council race, school cellphone policy
In many ways the candidates for District 1 city councilor are polar opposites. One describes himself as a newcomer to local politics while the other is a veteran neighborhood activist who has volunteered and worked in other local campaigns. One describes himself as a fiscally conservative, socially moderate Republican who is supported by local conservatives. The other is a Democrat who has the support of most progressives.
One focuses most of his message on the need to support local businesses while the other speaks more about homeowners and residential issues. Despite their differences, both are knowledgeable, articulate and capable of doing the job of a district city councilor.
Jenny Pacillo
One of the leaders of the Burncoat Greendale Neighborhood Association, Jenny Pacillo has been attending community meetings for years. She holds two master’s degrees, including one in public administration — a degree that gives her insight into how local government works. She works part time as an editor of Pulse magazine and CM Pride.
Pacillo’s passion is to bring life and vitality to the commercial areas within the district. That includes making areas more walkable and improving street safety. As an example she would like to make the strip along West Boylston Street a destination spot.
On property taxes, Pacillo has yet to nail down a firm position but when pressed said that she would likely support the lowest residential tax rate.
Pacillo supports requiring developers to include affordable units in all new developments, and she supports hiring additional code enforcement personnel to ensure that existing apartments meet all code requirements. She also supports looking at rezoning existing open spaces as a way to attract new residential development.
Pacillo has been criticized by some for signing a letter a few years ago that they say calls for defunding the police. But the letter, while authored by a group that calls itself Defund WPD, never mentions police funding and only calls for more transparency when instances of police misconduct are involved.
Dave Peterson
The general manager of the Worcester Bravehearts baseball team, Dave Peterson likes to tell people that he’s new to running for public office — “I never did anything like this.”
Peterson has made a point of offering support for the police. With Worcester’s increase in population, he believes that the city should be increasing the authorized complement of its police force. And unlike Pacillo, he supports having officers in the public schools.
Assuming the appointees would represent a broad spectrum of the community, he does support the creation of a police civilian review board. Pacillo instead prefers an inspector general model that would apply to all departments.
Unlike his opponent, Peterson supports moving slowly toward a single property tax rate that has business and residential taxpayers paying the same rate.
Peterson does not support requiring developers to include affordable units in new developments, but he does believe that there are ways to get the same result, including offering incentives, reducing red tape, reducing parking requirements in some areas below the two spaces per unit now required and allowing for taller buildings. Except for use after significant rent increases, he does not support hiring additional code enforcement personnel.
Both candidates
Both candidates are focused on the possibilities for the Saint-Gobain property and oppose any rezoning of the property for residential purposes, instead envisioning commercial development and job creation.
Both candidates rate Batista’s performance as good with Peterson saying that the council hasn’t really given the city manager enough guidance. They both also would support revisiting the city charter to consider a change in the form of government.
Both candidates think that the northern Lincoln Street neighborhood residents have not been given the opportunity to be heard relative to the new development that has been approved for Oriol Drive and the former Quality Inn.
Both candidates compliment the other and acknowledge that the other would do a good job if elected. At a time of such bitter political disagreement, that’s a welcomed change.
My choice
Depending on the issues that are important to you, you can easily make an argument to support either candidate. And my best guess is that both would be attentive to the needs of the district and responsive to calls for assistance.
While it is a close call, my choice to represent the good people of District 1 is Jenny Pacillo. Although Pacillo needs to develop more clear responses on what she would do if elected, her unbridled enthusiasm for what the neighborhoods in the district can become is both infectious and laudable.
After several years of attending numerous neighborhood and community meetings, she has a firm grasp on the issues and would be able to hit the ground running.
Cellphone policy for Worcester schools
Ask a teacher about students using cellphones in school and most will tell you that they are a major distraction. Well, School Committee member Tracy O’Connell Novick wants to make things worse. O’Connell Novick wants them to be used as a learning tool, which on the surface seems like a good idea.
The problem is that students would also be texting each other, using them to go on social media and a range of other things that will take their attention off their lessons. Having teachers trying to police their use would be a complete disaster.
Beyond that, how can it be applied as a learning tool fairly when only some students have cellphones? This is a horrible idea and it should end up in the wastebasket where it belongs.
Email Raymond V. Mariano at rmariano.telegram@gmail.com. He served four terms as mayor of Worcester and previously served on the City Council and School Committee. He grew up in Great Brook Valley and holds degrees from Worcester State College and Clark University. He was most recently executive director of the Worcester Housing Authority. His column appears weekly in the Sunday Telegram. His endorsements do not necessarily reflect the position of the Telegram & Gazette.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Ray Mariano on District 1 City Council race, school cellphone policy
