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Campaign notes

Rob Consalvo, Mike Ross, Ayanna Pressley

Banner Staff

Consalvo aims to keep kids and teachers safe at school

“We can make schools safer without interfering with learning,” Consalvo says.

Former District Five City Councilor Rob Consalvo released last week his plan to keep children and teachers safe at school.

Consalvo’s plan outlines key strategies to make schools safer:


Keep intruders out.
Of the 127 schools in the Boston Public Schools system, only 53 require a security key card to get inside. Requiring key card access in all school buildings would give authorized staff the ability to come and go and ensure that buildings remain locked at all times.

Increase security cameras. Only 35 of the 127 BPS schools have security camera systems. These cameras give school staff total awareness of what is happening on the perimeter, at the entrances and in the hallways of school buildings. Cameras also collect the vital evidence needed to hold people who commit acts of violence in schools accountable.

Allow easier access to mental health services for teachers and students. It should be just as easy for a child or their teacher to talk to a mental health professional as it is for them to see the school nurse for a band-aid.

If children are being bullied, suffering from a mental health crisis or experiencing trouble at home, they should have someone to talk to before they reach the point of violence. By increasing public-private partnerships between schools and neighborhood health centers and private mental health practices, we can make sure children and teachers always have somewhere to go when they need help.

Ross releases plan to create jobs, reduce income inequality 

Boston mayoral candidate Mike Ross unveiled last week his comprehensive plan to create jobs and grow Boston’s economy.

The plan focuses on innovative ideas like streamlining government, making it easier for small businesses to open, using smarter incentives to get businesses to open and taking a regional approach to growing our economy.

“Boston has always been a city of innovators, but we can’t rest on our laurels,” Ross said in a statement.

Besides a focus on the innovation economy, Ross’ plan also includes a number of measures designed to reduce income inequality and make sure all neighborhoods share in Boston’s prosperity. Some of those ideas include establishing a citywide minimum wage, raising the living wage, creating paid sick leave, enacting several measures designed to encourage banks to lend to small businesses and enforcing the Boston Residency Jobs Policy.

Ross has represented District Eight on the Boston City Council since his election in 1999. The district includes Back Bay, Beacon Hill, West End, Fenway, Kenmore Square, Audubon Circle and Mission Hill.

Mass. NOW PAC endorses Councilor Ayanna Pressley

The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Organization for Women Political Action Committee (Mass. NOW PAC) recently announced its endorsement of Boston City Councilor At-Large Ayanna Pressley in her re-election campaign.

Nancy Rosenblum, co-chair of the Mass. NOW PAC, says, “We are proud to once again endorse Councilor Pressley. She has been an outspoken champion of women and girls in Boston during her tenure on the City Council.” 

The Mass. NOW PAC endorses candidates who are committed to NOW’s mission and priority issue areas, including reproductive freedom, racial justice, constitutional rights, economic justice, LGBTQ Rights and ending violence against women. In order to receive the support of the Mass. NOW PAC, candidates must go through a rigorous endorsement process, including a multi-issue questionnaire and an interview with PAC members.

“Since my first day on the campaign trail in 2009, I’ve been unapologetic about making women and girls a priority in City Hall,” Pressley stated. “From pay equity to domestic violence, there is still much work to be done and with NOW’s help I’ll return to the Council in 2014 and continue our critical work.”

The preliminary election will be held Sept. 24.