Dear Somerville Chamber of Commerce,

I am definitely one to support the Somerville Chamber of Commerce 100% if it were to protect the property rights and the businesses of Somerville from people and proposals that are out to harm them.

But unfortunately I’ve noticed over the past three years that the Somerville Chamber of Commerce has failed miserably in supporting businesses and the people of Somerville especially in Ward 2.

In Ward 2 three years ago alone the Chamber sat quietly as the mayor and the Ward 2 Alderman tried to take away all the parking on both sides of the road on McGrath Highway, but fortunately this very paper, my brother Ronald Tauro and the business owners were able to fight back and at least we were able to get one side of the parking back with no help from the Board of Aldermen or the Chamber of Commerce.

Again in Ward 2 two years ago the Board of Aldermen and the Somerville Chamber of Commerce again sat back like quiet mice as the mayor and the Ward 2 Alderman pulled off one of his biggest stunts in closing off the McGrath Highway overpass offramp that leads down to Somerville Avenue as well as the tunnel beneath it directing desperately needed traffic of customers coming from Cambridge cutting off all traffic circulations from both sides to multiple running businesses in that area stopping them from doing business. The mayor temporarily accomplished his goal because what are those businesses and properties worth today with no traffic going down to them. What is a Burger King drive-through worth with no traffic? What is the Target mall worth with no traffic and no automobiles to park in their big parking lot? What is John’s Auto Sales worth with no customer traffic? What is Carroll Roofing’s property worth with no customer traffic? What are all the businesses on Somerville Avenue worth with no traffic you tell me? And yes we have skin in the game as well because what is the Tauro Realty property on McGrath Highway worth with no customer traffic? Even the little sub shop on Somerville Avenue that’s located behind the Somerville Police Station that has been there for decades has even just recently forced to board up it’s windows and closed shop due to no customer traffic.

And this is also a very big disservice to the financial institutions that holds the mortgages on all of these properties that are becoming worthless now because of what was allowed to happen. It’s also to bad that the financial institutions didn’t voice their opinion as well protecting their mortgage customer’s interest instead of hiding behind the mayor as well and trying to penalize us if we spoke out! (No worries we have your number too.)

And where was the Somerville Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Aldermen during all this? You tell me?

All that you have done is opened our eyes so that now we are all going to take actions exposing all involved in this charades that you guys observed while sitting on your hands while we were raped of our equity.

Well I can tell you that Somerville Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Aldermen as well as a couple of financial institutions who just closed their eyes and cluelessly rallied behind the mayor and sang Kumbaya while it was allowed to happen.

All I can say is that my campaign of draining the swamp in Somerville got rid of the board of alderman pretty fast though! I still have a little bit of faith, very little left in the Somerville Chamber of Commerce and we’re just sitting back waiting to see before we present our opinion for the world to see!

I don’t mind covering your events and press releases temporarily for now with hope that sometime soon the Somerville Chamber will wake up and grow a backbone and stand up to the mayor and do the right thing for businesses of Ward 2.

But while I’m at it here capturing your attention, we have a question for the mayor. Why would you do this to us Mr. Mayor? Why? What’s the reason for diverting traffic away from these businesses do you want property values to drop so somebody can try to take them? Once the eminent domain take over didn’t work what was your reasoning for wanting to take them by eminent domain? We patiently await your response.

So until then sorry with no disrespect, paying a membership fee renewal to the Somerville Chamber of Commerce, Not!

Billy T