By William Tauro

Are we ready to have Somerville become the next pot-shop capital of the country? I’m hearing that within the next year that twelve new pot-shops are to open in Somerville. That sounds like an awful lot of pot for just a little city like Somerville with only 4.22 Sq. miles, doesn’t it?

We’ve already heard that one of the new owners of the Shields Gas Station that’s located on Broadway in Somerville who was a former Ward 5 alderman bought up the property in his own sister’s name. The plan is for the purpose of a Greenline Station as well as a convenient pot clinic/marijuana distillery for that location on the tracks with the mayor’s blessing.

We are also hearing pretty hefty rumors that all this red tape is conveniently making its way through shuffling hands from the former Alderman’s city hall connections namely upstairs in the corner office.

All these politically connected takeover tactics taking place in a circled area especially where this former Somerville Ward 5 Alderman who is alleged to be conspiring with his connection in having city inspecters harass the abutting property owners. He’s alleged to be orchestrating all this while trying to buy up the DAV and Drain Doctor properties on each side of it. Is that why he possibly suddenly resigned?

I found it very interesting to receive this “Letter to the Editor” below that I would like to share with you so you will get a better perspective of what’s going on here:

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Dear Billy T and Somerville Speakup Line,

According to City Spokeswoman Denise Taylor, Curtatone was recently informed that a recreation marijuana establishment was a potential applicant for the property at 561-567 McGrath Highway in Somerville (Middlesex County Registrar Maria Curtatone’s former law office) which is currently owned by the Cosmo Curtatone Revocable Trust (established by Curtatone’s late father). Mayor Curtatone is neither a trustee nor a current beneficiary of the trust, but it seems that Curtatone has his own mother and sister as trustees, and though Mayor Curtatone claims that he has no involvement of the management of the property, it is conceivable that he could become a beneficiary of the property in the future.

George Proakis, executive director of the office of Strategic Planning and Community Development said at a June 27th City Council meeting that he anticipates recreational establishments opening in late 2019 or early 2020 depending on how much construction is needed for them to open.

In order to comply with conflict of interest law requirements Mayor Joe Curtatone has recused himself from all matters pertaining to the licensing and permitting of recreational marijuana.

Please share this with your readers to stop this conflictive corruption by this self serving political family from benefiting on the taxpayers dime for their own personal gain. You might also want to alert the FBI to look at the names of the other pot-shop license holders as well because you’ll find some good surprises there.

This is happening all over the city with many other properties for years and you seem to be the only one doing something about it and possibly the only one who will put it out there to stop it.