By William Tauro

What’s going on in the city. From McGrath Highway with the closure of an overpass and tunnel with ongoing never-ending stalled construction for months to the Ball Square bridge where businesses are closing due to lack to consumer traffic.

Wherever you look, from Union Square, Ball Square, Davis Square, construction and blocking businesses from conducting business is happening everywhere in this city.

With no consideration for the shopkeepers and business owners of Somerville, these political thugs just keep on chipping away piece by piece destroying our city and the hard dedicated work that these business owners have achieved over the years building Somerville up to where it is today.

What good did it serve closing down the Mcgrath Highway Bridge and tunnel at Somerville Avenue for the past five years other than to cut the circulation, the lifeblood of the businesses of Ward two.

What good did it serve in the planning of digging up Union Square to such an extreme that patrons couldn’t even drive through to frequent long time businesses that are located there never mind stop to drive through or park anywhere near there?

The same construction company has been in front of John’s Auto Sales for the past five months off and on digging the same hole. They continue putting barricades blocking the entire area with no workers present most of the time. It looks more like they’re just trying to force businesses to close down and scoop their properties for a bigger deal. It’s just not unfair and unethical, it’s illegal.

What good was it in Ball Square to cut the lifeblood, the circulation of the businesses in that area by closing off the Ball Square Bridge instead of doing half of the project at a time?

What good did it do to closing down the Medford Street bridge instead of keeping at least half of it open? I know the new high school construction is there but it’s not interfering in the street.

What good did it do by closing off the entire Washington Street bridge and cutting off the circulation to and from our city?

Why are we removing hundreds of parking spots throughout the city to create bike lanes?Believe me I’m not against bike lanes, but I’m against removing the parking spots. If I can’t drive there I won’t do business there, that’s me. How about the elderly people, our seniors who don’t drive bikes and depend on cars and love ones the pick up and drop them off? These people count as well to get their shopping and errands done. Don’t their lives count as well?

The answer is our elected officials have not been doing their jobs and they still continue to run rampant with their crazy ideas that are hurting Somerville businesses.

They still continue to beat the same delusional path of destruction instead of listening to the people and rectifying the problems at hand affecting the lives of people who live, breed, work and play in the city.

Stalled sidewalk construction projects on Medford Street in Somerville have been torn up since July leaving treacherous conditions for people who live there. Residential driveways and streets are torn up with barricades with no workers present most of the time there.

Also, what is the first responder response time in Somerville with all these closed and blocked off squares. What is the change in response time since the whole city is now under construction. Drive McGrath Highway every day and watching them trying to get through is horrible. What will it take a tragedy to bring these powers at the controls to do the right thing here?

Our elected officials as well as organizations who are supposed to be looking after our businesses are just sitting on their hands and have failed us miserably while this is all happening at our expense.

Now we even have elected officials in this city trying to profit on pot dispensaries for their own personal gain at the taxpayers expense.

Maybe it’s time for new leader ship? Maybe it’s time for new blood because the old blood and current leadership are not working, at least not for us any longer.

Let’s wake up Somerville, because the people of Somerville deserve better. On Tuesday, November 5th think twice before you cast your ballots. Think twice of what they have done and what they have been doing and what they still will continue to do if re-elected.

This is our city so let’s take it back!