By RICHARD J. SCIROCCO

CHANGES IN THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE INCREASED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE MOM AND POP SHOPS HAVE DWINDLED DOWN WITH MAJOR LOSSES OF PATRONS UNABLE TO SECURE PARKING IN PROXIMITY. THE CONTINUATION OF REMOVAL AND REDESIGNING OF OUR TRAVELWAYS HAVE IMPACTED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

IS IT THE INTENTIONS OF ITS NEWER CITIZENS THAT COME TO SOMERVILLE AND INVEST IN A NEW BEGINNING WITH THE IDEOLOGY OF A PERSONAL AGENDA FOR THE RESHAPING OF ITS ONCE MAGESTIC NEIGHBORHOODS. IT APPEARS THEIR ACTIONS ARE TO SETTLE INTO A NEW AREA, AS A GROUP, AND, INTRODUCE PRESET DESIGNS TO CHANGE THE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY FUNCTIONED AND SURVIVED FOR CENTURIES, FROM THE OVER DEVELOPMENT, WHILE STRIPPING ITS VERY IDENTITY. AS LONG AS THE LEADERSHIP THAT GUIDES ITS CITIZENS IS INFLUENCED BY OUTSIDERS AND KEEPS THEIR AGENDA ON THE SAME PATH, THE CITY WILL FALL AND BECOME A VICTIM TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCE. STATEWIDE GOALS HAVE BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TO ITS CURRENT STATUS, AND CITIZEN OPINION NO LONGER HAS A VOICE.

IN PAST, SOMERVILLE, HAS GREATLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH OF SOCIETY. THE REGION HAS RAISED INDIVIDUAL THINKERS,  AND DOERS, IN ITS HISTORICAL LIFETIME.  ITS UNIQUE CHARM, STANDS OUT MORE SO, THAN ANY OTHER CITY OR TOWN FOR SO MANY REASONS.  WE HAVE HAD THE PRIVILAGE OF PRESIDENTS LIVE HERE  DATING BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING OF ITS ESTABLISHMENT OF AMERICA, ALL THE WAY FORWARD TO THIS VERY CENTURY.  FAMOUS CITIZENS WERE RAISED, AND DWELLED WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAVE IMPACTED THE WHOLE OF SOCIETY WITH THEIR INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE GREATER GOOD. CREATIVITY IN ARTISTRY, MUSIC, AND INVENTION PROVIDED A GLORIFIED PRIDE FOR ALL TO SHARE IN ITS ENJOYMENT.

FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, OUR GEOGRAPHICS, HAVE BEEN A SILENT KEY TO CONNECTING MANY SURROUNDING CITIES AND TOWNS.

NEIGHBORING RESIDENTS FROM OTHER CITIES ADMIRED OUR PRIDE AND STRENGTHS. OUR RESILIENCE, PROVIDED A NATURAL CORE OF EXPERIENCE AND INTELLIGENCE, AS WELL AS A MOTIVATION OF PHYSICAL CONSCIOUSNESS, WHICH HAS PROVIDED OUR LONGEVITY OF HEALTH AND FITNESS. OUR FAMILIES SERVED THE WHOLE OF AMERICA, THROUGH VARIOUS BRANCHES OF THE MILITARY WITH HONOR. PEOPLE BONDED AND AN UNSPOKEN LOYALTY TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE ONE ANOTHER WAS A COMMON PRACTICE. THAT NO LONGER HOLDS TRUE IN THESE CURRENT TIMES.

THE OVER BURDENED TAXES GENERATING MILLIONS, MAKES THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS FISCALLY FEASIBLE. OFFICIALS ARE NOT ALLOWING THE FINANCES TO BE APPLIED FOR UNION WORKERS TO BE AWARDED FAIR WAGES, WHICH CAN MAKE THE CITY RUN MORE EFFICIENTLY, AVOIDING OUTSOURCING.  DIVISIONS, AND, THE NEGATIVITY, IN THE COMMUNITY ONLY GROWS, AS  CHILDREN ARE RAISED UNDER UNSATISFACTORY CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING CAPABILITIES. “THE VILLIAGE IS NO LONGER ALLOWED TO RAISE THE CHILD”. IT APPEARS COMMUNISTIC BEHAVIOR WILL NOW BE THE “STATUS QUO.”  THE CURRENT LEADERS ARE NOT DOING WHATS RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE.

SOMERVILLE HAS ALWAYS FOCUSED WITH A STERN APPRECIATION TOWARDS PRESERVING OUR HISTORY, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THOSE CURRENTLY IN CHARGE OF DECISIONS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THE DOLLAR HAS FINALLY SURPASSED THE DESIRE.  THE CHANGES THAT WILL FOREVER ECHO IN OUR QUAINT NEIGHBORHOODS WILL DAMAGE OUR GREAT LEGACY AND TRAMITIZE OUR PEOPLE. THESE CHANGES WILL REMOLD OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO WILL NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE APPRECIATION OF WHAT WAS. IT IS NOW UP TO THE TRUE CITIZEN’S OF THIS COMMUNITY TO “RISE UP” AND REMIND THOSE IN ELECTED OFFICE THAT THEIR JOB WAS ONLY CREATED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE AND REPRESENT THEIR BEST INTERESTS. CONSIDERATION OF REPLACEMENT, MUST HAPPEN. THE MANY HISTORIC ICONS SUCH AS THE CITY HALL, AND, THE VETERANS MONUMENTS  THAT PROUDLY SYMBOLIZE PAST HEROS, NOT JUST OF SOMERVILLE, BUT AMERICA, NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED.

WE ARE THE PEOPLE!