Another @MassDems convention done! Great to connect with friends from across the Commonwealth, support Sen. Brownsberger, and vote with the overwhelming majority of delegates to endorse @EdMarkey for re-election!
"A wave is building, the kind that comes once a generation, when people have been pushed too far and they decide all at once and all together that enough is enough." – @ossoff
Our local meeting at Kirklees Council a few days ago has become viral.
Many people have seen the clips showing disagreement, frustration and confusion. What many have not seen is the full meeting, which remains available to watch online.
Cllr Sarah Wood, leader of Reform in Kirklees, nominated herself to become Leader of the Council. During the meeting she stated that she did not understand the constitution, yet simultaneously accused others of acting unconstitutionally for following the AGM process and established procedures. To me, those two positions are difficult to reconcile.
Cllr Wood also stated on camera, “We will make sure the residents know.”
That language concerns me. When elected representatives publicly label councillors, officers or cross party colleagues as acting unconstitutionally without evidence, it risks creating a false narrative. Words matter. They carry weight. They influence public perception.
I know all too well the real world consequences misinformation can have when it spreads locally. We have seen how narratives can take hold, how trust can be damaged and how individuals can become targets because of things that simply are not true.
That is why I stood up. That is why I challenged what was being said. That is why I was passionate in my response.
My only apology is to our newly elected Mayor. She conducted herself professionally throughout an extremely difficult meeting and ensured all sides had an opportunity to speak. She showed patience, fairness and leadership, and for that she deserves recognition.
Our communities benefit when councillors, regardless of political affiliation, communicate, cooperate and work together in the interests of residents.
Defamatory language, misinformation and a refusal to engage constructively do not help our communities. They do not solve problems, improve services or support residents facing real challenges in their daily lives.
On Thursday, the Council’s responsibility is clear. The focus must be on electing a Leader who can provide stability, competence and direction. Residents expect serious leadership, not political theatre. They expect councillors to focus on the issues that matter: local services, public finances, community safety and the future of Kirklees.
The people of Kirklees did not elect us to create division. They elected us to deliver results. That must remain the priority.
@Q2Quokka While I don't represent Washington Street directly, I'm sorry to hear about this concern. Please reach out to the Department of Public Works directly, or send me an email so I can connect you!
Map of the elections Nigel Farage elections has contested vs Andy Burnham, the latter only running in Greater Manchester while Farage is all over the place!
What a day! Thank you to everyone who came out for our Office Opening & Campaign Launch.
This campaign is powered by people who believe in a more accessible, transparent, and hopeful future for our communities — and we’re just getting started ⭐️ #TeamTram
Massachusetts research repeatedly finds that new housing does not reliably predict school-enrollment growth, and that fiscal impacts are often neutral or positive, especially for multifamily and smaller units. MAPC found that concerns about school impacts are “commonly overstated,” and MassBenchmarks/UMass Donahue found new housing has net fiscal benefits in the aggregate.
@berkie1
https://t.co/IKaIbKJLr7
This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the Voting Rights Act. It wasn’t meant to protect the rights of minority *politicians.* It was meant to protect the rights of minority *voters.*
@realsaadasad@berkie1 This is an Open Town Meeting, so he's there as a voting member of the town legislature (as is any other registered voter of the town).
You really aren't supposed to have back and forth like this, but most moderators (think chairman/speaker) allow it when manageable & respectful
genuinely crazy how much more of a fuss the Virginia redistricting vote got compared to Florida ignoring the state constitution or Louisiana literally suspending elections
the incentives here are completely FUBAR
@daniellgoldstei Total unit capacity requirements are available here. Newton's requirement is almost 10x Marblehead's, based on categorization, size, and other factors.
https://t.co/wXtV8vt7K3
@BenWessel@berkie1@pattonoswalt Best part is, it's not a city council meeting, this is an Open Town Meeting. He's there to vote on the new rules himself!
On its third attempt tonight, Marblehead Town Meeting approved an “MBTA Communities–compliant” district largely centered on the 125-year-old Tedesco Country Club, meeting 3A requirements on paper while all but assuring no new housing would be built.
This comment says it all.