Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

May 3, 2021

For Your Consideration on the May 3, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 3:24 pm

For Your Consideration on the May 3, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting agenda

Here are the things I found interesting, alarming, or downright absurd this week:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a COVID-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #3. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions for the COVID-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0

It was a pleasure going for a walk this weekend without the mask (except when in close proximity with other people). Let’s hope that things continue on the road to normalcy (or at least close to normal).

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of The Port Infrastructure Project Working Group, effective May 3, 2021 for a period of 12-15 months.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 21-25, regarding a report on monitoring drought conditions and an update on demand projections.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-66, regarding a report on establishing a Black and Brown-Owned Business Task Force.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the FY2022 submitted budget and appropriation orders. [FY2022 Summaries] [FY2022 Budget Book]
Referred to Finance Committee 9-0Budget Season!

I like to track how the budgets of the various City departments change from year to year and in the long term. Here’s a chart showing the one-year and two-year changes as well as the 17-year changes.

The big jumps upward this year are for the Law Department (up 23.4% in one year and 38.6% over two years), the Executive Department, i.e. the City Manager’s Office (up 14.3% in one year and 28.8% over two years), and the Animal Commission (up 12.4% in one year but just 0.9% over two years). It is notable that the Mayor’s Office budget dropped 15.3% from the previous year. The overall proposed budget is up 4.7% from the previous year and 10.5% from two years earlier.

It’s not so easy to ascertain from just the summaries how the Covid-19 pandemic expressed itself in the FY22 Budget, but perhaps that will become more clear when information about positions purposely left unfilled is known. There will also be $83.9 million in Loan Authorizations for Capital Projects that will appear on next week’s agenda.

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager is requested to present a plan to the City Council to increase the affordable homeownership stock over the next 10 years by financing the construction of affordable homeownership units through a bond issue of no less than $500 million. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Order #3 of Apr 26, 2021]
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

As I said last week: “I think it’s a great idea to encourage and even facilitate homeownership – especially for those who have lived in Cambridge for a long time or possibly their entire lives. Of course in Cambridge-speak, the phrase ‘affordable homeownership’ doesn’t just mean facilitating the purchase of a home. There are always strings attached with ‘social housing,’ and ultimately a ‘homeowner’ could never actually build up any significant equity in the property. For many prospective homeowners, looking elsewhere would still likely be the better long-term option. A program I could definitely warm up to would be one involving loan guarantees to assist prospective homeowners seeking to buy housing in the big wide housing world with fewer strings attached.”

Order #6. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Community Development Department, the Affordable Housing Trust, and other relevant City departments to provide options to update the HomeBridge and Affordable Home Ownership Programs to better align with the City’s values, and promote racial equity and socioeconomic justice.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

See above. The Housing Division of the City’s Community Development Department is so addicted to control of the city’s housing stock that it’s doubtful they’ll ever shift their priorities toward actual home ownership and economic equity. The Cambridge municipal view of “socioeconomic justice” generally involves some form of government control and limited or nonexistent equity.

Charter Right #2. That the City Manager is requested to work with the Cambridge Police Department to present a plan to the City Council for demilitarization, including the destruction and recycling of all rifles and shotguns, and elimination of the Lenco Bearcat. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Order #5 of Apr 26, 2021]
Order Adopted as Amended by (McGovern) Substitution 8-1 (Zondervan – NO)

See my comments from last week on this item. To repeat: “I don’t believe most city councillors ever consider the really exceptional circumstances where greater security is needed. They see only situations where people engaged in protests are offended by ‘the optics’ of large vehicles, weapons, and extra defensive gear. It’s a great luxury (and privilege) to never have to consider the exceptional circumstances.”

On the Table #4. That the City Council shall have its own budget for outside legal research to be utilized at the discretion of the Council when designated by a majority of members in pursuance of the Council’s authority to exercise the legislative powers of the City as specified in the City charter. [TABLED IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Amended Order #8 of Apr 12, 2021]
Adopted as Amended 7-2 (Simmons, Toomey – NO)

On the Table #5. A communication was received from City Solicitor, Nancy E. Glowa, transmitting Legal Opinion Regarding Request to Have Legal Resources Committed to Assist City Council with Legal Research and Drafting of Ordinances Pursuant to Orders Voted Upon in Public at Scheduled City Council Meetings. [TABLED IN COUNCIL APR 26, 2021] [Late Communication of Apr 26, 2021]
Placed on File 9-0

My comments from last week, including in the aftermath of the Late Communication from City Solicitor Nancy Glowa (who was simply stating facts and not "defending her turf" as some have described her comments): “If this were to happen there is no doubt whatsoever that we would soon see five councillors hand-picking their own lawyer who would then be pitted against the City Solicitor – a recipe for chaos. Furthermore, the City Council is under no obligation to abide by the legal advice of the City Solicitor – though that would generally be a rather poor choice.”

Ms. Glowa’s well-researched and informative communication includes the following: “However, it is not possible, legally or ethically, to provide independent legal counsel to the City Council that would not be under the direction of and reporting to the City Solicitor for the reasons set forth above. It could lead to "dualling lawyers", representing different components of the same client – the City of Cambridge – a situation which “creates a serious potential for confusion and contradiction in the direction of the City’s litigation, as well as the potential for disruption of the City’s business in the event that the advice rendered differs between each attorney.”

In addition to this Late Communication, the City Solicitor forcefully reminded the City Council of the potential jeopardy of proceeding with the Order as originally written. Specifically, Section 107 of the Plan E Charter (which is part of the Mass. General Laws) states that “Neither the city council nor any of its committees or members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office by the city manager or any of his subordinates, or in any manner take part in the appointment or removal of officers and employees in that portion of the service of said city for whose administration the city manager is responsible. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the city council and its members shall deal with that portion of the service of the city as aforesaid solely through the city manager, and neither the city council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the city manager either publicly or privately. Any member of the city council who violates, or participates in the violation of, any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, and upon final conviction thereof his office in the city council shall thereby be vacated and he shall never again be eligible for any office or position, elective or otherwise, in the service of the city.

After the April 26 meeting Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler opined that this section of the Charter was only meant to prevent a councillor from forcing the firing of a City employee. That is a woefully incorrect reading of this clause. Some councillors appeared to be mock-offended at the suggestion of jail time, but it should be obvious to anyone who can read that the greater penalty would be removal from office and the prohibition from ever seeking that office again.

Unfinished Business #7. A Zoning Petition has been received from Amy Oliver, regarding that the City require the installation of GREEN ROOFS vegetated or BioSolar on future construction and significant rehab of buildings that are 20,000 square feet and larger. [PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL APR 12, 2021] [Text as Amended on Apr 26, 2021]
Ordained as Amended 6-0-0-3 (Mallon, Simmons, Toomey – PRESENT)

Though the Planning Board voted 8-1 against this petition as originally drafted, our compulsively prescriptive City Council will likely ordain this by a comfortable margin.

Order #1. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ensure that additional funding for Housing Stability shall be made available throughout FY22 if the City Council advises that the need is present.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

Order #3. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with Community Development and Traffic, Parking and Transportation to include an EV requirement in their review of development projects, including that a minimum of 25% of all parking spaces shall be EVSE-Installed, meaning a parking space equipped with functioning Level 2 Chargers, or the equivalent thereof must be provided, and that all parking spaces be EV-ready, meaning raceway to every parking space, adequate space in the electrical panel, and space for additional transformer capacity; the City approved EV Requirement Equivalent Calculator must be used if chargers other than Level 2 Chargers are installed.   Councillor Nolan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted 9-0

There is little doubt that with electric vehicles becoming more common there will have to be a lot more rethinking about how "filling stations" give way to "charging stations". Even with the best of new battery technologies it’s unlikely that the time needed to charge up an electric vehicle will ever be close to the time it takes to fill up the gas tank. It’s not hard to imagine a future where charging is widely available in most garages, but it’s not nearly so easy to imagine how cars parked on the street will routinely access the necessary charging. I imagine long road trips will also have to be reimagined to allow time and the means for charging. All this makes me think of a relevant song by Phil Ochs.

Order #5. That the Cambridge City Council goes on record in support of the Bathroom Bill of Rights being sponsored by Free to Flush.   Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan
Order Adopted 9-0

I wonder if this Bathroom Bill of Rights will encompass the right to deal and inject drugs or provide sexual services like the toilet now parked on City Hall property on the Inman Street side. The red indicator on the door used to mean "occupied" but now means "open for business."

Order #7. Free The Vaccine Resolution.   Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

I believe resolution of this is already happening even without a Cambridge City Council resolution.

Order #8. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to apply for the Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program and if grants are received to work with the community before implementation of a program.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

It’s nice that the Cambridge City Council recognizes some of the adaptation and success that has come about thanks to the initiative of the Central Square BID in cooperation with the City administration, but I don’t really know what role, if any, the City Council has played in any of this other than the photo ops.

Order #9. That the Cambridge City Council go on record standing in solidarity with the MNA nurses campaigning for fair contract negotiations with Cambridge Health Alliance.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted 9-0

Committee Report #1. The Ordinance Committee met on Dec 9, 2021 to conduct a public hearing on the Cannabis Delivery-Only Zoning Ordinance petition.
Report Accepted, Placed on File, Order Adopted 9-0

It’s all about the money – and picking the winners.

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting charter assessment: review and reform. [2nd Memo provided late]
Placed on File 9-0

Rarely have I seen a more vacuous communication as this. It refers to the attached memo that supposedly contains “an overview of the individual discussions with each Council member, recommendations and alternatives for the Council to consider, and potential next steps for this process.” There was no attachment other than a link to the previous memo from nearly 7 weeks earlier. It’s pretty clear that conversations on this topic have been happening but only in this Council’s characteristic lack of transparency. – Robert Winters

March 26, 2021

Trash Talking – March 29, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,covid,recycling — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 7:23 pm

Trash Talking – March 29, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting

Here’s my take on the interesting stuff:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
Placed on File 9-0

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, transmitting questions for the City Manager’s COVID-19 update.
Placed on File 9-0

My first vaccination appointment is this week (thanks, Jason and Patrick!) and I remain hopeful that the light at the end of the tunnel is shining more brightly. I am, however, getting anxious about the current rise in the 7-day average for the number for residents testing positive. Everyone I know is taking all the right precautions, but I’m worried that some people, particularly younger people, are getting careless.

Manager’s Agenda #4. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $1,500,000, from Free Cash, to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account, to purchase and distribute standardized trash barrels to all residential buildings in the City’s trash program.
Order Adopted 9-0Recycle

Though I hope I’m not reading too much in-between the lines, there seems to be just a hint here that standardization and City-issuance of containers may at some point translate into greater regulation of how much solid waste will be permitted per building. That’s perfectly OK by me since my building produces remarkably little trash (well, maybe some trash-talking!). If the City does move forward with this, I hope they can couple the program with requirements for better trash management for multi-family and mixed-use buildings, e.g. managing waste for the building as a whole rather than every unit individually. Some buildings simply have far more containers than they actually need.

When the recycling toters were first introduced I asked if it would be OK to keep a a single modest-sized toter for my triple-decker and use the old blue bins for any overflow, and I was told that would be OK. I hope the same will be the case for the rubbish containers. Many of us have limited space for bulky containers.

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $335,000 from Free Cash to the Public Investment Fund Public Works Extraordinary Expenditures account, to purchase and install Big Belly solar compactors on Cambridge Street between Inman Square and Lechmere Station.
Order Adopted 9-0

This seems like a nice addition, but I hope it doesn’t become an expensive maintenance nightmare. The Big Bellies in Central Square are often broken, though our valiant Central Square BID ambassadors do a great job of keeping things clean and reporting any problems.

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 19-58, regarding a report on drafting an ordinance banning single use plastic items.
Referred to Health & Environment Committee 9-0

Here’s what I wrote nearly two years ago when this proposal was first introduced at the May 13, 2019 meeting: “One bit of advice — this time consider heeding the advice of the Advisory Committee and don’t make changes on the fly at a committee hearing. Even better, spend some time learning about the recycling industry – from recovery of materials through the end markets. Recycling is as much about practicality as it is about idealism, and getting out too far ahead of the curve can often be counterproductive.”

I handled the Cambridge Recycling Hotline for at least 5 years and I can’t tell you how many times a "wishcycler" would say something like "well it ought to be recyclable" when they were putting items in the blue bins which had no available market. In the case of plastic utensils there’s the added difficulty that there’s no practical way to distinguish the compostable from the noncompostable utensils, and even the compostable ones can only biodegrade under conditions not available under most composting systems.

I am in full agreement with the recommendations in the report. By the way, I served on the Recycling Advisory Committee for 22 years.

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-23, regarding a report on implementing a curbside textile recycling program.
Referred to Health & Environment Committee 9-0

Kennedy-Longfellow binsOne of the inevitable outcomes of the pandemic and the increased amount of time most people spent at home was the desire to clear out years of accumulated materials – including textiles. This translated into lots of overflowing clothing donation bins as well as donations to various organizations that accept such donations.Once upon a time I set up an arrangement at the Cambridge Recycling Center for donations that would be collected by The Garment District (where the previous owners had family roots as the "rag men" going back many decades earlier). There is absolutely a demand for this service (but don’t discount the value of Freecycle and "Buy Nothing Cambridge" and other online mechanisms for directly sharing things). The DPW report says that there are corrently no donation bins on City property, but I think there may still be one on Fulkerson Street at the Kennedy-Longfellow building.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to request for approval to submit a Home Rule Petition that (1) would authorize the City of Cambridge (“City”) to relocate land protected by Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution (“Article 97”) at the Father Callanan Playground and Fields in Cambridge (“Callanan Field”) that are adjacent to the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper Schools (the “Site”), and (2) would authorize the City to construct subsurface geothermal wells under a portion of the Callanan Field.
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #3. That the Mayor is requested to work with the Finance Committee chairs to schedule a roundtable meeting of the Council as soon as possible to discuss budget priorities for Fiscal Year 22.   Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted 9-0

It’s almost April. The FY22 Budget Book is probably almost ready to go to print. It seems a bit late in the game to ask for a Roundtable meeting to go over budget priorities for FY22. Those discussions should have happened before January. All that’s left is the tweaks – unless the idea is to just crack open the piggy back and spread it around. I know that there are some councillors who openly talk about dramatically increasing property taxes "because we’re a wealthy city". It’s at times like these that I feel thankful for Bob Healy and Rich Rossi and Louis DePasquale and David Kale and many others who have done their best to moderate tax increases and prevent sticker shock over the years. It’s one of the best aspects of our Plan E Charter.

Late Order #4. That the Chair of the Civic Unity Committee be and hereby is requested to schedule a virtual meeting of the Safe Streets, Safe City initiative as soon as possible to provide a forum for the Cambridge Police to report back on any information about the murder of Mr. Louis-Jacques and other recent episiodes of gunshots that can be shared with the community, and for area stakeholders to begin sharing information and planning on how we can all work collaboratively to keep this community safe as we enter the summer months.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey, Councillor Zondervan, Mayor Siddiqui
Order Adopted 9-0

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Mayor, Sumbul Siddiqui, communicating information from the School Committee.
Placed on File 9-0

Teachers and staff are gettin’ jabbed and soon enough the students will join in the jabbing. I never thought I would look forward to the gradual return to normalcy as so unbelievably extraordinary. – Robert Winters

And don’t forget about these:

Tues, Mar 30

6:30pm   Planning Board meeting  (Remote Meeting – web and Zoom only)

Public Hearings

6:30pm   Missing Middle Housing Zoning Petition
Zoning petition by Carolyn Fuller, et. al. to amend the Zoning Map of the City of Cambridge to reclassify all land currently in Residence A-1, Residence A-2, Residence B, Residence C, or Residence C-1 Districts as being in a newly created Residence N District, and to amend Articles 3.000, 4.000, 5.000, 6.000, and 11.000 of the Zoning Ordinance by deleting provisions effective in the Residence A-1, Residence A-2, Residence B, Residence C, and Residence C-1 Districts and creating use and dimensional requirements applicable in the new Residence N District, and by deleting minimum off-street parking requirements for nontransient residential uses, among other amendments. (Materials)

Wed, Mar 31

5:30pm   The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will meet to continue a public hearing on the Green Roofs zoning petition.  (Sullivan Chamber – Televised)

Thurs, Apr 8

5:30pm   The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on the Cambridge Missing Middle Housing Zoning Petition (Ordinance #2021-2).  (Sullivan Chamber – Televised)

Wed, Apr 14

5:30pm   The City Council’s Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on the Retail Uses Zoning Recommendations – Refiled (Ordinance #2021-3) and the Home Occupations Zoning Recommendations – Refiled (Ordinance #2021-4).  (Sullivan Chamber – Televised)

February 8, 2021

February 8, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting featured attractions

Filed under: Cambridge,covid — Tags: , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 3:47 pm

February 8, 2021 Cambridge City Council meeting featured attractions

First of all, congratulations to Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time, and to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their Super Bowl victory. As for those who took the opportunity to disparage Brady for his political inclinations, I just want to remind you that this was just a football game.City Hall

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on Covid-19 vaccination rollout.
Placed on File 9-0

The Covid-19 numbers have been trending in a good direction lately. That’s cause for guarded optimism. Also, even though the start of spring training and the 2021 baseball season will be delayed, a 154 game schedule has been proposed, and hopefully the vaccinated fans will at some point outnumber the cardboard cutouts in the stands.

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $1,000,000 from the Community Benefits Stabilization Fund to the Grant Fund Human Services Other Ordinary Maintenance for the purpose of entering into grant agreements with nonprofit organizations to provide services to vulnerable residents during the COVID-19 emergency and recovery.
Order Adopted 9-0

Money well spent. It will be interesting to see in a few months what cumulative impact this dreadful pandemic will have on City finances (and taxes). The numbers I have heard for commercial and residential vacancies have been stunning.

Charter Right #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-63, which requested a review of the granting of an extension for the 605 Concord Avenue project. [Charter Right Feb 3 – Nolan]
Tabled 9-0 (Nolan)

Charter Right #2. Policy Order re Renaming Fairmont Avenue. [Charter Right Feb 3 – Simmons]
Withrawn (Rescinded) 9-0

Perhaps this item was delayed when other residents of Fairmont Ave. found out that their address might be changing.

Charter Right #3. Eliminating Hostile Architecture. [Charter Right Feb 3 – Nolan]
Order Adopted 7-0-0-2 as Amended (DS,TT – PRESENT)

I expect we’ll have another parade of clueless Harvard Young Democratic Socialists reading from their script. By the way, none of the examples of "hostile architecture" attached to the Order is particularly hostile. There is such a thing as hostile architecture, but this ain’t it.

PUBLIC COMMENT TEMPLATE

Hi, my name is _____. I live on______. [ State your relationship to Cambridge. E.g. I have lived here for 7 years, I was unhoused, I attend X university, I work in Cambridge, I grew up in Cambridge ].

I’m here today to urge the City of Cambridge to support Charter Right 3 and councilor Zondervan’s amendment to that policy order. Our unhoused community already suffers from lack of non-congregate shelter and resources every single day, and taking away one of the few sheltered places they can safely rest does nothing more than reinforce that harm. 

We hear the argument often that the hostile architecture installed is actually installed for the benefit of disabled and senior citizens. Unhoused people frequently fall into both of those categories. So I don’t think the council should accept Vice Mayor Mallon and Councillor Nolan’s amendments. Vice Mayor Mallon’s amendment removes the ask to create design guidelines for future projects, the ask to remove existing hostile architecture in the city, and the specific reference to Carl Barron Plaza which will soon be redesigned. Councillor Nolan’s amendment shifts the balance of the order uncomfortably towards housed people. These amendments hide behind legitimate concerns for the elderly and disabled communities in order to act against the interest of the most vulnerable unhoused seniors and disabled people. Members of the unhoused community have supported the specific asks in this policy order, and they should remain.

I am glad that the city has provided some services to the unhoused community already in the face of the pandemic. We have never said that the city has done NOTHING for the homeless community. We understand that the city spent $10 million on supporting non-profits who address homelessness, but the city has spent $0 dollars on non-congregate shelter, and that is what we want to highlight. Instead of spending Cambridge taxpayer funds to support unsafe shelter, the city should have used federal FEMA funding over the past year to support safe non-congregate shelter. Unlike what was said in last week’s meeting, Spaulding is a congregate shelter, and not a non-congregate one. What homeless community members have explicitly asked for are private spaces, and Spaulding definitionally does not meet this demand. Thank you for your time.

I have never been a fan of robots.

Order #1. Retail Table of Land Use Update PO.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Mayor Siddiqui
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board 9-0

This is important…. and complicated.

Order #4. Redesigning Cambridge Voting Stickers.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0

Apparently having a sticker that says simply "I Voted" is insufficiently woke.

Order #5. That the City Manager instruct his staff to develop a ten-year infrastructure plan for the City Council that outlines all future needs and plans for infrastructure, public safety and public services.   Councillor Carlone, Councillor Nolan
Order Adopted as Amended 9-0

I agree with this Order completely. Waiting for utility companies such as Eversource to plan in any comprehensive way is a hopeless quest. Perhaps we should should energize the City’s Pole and Conduit Commission. – Robert Winters

October 6, 2020

Cambridge InsideOut Episodes 473-474: October 6, 2020

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut,City Council,cycling,transportation — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 9:51 pm

Episode 473 – Cambridge InsideOut: Oct 6, 2020 (Part 1)

This episode was broadcast on Oct 6, 2020 at 6:10pm. Topics: Topics from Oct 5 City Council meeting; AHO; Cycling Safety Ordinance; Cambridge Bicycle Plan; Bus-Only Lanes; Shared Streets; Blowfish; Coronagendas; bar/restaurant closures. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

Episode 474 – Cambridge InsideOut: Oct 6, 2020 (Part 2)

This episode was broadcast on Oct 6, 2020 at 6:30pm. Topics: Topics from Oct 5 City Council meeting; police alternatives; “Defund Police” vs. promote best practices; Charter Review; 80-year track record for Plan E; City Councillor job description. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in these episodes]

October 5, 2020

What’s on the October 5, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda? Taxes! Revolution! Cannabis!

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council,cycling,East Cambridge,transportation — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 12:00 am

What’s on the October 5, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda? Taxes! Revolution! Cannabis!

Here’s my grab bag of agenda items that will see some action or which seem either interesting or ridiculous or otherwise noteworthy.

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to votes necessary to seek approval from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue of the tax rate for FY2021. [Manager’s Letter]
13 Orders Adopted 9-0

There are so many statistics you could look at when comparing things over the years, but here are a few:

Year Property Tax Levy Annual
Increase		 Residential
Tax Rate
(per $1000)
 Commercial
Tax Rate
(per $1000)		 Ratio
(Comm/Res)		 Median
Tax
(single)		 Median
Tax
(condo)		 Median
Tax
(2-fam)		 Median
Tax
(3-fam)
FY2021 $472,520,148 7.85% $5.85 $11.85 2.03 $5,761 $1,608 $5,471 $6,711
FY2020 $438,128,694 6.91% $5.75 $12.68 2.21 $5,515 $1,605 $5,340 $6,493
FY2019 $409,809,861 5.33% $5.94 $13.71 2.31 $5,066 $1,562 $4,974 $6,124
FY2018 $389,080,359 4.40% $6.29 $14.81 2.35 $4,942 $1,541 $4,682 $5,655
FY2017 $372,674,087 5.15% $6.49 $16.12 2.48 $4,806 $1,465 $4,649 $5,594
FY2016 $354,430,753 3.80% $6.99 $17.71 2.53 $4,482 $1,454 $4,412 $5,258
FY2015 $341,445,455 3.93% $7.82 $19.29 2.47 $4,418 $1,472 $4,310 $5,040
FY2014 $328,544,945 3.66% $8.38 $20.44 2.44 $4,407 $1,457 $3,976 $4,787
FY2013 $316,947,770 5.97% $8.66 $21.50 2.48 $4,298 $1,495 $3,866 $4,586
FY2012 $299,090,641 5.33% $8.48 $20.76 2.45 $4,139 $1,430 $3,786 $4,501
FY2011 $283,961,699 5.69% $8.16 $19.90 2.44 $3,870 $1,370 $3,609 $4,286
FY2010 $268,662,984 5.38% $7.72 $18.75 2.43 $3,564 $1,293 $3,477 $4,132
FY2009 $254,945,578 5.20% $7.56 $17.97 2.38 $3,445 $1,224 $3,430 $4,091

While it’s noteworthy that the 7.85% increase in the property tax levy is very high, it needs to be emphasized that this is only after leaving 125 positions vacant (which allows for an FY21 budget rescission of $5 million), the allocation of $24.5 million from reserve accounts to reduce the levy, and other measures.Real Estate Tax House

It’s also worth emphasizing that property taxes this fiscal year are based on assessed property values as of Jan 1, 2020 – before the pandemic rolled into town. Many commercial properties are now generating considerably less income and that may be reflected in lower assessed property values come Jan 1, 2020. We have for a long time been taking full advantage of the property tax classification and the ability to set different tax rates for commercial vs. residential properties (within legal limits). This has allowed Cambridge to keep residential property taxes in check. If commercial values slip, it is quite likely that a considerable amount of the tax burden will shift to residential properties. The Manager’s message alludes to this: “It is also important to recognize that a healthy balance of development between residential and commercial be continued to ensure homeowner’s real estate taxes remain affordable.”

I strongly recommend that you read the entire Tax Rate letter from the City Manager and think about what next year’s letter may say if the pandemic continues to takes its economic toll.

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appointment of the Net Zero Action Plan Task Force for a term of nine-months.
Placed on File 9-0

Order #12. That the Council go on record supporting the passage of S.2500 and H.4933 and to support the inclusion of the following in the final bill: 1) The development of a net zero stretch code by DOER (S.2500, § 30-31, 54) 2) The consideration of geographically diverse communities, including low-income communities, in the development of a net zero stretch code (S.2500, § 54) 3) The increase in membership and the establishment of term limits for the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (H.4933, § 15A-F).   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-1

Committee Report #1. A report of the Ordinance Committee Meeting held on Aug 26, 2020 regarding Green Energy Analysis Zoning Amendments. [minutes have not yet been posted]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

Rah, Rah, Rah for environmental initiatives! It’s worth noting, however, that energy efficiency usually translates into cost savings in the long run – and many homeowners and developers will incorporate energy efficiency into their homes and projects regardless of any mandates from state and local government. Carrots work better than sticks.

I’ll be soon taking advantage of a free (or at least reduced cost) insulation program in my house, but not because a few city councillors are twisting my arm to do it. I have some serious concerns about layering one mandate on top of another so that at some point a homeowner may simply delay repairs and renovations because of the added costs and restrictions. But I’m sure the councillors will feel perfectly righteous.

Manager’s Agenda #8. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-26, regarding a report on placing four little free libraries.
Placed on File 9-0

“Liberation Libraries” – Perhaps this will start a trend of topic-specific “little free libraries” around the city. I could start a “little free math library” or maybe a “cosmology corner”. It would help me reduce the weight of books in my house. Now that would be another kind of liberation.

Manager’s Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-47, regarding a report on heat lamps and outdoor dining during the COVID-19 public health crisis.
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #11. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a response to City Council request at the Special Meeting relative to COVID-19 Update of Sept 29, 2020, to provide opinions on the question of eviction moratoria applicability.
Placed on File 9-0

Order #5. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to work with the Public Health Department and the Law Department to amend Cambridge’s Moratorium on Eviction Enforcement to make clear that it remains in effect after October 17 and until at least the end of the state of emergency is declared.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Carlone
Order Adopted 8-0-1

Leave it to the good folks of the Central Square Business Improvement District to lead the charge in arranging for heat lamps to give local restaurants an extra tool to help them survive the Covid assault on businesses further into the colder weather months. Big thanks to some particular heros in the City administration (you know who you are) for helping to ease the bureaucratic burdens.

Regarding the matter of moratoriums on evictions and the relationship between commercial and residential landlords and their tenants, there is so much that has gone on out of the public eye in terms of rent forgiveness, renegotiated leases, and deferred rent that the politicians either fail to see or refuse to recognize. To them, it’s like that Rahm Emanuel quote: “Never allow a good crisis go to waste. It’s an opportunity to do the things you once thought were impossible.” Whether it’s using a shared street to execute mode shifts or fast-track your bicycle plans; or using the threat of a “tsunami of evictions” to attempt to reinstitute rent controls; or perhaps even using economic hardship to pursue your anti-capitalist agenda, there’s nothing like a good crisis to grease your political axles.

Manager’s Agenda #12. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-41, regarding a report on the feasibility of an alternative Public Safety Crisis Response System.
Placed on File 9-0

Given the choice between listening to a bunch of sheeplike “Defund the Police” activists or reading a well-reasoned response from Police Commissioner Bard and other expert City staff, I’ll choose the latter any day of the week.

Unfinished Business #3. That the “2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance” be forwarded to the Ordinance Committee for discussion and recommendation. [PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL SEPT 14, 2020. TO BE ORDAINED ON OR AFTER OCT 5, 2020] [Final Amended Text of Ordinance]
Ordained as Amended 7-1-0-1 (Toomey – NO, Simmons – PRESENT)

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, regarding the Cycling Safety Ordinance.
Placed on File 9-0

I am convinced that the mandatory aspects of this Ordinance are not legally enforceable – though I’m sure that the City administration will carry out most of it nonetheless. It’s one thing to lay out your vision for reconfiguring roads for better safety, but micromanaging the City Manager and City departments is another thing altogether. Then again, I suppose if there were 5 city councillors who wanted to pass a municipal ordinance requiring candy-striped streets, they could pass the ordinance and then screech at the Manager and threaten to not renew his contract for having used less-distracting road materials.

Unfinished Business #4. 100% Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning Petition 2020. [PASSED TO A SECOND READING IN COUNCIL SEPT 14, 2020. TO BE ORDAINED ON OR AFTER OCT 5, 2020] [Final Text of Ordinance]
Ordained 7-2 (Carlone, Nolan – NO)

This will be ordained, of course, but that doesn’t make it any less of an offensive cross between an eminent-domain taking and an ideological agenda to relentlessly shift residential properties from private ownership toward public and quasi-public ownership that will forevermore rely on taxpayer support for maintaining these properties in perpetuity.

Order #3. That the Council go on record requesting the Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack consider an I-90 lane reduction and at-grade design during the final decision-making process.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor McGovern
Order Adopted 8-0-1

A viaduct or an at-grade multi-lane highway are both barriers. I’m far more interested in the peripheral aspects of this project (like a better-connected road and path network and better) than about the number of lanes or whether a portion remains elevated.

Order #4. That the Cambridge City Council adopt the following amendments to Chapter 5.50 of the Municipal Ordinances of the City of Cambridge entitled “CANNABIS BUSINESS PERMITTING”.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan
Referred to Ordinance Committee 8-0-1

Order #8. Cannabis Delivery-Only Zoning Ordinance.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Zondervan
Referred to Ordinance Committee & Planning Board 8-0-1

Doesn’t it seem like this City Council and the previous City Council care more about cannabis than just about anything else? Perhaps they need an intervention.

Order #9. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Cambridge Historical Commission and other relevant City Departments to ensure that any report or recommendation for a new Neighborhood Conservation District in Cambridge presented to the City Council include an analysis of the potential effects on City housing affordability based on current research, as well as any mitigations that the Cambridge Historical Commission recommends, so that the City Council may holistically evaluate the matter.   Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Siddiqui
Charter Right – Carlone

One of the more bizarre aspects of this City Council is their tendency to simply absorb the rhetoric of their activist handlers without questioning the validity of their gripes. The latest talking point among the YIMBY crowd is that historic presevation is fundamentally racist or elitist or profit-driven and that any effort to preserve some of the more endearing qualities of your neighborhood makes you evil incarnate.

The current case involves some East Cambridge residents who would prefer to not see their particular brand of very dense neighborhood wiped clean in favor of large ugly boxes. Given the choice between closely-spaced two-family homes with grape arbors and tomato plants versus a boring box of a building with a concierge, I’ll choose the former. In terms of affordability, those old Italian ladies and gentlemen of East Cambridge have done more to provide housing at affordable rents for generations than any of the vultures now circling.

Order #10. That the City Council go on record supporting the Roe Act and restate its commitment to the protection of abortion rights, reproductive health care rights, and individuals’ rights to make reproductive decisions about their own bodies.   Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 8-0-1

I try to pay as little attention as possible to what goes on in Washington, DC. I do, however, understand that if family planning access becomes no longer guaranteed across the country, it will be very important for individual states to provide such guarantees in whatever manner is consistent with the needs and wishes of its residents.

Order #13. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Transportation Department and Solicitor to provide the City with an update on the progress toward a draft [Truck Safety] Ordinance as soon as possible and with the draft of an Ordinance by Oct 19, 2020.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Zondervan, Councillor Toomey
Order Adopted 7-0-2

One of the things I remember from decades ago is that federal jurisdiction in interstate commerce is pretty serious business and that regulating truck traffic is not easy. You can put restrictions and make safety improvements on your own vehicles and perhaps those of companies with whom you have contracts, but just about everything else will require endless studies and viable alternatives that won’t be challenged in court. – Robert Winters

June 23, 2020

Cambridge InsideOut Episode 466: June 23, 2020

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge InsideOut,Central Square,East Cambridge,Harvard Square,history,Inman Square,transportation — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 9:05 pm

Episode 466 – Cambridge InsideOut: June 23, 2020

This episode was broadcast on June 23, 2020 at 6:30pm. Topics: News updates; Lechmere Square changing; June 22 and June 15 City Council meeting highlights; some recycling history; reinventing roads during the pandemic. Hosts: Judy Nathans, Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in this episode]

June 15, 2020

Budget Politics – Retail vs. Wholesale: What’s on Sale on the June 15, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,Cambridge government,City Council,Comcast — Tags: , , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 4:29 pm

Budget Politics – Retail vs. Wholesale: What’s on Sale on the June 15, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda?

Here a few agenda items of note:City Hall

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to report back to the Council on how some, or all, of the $4.1 million dollar increase in the Police Department budget between FY20 and FY21 may be redirected towards measures that promote public health and safety in other departments. [CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER IN COUNCIL JUNE 10, 2020]

Communications #2. A communication was received from Jae Storozum, 16 Whittier Street, regarding a response to Police Commissioner Bard’s statement.

Communications & Reports #1. A communication was received from Councillor Zondervan, transmitting Amendments to Policy Order 2020 #133 (a.k.a. Order #7 from June 8 / Charter Right #1 on current agenda).

The June 8-10 City Council meeting provided an interesting study in Retail vs. Wholesale Politics. Most local candidates are familiar with retail politics – the kind of person-to person politics that involves lots of questions, conversations, coffee, shoe leather, and door-knocking. In contrast, there’s wholesale politics which many of us still associate with TV commercials, billboards, and mass mailings. The fact is that wholesale politics is now more likely to take the form of social media campaigns, ginormous email lists culled from various sources within your tribe, and devices like the "political action network" or something similar that can engineer a mass email campaign or drive people to a website or (in the pandemic world we now find ourselves) to a public meeting hosted in Zoom. There is a fundamental asymmetry between how activists at either end of the political spectrum democratically participate versus how moderates participate. Suffice to say that it’s unlikely that you’ll ever see a flood of moderates inundating a public meeting or laying down in the middle of a highway – even if theirs is the more common point of view. They do, however, vote.

Whether you believe Cambridge Police are wonderful, are already making needed reforms, are in need of restructuring, or whether they should be outright abolished (a non-starter), it’s interesting to see how different people attempt to make their case. I won’t pretend to know where most people really stand on some of these policing issues – locally or elsewhere, but I do think it’s pretty clear that public opinion has been growing more firm in the belief that police departments everywhere need to be more accountable when it comes to the use of deadly force. The salient question in Cambridge is whether the Cambridge Police Department has been moving in a good direction and whether that should be supported. I believe that Police Commissioner Branville Bard and his department have been clearly moving in a good direction for some time now and that they should be supported. I would love to see a more broad discussion over this coming year on what other steps might be taken, including looking at overtime pay and the costs associated with police details, and not just on which functions might be outsourced. Commissioner Bard’s focus on "procedural justice" should absolutely be supported. I really would rather not see our elected officials carry out a "vote of no confidence" via a symbolic and purely political act of "defunding." If you want to cut budgets, look at the whole FY2021 Budget and don’t just single out the Police Department budget in the spirit of "Give us Barabbas" in order to placate the crowd.

Then there’s the matter of councillors continuing to engage in one-upmanship, but there’s not a hell of a lot we can do about that.

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19.

Here’s one question that I hope someone will address: Now that the number of new cases of coronavirus per day has dropped considerably, is there any indication of how these new infections are most likely occurring? There recently was a chart circulating indicating relative risk of various activities. That was helpful in demystifying the threat. We could really use more information like that.

Manager’s Agenda #9. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a response to the City Council forwarding the ITD budget with an unfavorable recommendation.

Manager’s Agenda #10. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $50,000 from Free Cash to the Grant Fund Executive Other Ordinary Maintenance account which will be used to support the City’s digital equity efforts to support qualifying families during the COVID19 pandemic who do not have Internet access at home.

This is progress. I’m not convinced either way what the best course of action will be regarding municipal broadband vs. making the best of available resources, but maybe this analysis (and the counter-analysis) will convince me one way or the other.

Committee Report #1. A communication was received from Anthony I. Wilson, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor E. Denise Simmons and Councillor Dennis J. Carlone, Co-Chairs of the Finance Committee, for a public hearing held on May 26, 2020, June 2, 2020 and on June 3, 2020 to discuss the General Fund Budget.

Committee Report #2. A communication was received from Anthony I. Wilson, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor E. Denise Simmons and Dennis Carlone, Co-Chairs of the Finance Committee, for a public hearing held on June 2, 2020 to discuss the Water Fund.

Committee Report #3. A communication was received from Anthony I. Wilson, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor E. Denise Simmons and Councillor Dennis Carlone, Co-Chairs of the Finance Committee, for a public hearing held on June 2, 2020 to discuss the Public Investment Fund.

Unfinished Business #5. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $6,500,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of various water pollution abatement projects, including but not limited to Sewer Capital Repairs Program and climate change preparedness efforts.

Unfinished Business #6. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,800,000 to provide funds for various Schools for repairs to electrical service, roof replacement, chiller replacement, floor replacement and replacement of bi-directional amplifier and antenna in various school buildings.

Unfinished Business #7. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $5,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets and sidewalks.

Unfinished Business #8. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $16,000,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan which will support improvements at the Department of Public works Complex including the Ryan Garage, Lafayette Square Firehouse structural repair, and other municipal buildings.

Unfinished Business #9. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $9,000,000 to provide funds for the construction of improvements of the Lexington Avenue and River Street Firehouses.

Unfinished Business #10. Transmitting Communication from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $237,000,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of the Tobin Montessori and Vassal Lane Upper School.

I suppose the only real questions re: the FY2021 Budget vote are (1) whether there will be a symbolic "defund the police" rescission; (2) whether the Council will "send a message" on the municipal broadband question; and (3) whether there will be any further gazing into the crystal ball about the continued impact of Covid-19 on residents, property values, rents, sustainability of businesses, tax revenue, and funding priorities. – Robert Winters

June 8, 2020

You Say You Want A Revolution, Well You Know… – June 8, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Filed under: Cambridge,City Council — Tags: , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 3:47 pm

You Say You Want A Revolution, Well You Know… – June 8, 2020 Cambridge City Council Agenda

Here are the handful of items from the City Manager plus some Orders that leapt out like a clenched fist from the make-believe proletariat:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on COVID-19.

Manager’s Agenda #7. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to efforts to respond to the restaurant community’s need to expand outdoor dining services in response to Governor Baker’s announcement that restaurants will be permitted to provide outdoor dining services at the commencement of Phase II of the Commonwealth’s Reopening Plan…City Hall

I’m very curious to see how this slow and cautious "reopening" works out. I don’t think things will really be anywhere close to the way they were pre-corona for a long time. I still find it surreal to see everyone (or nearly everyone) wearing masks (including me). How this will work out with restaurants is largely unknown. It would be a lot simpler if they all had parking lots that could be reallocated for outdoor seating, but much of Cambridge is nothing like some suburban shopping center with those options available and plentiful. All we have are the sidewalks, maybe some portions of streets – and those really only work for restaurants adjacent to or very close to those spaces.

Then again, I suppose if you just advertise your business as a protest march many of the restrictions and health & safety guidance will be waived.

Order #1. That the Cambridge City Council schedule a hearing to discuss the possible use of body cameras by the Cambridge Police Department.   Councillor McGovern, Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, Councillor Simmons

Order #7. That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to report back to the Council on how some, or all, of the $4.1 million dollar increase in the Police Department budget between FY20 and FY21 may be redirected towards measures that promote public health and safety in other departments.   Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zondervan

Communications & Reports #2. A communication was received from Councillor Zondervan, regarding Funding our Community, Transforming our Policing.

Order #8. That the Cambridge City Council declare racism as a public health crisis.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Zondervan, Vice Mayor Mallon

So much of this is based on an interesting metaphysical principle apparently accepted by a number of city councillors, namely that action at a distance works with political reform in much the same way as gravitational attraction. If you are horrified by abusive and even deadly behavior by law enforcement in a place like Minneapolis (as well you should be), then cutting funds to your local police department will address that horror. I have seen published a list of great ideas that should be the standard for law enforcement – and basically all of them are already established policy for Cambridge Police. So much for recognizing and rewarding positive initiatives.

For what it’s worth, I have no particular love for mass movements – including pro-Trump rallies, Our Revolution gatherings, "Defund the Police" actions, or even celebrations after your favorite team just won the World Championship. That said, I’m glad to see that at least the violence seems to be lessening – "flattening the curve" seems to be understood across lots of categories. I saw some bits and pieces from the Sunday rally on the Cambridge Common and was encouraged by some of the sense expressed by participants and organizers. Parenthetically, I got an enormous kick out of hearing one of the main organizers note that in Cambridge the disproportionate emphasis on "trees, bikes, and noise pollution" comes from a place of privilege (and this received a huge cheer). Now I don’t buy into all this confession-based privilege BS, but I think the implicit point was that these niceties may actually come at the expense of other things such as economic empowerment and creating pathways for people to move from poverty and government assistance toward economic security and having a personal stake in their city of birth (or choice). That’s a lot different than acting out of noblesse oblige.

I’ll simply note that we have appointed committees such as the "Climate Action Task Force", a "Climate Protection Action Committee", the "Leaf Blower Use Review Group", the "Advisory Committee on Climate Resiliency Zoning", various arts-related boards and commissions, numerous neighborhood conservation district commissions, a Bicycle Committee, a Pedestrian Committee, a Transit Advisory Board, a "Future of Mobility Implementation Blueprint Technical Advisory Group", various other advisory committees (including some on which I have served and continue to serve), a Women’s Commission, an "LGBTQ+ Commission", a "Harvard Square Kiosk Working Group", a "Public Planting Committee", a "Vision Zero Advisory Committee", and then some. These are all wonderful, but where is the "Jobs for Cambridge Youth Commission?" How about simply a "Recreational Opportunities for Young People Advisory Committee?" I do realize that there are nonprofits who actually do promote such things, but I wonder how this whole array of citizen initiatives on various environmental, transportation, and quality of life matters resonates with a kid growing up in Cambridge who is just looking for some hope and opportunity or simply something to do. I often think that what we really ought to be doing is letting local entrepreneurs run wild with their ideas and reward them handsomely for matching jobs to local people who want those jobs. I also think that making ground-level retail space at cost should be mandatory in any new mixed use building. Where are the apprenticeships for electricians and plumbers and carpenters? It’s not like Cambridge people aren’t doing work on their gazillion dollar houses and condos.

Getting back to the City Council orders, I really see them primarily as political theatrics, and my perception of our elected councillors as bleating sheep grows by the week.

Order #3. 100% Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning Petition 2020.   Councillor McGovern, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Toomey

I frequently find myself applying Occam’s Razor when trying to understand things in mathematics, in physics, and also in public policy. This latest submission of the so-called "Affordable Housing Overlay" probably establishes a new municipal record for overly prescriptive and convoluted policy. The driving principle continues to be the transfer of as much private property to public and quasi-public ownership with the Housing Division within the Community Development Department as landlord/gatekeeper. This comes at a time when we are likely to see significant shifts in housing demand and property valuation due to the pandemic. Rather than see how the rental and real estate markets might shift in response, this Council understands only command and control. I’ll have a lot more to say about this misguided policy and its backers as it snakes its way through the weeds.

OK, that’s enough for this week. – Robert Winters

PS – The June 8 meeting was all Public Comment and was recessed. The meeting will reconvene on Wed, June 10 at 5:30pm w/o any additional public comment. The agenda has been augmented with several additional items.

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