Background:
Anthony D. Galluccio is a lifelong Cambridge resident, raised with
his two sisters by his mother Nancy after his father's untimely death, and
educated in the Cambridge Public Schools, graduating from the Peabody
Elementary School in 1981 and Cambridge Rindge and Latin in 1985. He later
attended Providence College graduating in 1989 with a BA in political
science and minor in business studies. In 1996 he graduated cum laude from
Suffolk Law School and passed the Massachusetts Bar Exam.
Anthony has been a member of the Cambridge City Council for six terms
since 1994, running successfully for re-election to the City Council in
1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003. With his re-election to the Council in
1997 he became, at 30 years of age, the youngest person to top the ticket
in the city's history. During the 1998-1999 term, Galluccio served as Vice
Mayor.
In February 2000, Anthony D. Galluccio was elected Mayor of Cambridge
for a term of two years and, at 32, was the youngest Mayor elected under
Cambridge's current form of government. As Mayor, he chaired both the City
Council and the School Committee. In January 2002, Anthony was appointed
chair of the City Council's Housing Committee, a position that he
continues to hold today. In November 2003, Anthony was re-elected to his
sixth term of the City Council topping the ticket for the fourth
consecutive election.
- In 1997, Boston Magazine identified Anthony Galluccio as one of the
40 most powerful people under 40 years old in the Boston area.
- In May 2001, the Boston Jaycees honored Mayor Galluccio as one of
the recipients of their 50th Annual Ten Outstanding Young Leaders
Awards.
- In October 2001, Anthony was given a Special Recognition Award by
the Rindge Technical School Alumni Association for his leadership as
Chair of the Cambridge School Committee in rebuilding the technical
education program at Cambridge Rindge and Latin.
- In November 2001, the John F. Kennedy Library honored Anthony
Galluccio with the Fenn Award, presented to an elected official less
than 35 years of age who has shown political leadership.
- In January 2002, Anthony Galluccio received Cambridge NAACP Public
Service Award at the Cambridge NAACP Annual Martin Luther King Day
Breakfast.
Anthony's 2005 re-election campaign has been
endorsed by:
Top Priorities:
Anthony's six terms on the Cambridge City Council include a record of
accomplishment in the areas of improving public education, creating
affordable housing, expanding health care services, and making public
safety and fiscal responsibility top priorities for City of Cambridge.
Anthony will continue to make supporting our young people his top
priority. As Mayor, Anthony worked extremely hard to improve public
education, some specific examples of his leadership include the rebuilding
and reinvestment in CRLS's technical programs, creation of the Cambridge-Harvard
Summer Academy, the first comprehensive summer program between the
Cambridge Public Schools and Harvard University for over 300 at risk
students, and the creation of the Biogen Idec Community Lab for our
high school students at Biogen headquarters in Kendall Square. Anthony has
been a staunch supporter of striving for excellence and high standards in
the CPS as well supporting programs that support at risk students. Anthony
led efforts to build both the new Olympic Track and Field complex at
Danehy Park, which opened in Fall 2003, and the newly renovated sports and
recreation complex at Russell Field in North Cambridge. Anthony is
currently working to bring a new Youth and Community Center to West
Cambridge. For over a decade Anthony has committed to supporting the youth
of Cambridge and will continue to make providing opportunities to the
youth of Cambridge the cornerstone of his work.
Quality of Life and Public Safety:
Anthony will continue to fight to protect the peace and quiet of our
residential neighborhoods. He has long record of working with
neighborhoods to reduce overdevelopment and traffic impacts of
development. Public safety must to be a priority, and this must be done
through maintaining the proper levels of personnel, state of the art
equipment and emergency response infrastructure: As a City Councillor
Anthony recently has:
- Supported the construction a new state of the art police
headquarters.
- Worked closely with residents of Jefferson Park and Fresh Pond
Apartments to address security, maintenance, and crossing safety
concerns at Alewife Brook Parkway and Rindge Avenue and lighting
deficiencies around the Alewife T Station, and worked closely with the
North Cambridge Crime Task Force to strengthen community policing.
- Advocated for new roadway and traffic calming measures along
Matignon Road, Richdale Avenue and advocated for soon to be completed
measures on Clifton Street and Cameron Avenue; led efforts to complete
the Yerxa Road pedestrian underpass; and began construction of long
term traffic calming and pedestrian crossings in Porter Square.
- Successfully fought to maintain West Cambridge bus routes; supported
the Fresh Pond Reservation Protection Master Plan that brought new
landscaping, bike paths, and pedestrian crossing lights along Fresh
Pond Parkway.
- Worked closely with residents in the Mt Auburn Hospital area, the
Aberdeen Ave neighborhood and Cambridge Highlands to successfully
reduce the size, scope and traffic for new development in these areas,
and moved forward with the first phase of the Harvard Square
Enhancement Project to improve and beautify the streetscape in and
around Harvard Square.
- Supported the long awaited $3.1 million Porter Square traffic
calming and pedestrian safety project, and advocated for continued
traffic calming and roadway improvements along Upland Road and Raymond
Street (recently completed).
- Supported Agassiz Neighborhood objections to the Mass. Ave Overlay
District and supported efforts to maintain the character, scale and
integrity of the Mass. Ave business district between Harvard and
Porter Squares.
- Supported the extensive planning efforts of the Agassiz Neighborhood
to reach accord with Harvard University around development issues.
- As co-chair of the University Relations Committee, successfully
advocated the re-bidding of the Porter Square MBTA air-rights project
in response to citizen input.
- Supported the city's implementation of a new medical services
paramedic plan to improve response capabilities of the Cambridge Fire
Department.
Traffic, Parking, and Transportation:
Anthony has been a vocal supporter of Parking Demand Traffic Management
reviews for large projects in Cambridge, which requires that private
developers utilize practices and invest in infrastructure that supports
public and non-auto transportation. Anthony believes that we must advocate
for re-investment by the state in public transportation for improved and
more frequent service.
Each year, Anthony has fought attempted MBTA reductions in bus and
subway routes. Anthony also continues to support "smart growth"
concepts that promote new construction around mass transit routes.
Municipal Finance, City Budget, Assessments, and Property Taxes:
Anthony's efforts and support of City Manager Robert Healy over the last
ten years have made Cambridge the most fiscally sound cities in
Massachusetts. At a rate of $7.78 /$1000, Cambridge has one of the lowest
residential tax rates in the Commonwealth, lower than the surrounding
communities of Brookline, Somerville, Watertown, Newton, Belmont,
Arlington, and Lexington. Anthony has supported efforts to lessen the tax
burden that residents shoulder; efforts that include the 30% residential
tax exemption, and lower tax payments for senior citizens. The City has
been able to maintain this low rate of residential taxation, while
maintaining a high level of residential services unparalleled by most
other municipalities, along with a AAA bond rating from all three Wall
Street rating agencies, Fitch, Moody's and Standard & Poor's.
Last year Anthony was disappointed that 20% of residential taxpayers
received an unacceptable $1000 or higher increase. To reduce the burden on
taxpayers the City Council has adopted a budget with minimal increases and
put in place policies that continued the 30% residential exemption,
classified commercial property at the highest level, utilized precious
growth monies, depleted free cash by 20% and increased tax districts to
avoid unfair impacts as a result of one or two home sales. This year, this
successful formula has resulted in 40% of residential taxpayers seeing a
reduction and 30% seeing either no change or an increase of less than
$100.
1) We must advocate for changes at the state level that allow us to
thoughtfully address significant increases in residential property taxes
and speculative valuation of residential property.
We currently take advantage of every possible relief that the state
allows for residential taxpayers. For many lower income homeowners and
seniors the current exemptions are not enough. Anthony supports the
implementation of a more progressive tax structure that takes into account
a resident's income versus what they pay in taxes, water bills and
utilities. Realistically, this is an uphill battle so in the short term
additional relief for seniors is positive modest first step in
implementing a fair and equitable formula.
At a minimum, we must continue to toe the line on budget increases
despite rising health care costs and negotiated raises for the city's
employees.
2) We must establish a base line tax amount for every residential
property.
Anthony has co-sponsored the introduction of a Home-Rule Petition to
ensure that condominium owners contribute their fair share of property
taxes.
Land Use, Planning, Economic Development:
Anthony has been an outspoken advocate to maintain existing bus routes and
to expand bus routes in Cambridge. He has supported permit large project
review process and new Anthony has been especially supportive of the
Biotech industry and other low traffic commercial uses. In general Anthony
has been a proponent of "smart growth" and of new housing
construction citywide, especially in previously industrial brown fields
near T subway stops.
Human Services Programs:
Having attended Cambridge Public Schools, and having been raised by a
single mother, Anthony understands the valuable role that the city's Human
Service Programs play in the development and support in the everyday lives
of residents in the city, particularly in the areas of providing strong
child care and after school programs. Anthony believes that the Department
of Human Services plays a vital role for many of the city's residents
ranging from providing summer work opportunities in the Mayor's Summer
Youth Employment Program, to providing services and programs for seniors,
to the Multi-Service Center's work with the Homeless, and should be
supported continually. The ability to provide these services are what make
Cambridge the city that it is and Anthony supports the vital role that the
Department of Human Services plays in our community.
Open Space, Parks, and Recreation:
Anthony has been a leader in continued reinvestment in a revolving tot-lot
and park renovation process citywide. He has led efforts to build a new
track at Danehy Park, a new state of the art sports facility at Russell
Field, renovations to Donnelly Field, the acquisition of 238 Broadway for
open space, and the construction of the new West Cambridge Youth Center on
Huron Avenue (Coming soon!). Anthony also supported the Fresh Pond
Reservation Protection Master Plan that provided new landscaping, bike
paths, and pedestrian crossing lights along Fresh Pond Parkway.
Energy, the Environment, and Public Health:
Anthony helped create the Cambridge Health Alliance, which has grown to be
the most successful public health network in Massachusetts. As a City
Councillor, Anthony has strongly supported the expansion of the Alliance,
its neighborhood health centers, the renovation of Neville Manor, and the
creation of a new nursing and assisted living center. Anthony has long
been a leader of making recreation, parks and youth programs a top
priority. His public health efforts have been consistent including support
for youth asthma initiatives, fitness and mental health services of all
types. Anthony voted in favor of smoking ban in Cambridge's workplaces, a
measure that ensured that workers in the city's restaurants and bars would
be able to work in a smoke free environment.
An example of Anthony's leadership in the area of environmental
protection, is his support of the Cambridge Asbestos Protection Ordinance.
Anthony believes that we all should continue to work toward vehicle trip
reduction, and providing incentives for lower-emission vehicles as well as
any and all policies that will lower our dependence on oil.
Over his six terms on the Cambridge City Council, Anthony has attempted
to strike an important balance between allowing reasonable commercial
development to move forward without having adverse impacts on our
residential neighborhoods. Anthony has consistently supported zoning
changes that increase open space requirements and create strong incentives
to create housing which adds supply, includes precious affordable units
and is lower in traffic intensity that most commercial uses.
Anthony has been willing to openly confront the difficult trade-offs
that create both housing and open space, which sometimes means higher
density and heights in appropriate locations, but in turn will have less
of an impact on our residential neighborhoods.
Anthony considers the creation of new housing units and recreational
open space to be areas of leadership and success during his six terms on
the council.
Housing:
As chair of the City Council's housing subcommittee, Anthony has led
efforts to appropriate the largest amount of local funding in the city's
history, supported the Community Preservation Act, which brought $15
million in state matching funds to support affordable housing, and the
creation and preservation of 464 affordable housing units over the last
four years, including the long term preservation of Walden Square
Apartments and Columbia Terrace. In 1997, Anthony sponsored the City's
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance requiring private developers to contribute
15% affordable units for any development of 10,000 square feet or 10 units
or more. In 2003, Anthony sponsored a request for a legislative charge
through a home-rule petition to require universities to comply with this
ordinance. Anthony has successfully led efforts to make homeownership part
of new affording housing developments in Cambridge, a measure that will
help maintain the cultural and socio-economic diversity that gives
Cambridge its unique character. Anthony believes affordable housing should
include ownership assistance that helps those of low, moderate and working
incomes. He believes that wherever possible the goal should be to create a
ladder of transition that progresses away from subsidies and public
assistance, and helps people move toward the ultimate goal of
homeownership.
Arts and Public Celebrations:
The arts and public celebrations are what brings Cambridge as a city
together and provide the opportunity for people of different ethnic,
social and racial backgrounds to come together to share their cultures
with the city as a whole. Anthony is avid supporter of the arts and
regularly attends the annual cultural celebrations that take place in
Cambridge. Events such as the Cambridge Caribbean Festival, the city's
Dance Party held in Central Square, the Constantine and Helen festival,
the Cosmos and Damian Festival, St. Lucy's Festival, the Salsa at Sunset
unity event in Kendall Square, and Steve Buckley's Old Time Baseball Game
are examples of public celebrations of the arts that strengthen the bonds
of community throughout our city and should be encouraged and expanded
upon in the future.
University Relations:
Anthony believes that the success of our city and the universities that
call Cambridge home are inevitably interdependent in many ways. Anthony
has balanced his support for the universities with a responsibility to
protect Cambridge's residential neighborhoods from overdevelopment. Both
the city and the universities must continue to bring stability to this
relationship by applying reasonable expectation to one another along with
a foundation of respect for the challenges and responsibilities each must
face. Anthony has fought for substantial in lieu of tax payments for
universities that are discernable to the public and are directly tied to
the value of services (ex. Police, Fire, Public Works, and Emergency
Services) that the city provides to these tax-exempt properties. This
would eliminate the annual debate over this issue, which is clearly
unhealthy for the working relationship between Cambridge and the
universities that reside here. His initiation of the Cambridge-Harvard
Summer Academy is an example of how universities, if given decision-making
and hiring power can establish successful programs within our schools. At
the same time he believes that we should accept responsibility for the
performance of our schools and not use the Universities as scapegoats. In
situations where we can reach an agreement with the universities around
zoning and public benefits, it should be pursued. Anthony worked very hard
to help reach an accord in the Riverside neighborhood to protect from
over-development, create affordable housing increase open space. He has
also supported the Agassiz neighborhood's work to find a balance with
Harvard. In Porter Square, he has been an advocate for neighborhood
concerns in accord with its dealings with Lesley University. When MIT
bought many properties in Tech Square, Anthony did not blindly criticize
the University, rather he simply asked that the purchased property not be
taken off the city's tax roles. Anthony has supported allowing
Universities to take measures to attempt to meet the housing needs of its
students, and in turn take pressure off the Cambridge housing market. In
closing, Universities with billions in endowments (hardly the fledgling
educational institutions the state was trying to give a helping hand
hundreds of years ago) should be fairly taxed and should not be exempt for
inclusionary zoning and other linkage requirements. This fair treatment
would eliminate much of the hostility involved in town-gown relations.
Civic Participation:
Anthony believes that new residents must be engaged by community building
(i.e. civic celebration, youth and family activities and the arts.) These
events cost money, (i.e. Danehy Park family day, or the Central Square
Dance Party) but must be expanded upon; an example would be having a
"Frog Pond" style ice skating rink on the Cambridge Common. A
lack of civic participation is a nationwide problem however Anthony
supports various measures designed to increase the voice of the citizenry
in local city government, measures that include same day voter
registration, making 17 year olds eligible to vote in municipal elections,
and direct election of the city's Mayor by the voters.
Cambridge Public Schools:
Anthony has been a vocal leader in making accountability and evaluation
measures a system wide standard for our schools and for making CRLS a high
performing centerpiece of our city's public schools. As Mayor, Anthony
helped create the Cambridge-Harvard Summer Academy partnership for over
300 students and led the effort to rebuild Cambridge's vocational
education program, where over 800 students now take courses, and helped
create a new lab for CRLS at Biogen Corp.
Anthony worked extremely hard to have the School Committee act and work
as a board of directors, using workshops and his role as a mediator to
build consensus. Often School Committee Members act as individual elected
officials and not as board members of our most precious institution, our
schools. Anthony sees the Mayor as the City's mediator and since the Mayor
does not run against the other School Committee Members is subject to much
less political resentment or jealousy, thus allowing the Mayor to lead. As
Mayor some of Anthony's accomplishments with the School Committee were:
- Re-building the vocational education program and hired a permanent
director for the director after it was on probation. Now, the voc-ed
program has five new programs, new equipment, has over 700 students
taking courses, and is fully certified.
- Rejecting across the board 3% raises for administrators and created
merit based evaluation raises for non-administrators. This was the
first performance-based evaluation in School Department history.
- Adding Socio-Economic Status to the School Choice balancing formula.
Cambridge is now one of a handful of school systems across the United
States taking this historic and widely recommended step.
- Maintaining and supporting small learning communities with random
placement at CRLS.
The schools in general are lacking management principals, specifically
evaluation at all levels and strong reaction to consistent evaluation. A
strong management structure that includes a common and consistent vision,
with a School Committee that acts like a board setting priorities for its
CEO (the Superintendent) and a strong political leader (the Mayor) will
help the system turn the corner. Anthony believes that standardized
testing, while certainly not perfect, should play a role more than they
have in the past, and the lack of focus upon basic skills is reflected in
our low scores.
Other:
For more information on Anthony please visit his website www.galluccio.org
or call his campaign office 617-492-3366
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