Here are my choices for the most important political events in Lowell in 2023: Turnout in the November city election was historically low with approximately 7500 people voting. Two years ago, nearly 12,000 cast votes. While that seems like a lot compared to the total this year, remember that in a gubernatorial election year 25,000 vote in Lowell and in a Presidential election nearly 35,000 cast ballots.
Here are some of my choices for some of the most important political events in Lowell in 2023:
1. A great number of Lowell's Cambodian population came out in force to speak up in protest at a City Council meeting when the Mayor proposed a vote on creating a sister city relationship between Lowell and Phnom Penh. Give the history of the killing fields, the actions of the government in power, threats to protest, jailing legitimate opposition candidates and the moving stories of participants that night who are in exile from their country to protect their lives...it would have been astonishing had the mayor's proposal won that night. The mayor was nonplussed and defended his proposal.
2. Lack of city government transparency. Accountability for expenditures of ARPA is missing. Yes, we know there are new fire trucks, badly needed...some sewer upgrades, grants to civic and cultural organizations, and park upgrades in each district .....but nothing about plans for systemic upgrades to the health of Lowell's water system, nothing about installing new HVAC systems in Lowell public schools, and no information on how areas of sewer upgrades were selected or plans to continue. We continue to ignore the big problems that affect the health of citizens in this city.
3. Lack of city government transparency. No thorough presentation to the citizens on the after effects of the hacking into Lowell's internet, what systems and processes and technology and training were implemented to make sure this wouldn't happen again, and no news on which city departments still experience after effects.
Here are some of my choices for some of the most important political events in Lowell in 2023:
1. A great number of Lowell's Cambodian population came out in force to speak up in protest at a City Council meeting when the Mayor proposed a vote on creating a sister city relationship between Lowell and Phnom Penh. Give the history of the killing fields, the actions of the government in power, threats to protest, jailing legitimate opposition candidates and the moving stories of participants that night who are in exile from their country to protect their lives...it would have been astonishing had the mayor's proposal won that night. The mayor was nonplussed and defended his proposal.
2. Lack of city government transparency. Accountability for expenditures of ARPA is missing. Yes, we know there are new fire trucks, badly needed...some sewer upgrades, grants to civic and cultural organizations, and park upgrades in each district .....but nothing about plans for systemic upgrades to the health of Lowell's water system, nothing about installing new HVAC systems in Lowell public schools, and no information on how areas of sewer upgrades were selected or plans to continue. We continue to ignore the big problems that affect the health of citizens in this city.
3. Lack of city government transparency. No thorough presentation to the citizens on the after effects of the hacking into Lowell's internet, what systems and processes and technology and training were implemented to make sure this wouldn't happen again, and no news on which city departments still experience after effects.