Dear Neighbors,
I would like to thank you for the confidence and responsibility you have entrusted to me over the past four years. I am writing today to ask for your vote for Ward 4 Councilor in November.
Four years ago I ran for this office believing that the issues that mattered most to you were the issues that happen right outside your front door. I still believe that to be true today. I will continue to be responsive and accountable to your calls, emails and requests. I will continue to make increased communication from City officials and departments a priority whether it is via the monthly Ward 4 Newsletters, email alerts, or simply returning your calls.
I bring a fiscally conservative approach to city hall. I believe in these economically challenging times that your tax money should be spent as judiciously and responsibly as possible. That is why I voted for increasing the residential tax exemption which provides each homeowner with approximately $900 in savings. I have also supported an initiative to increase this exemption which would provide an additional $150 to $200 savings each year. As the Chairman of the Finance Committee for the past two years, I have lead the committee in demanding accountability of each department’s expenditures, requiring one department to return 5 times until a true and valid budget was submitted.
I am proud to have taken the lead on the battle to force the contractor on the Malden High renovation project to comply with city ordinances requiring Malden residents to be employed on the project. We have been successful in providing numerous Malden residents work opportunities during the ongoing economic recession. Currently, figures show 35% of the workforce on the project are Malden residents. I was also the lead sponsor in reestablishing the Resident Monitoring Committee to ensure Malden citizens receive jobs on every construction project in the City.
Public safety will always be a major concern of all of ours. I will continue to work with and support the efforts of the Malden Police Department, Inspectional Services, Compliance, the Mayor’s Housing Task Force, and the Board of Health to ensure all of our neighborhoods are they best they can be. Ward 4 has seen the installation of cameras throughout the ward to help ensure your safety. We will continue for a fourth year to conduct Crime Prevention Meetings to provide you with the most up to date information on issues in the ward and City, as well as providing information and resources to protect your person and property.
Maintaining positive working relationships with City and State officials have resulted in Ward 4 recently receiving:
- 2.8 M for renovations to the Downtown Streetscape
- 1.5 M towards improvements to Waitts Mount
- 1M for improvements to the Central Fire Station
- 600K towards the expansion of the Pleasant Street Parking lot
- 100K towards improvements to the Oak Grove Community Building
We have worked together to make our ward more aesthetically pleasing by scheduling regular park cleanups, the planting of trees along Main Street, the renovation of traffic islands to include flowers, street and sidewalk repairs, and utilizing various youth groups in the removal of graffiti throughout the ward. Ward 4 also has the most repainted switchboxes in the City, allowing local artists to express their creativity while enlivening the area.
I also take my role as Councilor very seriously in relation to supporting our children’s educational, artistic, and athletic pursuits. I am proud to have been involved with the youth mural at Coytemore Lea Park as well as the mural at the Route 60 overpass. I have been able to leverage my position as Councilor to locate funding and/or provide meeting space to the following youth organizations:
- Malden Youth Wrestling
- Malden Pop Warner Football
- Malden Pop Warner Cheerleading
- Malden Youth Soccer
- Malden West Little League Baseball
My commitment to the youth of Malden crosses over to my personal life where I am proud to be involved in establishing the free winter baseball and spring tennis clinics for the children of Malden. I also serve as President and coach for Malden West Little League Baseball.
I am proud of the significant progress we have made moving Ward 4 forward during the last four years. I look forward to serving as your Councilor for two more years.
Sincerely,
James M. Nestor |
