[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears, appreciate it. I am very much dismayed and shocked if Salem Street is going to relax their zoning to a point that, as I stated many times before, it's already congested and it's going to become like Somerville. And we're going to have the summable hassles along with that. In my opinion, the only best place is Mystic Avenue for development. End of story.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. I've neglected to say that Salem Street is very, very congested as is. I live one block away. I avoid that and go through the square because it's easier to deal with Medford Square than it is with Salem Street at times. And don't forget, we on the east side of Route 93 have been suffering with the noise pollution 24 hours a day, which really hurts at three o'clock in the morning when you have a motorcycle revving up It's not fun, and the pollution is not good either. Even the people that say, oh, the noise doesn't bother me, but I have to wash my boat at the Riverside Yacht Club on a daily basis. It's like insult to injury. For 65 years, they've been suffering since they built Route 93 in 1960. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Andrew, Cushman Street, East Method. I just have one question for these two individual department heads. What was our new growth value last year, and what is it projected to be this year?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: With the extra million dollars new growth this year, can for a change, can we eliminate the prop two and a half increase and use this new growth to offset our increases?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I just wanted to chime in on this. Going hungry is no fun. And it seems like one in five Massachusetts residents are getting whatever they call it, snap, eight, food cards. And it's not fun, especially if they're used to getting the food. However, if I'm not mistaken, didn't the governor Haley come up with a billion dollars somehow to help with these hotels, with the immigration situation? I would think if she can come up with a billion dollars, maybe she could do something for all the 351 cities and towns.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No, this is...
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. I have a question that's very unusual. First, your Prop 2.5 double override that we passed costs me about $1,000 extra on my real estate tax bill. Now I'm pushing up to $10,000 on a year real estate tax bill. And that doesn't take into account the $1,000 extra from the increase. It is going to be a 2.5% added thanks to Barbara Anderson. It won't be any more unless we do another override. But that's going to be in perpetuity along with the $9,000 I'm already paying. Some of us are having trouble paying our real estate tax bills, especially our seniors on a fixed income. My question is, if you all city councilors are reelected next week, will you please repeal this unfair prop two and a half override and help all the method real estate taxpayers? Yes, no or no comments.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay. Yeah. Now, number two. I also have a question for Mr. Beers and another Councilor. What the heck happened with my $100 check I gave to you in the city to install the memorial lights on the Mystic River footbridge? Are you gonna give it to the mayor?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And there's no lights, it's over a year now.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's a lousy hundred foot of lights. And one of the Councilors checked on the internet and a dollar light that would cover a hundred lights. And it should face the Craddock Bridge, the first bridge in North America built in 1638. it will look wicked pisser, and it will be glowing on the mystic river. It's so sad. I would say, may the good Lord shine a light for all method people. It's a memorial, living and deceased, amen.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. Good evening, City Councilors. I'm Andrew Paul Castagnetti. of Cushion Street, East Medford. First, let me start on a positive note. Must thank whoever is responsible for repairing our Crystal Campbell Marathon Memorial Water Fountain at the Senior Citizen Center on Riverside Avenue. Thanks. Number two, thanks for the DOT, I believe it's Department of Transportation, for cutting down those wild trees at Roosevelt Circle. It was a major, major safety problem at the worst intersection in Medford. Number three, after 24 years of fighting Department of Recreation, DOR, and eight condo owners in court. We finally have our Clippership Connector bike path all the way to Medford Square. And I am pleasantly shocked they did it the right way within 20 feet of mean high tide as required by riparian rights law from a colonial law in 1641. Kudos to all. We thank you a lot. And now tonight I'm starting on my fourth mission to help out all of the East Medford residents by stopping geographical discrimination in East Medford Mass. One, in 1960, you may recall the Department of Transportation built Interstate Route 93 by Eminence O'Maine. Route 93 split the city in half, destroyed many homes and the old cemetery, et cetera. First, I must thank State Rep. Paul J. Donato Sr. for installing one sound barrier on the west side of Route 93. But we the people also need our own East Medford sound barrier to stop us suffering since 1960. The noise is terrible, 24 hours a day and especially at night. And the pollution also sucks as we're sucking in diesel fumes. This is very unfair and unhealthy, in my opinion. For the past 65 years, it's been going on. Please stop our suffering on the east side of town. Build our wall now, or yesterday would still be better still. I am not blaming anyone, because I love everyone. But as you know, I always do what as I please. In closing, I have started a signature petition to build our East Medford sound barrier and reverse, stop the geographical discrimination against all 10 to 20,000 East Medford residents. Amen. We need our barrier. We want our barrier now, period. Therefore, I'm offering you honorable city councilors this opportunity to sign my petition now. And the noise is bad, bad, and the pollution sucks too. Thank you if you're listening. Route 93 was built in 1960. Today is October 21st, 2025. That was 64 and a half years ago. You suffered long enough. Any more time left?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: If you want to sign the petition, if any of you want to raise your hand, I'll pass it on my own.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I have a lot of takers. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, East Medford. Before I start, this is the second time this happened to me. I'm having problems getting on the Zoom. Out of 10 years, this is the second time I've had problems. It says to enter the meeting passcode. I don't see it on the agenda. Which link did you use? Sorry?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I did everything that I've done for 10 years, but now it says they want a meeting passcode. All right. It's not on this agenda as far as I can tell. But you're having people on Zoom, they got through okay, correct?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: More than one?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So you know what the passcode is?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: With a number sign at the end?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, I'll try that later on and I'll put the number sign in this time.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. All right. I appreciate your help.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I have three minutes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. You're good. Sometimes your city councilors talk on world issues at the same time versus fixing up newest pothole in town. So now I am, I am talking world issue. Today is two year anniversary. October 7th, 2023, the slaughter of 1,200 Jews and non-Jews at a music festival. They took hostages. It seemed horrible as far as on the newscast, but I'm not here to blame because I wasn't there and I don't know who these characters are. So I'm not placing blame, but I feel horrible for them and the families. So I'd like to please hear my prayer. Almighty God, creator of heaven, earth, all sentient beings, and more, please get me and all of us to be and do the best that we can, now, always, forever, and ever, in our quest for eternal, blissful peace. Amen. Now, I don't have the authority to ask for a moment of silence, so I'm gonna end by saying Lastly, my Christmas wish this year is the Mideast has an everlasting peace for the first time in the last two, maybe 3,000 years, period. Thank you for your time.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Medford resident, East Medford. War is hell. Actually, war is worse than hell. Because in hell, you expect to burn, at least most of us do. But in war, you don't know what village is gonna be hit. So, I'm always a peacenik, always, except on certain occasions. I'm a Woodstock graduate, 1969, I repeat. We protested a lousy Vietnam War and a damn military draft. We were part of the first ever of 100,000 gathering in Boston Commons in 68, or maybe it was 69. I'm not quite sure. We were hip, but we were not hippies. We youths had real problems with war. Today's youths have no clue. Number two, without armatures, Those companies supply the USA. Without that firepower, USA would have lost World War II, and you and I would be spooked in German or be never born dead. Three, yes, I'm against all pollution. It's bad enough that I smoke. but you cannot snap your thumb and get off the oral addiction. It takes time. Thanks, but no thanks.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castanedi, Andrew, yng Nes Bethan, dwy ffyrdd i'ch ddrech. Roeddwn i'n dod yma ar y cyfnod. Rwy'n ymdrech i'r rhan gyntaf o siaradau'r Cyngor Bears. Roeddwn i'n mynd ymlaen am 12 munud i ddod o hyd i ddŵr da. Byddwn i'n eisiau mwy. Efallai y gallwn i fynd yno, oherwydd dydw i ddim yn gwneud hynny'n dda. Rwy'n ymdrech i ddod o hyd i ddŵr i ddim clywed popeth, ond roeddwn i'n clywed ar y diwedd. Roedd y cyfnod yn cael ei ddod o hyd i ddŵr, neu y byddwch chi'n Yn amlwg.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Mae'n teimlo fel y bydd yma'r 19 oed. Oh, efallai rydw i wedi rannu 10. Felly efallai rhaid i mi ymdrechu gyda hyn, oherwydd dydw i ddim yn gwybod beth rydyn ni'n siarad amdany I've come to my conclusion that you city councillors are tired of seeing and hearing me here at our public meetings. Ditto. I'm also tired of fighting City Hall. It ain't fun anymore. But however, you city councillors are out of control, especially because of your rezoning ideas. Dyma ddiddorol ymweld â'r bobl yng Nghymru. Ydym ni'n ddiddorol, yn fy marn i? Rydw i'n siarad yn ystod yr wythnos diwethaf. Gadewch i'r cerddoriaeth ddangos. Rydw i'n siarad yn ystod yr wythnos diwethaf, ym mhodau gwahanol, ar yr un sylwad. Yn ystod yr wythnos diwethaf yma, fe gafodd ymdrechion cyffredin gwych. Nid ydyn nhw, nid ydyn nhw, dwi'n meddwl, wedi dweud, iawn, gwneud y ADU, rwy'n meddwl yw hynny'n cael ei ymwneud â'r adnoddau sy'n ymwneud â'r adnoddau sy'n ymwneud â'r adnoddau sy'n ymwneud â'r adnoddau sy'n ymwneud â'r adnoddau sy'n ymwneud â'r adnoddau sy'n ymwneud â'r adnoddau sy'n ymwneud â'r adnoddau sy'n ym Felly, ar hyn o bryd, os yw 10% o'r teuluoedd wedi'i wneud hyn, efallai nad ydych chi'n rhoi unrhyw uniaeth gysylltiedig, beth bynnag mae'r defnyddio'n gysylltiedig. Yn ogystal â'r rest o'r ystafell hon, oherwydd mae gennym ddigon o gysylltiad yn yr ystafell hon. Felly, please, please, please, stop the assault on our fair city, stop the bleeding, save our city, or else we can never go back to old Meffa.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I understand the word you're saying.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I still can't understand. I have one paragraph. May I finish?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Diolch yn fawr. Byddan nhw'n mynd i ddweud i mi ydyn nhw'n ymwneud â'r ymgynghoriad i siarad fel hyn, ond mae'n rhaid i unrhyw un ei wneud. Hefyd, rwy'n gobeithio i chi, rydw i yma, Brianna, i ddod ymlaen a chyfathrebu'r brifysgrif hwn, cyn i'r cyfnod ddiwethaf, cyn i'r ymgynghoriad nesaf. P.S., yw e'n mynd i ffwrdd? Dyna cwestiwn. Yw unrhyw un yn gwybod? City Clerk, no? You're not allowed to speak?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. I appreciate that, Councilor Spears. Very nice of you. So, how many signatures are needed to run for the office?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, sir. And when is the deadline?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I don't either. It's July something. Okay. Thank you. Can I get some agua, please? Thank you, sir. I'm done.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, sir. Go ahead. Yes, sir. Being of Castagnetti, Andrew, Ace, Medford. being of Ginju blood since 1492, yeah, and Columbus too, by the way. I wanna quote the Bible, Genesis chapter 12, verse three. Whether you believe in God and the Bible or not, I must quote these verses. I will bless thee who blesses thee. I will curse he, her, or it. who curses thee." The translation is, if you go against the Jews, you will perish. By the way, I'm afraid history is repeating itself. Mr. Bloomberg, Sr., believed in the 40s, bought a house in West Medford, but he was not allowed, as a Jew, and how to use a strong name. Are we repeating history? This is insanity. Be nice.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'll take a few seconds. What was I gonna say? Nobody's right if everybody is wrong, as the song says, but let's us not forget what happened October 7th, 2023. Innocent people in a concert. That's equivalent to three, two and a half. What happened in New York City, you know, the World Trade Center. That was horrendous. After thousands of years, wrong, two wrongs don't make a right, but that was horrendous. And I cannot watch that video. I don't have a stomach for it.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I just have one question. I thought the armory was under private ownership. Are we allowed to use our public money on a private building?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: What's the total cost?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, thank you very much. What is your name, miss?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No, I'm just, I'm on the list right there. What's your name?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Emily, you're doing a fine job as MC for months.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And I like the way you control the mic. So anyways, B, I'm glad Mayor Breonna- I'm sorry, can you state your name and address for the record? Sure, Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford, Massachusetts.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm glad the Mayor Breonna came to her senses before the election. I get it, the city wants maximum monies. I don't mind development if it's smart development. The best and only place for development in my opinion, is Mystic Avenue. Since 1960 when they built Route 93, because that was the old highway to Boston, Route 38. And the city has the power, don't forget, of eminent domain, mind you. Versus developing Salem Street, which is already congested, it will become like Somerville with big time Somerville hassles. By the way, the prop two and a half override cost me $1,000 per year forever and ever and ever. Will this new zoning idea lower our present real estate tax at all? I don't think so. Unless you tax all new housing, from this point on at a third tax rate of, let's say, in the middle, $15 per thousand. You got a shot that way. Five.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: 30 seconds is plenty. Thank you, dear. What the heck happened to those three Chapter 40B real estate projects from three years ago, four years ago? Do you know anything about that at all?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Sorry? Yeah, it seems like all three were sued by the city and they can't do it because it's not cost effective. They're bankrupt. We lost out on hundreds of apartments, millions of dollars. Lastly, thank you. If you are still listening, I'm just trying to make some sense to save our Republic of the USA. America. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, East Medford, Massachusetts. This is the first I've heard of the Supreme Court ruling. Thank you for enlightening me. I wish everyone peace and happiness. Again, being a Woodstock graduate, as you know. But we have some important issues out in the streets, like the potholes. I wish that was more of a priority. But on the idea of this ruling, I want to say, God, Jesus, help us all, please.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Villes. Thank you very much. Castagnetti, East Medford, Massachusetts. There you go again with national and international issues. but please do fix our potholes. Still, I really appreciate that. I'll agree, war is hell. Actually, war is worse than hell, because in hell, you expect to burn, so they say. But in war, you don't know what village is gonna be napalmed or bombed. So war is worse than hell. And normally, I'm for peace, as you should know by my record from 1969. But sometimes you need to use a big stick to stop us, for example, from speaking German or Japanese. Fossil pollution is not great, but you can't not snap your finger and get off the oil addiction. It's not feasible. I don't care how you vote because you really listened to my advice anyway. Shalom.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: The name is Andrew number 18.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Do you see it?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Should I wait? I'll come back tomorrow.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So you have no guarantees. Thank you for your time.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Who are you? Hi, thank you for your remembrance. I have returned.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm Andrew Castagnetti, and I am in East Medford, two blocks to your right. I'm usually for more real estate development. However, it must be smart development. At Mystic Ave is our best place for mass mixed use buildings. But not Salem Street. It already is congested and will become like Somerville with Somerville hassles. If you live there, it would be worse. I get it. The city wants more and more real estate tax money. But what fries my ass is our real estate tax bill will not come down at all. Will it? It's a question. Will the real estate tax bills come down at all or the opposite? They're gonna add two and a half percent onto a larger number every year for eternity. I'm waiting for an answer.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you very much.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Am I unmuted, sir?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: For one second.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And for once, I could hear this thing. Because usually, you people talk like you're on Wi-Fi. And I'm telling the facts. Even one of the ladies here said to me, well, I don't want to hold you up. Listen, Andrew Castagnetti, Ace Medford, it's common sense. I agree with you all. All. We are a nation of laws, and we must enforce the laws, or else we don't have a nation no more. Not a nation, not a country worth a damn, especially for our children. If you have them, we're gonna get them. Thanks be to God and the Democratic Republic. Please save it, thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. Just when I thought I was out, I was down the stairs, someone brought up Los Angeles. So the First Amendment is extremely important, in my opinion. Besides, I'm a Woodstock graduate. Also, I was one of the first of 100,000 protesters on the Boston Common against the Vietnam War. You see, we kids had problems. A lousy effing Vietnam War and a damn draft. These kids don't know what those problems are. Thank you for agreeing. That was in 1969, both events. Peaceful protest is good. question everything, but mostly peaceful nugget.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Can you hear me? I have headphones on. Yes, we can hear you. Okay. Thank you, Councilor Bears. Thank you very much. I hope you all had a good Memorial Day yesterday, and I want to thank the veterans for all they did to try to keep our Democratic Republic alive for 250 years almost. But I want to thank them. They had a lot of courage. I have a question. Did I hear this evening that we have a city solicitor again?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Great. Same office as usual.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No, thanks.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You too.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello, Councilor, am I on?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, I have my hand up for the previous one, but this all ties in. I wanna say the previous speaker that spoke, Nick, he made some good points. Like before we couldn't use the free cash and now we can. I still think he made some great points there. And also, if I'm understanding this properly, we're going to spend $30 million for capital improvements for the two schools. Two schools, yes. Yes. That seems like an eye-popping number. I'm sure the two new schools when they were new in the year 2000, didn't cost $30 million to build both of them, you know, combined. I guess I'm in, I'm back in the times, but this is a huge number. I wish us luck. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's just it's an incredibly big number, you know, just for capital improvements. And as a matter of fact, I believe when Michael McGlynn was mayor, he got the state to give us that land by the Andrews and McGlynn. And I believe we had like half a dozen new schools built back then. And I don't think it cost us one dime because we sold the old schools at that time. So this is like very, very, very huge number. I'm concerned. Thank you for listening. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. I agree 100% with the people who mentioned we've got to keep the water out of the buildings. As a matter of fact, the McGlynn School has been leaking for many, many years. And it is not new, I'll agree with that. But maybe we should have used some free cash money many years ago to fix that roof, because we don't want the water coming in to condemn all these buildings in the city and then put it on our kids' charge cards, the $230 million each. not counting further inflation and tariffs, as you say. And second of all, in my opinion, free cash is money that was overcharged to us, the taxpayers. In reality, maybe they should give us back the money or at least half of it. Good night. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. I want to thank all the parties involved because this was quite a task and it was a lot of work, I'm sure. And I'm glad to come to an agreement. I wish you luck in the election in November. When was the last time we had a charter change?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So it's been more than 30 years, right?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I think that's when Michael McGlynn decided to run for mayor with a strong mayor and It's been quite a long time. I wish us all luck. Thank you very much.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Beatty, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Medford Mass. It's late. A clarification, I'd like to ask two or three simple questions. First one is, are we still going to be a strong mayor, plan A government, what's proposed?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Basically.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: What's it called? What's the term?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No term. Second question is, You have seven Councilors presently, and what will it be if it goes through in the future?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: OK, so you're going to have to add some carpentry and furniture here, evidently, if it goes through.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And also a lady was on the Zoom and she was asking a question. I don't know if she got an answer, but she asked why was the mayor taken off the school committee?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, thank you. Before I start the first two hours of this meeting was like there's a lot going on. I didn't want to interrupt it, but I had to write this paragraph. We are a nation, a country of laws that must be enforced, or else we don't have a country worth a damn, especially for our children. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Aginju, and East Medford. First, I must commend Councilor George Scarpelli, Little Shoes, searching for a peace. Seems evil Adolf Hitler was POed at the Jews. He was rejected for an art school position in Austria as a youth. And Jews controlled the finances in Germany. But you should have a good.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Dr. Starello, you might recall him, I hope. I once said to him, man is basically good, doctor. He replied, that's not true, Andrew. I'm afraid to say it seems that he's right. Almighty God was quoted in Genesis chapter 12, verse three. I will bless thee who blesses thee, or I will curse he, her, or it. who curses thee. Translation is, if you go against the Jews, you will perish. You gotta have peace or there's gonna be war. And this time, I believe Jesus Christ himself will be returned. He'll be coming back to fix this whole business, period. This is a sad situation. I'm worried about my family, I'm worried about your family, I'm worried about this country, and I'm worried about the world. They're not worrying about me.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew from Salem Street. I'm glad someone did a great call to arms. This side of the room is like the Congress in Washington DC. They're all speaking for this proposal development, and not one of them, as far as I can tell, gave an address of Sill Street, not even close. Good job.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You don't want to waste my time and tell me where the addresses are, I'll listen.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I can stand to be corrected. But it was a good call to arms, regardless. That you cannot deny. I'm usually in favor of new development if it's smart development. But Salem Street is already too congested. Stop this, please. Or let them vote on the issue from Lambert Street and Salem Street and other connected streets. Let them vote on it and not you. Because they have to live with this. Presume all your councilors still reside in Medford. While you don't reside in Medford and everyone here lives in Medford.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Anyone reside on on selling street. He took my question. What street is to the chair.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: All right. I told you once and I told you twice, but you never listened to my advice. Mystic Avenue is the only place. It's the best. It's your ace in the hole. You can do eminent domain through the government power, and you could have seven buildings, 10 stories high. First floor is around the clock, 7-Elevens, coffee shops. Second floor and the third floor can be offices and things of that nature. And the third, fourth floor up to the 10th, could be truly affordable housing? Because I don't know what affordable housing is. I'm sure I can't afford. How much is affordable housing, Mr. Pierce, right now in this city? How much?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No, no. Simple answer. Give me a simple answer. 100 bucks, 10,000 bucks a month, ballpark.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Well, I'd like to know, because it's not affordable to me. I can't even afford cigarettes at $16 a pack. Okay, the worst thing, the whole thing, which really fries my rear end is this. You're gonna collect millions of dollars, tens of millions of dollars of real estate tax, additional real estate tax on top of the present tax. And it's not gonna have our real estate come back down even a dollar, as Dr. Sorella begged you. It's gonna increase, every year you're gonna add 2.5% to the levy, then the levy is gonna be much higher. So it's progressive forever and ever until we get to Oak Grove. It's not fair to Salem Street, period.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Andrew, Cushion Street, Medford, Mass. I just wanted to, I'm saddened by something that's been happening for the last half a century. I don't know how the hell we ended up in this situation, supply and demand. When I went to elementary school, I recollect the teacher saying this economic system, capitalism, I guess, is basically built on supply and demand and that will dictate the price. That make sense? Maybe, mostly, but anyways, I kind of understand how, the prices became a million dollars and the developers, they didn't develop it back when they were in the mid price range or was it the government was the problem or a combination of both. And now with the Canadian plywood going through the roof, we'll never get out of this jam.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Someone called me and said that this was not transmitted. This meeting was black followed. It didn't go over the airways.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And the Committee of the Whole did not go through at 6 p.m. That I can guarantee you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's on Channel 22.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good evening. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, East Method Mass. I first met Bob Scarri at the brand spanking new grand opening at the Medford Public Library in 1960. He's a man of great character. We love the United States of America, and we love our city, Medford, Massachusetts. And I want to say God bless all, including the other 1968 graduates of Medford High School. Please hear my prayer. Almighty God, creator of heaven, earth, all sentient beings, and more, please get me and all of us to be and do the best that we can, now, always, forever, and ever, in our quest for eternal, blissful peace. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello, am I on now?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Cushman Street, East Medford, Mass. I'm very saddened to hear about these two deaths. I'm sure it was unavoidable. Since the city sends out a lot of reverse 911s, maybe to like, to like cover their mentality, they should send out a message to all the peoples saying, please use extreme common sense and look both ways and look all four ways, especially if you're walking a dog, because it's hard to get out of harm's way when you have an animal with you. All I can say is it's unnecessary. It should not happen. And I say my prayers. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Beres, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, East Medford. The shock and awe, the bills have already arrived. I paid mine today, there was some irate, taxpayers at the assessor's office, and the poor girl was catching heck. However, the only solution that I can see to give relief is what I've been pushing for the last 19 years, and that is the owner-occupied, it's not just residential, it's the owner-occupied residential tax exemption. The Mass General Law is MGL Chapter 59, Section 5C. Please, someone, look it up, read it. They've been doing it in Boston, Everett, Malden, Chelsea, Cambridge. And some of all the average homeowner who lived in their house saved three grand, $3,000. In Everett, I believe they saved $2,400. We're not saving zero. We're not saving nothing at all. And it's been in business, this proclamation that we can do. And the state house gave us this option. Imagine the state senators felt that they had to help the homeowners who've carried the weight for decades. So, Councilor Bearsley, as you had said, one of my previous 19 occasions that you would start this process in May or June because it takes time to figure it out and hire more assessors. And I recommend you do it at the full 35 percent exemption. I am tired. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello, are we going?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, miss. My name is Andrew Castagnetti of Cushing Street. Thank you. In East Medford, Massachusetts. I get it. You want more development. I've always said Medford is the best location in New England next to Boston, proximity wise. However, Sill Street is already a busy street. So it seems to me your new rezoning will add a lot of new additional real estate tax to the city, to the city's coffers. But will this new money lower our real estate tax bill at all? Will it lower our real estate tax bill even one dollar or less? Okay, I guess I'll wait for an answer tomorrow. I said this before and I'll say it again. Maybe it's time East Medford to secede from the city and form our own city because we have the most valuable land, period. P.S. Miss Sikav is our best bet. Thanks if you're listening and good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Well, the real estate tax lower by even $1. It's been going up since I've been born every year, more than two and a half percent. And with the overrides, it's more like 8%. It's tough for a lot of people that are on seniors, they're on fixed incomes. By the way, I appreciate your patience. You're doing a good job. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm personally. I lived on Mr. Gabb in 1955. That was the old highway to Boston, Route 38 for information's sake. When they built Route 93 in 1960, then we really didn't need Route 38, but we have it. It's a lousy place back then, street cars and trucks and mechanic places and things of that nature. And it has not been developed when it should have been 60 years ago. No, 64 years ago, 1960. It's a live industry. It's still the same street. And that's where you can go high on one side, on the 93 side, but you gotta lower our taxes. If you go up 10, 15, 20 stories, you put your own off rent on 93.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you so much for commenting.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Done.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President. We are a nation of immigrants. And supposedly that made our country greatest of all times. My mother and father both were sponsored to come to the USA from northern Italy, mind you, which is rare. One out of ten Italians you find here come from the north because supposedly we're more affluent. However, they were sponsored. My father sponsored others. Let them sleep in our houses and with their families. They took the, they became citizens. They studied the book. My mother had to learn English. So I grew up speaking an Italian dialect in Somerville. I went to the Hancock school in kindergarten, 1955. I'm sure Richard could attest to that. I don't speak English. Not a word. My father couldn't afford a black and white TV to watch the Three Stooges. How am I going to learn English? The point is, I made it. The key is this, legal immigrants, legal immigration. It's one word, legal. That's the only way to do it for the best chance for the United States of America. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. Uh, I, I'm very confused and It's sad to hear this. It's a new method happening, I guess. I never heard of this before. But I just have one question for, I believe, for a Councilor, and hopefully that Councilor can respond this time. Did I hear a Councilor say that a needle was found in the bathroom in the City Hall premises?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I see. OK, could that have been a false flag? could have been planted by anyone and could that happen again and do emergency testing all over again in the future if that's the case?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Do you know the location?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Where's that located?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Method Mass. Just wanted to ask you, where do we stand with my donation to the city about hanging the Christmas lights from the footbridge on Mystic River? Do you know where we stand with that? Was the check accepted?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I appreciate it. If you can just get the answer because I'm hoping it would be hanging there from the memory of Larry Lepore. our messenger and also before Christmas will be sweet, you know. So anyways, I want to wish you all good holidays and a Merry Christmas, if the shoe fits, and a happy, healthy new year for everyone. Thank you. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, Bedford, Massachusetts. I want to commend and thank Councilor Lazzaro for bringing up a very dangerous spot in that area, that curve on Route 16. I think it's near Whole Foods. Matter of fact, I think that speed limit, they should have a reduced speed down to like 10 miles per hour, especially if there's ice on that curve. It's a dangerous curve. I've negotiated many times, and once I had Very little success. I ended up wiping out in front of Whole Foods. I hit the curb. I lost two tires back in 1969 while I was commuting to Honeywell in Waltham. However, I disagree. You should not lower the 35 mile an hour limit, in my opinion, on the other parts of the state roads. Because if you're coming from Boston on Route 28, heading to a station landing, you might be in dangerous, more dangerous, troubles with a speed limit of 25, because they're moving pretty fast. The city itself, it lowered the speed limits, I believe, within the city of 25 miles per hour. So I think it would be an opposite effect. I think it would cause more problems on the rest of the roads. And by the way, who would enforce these tickets?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, I said my piece. I think that curve in front of Whole Foods, very dangerous from past experience, I know. That could reduce speed down to 10 miles per hour. But the rest of the state highways, I would let it be. But I would compromise if I had a choice, if I had the power, instead of 25, maybe go to 30, And in between, we could settle between 25 and 35 miles per hour. Thank you for listening. I got to go. Bye.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, personally, I want to compliment Councilor Callahan for asking intelligent and pertinent common sense questions about this. I appreciate that. You impressed me. I have a filing problem. OK. Thank you for your patience. I'm Andrew Castagnetti, 23 Cushman Street, 02155. Good evening, honorable Councilors. First, I might start with this newspaper article in the Boston Globe. It was about our meeting on October 29th at the city council. And I will quote the reporter as she quoted me. One resident brought this concern, his concerns, to the city council meeting on Tuesday. This paper is actually on Saturday, November 2nd. A lot of taxpayers are having trouble paying bills with all this inflation in the past four years. Andrew Castagnetti said, I have one question for all of you city councilors. Do you have any ideas to lower, lower our real estate tax at all. I am listening. And the reporter sort of reported that the Councilors, you Councilors, no one answered. So I expected at least at minimum that one of your Councilors or more would bring up chapter 59, section 5C, the owner of real estate, owner-occupied real estate tax exemption, because that's the only one I know about that would apply in Medford, along with 18 other communities that have adopted this. So, I am here again for the 19th time. We're asking for the city to adopt Mass General Law Chapter 59, Section 5C. The owner occupied real estate tax exemption at the full 35% shift. This savings is being done in Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Cambridge, Somerville, and in all of Boston. Senator Kerry gets it at 28 Lewisburg Square if that's his truthful address according to the IRS tax document, if. So why not here in Medford? We also need real estate tax savings. Somerville owner-occupied homeowners saved $4,053 last year with a cap break of, a breakeven cap of $2 million. And Malden saved $2,690.04 with a cap break even of at one and a quarter million dollars. These numbers are not fake. These numbers I got from both city hall assessors in person. I will leave with you these assessor City reports. There they are. I will leave you with the reports from the assessors and these reports with you to trust and but verify the numbers. P.S., in the last 10 years, these owner-occupied homeowners in Malden and Somerville saved an average of $2,600 per year in the last 10-year average. My translation means we MedFed owner-occupied homeowners have lost out on a $26,000 savings in the last 10 years on average. And that does not include lost bank and interest. Page two. People say you can't fight city hall, but I had fun trying for 19 years without success on this matter. This is my 19th time trying to help the average homeowner. Here comes my 19th nervous breakdown. I'm tired. So now I am asking the homeowners in Medford for small donations to hire a real estate tax lawyer and a retired real estate tax assessor. Andrew Castagnetti, 23 Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts, 23. Here is the packet of information from Malden and Somerville City Assessors. Somerville started in 1992. Malden started the owner-occupied-exemption in 2008. Again, I repeat, City of Malden saved the owner-occupied-exemption peoples that own the houses, that live in the house $2,690 last year. And Somerville, as I said, started in 1992, and last year they saved, if they qualified, if they truly lived in the home, doesn't matter if it's a one, two, three, four, five, or six family, because it only applies to their unit, including Senator Kerry, if he's telling the truth about his address, and Beacon Hill. That's a lot of cake, man. And there's other communities, as you know, and it all started in Martha's Vineyard, I believe, or Nantucket, or both, this exemption, because the residents, the working class people that were taking care of the lawns and working in the restaurants that lived there, they couldn't really afford, but they didn't want people around with these mansions like ex-president Obama, who don't live there, they're not owner-occupied, and they get tired. And this is how this law passed, according to what I believe is truth. So I think I've said enough. If you have any comments or questions, I really would appreciate it.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's been a long time coming.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. If I may rebut.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I just want to rebut her. OK. If I may, through the chair.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's not a rebuttal. It's a comment.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Can you imagine that the state senators had a hot, for the first time ever, to help the owner occupied to get a break on the real estate tax? I'm shocked that they did this back in the 90s, I believe. It's amazing. So besides, the owner-occupied homeowners, they've carried the financial load for more than 100 years. That's all I want to say.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Take your time, but the quicker you do it, the better it is. That's what's important. Anyways, he must've knew me. Thank you, Council President. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. My request to the city council, I brought this up a few months ago with $100 cash, but you become a scared, you told me to put the cash away. So I brought a check this time. I got the guy got rid of this licorice. You don't want to smell my cigarettes. Please see my check, my donation for $100, check number 742. I want this to go forward to light up the Karatek Bridge, the Mystic River footbridge over the Mystic River in memory of Lawrence Larry Lepore. He is well loved by many with this 37 year city employment history. This historic footbridge is the best existential landmark in Medford, Massachusetts. And it would be really cool to see the lights shimmering on a river year round. I'm hoping this beautification will be done before the holidays. Thank you for listening, Andrew P. Castagnetti. P.S. I've enclosed a photo of the Mystic River footbridge taken by your mom, Mr. President, Mrs. Beers. I met her at the West Bedford Open Studio. She had a booth. And it's a beautiful photograph. I'm keeping the original, but it's part of the copy I'm gonna give you along with the check. Also, please submit my request and check to the Mayor, City Mayor, Mayor Brianna. And if you have any questions or comments, I do appreciate it, because I walked the bridge a few times, I checked out the two, electric poles on both ends of the bridge. They're within spitting distance. They're like four or five feet away from both sides of the bridge. So I think it would look really cool. And if I wanted to use some Boston vernacular, it would look pisser. Thank you for correcting me. So if you have any questions or comments, I appreciate it. I seem to know a lot about this. So do you have any questions or comments?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I really appreciate that council. Thank you. Cause it would really look wicked nice. And year round, it won't be the Longfellow Bridge or the Salt and Pepper Bridge as they call it, but man, looking from the Karatek Bridge towards that lit up, shimmering river, it would be wonderful. I wanted to push the envelope and confuse matters worse. The Karatek Bridge was built in 1634, I believe. It was recently rebuilt before Carol's went out of business. And I was told, you can see the year as you're going out of the square over the bridge and through the woods, that was the bridge, I'm sure. Not the footbridge, but it's all granite. I'm sure it's been redone that bridge at least five times. I believe it was a footbridge at first and it was a drawbridge and it was a toll bridge. So we made the Beacon Hill people pay the toll in order to go to the fells. Very interesting. So someone told me it's the first bridge in the USA. I started thinking, wait a minute, USA was 1776. This is 1634. So it must be the first bridge in 13 colonies. So I'm presuming it might be the first bridge in all of North America.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And, you know, this, I mean, I don't wanna push the envelope. I'm trying to get these heavy duty, well-built Christmas lights. They shouldn't cost more than $100. And what can they afford more than paying for six packages of cigarettes? That's 16.50 a wack. So the point is, this is not rocket science. It's very doable. And there'll be thousands of people that would appreciate this.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I think it's appropriate that I leave the check with my letter that I hope you forward to the mayor as a council president you meet with him frequently, and it's appropriate that I leave it on the same messages desk.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I have to save my cash for the real estate tax bills now. Thank you for listening. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address for the record, you have three minutes. Thank you, Council President Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, East Method Mass. I walked in here a little bit late. Please excuse me. And there's a lot of yelling and screaming. It was like a hornet's nest. What the heck happened? I'm sorry for the lack of civil order or whatever. However, it seems to me that It's something to do with salaries for the City Council, am I right?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Basically, I have two simple questions. One is, what is the Medford City Council, what is your salary or stipends all totaled per year?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: into your hands also besides that no really well not from the city of medford for this job you don't get stipends for papers and pencils i thought you did no no oh thank you for confirming that yeah uh my second question is uh with all your brains and all your computers can you tell me where method ranks out of the 351 communities in Massachusetts, as far as your salary, what is the rank, Boston's 110, Buck 25, they got a raise I think last year, but what do you rank at 30,400? I don't know. Does any, with all your computers and all your brains and college education, no one can tell me that answer? Does any other council have any answer?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Oh my god, I'm, I guess I'm living in a twilight zone myself.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you Council President Bears. Castagnetti Andrew, Cushing street, he's met forward near Magoon Park and the Buddhist temple. I have two parts of comments. Part one, I am sure six of you city councilors and more are very happy with the unprecedented passage of on two prop two and a half overrides in Medford Mass, USA. Hope this will not become a city hall habit. I pray to God our senior citizens and others will be able to pay the real estate tax bills. For the answer is blowing in the wind still. Part two, President-elect Trump won in a landslide, 75 plus more million votes. The Senate, and retain the House of Representatives. The jig is up. Now is the time for all good Americans to come together and heal and keep our democratic Republic intact, if we can. But my major concern is that our country may be too far gone and it is not fixable. Also worried our country may fall into another 1929 style economic depression. Even your parents don't know what I'm talking about. Especially with a $34 trillion plus national debt. That's over $250,000 per taxpayer, over $100,000 per test, translation per head. Legal or illegal? or, and a world war three that would really suck. That would be bad. Yeah. Cause it would hit every place with all these weapons. And I'm also worried for our children's future, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. God, please help us unite and live in harmony or else there's going to be war in my opinion. And I repeat God, please help us unite, heal, and live in harmony. Amen. Thank you, Andy.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President Andrew Castagnetti, I live two blocks east of the Senior Citizen Center in East Medford. I've been a member for some years of the Senior Citizen Center, and parking can be a problem at times, especially if they have one of those potty type things. And I'm not against development because without future development, we will shrink economically. However, I can understand their concern because they're having a hard time getting around. And so am I at times. And it's hard to walk, you know, a couple of hundred yards from Brigham's or Colleen's as you call it. So more importantly, I believe it was Councilor Lemmy had mentioned that for sure, or maybe, maybe through the chair and over the rail, he could, Go over this for me to be a parking garage. And how many units would that be for parking spaces? How tall of a garage? Is there an elevator? Things of that nature. And designated for the senior citizens, how many spots? If you have the answers.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: OK. Again, I'm not against development because that's important. Mystic Ave should have been done when they moved there in 1955. This is the same, five years later, they built Route 93. So the old highway to Boston is where the development should actually go. Mystic Ave, the old highway, Route 38. And if I remember correctly, the original builder of the hotel, the original builder, It didn't work out, he failed because of political reasons, I believe. He was going to build a hotel there where it is now, and he was going to make some grand or type of entrance way to the river, which is something we never should have turned our backs on. In Georgetown, Virginia, they built it on the river with their decks and their entertainment. We turned our back to the river. That was a big mistake. So, so I want to say, and I wanted to talk during public participation about something. Would that be now it's a different subject are you going to hold it open for me later on, sir, I'm going to finish out this subject and then we will take you after that.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Do you councilors remember City Councilor Mayorko, by any chance?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: There's a few. He made a statement once, and I'll never forget it. It's the only time I agree with him. He said, I quote, leave the people alone. But no, you want two, perhaps two and a half, overrides in the ballot next week, which never, ever happened in this town, ever, never. Some, a lot of taxpayers are having trouble paying bills with all this inflation in the past four years. I have one question for all of you city councilors. Do you have any ideas to lower our real estate tax at all? I am listening. And do you have another two minutes and then we'll go to the council, so the council does not have to answer me is that what you're trying to tell me, that is true. Thank you for your, for your input. Or is it the tax the rich and feed the poor until they're on the original more, tell me where is sanity. This can go on. How much is enough. Please stop the bleeding. No further taxation without proper representation. Andrew said that. Again, leave the people alone. Mr. Miyako said that, this.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, East Medford, Massachusetts. I'm very devastated that we lost Larry Lepore. He's a wonderful man. He's a good friend.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, there you go. I'm sorry we lost Larry Lepore. The minutes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. I hope you all had a good Columbus Day yesterday, because he is the greatest world naval explorer in history. He said the world is round, not flat. He had more courage than all of us combined. He is also a hero to me and others. Also hope you had a good Indigenous People's Day. I also hope the same for the Jews. in the Mideast because they've been there more than 2000 years. Now let's talk prop two and a half overwrites. As I told you all before method never had a prop two and a half overwrite. We're not Winchester, we are all method here, a working class town city. Our problem is fiscal management and lack of building maintenance period, full stop. My ask is for you honorable city councils to stop this real estate tax assault on we the homeowners and leave the people alone. Stop the bleeding. We're already having trouble with all this Biden inflation.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Um, does it have one sentence?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I mean, it's up. You can say the sentence. Andy is a minute up. Yes, sir. It is up. Yeah. All right. My motto was this no, no further taxation. He's allowing me to speak. Do you want to interrupt me? Do you want to interrupt me?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: This is crazy. Stop it. My motto was this, no more further taxation without proper representation. The end. Andrew said that dark call.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: All the information is hot. She's the first person that brought this owner-occupied residential exemption up at this podium. And as you don't know, I've been here at least 16 years in succession every December to ask for it. And every single time, it was knocked down. Basically, it's called Mass General Law, if you want to look it up, Chapter 40B, Section 5C. And at the maximum, it will be 30% shift of residential values. And then, as you said, Councilor, they'll come out to be a figure as a cutoff value. Anything below will receive discounts and real dollars, and above will go up. 30% is the maximum. and Somerville does that, and the average Somerville resident that is applicable for it is saving over $3,000, real cash. So it's more than half of their bill, some of these people. So anyways, the way I understand the law was my sixth grade education, I read it once, 16 years ago. The mayor has to ask and approve for it, and the majority of the city council, if that is done and sent to the state house, you get it right away.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm shocked and I'm sad. I think I first met him in 1980, my first time ever voted for Ross Perot, I think, from Texas, the chicken man. Can I finish, can I finish, can I finish? And I think I started coming to the council meetings about that time. I was not a youth either, I was already past my teens. And I had to love the guy, you know, he's just such a beautiful man. I'm going to miss him at our coffee talk at Alexander's. He was such a class act. He was a true gentleman. And I'm extremely sad. He was funny a lot of times also. Once over here by his desk, he says, hey, you're the eighth Councilor. I had a crack up. So he had such a charisma about him. It's a true gentleman. And he'll be missed. I hope his wife's doing okay. And do you know anything about the funeral arrangements? Do you know anything yet?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Rest his soul, he'll be in good shape in heaven.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: East Medford. It's late. Maybe I misspoke. I want to correct the record on the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption. Actually, the law, I think I said MGL chapter 40. That's not it. It's MGL chapter 59, section 5C, if somebody is interested. Next. I'm sorry that Mrs. Scapelli had to see this, they call it a swastika, with your kids eating post cereal, he said. That's low life, you know. I've never been online, social media, I guess I'm not missing much, so whatever they're saying about me, I don't give a hoot. And also, by the way, don't feel, you're in company, because in Harvard Square I heard today, at Harvard University, they put a lot of these swastikas on Israeli flags. tonight. So anyways, so much for free speech. I happen to be reading the Boston all the time Sunday communist newspaper. I mean, did I say Globe? The Herald? No, the Globe. I buy the post with my numbers at the smoke shop before I go to the hotel to read the paper. Anyways, let me check my football pool. So the point is, I happen to see this cartoon. I know you people work diligently to go against the leaf blowers, I remember. I think it all went through, right? This is a really cool cartoon. I think it's funny. It's a couple of squirrels. They're trying to get it on. Then the leaf blower goes off. And anyways, it's cute. My messenger, I wanted to give it to him tonight.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Can you hear me, please?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. Andrew Cassinetti on Cushman Street, East Ford Mass. I want to thank George Scarpelli, the Councilor, for putting this forward and for you to accept it for the next Tuesday's meeting, is it?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: On the 15th, thank you. I am a senior citizen myself and my wife and We want to fix incomes. Can you, in my pre-minute span, can you help the people out? Can you tell me, question number six, how many million is that for?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No, no, no, question six.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, that's a debt exclusion. I'm sorry, question six, is it a debt exclusion or an override?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, and how much is the total amount?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, question number seven. That's an override, yes?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And what is the total amount for that override, sir?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. And question number eight, is that exclusion also?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's $4 million. It's an override. OK. Are the seniors exempt from this if any of these pass?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm gonna I'm gonna repeat myself. Most seniors are on fixed income and they have in trouble with this Biden inflation. It's really tough out there. That's all I have to say, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Cushing Street, East Medford. Thank you for the extra 30 seconds. Councilor Bears, I beg to differ with you on your comment, the negative comment about when Prop 215 started in 1980. As far as I'm concerned, Barbara Anderson, rest her soul, did a great thing by limiting the state that the city from increasing our real estate tax levy more than 2.5 percent annually or else the city would go who knows to what percent 10 20 30 um and i think she she was great the law is flawed guarantee you because everyone should uh every owner occupy should get a savings and not have some have to pay. Um, so I think she did a, she, she did a great thing. And, uh, again, rest his soul. Thank you. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Unmuted, I think. Yes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, thank you, Councilor Scarpelli. I wanna say I'm always against testing, to be honest with you, pretty much all my life. And the only thing is I'm just hoping this doesn't go further to the top and down of America. Good luck, people.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I want to say thank you for bringing up this subject. We are a nation of immigrants, and it's made us, created a great country once upon a time in the USA. On the other hand, it would be best if the immigration was legal so the country could absorb it financially and logistically. and make sense, and hopefully they will assimilate into our ways. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti Andrew Cushion Street, East Method Mass. Through the chair and over the table, I'd like to address to Councilor Bears. Totally, I'm 99.9 behind Councilor Bears on this. I think it's great, because this country has really neglected to study alternative medicines for the longest time. For example, cannabis, it took them 85 years to legalize it, only after they could figure out a way to tax it. Let's call the diamond a diamond and a club a club. They figure out a way to tax it. Now on this psilocybin, I'm hearing really good stories. It's helping people with the PTSD, depression, anxiety. This could be a natural God's sin. If you don't believe in God, a natural nature's sin that could help a lot of people. And this should have been done a long time ago. I believe Harvard Professor Timothy Leary, back in 1960, was experimented with lysergic acid, and this government should have been right on it, not to lock him up, but to look at the different parts of psilocybin, et cetera. I commend you, Councilor Bears. Let's get it through, no matter what they say. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Honorable Councilor. Thank you, Honorable Councilors. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Free cash is not free. It came out of my pocket. It came out of all the other taxpayers' pockets. not just real estate, but excise taxes on the vehicle, et cetera, et cetera. Actually, the gentleman was right. It's an overcharge. That money actually belongs to the taxpayers, not to the city. Also, Medford High School is only 54 years old, and it seems they can condemn it. That's a maintenance problem we have in Houston. It's just not fair that you let our most assets in the city, our public buildings, become condemned. That's terrible. And you're putting it on our kids' charge card. Terrible. And this Prop 2.5 override business, it never, ever happened in Medford, Massachusetts. Never. We're not Winchester with deep pockets. We're working class people in Medford. The city is out of control. I gotta go. Have a good night, people.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. Andrew Castagnetti of East Ford, Massachusetts. Someone brought up business. I'm gonna start this business talk with Medford. In 1960, my father told me, as we lived on Mystic Ave, the old highway to Boston, that there was only two businesses that made money back in those days, and that was the Old Carol's Diner and Grava, which is now another company. okay and by the way this country is not so rich eh we owe over 17 or 32 trillion i can't keep track without a scorecard we are past the point of bankruptcy now i'm going to get to my points if you're still listening sir i'm listening first off first off you grouped these four or five agenda items for one vote Wouldn't it be better for each agenda item to have a separate vote, in my opinion?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, so I have a few mathematical questions. What is this year's levy, the budget this year? How much is it, the total?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, I'm gonna call it 190. And two and a half percent of that would be what, about 5 million?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So the property tax levy, I believe is- And then my next question would be after that is how much new growth do we have in real estate taxes right now coming up?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's good news, not compared to Summerville, but better than last year. So five and three, $8 million on top of the 190, without doing an override, we're going to have another $8 million more than last year's by right, without doing anything. But still, I guess it's not enough, and you want more? That's ouch. That hurts. Medford never asked for a prop two and a half override or a debt exclusion. We are not Winchester. We don't have deep pockets. We're a working class town. God help us forever and ever to pay our bills. Good night and good health.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor. You read me? Okay. I have much empathy for people with addictions. I've seen it in the sixties, a tough spot. I seen a few people go down with the needle, and it was sad. Reminds me of a song. I seen the needle and the damage done, a little bit of it in every one. Uh-oh, the damage done. Okay, now it's worse. We got Chinese chemicals going into Mexico, then the fentanyl's coming across the border. We're having 100,000 plus dead a year in the 50 continental states. You know, this is really, really bad. And if they can get to the pharmacy and pick up the methadone, which is a little better than fentanyl, I'm sure, and heroin, but we don't know what the hell's in this stuff besides the point, okay? All right, so the point is, Give them their methadone, if that's what works, and maybe they can become functioning members of society and go to work and stop robbing Mama and Papa and their neighbors, for God's sakes. But we should not have this location in a residential bordering neighborhood. If they insist on Medford, how about we put it in the section of Mystic Avenue, south of Harvard Street, in a commercial district. That would make more sense and keep them away from Medford Square because we've got enough problems as is. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, I make it very, very brief. Um, as of two weeks ago, I spoke to his last via zoom and I wanted to thank whoever was responsible for their, their wherewithal in order to get that fountain, that, that, that, that fountain working again. It was great after many years of not working. However, as I said last week, it's not working again. And I got to go. You have the way with them. Maybe you can get that fixed. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor. Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford, Massachusetts. I want to thank the Council for putting this on the agenda. It seems to me I've never seen this much anti-Semitism in my lifetime. It probably goes back to the 30s and maybe 2030, besides. This has been going on for more than 2,000 years. You probably would not expect me to make this kind of a quote, but I like to quote Genesis chapter 12, verse three. I will bless thee that will bless thee, and curse him, her, or it that curses thee. My translation is if you go against the Jews, you will perish. So, I really appreciate you put this on the table, because we're in dire straits in this world. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hi, Councilor Bears. Also, I'm from East Medford also. I'm Castagnetti Andrew. I'll agree that inflation is out of control... for all, and...
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I swear I'm not on CNN. I don't do that kind of work.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's fine.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And I appreciate that because I'm camera shy. Okay, can we start again?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, I'll agree inflation is out of control for all. Welcome to Bidenomics. I told you once and I told you twice, but you never listened to my advice. I said it before that comes with listen, the best solution for the housing situation is to form an apartment cooperative ownership buildings in Medford. The person that gets into the apartment will own up just like a condo and that would be with a 67% savings from today's condo prices in Medford. So instead of a million, you probably get into it for like 350,000 PS: rent control failed in the city of Boston. My uncle Joe Castagnetti brothers, you know, owned nine buildings in the north end but not by the expressway. He ended up selling them all and rent control failed. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm unmuted, I think.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, thank you, Council President. I wanted to thank and commend whoever is responsible to get the Crystal Campbell Boston Marathon Fountain up and running in front of the Senior Citizen Center on Riverside Ave. It was a pleasant surprise after many years. My question is, how come it's not pumping water today?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That would be nice, because it hasn't been pumping water for many, many, many days.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You're welcome.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears, Andrew Castagnetti, Method, Massachusetts. I appreciate your time. Thank you. Can you hear me?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. I want to thank Councilor George Scarpelli for putting this on the agenda to support our state legislators who are finally trying to fix this problem. I am more than appalled. I am totally shocked when I heard about this. It's a travesty of justice. It's an injustice against the real estate owner. I can't believe that Carl Malter Massachusetts would allow the 351 cities and towns to basically take by domain for non payment or real estate taxes and water bills, etc. and sell the house somehow and pocket the difference. I mean, this is terrible. It's grand theft. Furthermore, if I had the power, I will also have the cities and towns, they should and they must pay treble damages with interest to the x owners or The ears, period.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes I'm done, thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, Andrew Castagnetti. Cushing Street Methodist. Thank you, Councilor, President Isaac Beers. Can you hear me, sir? You can hear me?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Isaac B. Zach Beers. Can you hear me, sir?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I could barely hear you. Being a Woodstock graduate, I'm all in and I'm for taxing these these nonprofits with their multi-billion dollar endowments, which supposedly they cannot touch, which to me is a bunch of malarkey. On the other hand, have any of you Councilors heard of this entity called Walnut Hill Properties?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay. And can you basically tell us what it stands for and who owns it?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's what I understand. I was at a meeting 20 years ago with Michael McGlynn, and I think he was He was the one that got this forward. This is an entity of Tufts College, and it forces them to when they buy real estate, one family's 10 families doesn't matter to buy it on the Walnut Hill properties. So we don't lose that real estate tax on off the tax tools, which is great. You know, So I don't know how much more tax you're gonna be able to get out of them, you know, with your proposition.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No, I wish you luck because we do take care of all the fire department apparatus stuff. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, sir. Peaceful protesting is cool. I've done it since 1967. However, if it starts to cross the line becomes mostly peaceful, then we have a, how you say, a safety problem. Then that's a different ballgame. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushin Street, Medford, Mass. I just heard that Asian water pipes are over 100 years old, I believe.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I believe Boston is even older. I don't think they've replaced all their pipes. And someone spoke and said it would cost like a half a billion dollars to replace all the new water pipes with new water pipes. I mean, how many overrides or dead exclusions would that take? It would be more than a half a billion. As a matter of fact, I think as we go now, if it ain't bust, don't fix it. And we just repair when there's a leak. I don't know of anyone that's not having access to fresh water, whether it's polluted or not, I have no clue. But it seems like, I never heard a complaint from anyone, and I talked to a lot of people. They seem to, everybody seems to have water. And I would like to see the potholes filled from the Crystal Campbell fountain, which ain't working, the day after Patriots Day, after many years. going from right there on Riverside Ave going towards Route 93, I have to negotiate five or six bad potholes. I think we should just concentrate, first of all, on the potholes, or as Councilor Dello Russo called them, potholers.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You know, I just want to make a quick question. Is it possible to they could store these these this credit site ties inside of some sort of a trailer? And when the workers go in, they can put on their masks and pull out as needed.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for your time, sir. You're welcome. How much time do I have?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I hope everyone had a great Patriots Day yesterday. Because if it wasn't for those Patriots, we wouldn't have a democratic republic, if we can keep it. Yesterday, I walked by the fountain. I didn't see any H2O water action. I went to the festivities at the old cemetery. And it was a sad thing that happened to me on my way to this forum. First off, last November, I was here questioning the councilors, but they didn't answer because they did not have to, they said. But City Councilor Caraviello told us the city, that the city has funds in place to fix the Crystal Campbell waterfall. It's not just for her, it's for the other three dead people and the hundreds of injured and maimed people for life from all over the world. But sadly, after many years, the Marathon Memorial Fountain is still not working. It's a damn shame on who. I need names. McGlynn spent lots of hours, he gathered tens of thousands of dollars, and I guess he started a trust. Well, maybe McGlynn, Michael, can come here and tell us what he did. He should be concerned. and you can tell us how to rectify this problem. Hopefully, the developers of that font were not that stupid to have it to a point in order to replace whatever the issue is, computer, the pump, Van Halen, whatever. But hopefully, you don't have to start ripping up cement. This is typical of Method USA 0215. This is a damn shame. Can someone tell me how this is gonna get rectified, anyone.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So it's a damn shame. Can we get Mr. Ask Mr. McGlynn, Michael, to come down here and tell us the real score? You know, Maybe he still has the clout after being here for like two decades, you know? Can you reach out to him? Yeah. And I'm not a big computer person, but if the computer's the issue, why can't we just have the fountain run as a Boston Public Garden fountain? We don't have to computerize each little jet. Don't make it so complicated.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Amen.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Method Mass. Sorry I'm late, talking about Mr. McGlynn, Sr.? ? Thank you. I wanted to say the man was, he's a great man and a great neighbor across the street from me on Cushman Street. And when I first moved there, I knocked on the door in 1980, introduced myself, because my sister worked for the Attorney General, Francis X. Bilotti, and I know he knew of the people. So he started speaking in Italian, I mean, fluent. I said, I thought you were an Irishman. He says, I grew up speaking Italian just like I did in the house. And I didn't understand half of what he said, because he spoke Southern Italian, but he was very fluent in his Italian. And he spoke Latin also, and he told me that whenever his grandkids got an A in Latin, he would give them a hundred dollar bill back then. It was wonderful. He's one of the last of the greatest generation. obviously, and he is a consummate gentleman and a consummate politician. I miss him a lot. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Bears. AP Castanedi, Cushing Street. Three quick points under one minute. I'm not quite sure what you Councilors are aiming at. Some of you Councilors are aiming at as far as this registry thing. However, right below you, Councilor Bears, is the Registrar, Real Estate Department, the Assessor's Office. They have all the addresses of all buildings, including commercial, right below you. So there's your address list, and hopefully there's no penalty if we homeowners don't wanna answer the question, or a renter, to add insult to injury, by the way. I just wanna say, I'm really tired We have a lot of bills to pay, and it hurts sometimes. So I just would wish that Big Brother and you all would just keep the nose out of our business for a change. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I've been here in December when you set the tax rate, what the city assesses for at least 19 Decembers in a row. I missed once on purpose to see what you would do. Still the same results, seven to zero, they voted against it. Maybe it's about high noon time to adopt what they did in Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, Chelsea, Cambridge, to adopt Mass General Law, Chapter 59, Section 5C. And that is the real estate owner occupied exemption. If you live in the house, doesn't matter how many units, because it's only going to apply to your one unit, period. you would receive the owner occupied exemption, about 85% of owner occupied would receive a savings. Instead of the usual, I'm getting $300, $400 every effing year. It's crazy. So you, Councilor Bears, even said to the commissioner, of the real estate downstairs that we have to look at this in advance, like six months before, which is like May and June. So this is the time, as you said, we should investigate whether we should adopt this or not. At the full 35% exemption, or else don't even bother. There's a lot of people that are business people behind me, actually, that does not want this to happen. because they're absentee owners, maybe not slumlords, but they know on Christian Street, there's two or three, Winchester, Wellesley, et cetera. They're just collecting rents, two, three, $4,000 a month, depending on how many bedrooms there are. Every month it changes, and different cars come, no one knows where to park, not enough parking anyways. They don't know what color barrels to put out, I don't know, do I make sense? Or is it you people with the problems?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: What I just said was 85%, is my guesstimate, would save if they live in the house, period.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: At least it's not 1 a.m. Last time I was here, I spoke at 1 a.m., I was the last one. Andrew Paul Castagnetti, C-A-S-T-A-G-N-E-T-T-I, alias Burrata III.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Is my two and three minutes up yet?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Oh, aren't you kind? I heard at least three constants mentioned that the flowers are getting late 10 1112 after even one o'clock in the morning two weeks ago, and Councilor Penta mentioned a good solution that would be common sense to return to full time work. You're getting full-time pay, 30,000. I believe the Boston City Councils make 130,000, but after that, I think you're in the next tier of three or so. That's a lot of cake. Plus you get pens and pencil expenses, a couple of grand. No, I feel bad. You know what I get for the last, since we had injury, 30 years? That's a zero. So anyways, back to zero, what is next? One minute or zero minutes? A la Groucho Marxist commie bastard government.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: What swear?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I said, is this gonna end up as zero minutes? So we have zero input? A la the communist Groucho Marxist commie bastardo government?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I did it. I added a no.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, Method Mass. After the last election, I noticed Councilor Lemke was appointed as councilor, and I was hoping that you would be a good addition to the council. Through the chair, how much of an increase by you going with the state formula would this be, percentage speaking, approximate?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: What am I will be an increase, correct? Oh, yes. Thank you. Years ago, I used to call this developer extortion. But in reality, I understand the mentality by calling it linkage. Because when you start digging a hole or destroying a building and putting up a new building, there's definitely going to be costs, especially if it's a 40-unit or 100-unit apartment building, for example. Because you've got the infrastructure of the storage, the drainage, et cetera. And who knows what else? Right now, I think it's like $5,000 per apartment.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: 3,903. 4,000, okay. And that's in East Medford price or the rest of Medford?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thanks. I'm just curious. once the building is completed and they do the infrastructure, what happens to all that extra monies?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's coming up, possibly? Yes. Later on the agenda. How much is in the fund, presently, you said?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Total, yeah. And how much is allocated for the Christine Campbell, the Marathon Bauman Fountain, which has been out of commission for more than three or four years?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: How long has that money been appropriated?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I really appreciate that. Thank you, Councilor Scott Peller. Thank you. Thanks for your time. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Cushing Street. I'm hearing there's an affordable, there's a housing problem, or shortage of housing, and especially affordable housing. And believe me, I can feel that pain. But it seems to me, what the so called illegal aliens that are coming in, it seems like that would make housing more of a problem than help. But I gave a solution to Councilor Kit Carson, is she here?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, I gave her a copy of the New York Post. Johnny Carson. I thought she was on Zoom. I gave her a copy of the New York Post about a month and a half ago, and it was a solution that they use in New York City. And I suppose, I hope she read the article, and I hope she shared it with you people, because it's called apartment cooperative ownership.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, thank you. This is not chapter 59, 5C. This is to make housing much more affordable. They've done it in New York City for many decades, I'm sure. For example, my guesstimation, the price of a million dollar condo here would cost you, if you put zero down, it would cost you a lot of money. But if you buy this co-op, it would be probably a third of the million dollar price. It'd be probably in the ballpark of $300,000. That means if you're paying $2,000 rent now and owning nothing but stacks of rent receipts, with the $2,000 rent, that'll allow you to pay 500, 1,000, $2,000, it would allow you to get out of the rental situation. You could borrow $400,000. with a $2,000 rent payment by giving it to the mortgager. And you have total rights to your apartment, just like a condominium, you own shares in the building. It makes sense to me, I'm not sure if they have the apartment co-op ownership around Boston, but it would be like three times less expensive. you can get out of paying the rent and making the landlords happy. I just wanted to bring that up again. I hope you investigate that.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: someone left their trash. Listen, I kind of understand in this country, how we could have a housing shortage. When I was educated in the seventh grade back in the 60s, back at the Lincoln Junior High School, I believe an economics teacher that said to me, this is a democratic republic. And it's a capitalistic society. which runs better than Russia or China, as a matter of fact, from what I understand. My point is, I was told it's supply and demand. Well, if we're in such a crisis, what the hell happened? How come the developers were not on top of this? Or is the government somewhat responsible for discouraging and not encouraging development? Maybe lower the linkage while you're at it. I don't have the answer because I didn't go to too many colleges, but it doesn't make sense to me. And furthermore, you mentioned Chapter 40B. Now that's a state law. The developers can come in if you don't have over 10% affordable or something to that effect, they can come in and circumvent your actually your building codes, et cetera, to a certain degree. Is it true that we have one, two or three large developments of apartments that are 40 Bs that are tied up in court by the city? Is that true?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And these are how many units approximate? Hundreds of apartments?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Well, something doesn't make sense. Something is rotten at Denmark. This shouldn't be a shortage. There might be a shortage of cash with all this hyped up inflation. That I'll agree with. I don't understand. The life sciences went down the tubes, right? That's where they were going to put the illegals, as a matter of fact, in the building that was sold from a Boston retail, where my son worked. And he's probably stuck with not just that building. He made two offers they couldn't refuse behind him, including Santini Iron Works. And I guess musical chairs is over. And that's That song is done for now.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I think we're in a sad situation. I hope leaders can fix this.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Gee, you're cheap.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, I noticed. Am I off then?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: The Councilor made a good point. Land is scarce in 02155. There's plenty of land. A third of Medford is woods. That's called Middlesex Falls Reservation by Saltwater Road towards Stoneham and Winchester. That's over a third of this land mass that's protected. However, I remember on Mystic Avenue, I lived there. listen to those big trucks going to Boston, because that was the highway to Boston, Route 38. It's still called Route 38, it's still called Mystic Ave. But when they built Route 93 in 1960, I remember the eminent domain, these houses over here, And I remember making a raft out of telephone poles, about eight of them with two by fours. And we sailed like Tom Sawyers down the Mystic River. When the ocean came up to Medford Square, the Chronic Bridge, my blowtide was not pleasant. However, when they built 93, they never developed Mystic Ave to its full potential, especially on The 93 side, they have huge parcels of land that have buildings mostly, and it goes back, the lots of land go back like 300 feet. And at 300 feet frontage, it's huge. And if I remember my real estate business, there are air rights.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Air rights.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: 20, 30, 40, 50 stories. 50 stories. You can call this Boston. You have air rights and if you need a variance, so be it.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, thank you. The name is Castagnetti, you got that right. Andrew.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: The other side of East Medford.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That is correct. Thank you. To protect the innocent. I've been a resident too long in this one horse town, since 1955. I didn't really want to come speak for this because we have a bigger fish to fry. And that's why most of us are here. However, when I started hearing about this stabilization fund, I started to get concerned. If any of you own homes, if... Thanks for the interruption. I got my HO3 bill yesterday. You know what that is? Council President, do you know what that is? A HO3 bill.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You don't, okay. It's simply a homeowner's insurance policy.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: In layman's terms. And the bill went from, it was $1,000 five years ago, it was $2,500 last year. It went to 3,000, three large. I don't know how you people pay your bills because I'm struggling with a fixed income. So this is about stabilization, all right? The point is no further taxation without proper, proper, proper representation, period.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti Cushman Street. Normally, if I recollect from 10-20 years ago, the condo ordinance or laws to develop condominium complexes requirement was 2.5 parking spaces per condominium. However, that's changed, especially when you have transportation nearby. My question would be simply, How many parking spots or partial parking spots would you have per condominium?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Paul Cassinetti, Cushing Street, East Medford. What time is it?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Don't be a wise guy.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I already did that. Ham and cheese.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: 10, 15, May Eastern Standard, right? I got five minutes, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'll agree, affordability is a monumental problem, but it's not my culpa, it's not my fault, and it's not these people's fault behind me either. To make matters much, much worse, this week, three years ago, rampant inflation started, the worst in 50 years since Carter's presidency. P.S., inflation is the most regressive tax of all. It's horrendous. It applies to everyone, but the rich don't feel it. It's against us all. Math does not lie, but people skew the numbers. In 1955, my father bought a 400, 250-year-old house. Poirot, Riviera, Asheville didn't buy the house. It used to be on High Street next to Gaffey's slash this and that, and they moved it to make Governor's Avenue. I don't know how they did it 150 years ago with logs and bulls. That's why the floors were all sag. He paid 11.5 for that house. His salary as an immigrant cook was probably $2.50 an hour. I believe it's $5,000 a year. It's a close guesstimate. He's not here for me to ask. So let's call it 15 grand. He's making five grand, so that's triple. The yearly salary qualified him to pay three times his annual salary, which is 15,000. He actually got it for less. Today, 2024 with $100,000 a year, I wouldn't know what that is. Maybe some of you people know, maybe my guess is pretty right on, maybe it's not. But I'm taking $100,000 figure today's salary times three years to qualify for the mortgage from the lender would let you allow you to buy a dwelling for 300,000. Where are you gonna find a house for 300,000? I don't know. 600,000, probably. 900,000, that might happen. So the point is, inflation is rampant. And my mother took care of the two children, and she didn't work. And he paid it with a rent that says $100 from his brother and $80 a month rent from his brother-in-law who he sponsored to come from Italy, the old fashioned way and get him a job. And he wanted me to kick in to buy three new heating systems. I said, sorry, I'm going to Woodstock, I'm done. He sold the house. 40 grand you don't want to hear the rest so I'm going to cut that short. The point is, I gave you people a solution. The last meeting, two minutes ago I was here, I guess that's a month ago or more. And I gave I had the city messenger. Mr. LaPore give an old New York Post I had from January, and gave it to Councilor kick Carson. Maybe she can hear and she remembers it. Maybe you can recall. I don't know if anyone read it. It's a solution to the housing problem. It's called co-op apartment shares. Co-op ownership. They do this in New York big time, probably 30 years ago to make it affordable. So anyways, I don't know if you people have any information on that. If it's done around Boston, has anyone done any homework to find that answer? If you have a housing problem, you should have checked that out in my humble opinion.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Answers?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's not fair. He took up some of my time.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, the point is, if you did it, we also, if it makes it more conducive and doable, we have three parcels of city land. One here, next to 93, one behind you, and one across from the senior citizens, their parking lot. So that might solve a big problem. So I would look into it if you have any things to do that's gonna help.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And this is important, Councilor Beards. I never busted him. I got it.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, let me finish my first round.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I understand. I'm I'm usually the one is your million dollar Mr. Castagnetti. Yeah, but let me finish the point. The million dollar condo. Fussy Lansky.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Scott Powell, you get a gag order, it's my turn, quiet. You get 20 minutes. I know, my wife's been wrong. All right. Oh, by the way, thank you for, I think you remember.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Correct. I wanna thank you very, very much, I appreciate it. I like to close off meetings, but I didn't realize it would be the next day. What time is it?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm sorry, what was the question? My paper?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Who's who's talking? It's Matt. I thought it was from the movie, 13 Ghosts. I just watched it. Never mind. You wouldn't get it. It was 1964. These papers, I have to get my notes in order because these are my president notes, my cue cards. They're all shuffled from not speaking before. That's what they are. They're cue cards, presidential ones.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I bet you do. So anyways, maybe I can get this done real quick. I'll agree affordability is a monumental problem, but it's not my fault, it's not their fault. And to make matters much, much worse, three years this week, we've had the most worst rampant inflation in 50 years. P.S. inflation is the most regressive tax of all.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I guess you interrupted me, I mixed up my presidential cut.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: All right, so this is, I think it's number two. Math doesn't lie, but people skew the numbers.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's great, good memory. You have a great memory, what did I say?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And what was below it?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's not coming here. My old man paid 11 five for the house. Yeah, he met his $5,000 salary, the call of 50 so he paid triple the salary today you make 100,000 a year, I have no clue. I never seen that kind of money. The same formula would be you could pay only 300,000. You ain't gonna find for three, it's gonna be six or 900. So you're gonna have to put up a heck of a hundreds of thousands and thousands of dollars down payment in order to qualify with the mortgagor. I gave you a solution a month ago from the New York Post, cooperative shares. It's like a condo, but you have shares. It's the same thing, but instead of a million dollar condo in this condo area in Station Landing, you get into it for 300,000. Think about that. If we take a mortgage for the whole $300,000, no money down, it's $510, $1,500 a month, instead of you paying $2,500 a month rent right now. This is a solution.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Oh, you know I had my last one.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I waited until after midnight.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You know, you're a pain.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: By the way, the CPA tax, there's a story about that. When they started gathering the signatures like five years ago, and one of the girls was Ms. Cameroon, along with other girls, and they gathered signatures by the hat shell here, and they only needed half the required signatures that you and I, the regular people, would have to acquire in order to put it on the ballot. because the state did that, because they liked the tax. They allowed that. And anyways, that was not fair, because not only that, they put the ballot question on the CPA tax on the back of the ballot. Not very many people turned the ballot over, and it passed by a narrow margin. That was like unfair. Also, by the way, I told you about the HO3, car insurance came in yesterday, $2,500 to $3,000.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's crazy, the house bills are insane. There's a quote that goes like this, tax the rich, feed the poor, until there are no rich no more. Tell me where is sanity? But the point is, I don't worry about the rich. They can only sleep in one house if they have five mansions like the Rolling Stones. The point is, it's the middle class you're destroying now. No more the lower middle class. Now you're going after the middle class. Once you do that, we don't have a society worth a damn. You might have a Marie Antoinette running on the best deal. That's serious stuff you're talking. I'm not blaming you, I'm blaming your government.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: or say middle class. Oh yeah one thing Council my uncle said something there's a city council you probably don't know him. He just say one thing that I agree with one, and he said leave the people alone and Council March when he retired from this body, you might recollect. He says to you, Councils, as he left. Go easy on the people, especially his mother probably trying to on a fixed income like me and West method, trying to support herself. All right. So please consider we got to wrap it up there. It's a one paragraph.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'll speak quick. Please reconsider your proposal because if we give you an inch, you will become the ruler. What's next? A 51% sales tax or a hundred percent. Again, no more taxation without proper representation. Leave the people alone. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I would accept.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello, Councilor Bears. Are we on?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew P. Castagnetti, Christian Street, East Medford, Mass. Through the Chair, I'm asking all the Councilors that are present and should be present Do you have any intentions of going after the lawnmowers and snowmobiles, excuse me, snowblowers?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay. It's going to be a hardship for some of these lawn care peoples and it's going to cost the consumers more. I understand that. But I remember on my honeymoon way back in lovely San Francisco, when it was nice, I used to be waking to 6 a.m. at the hotel by the leaf blowers, and it was not nice to my ears. And plus, the dust is bad for my nostrils, along with cigarette smoke, of course. I have no further comments about this. I'm going to take the fifth. As long as you don't go after our Second Amendment rights to carry firearms. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Well, here's your worldwide search it ends right here so
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti Andrew from East Medford.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Three questions. What is the total cost of this project?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And this is strictly for Method residents, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: He hasn't had a spoke in four hours. I know. Or five. My sympathies. It's more like six. It's a nasty habit. This is about housing stability, right Councilor? Right. It's a problem. When I get out of, The old high school, 68, it still stands like the Coliseum. You have new high schools going to hell because of the leaks, no one takes care of. It's just sad. You have over 8,000 houses in this community made of wood, over 100 years old. Most of the immigrants bought them, and with low pay, kept them alive without leaks. It's sad to condemn. Picking more buildings like the library, the police station, the fire station cries, the new high school ain't so new anymore. It's sad what we did to our buildings through lack of maintenance. We have this problem, Houston, and it's terrible. Now, when I graduated high school, of course, my father was equivalent to sixth grade in Northern Italy. But I remember they were telling me that this is a capitalistic society and it's based on supply and demand, nothing to do with our president. It's just the way it is. So I can't understand how we have such a housing crisis and a shortage of houses if supply and demand usually dictates when they're gonna build. Something is amiss, maybe government has to be more involved. It's sad. Now, some of us here are paying over $1,000 in rent, maybe $2,000, maybe we go to three, maybe it's four. Since I'm around five. It's horrible. You're gonna be making tons of cash. It's terrible. I feel bad for people. I can't even afford my cigarettes. Camels are $18 a pack. I won't tell you it was 28 cents. 28 cents went to Dr. Nolkemar in 1962. You really care about us? If we ever quit smoking, they want us to quit. We'd have to redo a prop two and a half override. Get my drift? But anyways, I have a solution. I brought this up when you had 50, 60 people When they were being evicted, the developer bought the apartment building behind Gaffey's Funeral, it used to be called, Captain Isaac Hall's house back in 1776. And they were upset, and I don't blame them. After so many years of paying short rent, five, 600 bucks, and they were on the street. I don't know what happened to these people, but they came here that night. You might remember, Councilor, through the chair, Councilor K. Collins. And so we have an expression in Northern Italy, saying, la punda més que la crida. Translation is, on the first of the month, who's laughing and who's crying? You know, but if you don't get in on the action, and I don't have the stones to do so myself until I finally pull the trigger, it's hard to get into the game. When you're talking, you need three, $400,000 salary in order to qualify for a damn mortgage at a million plus. Am I wrong?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I couldn't help I get it from the gallery.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's my job. I apologize. My job usually. I know. So anyways, I have a solution, which I brought up after I said, Oh, well, who cries? And I mentioned it, it happens in New York City all the time. For decades, I don't know of one building in this Boston area that uses the co-op ownership method. Do you understand what I'm talking about now? No, anyways, I brought you, don't get offended, the New York Post. It's December's issue. I wrote here, save C page 33, which is right there, for City Councilor Kit Collins. I'm gonna make you get up for a change. Can you give this to her please? It's a story, it's a story. Now he needs the exercise. Let him do his job. Yeah, let him do his job. It's a story kit about co-op ownership in New York City. In a nutshell, I'm guesstimating with my six-year education that you have a million-dollar condo, which means you get to make $300,000 in order to afford it, right? Instead of you paying a million dollars for a condominium in Medford or Allentown or anywhere, with a co-op ownership, you will have that same square footage, around a thousand's average, for a third of the million, $233,000. It's a co-op ownership. You don't own it totally, you own shares. The price stays the same for decades. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Christian on East Medford. You have two minutes. Thank you. I'll make a list. Can you hear me? I am shocked and pleasantly surprised at this government finally catching on to try some other medicines that are totally natural. Of course, I'm hearing a lot of good stories, especially I believe Matt works for the Mass General. He would know more than me because I'm a layman, although I'm a Woodstock graduate. I am so excited to see there'll be some possible natural remedies to maybe 35% of the population is my guesstimate. And I'm sure I'm close, especially to my old buddies who are still alive, missing limbs with PTSD from the 1960s Vietnam War. Good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: There's a lot of people here. I feel like I'm at a ballgame.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I canceled most of everything I was gonna say. Hearing these poor people, I feel horrible. As some of you know, I've always been a peaceful person since I went to Woodstock in 1969 and protested the lousy, undeclared war that cost us 60,000 soldiers dead, 10 times that, 600,000 wounded. Some of my friends in body bags, some are still around with PTSD, missing an arm and a leg, living in Medford right now. War is hell. Actually, it's worse than hell. And we also protested the mandatory draft, which might happen real soon in this neighborhood, again. Just like Israel's had a draft for male and female, or she's, whatever. They've had it all these years since before I was born. This war is a total mess, and the world is one bomb away from World War III. May I say a God's heavenly prayer for all, please? Really, you'll let me?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: because before I heard some rebuttal that you didn't like the prayers. Almighty God, creator of heaven, earth, all sentient beings and more, please get me and all of us to be and do the best that we can, now, always, forever and ever, in our quest for eternal, blissful peace. Amen.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Some of us might swear there ain't no heaven, but we all better pray there ain't no hell.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti E. Smith. I think it's great that you're going to do this DIA education thing. It's wonderful. But on the other hand, I believe the most qualified job applicants should get hired for the job in the name of public safety and efficiency in our government and private sector, in my opinion.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Medford. I remember like it was yesterday when JFK put the embargo on Cuba with the cruise ship missiles there. We felt like we were going to get wiped out by nuclear missiles from Russia, I guess. or the Soviet Union at that time. I think it's great to open up relations with Cuba, personally speaking, providing they don't have any military, especially foreign military installations there. And they don't empty their prisons and their asylums into the continental USA, as they have done in the past. So saying that, I'm okay with it because Cuban cigars can't be beat.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: One minute? You must be psychic, that's all I need. At this hour.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I believe I understand Councilor Matt's idea here, commercial vacancy tax. So the West Bedford Square and other locations can look fuller, like we're all selling on a full apple cart, and it looks better on a retail basis, I presume. And this may be an extra additional real estate tax, commercial real estate tax, on top of the existing, I presume. as a sort of penalty to push forward someone to rent it out, and make the city look better. Nate brought up 398-400 Riverside Avenue, and I believe it was Life Sciences that bought that building a year or two ago. My son used to work there in the machining department. And I'm just guessing that I think the life science industry hit the fan. And he paid, or the entity paid $29 million, I believe, for that property. And his last sold, I think, I forget, and previous to that, it was sold for a dollar, probably father to son, I presume. So, And I believe the entity bought the building behind it, and also the other building behind that, which was Santini Ironworks. They've been in business over 100 years. They build steel beams to build all these bridges in Massachusetts. But anyways, they're all empty. Of course, they're not on street level in the front and center. But what concerns me more than all of this is this. And I'm generally going to ask if you have an answer and be willing to answer. I'm more concerned if the commercial real estate values are crashing. That is a question. Are they crashing? Commercial real estate values, are they crashing as we speak?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Right. Big time, I hope not.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, I understand. My real estate tax didn't go up prop two and a half style. It went up like four, $500. Again. Yeah. Every year for the last three years, 400, 400, 400.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, so what I'm concerned about is for, 17,000 real estate taxpayers, if the commercial real estate is going in the dumps, that means the residential real estate is gonna have a huge increase. It's gonna rise dramatically, big time. This happened before, and Mr. McGlynn had this meeting at the McGlynn School. I said, well, what are you talking about? Prop two and a half, it should only go up like 50 bucks, a hundred dollars. He says, Andrew, you had a full house there, high rate residential owners. And he says, it's gonna go up, I think it was like $700 instead of the a hundred bucks usually. So I said, what about prop two and a half, Mr. McGlynn, Mayor? He says, Andrew, good question. Because when the commercial real estate values go down, We're gonna get it big time, maybe two, three, four times more increase than normal, which is already $450 for mine last year. That's a scary thought for people with fixed incomes. I don't know if you know about this, if I'm factual, but you might wanna check that out. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I think this is great that Councilor Bearsley brought this forward because maintenance is key, I've said many times. And furthermore, the McGlynn School, I'm not sure if anyone here knows it, but it's been leaking for years. It's only a 23-year-old building, I think. That's when I asked for the bike path to be built from those schools to Medford Square. And finally, it looks like it's getting done. I'm impressed so far. But the point is, there's over 7,000 wood frame homes in this city. I'm guesstimating. And it seems like they're all still standing. And most of the people back 70, 80, 90, 100 years ago when they were built, most of them were legal immigrants, and they didn't make much cash, salary-wise. But yet, they kept them afloat, and they're still standing. So it hurts me to think, I remember when they built the Method Library in 59, and it seems like 63 years later, A brick and mortar building is condemned and they had to rebuild it for 30 million plus two from Bloomberg. And if you see the configuration of the two or three roofs, it's like an invitation for snow and leaks to occur, in my humble opinion. I'm not a contractor. So the police station, same thing. I remember being a customer there back in 63 when that was built, I believe. And I told my friends, it was their fault. They weren't quick on their feet like I was.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That was five, six years before that. So what I'm trying to say is, if I cut out the Milwaukee, brick and mortar buildings owned by the city of Medford, our most precious assets are not being taken care of. And we don't need no debt overrides, a prop two and a half overrides, debt exclusions.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I want to congratulate all the new Councilors that were elected, first of all. I also want to thank all the other political figures that ran and spent a lot of time and effort and cash. And I want to thank them for trying hard. I came because on this agenda, it does say 19-554. I didn't realize it was six years ago when I brought this up. and before that, and it says resolution to add noise barriers along Route 93 on the north side. So I'm here to correct this because it was done, well, first of all, I should back up to like more than 10 years ago, I believe, when, as you mentioned, Mr. Donato, the state rep, he had done great things for the city, including getting Chevalier all kinds of seats, and you're speaking about trees, et cetera. So he's had some good clout in the state house. However, when he came forward and said, I have the cash in place in order to add a sound barrier on one side only, and that was the west side. which is the West Medford side of 93, in my opinion. So I said to him, and he didn't like it. I said, Mr. Donato, if you're gonna give it to one child, why not give it to the other side of the Route 93 child? And he made a comment, I don't want to misquote him, but it's something to the effect like, oh, I've had a few complaints from some East side residents on the East Medford side. So my reply to him was, I can't see how a few people can sway You, as an individual, not to give it to our east side. So I don't recollect if there was any comment after the fact. As a matter of fact, there probably was not. So I was ecstatic to see this on the agenda yesterday, and that's why I am here. However, I'd like to see this corrected to state that on the east side of 93, not the north side, because this is west, east is on the opposite side, and it's not north. And as Councilor Bears, I believe, mentioned certain areas that should have it. And I believe he said, and he's right, where I am near Riverside Avenue, it should start not just at Riverside Avenue, further south, about a football field, three, four, 500 feet, probably. Actually, we're right on top of the river, on the bridge, behind the Senior Citizen Center, because there's at least five condominium complexes there, and houses on the Ship Ave and Marine Street area, which is, that alone has gotta be, 500 units.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Also 93 goes in the opposite direction towards Boston South.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So I think there's a semantics by my mentality.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I got a pretty good compass rose in my head. You know, I know my directions quite well. And also, who wrote up the resolution? Does it state where it starts and where it finishes?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Does it state where this barrier would start and where it finishes?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Who makes that determination, us?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So do we know when this, if it ever gets started, when this will start?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Can you ballpark that timeline?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I really would appreciate that for at least half the population of the city, over 30,000 on the east side. We keep getting the short end of the stick.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And we supply more real estate taxes than all the other three sections of Medford combined probably.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I want to say thank you, but it would be nice if it was done from day one, east meets west.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I want to say this. Cushing Street, Medford mask. This is one heck of a heinous-ness meeting tonight. I must say, I want to say that our Council President Morell has the power.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: We got the Council.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I believe it would cut their salary in half.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Thank you, Councilor. Can you hear me?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President. Good evening, Honorable Councilors. I haven't been here in a while, and I'll make this very brief. It is election time in two weeks, and I have some pros and cons for the city of Medford that concern me and other voters. Number one, on a positive note, we have the best, as you know, location in all of New England, five miles north of Boston, Interstate Route 93. Can't beat it, and mostly residential community, by the way. On the con side, I live in Mystic Ave, and in 1960, they built Route 93. That was 63 years ago. Mr. Gav was kind of like in rough condition business-wise in those days. It's the same old song and dance, mostly cars and car lots and too many cars. And it's just a disaster. So I was thinking out loud here that we should have requests for proposals from the best you can get, even from the boys from New York City and the New York Minute. to give us the best, as Murata would say, best possible use for that land while we're still here. And don't forget, it's like 63-year relic. This is a great opportunity. It's probably 35 times more valuable today than it was 63 years ago. So if I was in charge, I would have mixed shoes, like the Roman Empire did business The first floor would be business, commercial, even a 24-hour donut and coffee shop, and other commercial businesses, retail. Second floor, you could do offices, whatever, insurance companies, et cetera. And the third floor up to this, whatever, six, seven, eight, nine, especially on the east side of the, which is next to 93, it's a lot of land back there. You could have affordable housing. I mean really affordable housing instead of what they call affordable. And this is a golden opportunity, especially with the rental problems these days. And then maybe after you have all these residential units, maybe you'd be able to adopt by chapter 59, section 5C, the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption. Although not everybody would be grateful about that. So I guess I said enough about that golden opportunity. But first we have safety issues in the city. And number one I have is the same old song from when I was here three months ago. It's Roosevelt Circle. Get on 93 right here, go north, first exit is Roosevelt Circle. As you're going around the intersection, the roundabouts, as they say in Great Britain, there's weeds that are taller than me, they're six feet tall. And it's an obstruction, it's a danger, it's a safety problem. And the cars are flying around there. And guess what I found out, coming back from my friends from our walk around the Hidden Reservoir, coming down 93, from Stoneham to Roseville Circle, it's worse. Not only do you have eight foot weeds, you have 30, 40, 50 foot high junk trees, wild. And you cannot see what's coming around the bend on the roundabout. There's been too many accidents there. You can say, hey Andrew, this is MG, it's a state issue. Do you know something? I'm not that smart, maybe you people are city councilors, that are smarter and more honorable. Maybe you should just check it out. And if you feel it's an issue, you drop the dime to the state and not leave it on Castagnetti. You might have more pull. I'm tired. I've been fighting the city for too long. And I've come up with solutions. I'm not trying to be negative. Another one's a problem. I'm gonna talk fast because you're not gonna wanna hear about this. You're on Mystic Avenue from Somerville driving 38 north towards Medford Square. As you pass Harvard Street, you have two lanes on both sides. There's no cars parked there at all. It's a state road. It's the old highway to Boston before Route 93. And then all of a sudden, we're doing 40, 50, some are doing 60 miles an hour on average. I'm not pushing the number here. And all of a sudden, it merges into one lane. And instead of no cars, right after Atlas and Hancock Street, as you mentioned earlier, Councilor, there's five cars parked there. Why can't they park further down in front of the VFW or the Verizon building? That gives us an extra 100 feet to make the adjustment. I see a car roll over there with an accident with an elderly lady. There's too many accidents in that location. I'm not gonna say it again for the fourth time, so I said it for the third time. I wonder about this missing bike path right behind you, Councilor Morell. The bike path comes from Arlington, West Medford, it goes right into Medford Square, right behind you, at the Senior Citizen Center, it stops. It's a half a mile blockage. Once you get to the Doug Andrews School, 23 years ago they were built, you had a bike path all the way to take the subway, you don't have to worry about driving down Willis Ave. You could take your bicycle, you could walk too, or a wheelchair. So what happened to this missing bike path? Can anyone tell me what's going on? When will it be done? All these people want more transportation, but what is going on? It's been five, six, seven years I've been working on this and broke my head in one of the potholes there. Can someone tell me, please?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Cool, and by the way, it's gonna be within 12 feet of mean high tide next to the river, I hope, because that's the Massachusetts law back in the 1700s on the riparian rights. You know about that, right, Councilor? I absolutely do. I'm glad you do. I always said you were smart. But let's get the job done.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I don't wanna get PO'd, man.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I wanna be able to use it with a bicycle, and not have, down the road, they have to use a wheelchair.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Oh, come on, this is ridiculous. Okay, I'm gonna keep my animation down. And what about the marathon bombing? 2000, what? My wife had cancer, I was in Mass General. I wanted to go, she said, I don't want to go, let's go, I've never been there. Thank God we didn't go. And I missed the Dalai Lama too, at the Buddhist temple. But the point is, McGlynn, Mayor McGlynn, he got a lot of business people at the Chamber of Commerce thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands to build the Kristin Campbell fountain. I don't see any activity. I don't see any water spouting out of that for at least months, years. But Mr. Scarpelli, Mr. Caraviello, can you help me?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: The parts are on order? They can't get the parts?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Where is it, a pump? What's a pump, $100?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I know you've always been good about these things, Councilor. I appreciate your help. You have good common sense. I want to say that. I'm going to say it again later.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Where is the scoop? I shouldn't say this. Where is the scoop on all the silence with the airplanes running? runway 33L. It's another construction. Haven't heard a plane in months or months. That's why I'm going. Yeah, just don't jinx it. Why? Somebody must know the answer.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Maybe they forgot about us.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Let's hope is correct. I must thank City Councilor Caraviello for having great common sense all these years. I really, we thank you for that. Thank you. And hopefully your concern will come to materialize and fruition about that guy, that big guy north of Richmond might cause a drag us into a World War III.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I saw buying Camel cigarettes at 1750. It must be Biden economics. It used to be 28 cents a pack. 28 cents a pack, 1962, when the first bar movie came out, Dr. No. The stock market went up so many times, the cigarettes went up more, 20% more than the Dow Jones. Can you imagine? Larry knows what I'm speaking about. Okay, you city councilors, would you want to take this opportunity to tell the voters of your best accomplishment in the past two years, starting with Councilor Knight, but I think he's indisposed.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Going to tell us, can you, can Council build some of your best accomplishment in the last two years? And I want to go around the horn. I'm sure the voters want to know.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You don't get into that, you said? No? Okay. Lastly, I have a really, really cool idea for the city, for the best landmark. What's the, it's essential or something? The best landmark in the city. Do you know what the best landmark would be in your opinions? Not the big or low building. Do you anybody have an idea? The best landmark in this city, what would that be? Like a square? Wright's Tower. Wright's Tower. How about the London? How about the footbridge behind Old Craddock's? The footbridge over the Mystic River. I think it would be really cool If you did a like a salt and pepper thing like the bridge in Boston Council bid maybe you take $100 instead. I'm, I'm offering $100. I donate this to the city to put two strands of Christmas lights on each side of that footbridge since you don't know where to send that direction. It would look really cool with the lights glowing, have it come on at dusk. And by the way, my old electrician used to work for the city, Jimmy Abagast told me, and I saw it, the pole was right there. It's called the electric pole. I could spit at it. It's only five feet away from the bridge. So Mr. City messenger, please take this. I want you to do that. I want you to message it over there. Please write a check. Can you please get this to the mayor?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No, I want you to give it to the mayor.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm not dropping it off at the treasurer's office because when it comes to money, McGrath said he couldn't trust his own shadow.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: We should take a moment of silence for what happened in Israel.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You don't want the Christmas lights on the- We do, but- It sounds like a lovely idea.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street Method Mass. Thank you, Council President. If I may, I'd like to offer some historical information, according to me. I recollect Route 93 was built in 1960. And I don't think it affected the square in any way, except for the eminent domain. More importantly, in 1968, I graduated the old high school on Forest Street. And two years later, my wife closed the school, 1970. And they built a so-called new high school. in West Medford in the woods, and in my opinion, it was a terrible political mistake because Medford Square, with our three grades, 10th, 11th, and 12th, the baby boomers, 800 per class, about 2,500 students, and we're lucky if we had $2 in our pockets. However, we supported Method Cinema, Papa Gino's Joe's pool room, small ball bowling, where have advanced and God is the pewter pot. And I know there was Woolworths and grants, but that's a day of a different age. However, the square was vibrant. There was a lot of action, including Joe's pool room below old Markey's office. So that was a major mistake for the business of Medford Square, in my opinion. Also, I like to say, Councilor Caraviello was 100% right. I've been saying this for over 30 years at your meetings, that basically we turned our back on the river. Big mistake. I've been to Georgetown, Virginia, used to be a ghetto until the Kennedy's moved in there, and now it's high-end place. I they have all these beautiful pubs like bestsellers used to have, but their back have these beautiful porches on top of the river. And all these beautiful lights. I mean, we should have not turned our backs on the river. And furthermore, we built over 500 clipper ships in the city over 500. And over 300 of those ships were longer than the football stadium. Hormel Stadium, they're over 300 feet long. And we don't have one lousy clipper ship or a miniature version on clipper ship drive, whether it's in the water or on the shoreline. And to attract 50 people per busload coming in from Faneuil Hall is tourism. I think that should get done. Although Medford is a one horse town, It's, it's, they think that they're a bedroom community. And you're not going to make Harvard Square here, or Davis Square here. But furthermore, why not bring the the underground subway from Station Landon and have it emerge on one of these parcels of lands next to the river, then you'd have the eternal stimulus, in my opinion. However, also, instead of this diff thing, how about have you done any requests for proposals from all these big developers to see what they think they would like to do? And don't forget, we do own that land, the people, we the people own that land. So that's all I have to say at this point.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello, President Andrew Castagnetti, Medford, Massachusetts. I don't know much about this Airbnb business. However, I feel for Mr. Elliot Jockelson from Marshall street and all his neighbors who have to deal with all these different vehicles, maybe on a nightly basis, they should not be allowed to rent out a home, especially an absentee landlord. Um, and they rented it as a hotel. That doesn't make any sense to me. And this is unjust to the, to the people that live in the neighborhood. so uh I mean for lack of a better word um if one of your councils live next door to one of these hotels on a daily basis in a house it would really for lack of better english it would really suck plain english hopefully you have federal or state or local laws or local ordinances that you can uphold and have teeth because this should not go on it's not just Marshall Street's problem. I'm sure there's many locations. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay. Are we on?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Yeah. With all due respect to our city council at night, I disagree because this city does one thing really, really well. and that is collecting our real estate taxes. Also, is it time to adopt Mass General Law, Chapter 59, Section 5C? So the owner-occupied exemption will go to the homeowners who live in their home, and our savings will be shifted to those absentee landowners, house owners. On my street alone is three, Winchester, Andover, and Wellesley. Maybe it's time. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So moved.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello, Councilor.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, thank you very much, Council President. First off, someone had already chatted to your council that your volume is way too low, and it's still very low. It's hard to understand, except when Councilor Scarpelli spoke, that was loud and clear. If it's possible, can you turn it up a lot louder, and we can always adjust the volume on our end to lower it, please?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, thank you council. Listen, I have two quick points about the rodents and rats and things of that nature. Number one is I'm amazed to see a lot of holes in the top of these barrels, the rubbish barrels. And it looks like squirrels are chewing right through the lids. It's hard to believe, but it looks like that's what's happening. Have you noticed that?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I have a simple possible solution. um to make some sort of a spray ball and fill it with maybe a hot pepper liquid or something and spray the top of the lid so they would have some hot pepper and they might stop that business you know and because i don't think they like licking the hot pepper as they're chewing you know anyways that's one if you heard it yep thank you okay number two as far as the rubbish bottles um the raccoons are pretty cunning and they have hands and fingers they open those barrels i've seen them open the barrels they jump right in i don't know how the hell they get out or maybe they get dumped into the rubbish truck So what I do is I put a small bungee cord, there's a hole on top of the lid in the front, and I can actually bungee cord it with a four-inch bungee, or you could tie it yourself. But just make sure when it's time to go out to the track, you untie it, you know. That was number two. And I have an addendum. Did I hear Councilor Bears say something like playoffs? You mentioned that at seven o'clock earlier.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Playoffs. Oh, I'm sorry. I think the word was override, real estate tax override.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, it wasn't a playoff, it was an override. Okay, which has to be voted on by the public.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And hopefully if decree is the right word, then exclusions also while you're at it.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Please not here, because we're not Winchester. We've never had an override or exclusion in our lifetime. Never. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Let me unmute myself. Okay. Am I getting through?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, thank you. By the way, I did go to school also with Richard Orlando and he was one of the top three smartest kids in our class back at the Hancock School in the 50s. Anyways, and I didn't realize he had such great common sense. I would listen to that guy because it's getting quite dangerous out there. And that's not why I'm on. I wanted to address, Councilor Bears talked about building Tufts Park and the money it costs. It is my understanding But part of Park Method's agreement with the city was they were going to take, I'm not sure of the amount, $100,000 every year to build out and build up and improve all the squares. So far, I've only seen Tusk Square being done. And this was done without an override or that exclusion. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I want to thank councillors. Again, and again for many years bringing up the situation. That was the most dangerous intersection in the city. It's still pretty dangerous, especially when you have four foot weeds. It's an obstruction of view. If I may, I ask and I request to the council if you can add a second location, and that would be Roosevelt Circle. If you're in Medford Square and you get on 93 North, your first exit is at Roosevelt Circle. You will notice weeds that are probably five feet high on the left, and these cars coming around. That's a bad intersection on a good day. Many accidents there. And as of last week, the weeds were five feet high. It's an obstruction of view. If one of you would please attach this location for the DCR to cut it down, please.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm sorry, what was the answer?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You take that exit also.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Greetings, I said greetings.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Oh, shocking, absolutely shocking. It's a bad, sad night in Madford, let me tell you. You know, Mick Jagger once said, we need leaders, but we get gamblers instead. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: There is no more comment on it.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, thank you, Mrs. President. I am in favor of this petition, and I wish Russ Rossi best of luck. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you future references a second. First of all, casting Eddie Andrew Christian Street, he's met. I want to thank console cover your for bringing this up was. I knew Mr. Rossetti. Russ was a great guy. He probably still is a great guy. And if I could, I'd like to commend him for all his volunteerisms for that Chevalier Commission. It's been more than a decade, maybe two. And it's amazing what that man did for the city and Chevalier. I'd like to share a story he once told me. As he grew up in the north end of Boston, he had an unfortunate accident. He fell down an elevator shaft. And from that day on, he had severe back pain. And I don't even know how he got up and down the stairs in West Method. So I really commend him for putting all his efforts forth. He's a great man, and he'll surely be missed. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, since this subject has come up again and again and again, I recollect when Councilor De La Ruza was here, he called the plot holes plot holders. But anyways, I brought this up years ago. I kind of understand why you fix a pothole, and then it regurgitates, and it becomes a pothole again after it was patched. I brought this up years ago. Maybe we should reach out to other TPW yachts, such as Buffalo, New York, or Montreal, Quebec, wherever, someplace in Maine, where they have probably more potholes than we have, since they probably use more salt. If I DPW could reach out our administration, maybe there's a better way to build a mousetrap. Maybe if you cut them at an angle, what a task skills are, I'm not sure, whether it's slanted in or slanted out, or different type of material. but it seems like we're fighting mother nature and it's the same old song and dance. I've also lost two tires on the old 2155 out streets. I have yet to put in to get paid for one, but I think this time it's more time. And of course, Councilor Knight lost two at one shot on Mystic Avenue, but you gotta pay attention out there too.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: This is my last one, I'm going home.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Probably. What's the subject? Remind me. Post office. Thank you, Councilor. I want to say factually, my wife has a habit. of sending birthday cards and Easter cards and Hanukkah cards and things of that nature to friends and associates. And she usually slips in a couple of scratch tickets. I think you probably know where I'm going. This has been going on a few years. She asked her friends, did you get my card? The answer is no, no. So I find it very disconcerting that When I was a kid, it was said that the meal must go through a range, so no sleep, shine. And I hate to think that something nefarious is going on in the postal office, but that's lousy. And I'm sure there's some other stuff. As you know, in Melrose, the lady, I think we call her a lady, post office gal, was robbed at knife point by two hoodlums. And I guess what they wanted was, I didn't think she was carrying a 24-carat gold bullion, and she wasn't, but they wanted the key. the key to the city post office boxes. Now I'm not sure when that happens, if the post office general immediately changes the locks and issues new keys at that instant. Because in the old days, people would fish them out with chewing gum in a fishing rod, but they made them mailboxes. So I kind of put a decent package in there. I have to go to the post office physically to bring it in. So now when she tells me to mail these cards with scratch stickers in them, I go in the post office and put it into the slit where the sack is. But I'm not sure if that even works. It's kind of sad. The state of the country, the state of some peoples, it's just not right. I hope they can do something about this. Maybe put a tracker or some sort of technology chip or something. Find out what's going on. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Um, I'm very, I don't understand this 14 page, I believe ordinance. And I don't think 99% of the people in the city understand that either, nor have they even read it. I'm hearing things that sound pretty touching on both ends of the spectrum here. To be fully honest and full disclosure, I am a Woodstock graduate, 1969 in Bethel. And I wasn't a big fan of cops in those days. or Big Brother putting their nose in our business still. However, if something is happening that's violent and it's not fair, I mean, who are you gonna call? I think people wanna call the cops, not Ghostbusters or Dr. Phil or Phyllis. You're in deep trouble, and chances are, even if they're like three houses away, they won't get there in time, mind you. I just have one concern. Not that I'm a fan of cameras, the big brother thing. However, if a camera catches someone stabbing you, I would hope, I wouldn't hope, I would demand that that video, if it's authentic and not fake, should be shown in a court of law to Convict the culprit. And it should be colorblind, the camera.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Motion to close nominations.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Isaac Beezik Beers.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good evening. Andrew Castagnetti, East Method, Massachusetts. Am I getting through?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. I've come to praise Caesar and not to bury him, as they say. I must praise and commend whoever got Freedom Way repaved. Many, many kudos. Thank you very much. In the name of safety and humanity. And it's a good night. And I do hope it last a chance Donnie. Thank you and good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello. Good evening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good evening. Maybe it's a bad evening. It's Andrew P. Castagnetti. What the hell happened to an abnormal world? It's just insanity. I have three simple solutions. The first solution is to send George Soros back to Hungary, but he is banned from his home country.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm on topic, it's part of the problem, there's no respect, including the parents. Number two solution, sir, Medford High School must be policed and our laws be enforced to the fullest. And third and last, leaders should fall on the sword and we must hire good leaders with simple common sense, period. In other words, talk softly but carry a big stick. We need help. We need leaders, but we get gamblers instead. Please help the people. Protect and serve.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello. Good evening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good evening. Maybe it's a bad evening. It's Andrew P. Castagnetti. What the hell happened to an abnormal world? It's just insanity. I have three simple solutions. My first solution is to send George Soros back to Hungary, but he is banned from his home country.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm on topic, it's part of the problem, there's no respect, including the parents. Number two solution, sir, Medford High School must be policed and our laws be enforced to the fullest. And third and last, leaders should fall on the sword and we must hire good leaders with simple common sense, period. In other words, talk softly, but carry a big stick. We need help. We need leaders, but we get gamblers instead. Please help the people. Protect and serve.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: This is the time before we actually vote.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, East Medford. Today's December 6th, 2022. Greetings to the city councilors and Mayor Brianna. I'm here again, and I'm still disappointed that you and the mayor never adopted the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption named Mass General Law, Chapter 59, Section 5C. here in Medford. As was done in Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Malden, and our neighbor next to you in Somerville, which is saving the owner-occupied homeowner an average of $3,000 a year each off their real estate tax bill. So in closing, I simply ask, and you all, why not give us this Massachusetts static perk here in 02155?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: the 85% of the home occupied would receive savings instead of the usual 4% increases, which happens by clockwork instead of prop two and a half. It's more like four or 5%, especially with my two family. And yes, I would see an increase. So I'm not here to save money for me, it would cost me. But 85% of the people are gonna save. instead of the usual 4% tax. Also, if it's such a bad program, why is all these communities, especially some of them with a maximum of 35% shift exemption, why are they still in the program? They can drop out anytime. So could we, if we got in. And also, I don't wanna see anyone's bills go up personally. I think the tax man gets more than their fair share. It just never ends. If you wanna help, the renters, I suggest you all talk to your president in Washington DC to get them to reverse the energy situation. Because I've never seen this inflation since when Jimmy Carter was there in the 70s. And we had gas lines to buy gasoline for our vehicles. And if it's so complicated, it can't be rocket science if all these communities are doing it. Boston, I missed Everett, Chelsea, Cambridge. It started in Nantucket originally. And the formula is defective, I'll agree. It should not be a cutoff point of $700,000 or whatever. It should be rewritten at the state house that take the exemption amount of that tax swing at 35%, for example, it should be even dollars for every owner occupied one set amount. It can't be that hard to do the mathematics. Instead of someone saving 2,000, which is not right, which will happen in the Heights more than downtown. It should be one set figure, probably $700 it might come out to for every single owner occupied. I rest my case.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Cushing Street. I don't have any dog in this fight, but this is like worse than, this is worse than bad. I mean, imagine if it was one of you people that were lying on the floor bleeding. or you're a kid if you ever have a kid. This is more than unacceptable. I don't like bullies. I guess you got to talk soft and carry a big stick. In the old days, Lincoln Junior High School's Mr. Buckwell, the sheet metal worker. Mr. Scott probably must remember the story. And walking through front of his classroom during intermission in between classes or cigarettes, he would have a steel yardstick. And we would catch it on the rear. They would call a cheap lawyer today. They would own the city. As a president once said, talk soft and carry a big stick. You can throw all the money you want, as Calvillo says. But you know, if you don't take care of business, and this society wouldn't be gone.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm not talking about a peon, especially if, if, if the injured party were not respected properly, maybe set an example and teach it some good lessons. Um, I could go on and on. But to make it brief, if you're not getting a response, well, maybe it's true. Maybe I've heard this years ago. I never believed it. So maybe it's true that the tail of the school committee is wagging the city's dog. I don't know. I never went to a school committee meeting. I have no interest in it. They are full houses. I don't know if they're allowed to speak. As a matter of fact, at what time? quarter to 11, there's over 60 people on the Zoom meeting. And it seems like most of them are school committee members. If you're not getting responses, maybe they could tune in and plug in right now, hit the button. This is not acceptable. This is real bad. What if it was you? Get your stones together, cast a stone, rewrite it if you have to. Night is bright.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Christian Street Method Mass. I want to thank the council for bringing celebrating the Italian Heritage Month. And I appreciate that. In my opinion, I might be a bit biased, but Italy, the Italian people's probably the greatest contributors to the world worldwide. And they'll live in worldwide too. From the depression days when they had to get out of the country because they couldn't feed themselves. A few examples of their great leaders would be Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Ferdinand, Galileo, Marconi. It goes on and on. Miracle versus Gucci and we're named after that as the Americas. Thank you, Councilor. And Italian cuisine, as a matter of fact, where my folks come from, I'm not first generation, I'm half generation. I was born in Cambridge. I didn't speak English until I started kindergarten. I spoke another Italian dialect, one of thousands with all the mountains from the Alps down to the boot heel. The first gastronomical university in all of Europe was in Bologna, Italy, which is near Venice and Milano. And to a lot of us, Italo-Americans, the greatest of them all was the most courageous explorer of all time. Cristoforo Colombo, who said that the world was not flat, he would not fall off it, and he would get to the other side, but he was blocked by a couple of continents in the central, which became America. Imagine the courage on this guy, the stones, saying the world was wrong. And unfortunately, the King of Italy did not back him, or else it would have been all Italians in Central America. So Queen Isabella gave him the Nina Pinto and Santa Maria, and so be it. However, it's most unfortunate, and it saddens a lot of we residents that the Christopher Columbus School was delisted, the name was taken away. And mind you, that was done during the so-called Corona 19 pandemic when the world was shut down and we could not even attend the meetings live in person, mind you. I would have loved to have that opportunity to say a few syllables. I don't know why they took his name down to this day and destroyed statues. It makes me ill to think of that, the disrespect. They're saying that he's bad, he's a bad man, but no one's shown me any document that he was convicted of any crime and therefore was a felon. I don't see it. All I hear is rumors. I mean, can all our politicians that were elected, can they truthfully say that they're not felons? Here, next door, Austin, Washington, D.C.? Again, I thank you, Councilors, for bringing up Italian Heritage Month, but I wish Columbus was back on the school. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street Method Mass. My gut feeling says we do have a major problem with the parking department um, I went through it firsthand to get my registration and new license renewed And a very very unfunny thing happened to me on the way to the forum the parking forum um Bottom line is I have too much information. You don't want to hear it all. However, it is my understanding that the problem lies supposedly with Park Method, the previous bounty hunter, as Penta would say. I don't know if that's true, but we're in a big mess. I guess Councilor X, what was his name? Mr. Caraviello would know, but he used to say, what we have here is a lack of proper communication. I don't know what's going on, but it is terrible. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Angel Castagnetti, Cushman Street. Just wanted to say I wish your president lots of good luck and Godspeed and his quest to cure cancer. We could all use some help in that area. Thank you very much.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Governor Kamara, the chair of the Water and Sewer Commission, I strongly support everything these two gentlemen are going to be proposing tonight.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good evening, Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford Mass. I'll be very brief. I'm actually glad that you're a day late and a dollar short and not going to be able to get this Prop 2.5 override on this November's ballot, because a lot of the taxpayers are struggling to pay their bills. As you said, with inflation, especially the homeowners, Matter of fact, we already got hit last December when we set the tax rate. My hit was probably $450, an extra charge that just started this year. And if this $12 million override went through, I'm hearing it's gonna cost 800, it's gonna cost me $1,000 extra. At the worst scenario, and I'm not for overrides of two and a half, God rest Barbara Anderson's soul, Although the law is flawed on a state level, and I'll get into it some other time. Because everyone, every single owner occupied should get the same dollar amount. And that would make it fair. But I got to fight City Hall and Medford before I can fight the state. But I know my idea is perfect if I can get the right mathematician to do the math. So I don't need a thousand dollar jump on top of it all. And we're not Winchester with these overrides of two and a half or debt exclusions. Never been done in this town. However, if it did something like this for $12 million, that would cost me a thousand dollars one shot this year. I want you to do that debt override business. It'll probably cost $40 per annum. instead of $1,000 per year for 20 years until the debt is paid, then it stops.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, so like Winchester, I went to legal for $100 million debt exclusion to build the Winchester High School a few years back. And that was 800 bucks. per quarter for 20 years. So at least if you can't help relieve the taxpayer, as Dr. Sorella would say, come down even one lousy dollar. But if you can't really help the taxpayer, give them tax relief, or hear her, at least do no harm. Thank you for not getting it in a timely manner.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Is the part time city assessor Ellen Bordeaux going to be there?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: This is going to be a public meeting so people can come in in person.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Would you like to speak? No, he's good. I'm going to say something that's probably a bit insensitive, but I'm going to fix it with a solution. My godfather from Northern Italian dialect used to say to me, On the first of the month, he who laughs and he or she who cries. In other words, landlord tenant situations. And I think what he meant by that was, that if you can afford to buy the house, for some, even if they can, they don't want the headaches. And I understand, believe me. But eventually after 25, 30, 35 year payments, you own it free and clear, hopefully. And then you are in control of your own destiny, hopefully. So, there is a solution and you don't need the state for this. You can do it right here, especially on that mile of Mystic Avenue, the old highway to Boston 38 could do it like New York City does to control your rents. They have the cooperative housing I believe that's the term. Have you heard of a council. Thank you. So, whether it's. private or quasi government and quasi private, a mixture. And you could, the rents would be locked in with minimal increases. It can't be that hard to do if someone wants to get going. But also in Vienna, Austria, I cut out an article from the Boston Globe, but my wife has me throwing out papers, so I discarded it. It's a huge building, and it's quasi government and private, and everybody seems to be happy. It's not like a development or a project type that we have here. I mean, it has a swimming pools, it has everything. So it can be done if somebody wants to do it. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti. When I grew up as a kid on Mystic Ave in a house that was built in the 1750s, I believe. It used to be where Governor's Ave is. They moved it to Mystic Ave to make Governor's Ave. A reasonable facsimile of Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. Hence, you have the islands in the middle, but you don't have those beautiful brownstones. My father used to say to me, with a sixth grade education method is anti-business. So he said, look, the only two businesses that are making it that's Cal's diner and Hosmer. And constant light is getting ahead of me. Carol's is still is there as part two location. They had a beautiful location, Grosvenor Police Station and the fire station. And Hosmer is now Grava. Hosmer Chiefs, baseball? Okay. So I'm agreeing with these two gentlemen to my left and right. I understand historical, I like to keep character. However, Even though we have over 10,000 houses at over 100 years old, to me they're not historical per se. The real house, house my father owned, I'm not mentioning where, because he might have problems down the road when they start destroying Mr. Gav to rebuild. So I'm not going to flip the card over. We're anti-business. If my house is built in 1910, it should not be questioned, it might be historical. If a developer wants to come in and rip it down, I understand you want to keep up the character, but you've got to develop the Councilor mindset and then add extra real estate tax base. It's sad, they have to wait a year and a half to knock it down, is that right? And they have to put up some serious money. and they have to carry that, and they still have to need the approval, mind you. And some of them went bankrupt, me and me on Riverside Avenue. I'd like to buy that parcel and do it myself, if it's not too late. You can't be anti-business to a point that you're crippling our city. I think I'm gonna stop talking. I'm kind of upset. It's just overkill. It really is.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Mr. Andrew Paul Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Mass. I never thought I would say this. It's like 53 years since I've been to Woodstock 1969. And I was not a big fan of method cops in those days. However, things certainly changed in the last two or three decades. And I truly respect them a lot more than back then. So I just want, especially in these trying times out there in this country, in the world, I believe we should back boys and girls in blue because they've come a long way since the safe deposit box heist.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President Morell. Good evening, honorable councilors. My name is Mr. Andrew P. Castagnetti, and usually I speak last on issues and to throw out my Andrew-isms or sort of, but Councilor Marks allowed me to speak first, and I'm gonna let the best, all these speakers, if they come forward to be, come last. I just wanted to say, I'm going to add a few points, I'll make it probably less than three minutes without point of information. This, no matter how you disguise this, it's not written on 22-439, but basically we all know it's a prop two and a half override, never been done in this city. Winchester's done many of them and dead exclusions. So if it's 12 million, why not go for 10 times that 120 million while we're at it? Because it's never enough, is it? For the tax man or tax woman, the city. What's next? Is this a prelude for a $300 million bond for a new high school, which ain't so new in 52 years? due to lack of maintenance amongst other buildings that were only 52 years old, library, police, fire, DPW, that's a different story. You're financially killing the working class heroes, especially the fixed income retirees. Don't you care? Don't you care? You've talked about housing affordability in Medford many, many, many times. Even the newies spoke of this, especially them who's paying rent or doesn't even own home property. Doesn't have to pay real estate tax per se. Your $12 million prop two and a half override will cost us probably more like 10 to 12% more on the current bill starting this fiscal year, which is already started. and you are still refusing us, the homeowners, my baby, Mass General Award, Chapter 59, Section 5C, the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption at the full 35% shift. We've lost over $2,000 a year, on average, per household. Since the Commonwealth of Massachusetts adopted this in 1998, mind you, that's 22 years or so. Imagine, even the state politicians had some compassion to help the owner-occupied homeowners, and many cities have adopted this savings. Somerville, Everett, Malvern, Boston, even Senator Kerry gets it at 28 Lewisbury Square, if that's his legal address, he's not lying to the IRS, again. And they're still doing it after years. Does that tell us it works or does not work? I don't know. Maybe my common sense is going south. I think it works just fine. It's still in the program. They didn't unadopt it. They adopted it and they're still using it. I've been asking you all for this real estate tax relief for 19 years, and be aware, this will not cost the city hall, a dime, Mr. Orlando, because the tax savings that the owner occupied would save is simply shifted to the absentee maybe slumlords. So the city gets dime number one. What if people don't understand that? I read the law. I have a sixth grade education, but I read the law. Has everyone here read the law? Has anyone read the law? Thank you. Hold that thought, sir. So again, I ask you all again, why not here? Come on, man.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, she couldn't even tell me how many absentee owners. What does she know.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I think you already said it. I just want to hang around to the end, because it's late, it's quarter 11 but point out as late as the last meeting was probably what 145 am is that the last minute. I'm not gonna get you there. I cut to the chase. I just wanted to say, I get passionate at times, because I guess I still care about this city, you know, for better or for worse and trying to make betterments. And I know you people must be in the same shoe or mentality. So, If I must excuse myself at times, I do. I hope you do, excuse me, excuse me. But I wanted to say one thing, because Mr. Gabb came up in conversation this evening, and how can I say for a lack of the proper word, not enough rules, tax going to the city of Medford, it seems. So I used to live on, Route 38, which is Mystic Ave, the old highway to Boston, when I was five years old. And then five years later, 1960, the old highway to Boston was not replaced, but made adjacent, parallel to Interstate Route 93. I think, I think, huh? You don't know when I was 10. Now you know the numbers. Now you get the numbers. Okay, you really want to know. So the point is this. Don't you think that this, that's like, it's a cash cow. It's still blighted with mechanic places and this and that, and bumpy, five times curved over, whatever. The point is, that's the old highway to Boston, Route 38. Why not? Of course you're thinking about it, but it's not happening. 60 years later, is it? There's the Rolling Stones 60th anniversary tour right now. Come on, man. You should have, who am I to dictate? Five, six, seven, eight stories. I won't. I was gonna say, I won't piss off some people and say 12 and 25 like New York City, 100. But listen, the first couple of floors should be mixed use like Station Landon or Assembly Road, right? Mr. Beers, are you still with me? I'm listening. Are you with Mr. Knight? The first couple of four should be as big shoes. Okay. And, and then above, it could have residential, you wouldn't have affordability problems, you could do it different ways and Innsbruck Austria, I believe they, the city had land and gave it to a developer. So it's quasi federal. Austrian federal and private, and they have affordable housing. And it's like, it's like, it's like the, not the timeshare. It's like, it's like they have in New York City. It's not called real, it's not called condos. It's some other term.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I believe it is co-op. Yeah, it is co-op in New York City. I don't think I've ever seen that here. Have you? Well, okay.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm glad you reiterated what I was implying. God bless you, I'm glad you know that.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's possible, you know, and we could have, I come up with an idea. I think I stole from Connecticut, Mr. Knight. Could have a third tax rate instead of 10 for the residential, 20 for the commercial, let's go for 15. It's quasi this and that, and maybe eminent domain, if need be. You could have Davis Square on Mystic Ave all the way, put a trolley.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello, Prez Morell. Can you hear me?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I just wanted to say, I just wanted to say it's been a long, long, long night for you people, but you must be tired. And, uh, what can I say? Uh, There are a lot of really good teachers that I know of, and there are some that are not so good, eh? But with a $201 million budget, hopefully we can make things do. And because it's just got to happen. I just have one question for Vice President Bears. Are you running for mayor, my dear?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, East Medford, Massachusetts. Thank you for your attention, Madam President. And the last One and a half years, it seems everyone wants free cash. From the federal government, the state government to the local cities and towns, it seems everybody wants free cash. And what we have is massive inflation. I saw RAC 61, make it 69 on this zoom meeting. And I figured prop two and a half override was coming or and a dead exclusion. And sure enough, I must be a psychic. You mentioned it many times, a lot of you, but not, but you know something, not here. It never happened ever before in Medford. This is not Winchester. As Dr. Starella says,
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm not saying cut. I'm telling you to make do with the $200 million budget, which would be an all time record. And let me finish, please. I know you have point of information. I'd like to end with one sentence. Can you hear me please?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. And be mindful you the city have not ever adopted to give us the real estate tax, the home tax exemption. It's not fair for the last 23 years. Come on, man. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, I know that maybe maybe in a couple of years before I get to old world.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Aye.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Just wanted to say thank you to Mr. Giglio. That was very thoughtful for recognizing our flag in this country. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford Mass. As Councilor Marks might comment saying that this sounds like a slippery slope. Personally, I would think that only one thing should go on to that City property the flag and that would be the United States flag while we still have it and also the prisoner of war POW flag and pretty much nothing else Because it wasn't for our veterans. I don't think any of us would be here today tonight If you allow one entity to put up whatever their mission is and Who knows where that may end and who makes these final decisions? We might end up with some group or entity that wants to worship Satan. And I think it's a bad idea to mix the government with people's missions. That's all I have to say.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Same address, Andrew Castagnetti. What's the population of Medford, by the way?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And how many people did you say are in the audience?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you for the answer. Thank you very much. Have a wonderful evening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, sir. I appreciate your input. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hi Andrew Castagnetti, Method Mass. To repeat myself from last week, it seems like after tens or hundreds of years that you want to change the rules in the middle of the game. Doesn't make good sense to me because if you're going to take off 20 meetings next year and He's still gonna get paid your $30,000 salary a year, plus expenses, and maybe even ask for a raise down the road. I believe it's gonna be a huge mistake because you're handicapping against the people. I wish you would reconsider. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Madam President. I just have one question to you, the chair. Is there an important meeting tomorrow night at city hall?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm sorry. Who, who, who's ill?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Uncle Albert.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford. Am I coming across?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Madam President. I'm very, very sorry. Dr. Starrell is gone. but he will never be forgotten because he was and is the best patriot who's for the people and for limited taxation here in Medford. He's the best ever and he's irreplaceable. Madam President, may I say a short prayer for him and us please?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Almighty God, creator of heaven, earth, all sentient beings, and more, please get me and all of us to be and do the best that we can now, always, forever and ever in our quest for eternal blissful peace. Rest in peace, my friend. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford. Good evening, Honorable City Councilors. I want to thank you, Councilor, President Morell. I actually want to commend you for putting this on tonight's discussion with the Mass General Law 59-5C with the real estate tax assessor. Is she here?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And after the committee of the whole, where is it gonna go?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, in that case, I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to make the committee of the whole if it exists in the future. So basically, I wrote this up real quick for tonight. I'm a little nervous, so please bear with me. This law, the Mass General Law, Chapter 59, Section 5C, was started in 1998, for your information, 24 years ago. Imagine even our state politicians had the compassion to pass this law to help lower the real estate tax for owner-occupied homeowners. But only, it's only if you, the mayor, and the council adopt this law at the full 35% exemption. Do you councils have, have you all, any of you, have you read the law in full? Okay, hearing none and seeing you not, thank you, Council President. These cities have adopted this law and are saving their own occupied homeowners tons of real estate tax monies. That's Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Cambridge, Somerville, and all of Boston. Even Senator Kerry gets it. 28 Lewisburg Square, if that in fact is correct address according to the IRS. And I believe these cities are still in none have dropped out, which tells me the majority must be quite happy with this program. Therefore, I strongly suggest that we, you, in the mirror, also adopt Mass General Law, Chapter 59, Section 5C, here in Medford, at the full 35% exemption. I want to thank you for listening and bringing this up more than six months prior to setting the tax rate in December, as I asked you to do. And I want to commend you again for bringing it up eight months prior Are there any questions or comments while I'm here?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I hope to be able to make it. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, Methodist. I wanted to, I don't understand, through the chair, I'd like to ask Mr. Caraviello, I didn't see that news broadcast about, yeah, internet. All right, so listen, my question is, you mentioned a figure. Did you say that the casino's selling the rental to a different entity for 1.7 billion or a million? Would it be? Wow, must be a lot of land there. And like you implied, maybe it's an end around to do as they please. So my question is, the most important question I would think would be is, has this bridge to somewhere, nowhere, maybe somewhere in the future, has it been approved yet? No. Okay, so who is the boss of that airspace over the busy Route 99 Broadway? The Gaming Commission will make that determination. Not the city of Everett where it's located?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So the state road is the state. Nothing to do with Everett as far as having authority. Well, who knows what's gonna happen in the state. The bigger these politicians are, the more you can count on the people taking it, you know where. Good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you very much. One time ago, I'm wondering if, if there's a better way to fill these potholes so they actually stay filled, or as Councilor Dello Russo called them, potholes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So I was thinking a little further out of the box. Maybe we should speak to someone who has more experience than us in colder fluctuations of temperatures up and down, such as. Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Iceland, I don't know. But it seems like they pop up everywhere. As Councilor Marches has said, I go put a glass of milk in my dish, on my dashboard, and by the time I get to Brigham's, it becomes a milkshake. It is bad. There's gotta be a better way of, fill in the holes, I mean, maybe cut them at an angle, whether it's inside or outside going down. I'm not sure, but it doesn't make sense why it just keeps crumbling. It's getting worse and worse. And to fix the a hundred miles of roads, it would cost more than what the government gave us, the 15 million, by the way.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President. I'm out of breath, having a hard time breathing with this mask. It's the most addictive drug in the world, nicotine. Did you know that one gram of nicotine would kill an elephant? True story. I wish it never started. Good evening, city councilors. First off, congratulations on your re-election to the new, all you councilors who are re-elected and to the new two councilors. Also, I must thank the others who ran for office and caring for Method's future. Thank you all. I'm sorry Frank Palmisano was gone. I first met him at the Old Method High School in 1965. After school, we used to go walk one block to Joe's pool room on the corner of High Street and Forest down the cellar with 10 pool tables. I guess we were practicing our geometry, mathematics, as we'd be shot many, many pool balls. And sometimes we all talked about how we could avoid being drafted into that lousy Vietnam War conflict. For you see, in the 60s, we teenagers had real issues to protest and worry about. The regime war in Vietnam, or was it a conflict? And the draft. Enough about history. I simply want to say, frankly, Frankie was a good boy and a man of good, good character. He'll be missed by many. Thank you, Councilor Knight, for bringing this forward and letting me know about this. And thank you all for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Mr. President Andrew, for me, Smith, I'll be very brief. Councilor Morell brings up some good points. I wouldn't want anyone to get told, unless they're in front of my driveway, or they're causing problems near where I have to navigate with my vehicles. On the other hand, signage, as Councilor Caraviello stated, that we get enough signs, it's more than sign pollution, it's sign confusion also. And the ex-chief, Leo Sacco used to say, we have too many signs in this city. I don't want to add any more. So I guess the song says, signs, signs, everywhere is signs. Don't do this, don't do that. Can't you read the sign? However, we need solutions. You already have a field that worked, it worked for me and some of my neighbors, and actually there were absentee owner tenants. And I was impressed that they paid attention. being absentee tenants, so to speak. So you do the reverse 9-1-1, and I guess you do an email, I understand, this evening. The only other solution I can come up with is maybe get a Times Square billboard in the middle of the square. But it's still never gonna satisfy all the people at any time. I wish you good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I want to thank Councilor Bears for bringing up higher pay for the cannabis industry, especially with three entities soon hopefully to be opened in Medford, and who knows what other type of cannabis entities might also open down the road. I want to thank you for that, because I'm sure it's a very lucrative business. especially with only three in the city at this point coming, unless there's too much competition, that might affect their profitability, of course. But I'm interested in Mr. Camucho, if he's still there, I'd like to make a point that I believe he said that some of these cannabis owners, have paid fines on the unfair labor practices come with the Massachusetts.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Do you know if this company has entered as one of the nine proposals for Medford or Mystic Avenue? I believe the address was like 142 or 144 Mystic Avenue to the right of Atlas Liquors. Do you know if they've been fined by the state government?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: What's the name of that company, sir?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Do you know the name of that company, Mr. Camucho?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I see.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay. And do you know if any of the nine applicants have violated the state law?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, I'm sorry to trouble you with questions that you don't know about.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti in Method, Massachusetts. I wanna say hallelujah, I am very thrilled and very happy to finally see this project hopefully come to completion. This is a half mile missing bike path that is a blockade to the rest of the 10 miles in both directions. From West Mifflin beyond, you can come to Medford Square today, but this is half mile that does not exist in the middle of the square from the Senior Services Center to the new schools. In my opinion, this is 20 years late when the new schools were built. It could have been done then, but better late than never, I hope. I hope it gets done now while I'm still alive. And I want, it must be, done according to the Riparian Rights Law in 1600s in Massachusetts, which guarantees we the people access to 10 feet above high tide along all waterways, including the Mystic River and the oceans and the state. And especially, it must be completed along the river behind those eight condos, numbered 54 to 68 on Ship Avenue, because they have two fences on each side of the property, next to the Royal House, the Riverside Yacht Club. Both their fences, from the front sidewalk to the rear, they go right into the river. That is a blockage of the 10 foot that We have a right under the repairing rights law in this state from the 1600s mind. So, and if the condo owners didn't know they didn't own the last 10 feet towards the river in their backyards, it's not the people's fault. They must have a deed and a plot plan. And the point is the law is on our side. Thank you very much. Also, is this going to go behind those condominiums? I want to ask the people in charge of this operation.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, before the restaurant closes. I have no idea what you're talking about. Well, all right, listen, I just wanted to add a few Andrewisms. I would be remiss not to say a few words on this last meeting of the year. Good evening, honorable Councilors, and start with our city Councilor, John Falco. You've always been a good Councilor and a superb, great gentleman. Thank you. To the chair, to city councilor Michael J. Marks, I wanted to thank you for being you and being the best councilor of all for many decades in Medford, Mass. You're the best of the litter. What else can I say? God bless, Godspeed, and good weed. Andrew said that, dark on. And now, As you said at the last meeting, Councilor Marks, maybe you'll join me on this side of the railing and approve the unoccupied real estate tax exemption through the council and the mayor, and then run for governor. Thank you. Wish you all a happy Christmas and holidays and a good, healthy New Year's. Love you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street Method Mass. I want to read some brief points, if I may. This is probably my 19th time here for this matter in December. My only agenda is to save the majority of owner-occupied homeowners some serious money in their tax bills. By the way, this report is incomplete. Was it a mistake or was it on purpose? Imagine even the state politicians felt the pain of the unoccupied homeowners and passed a law, Mass General Law, Chapter 59, Section 5C in 1998, 23 years ago. And it was adopted in Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Cambridge, and all of Boston. Even Senator Kerry gets it at 28 Lewisburg Square on Beacon Hill. If, according to the IRS, that's his legal address. Unless he's on his yacht, tax-free yacht in Rhode Island, I don't know. There must be a damn good deal for the majority of homeowners because the proof is They're still doing it and they have not dropped out of this wonderful program. So why not here in Medford? We've been losing out since 1998. If it's adopted, over 80% of the unoccupied homes, homeowners would see savings. And the actual average of savings would be $2,000 per year, every year, and increase in the following years, according to this outrageous inflation. State tax bill, real dollars. Our savings would simply be added to all of the absentee owners' real estate tax bills, meaning the city still gets the whole tax levy wanted. Also, if your home is in a trust, you will also get the exemption slash savings provided the trust is still in the owner's name, period. Also, thus our exemption does not affect the commercial entities at all. So in the name of fairness and justice, why not we give them, us, this real estate tax decrease to the homeowners who supported and carried our fair city of Medford for many, many, many decades. So why not here, please? It's long overdue. In closing, I'm asking, requesting all seven of you honorable city councilors, if you are for or against this Mass General Lobb Chapter 59 Section 5C slash owner-occupied real estate tax exemption. in Medford and why? If anyone wants to answer my questions, I appreciate it.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Your silence is deafening. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Please. I want to thank Councilor Marks for using common sense again. I appreciate it. I'm going to try to simplify what this means in net net. I have like 16,000 residential units. In reality, over 10, 11, 12,000 are going to save. And it's calculated differently. if you don't understand. Yes, the present tax rate proposed is $9.02. And yes, if we go with the full 35% exemption, which I would like, the tax rate would go up. However, what you do is, even if you live in a three family or a five family house, you will get it, but you get a dollar amount. In other words, at 35% shift, they take 35% of the value of your house, let's say it's a million, they take off 350, so that leaves 650, and then they calculate that at a higher rate. But in over 85% of the cases, you're saving money.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Public participation, may I? Good evening and hope you all have a merry Christmas and happy holidays. We will see you next week. I'm not sure if I'm still gonna be around. And to all else, a happy New Year's. Thank you, Mr. President.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Mr. President. First of all, Andrew Castaneri, Cushman Street, East Ford Mass. First of all, if I recollect correctly, your city councilors on numerous occasions have asked the administration for financial help to the city clerk's office because of all the responsibilities, including the voting Am I correct with that? Thank you, Councilor Marks. Thank you. I hope enough went to, the request was honored and heeded and enough of it went through to really help out in the situation of a city of 57,000 peoples. We must have honest and fair elections without questions. anywhere in this country, especially in our hometown. And with 25% of the voters in question, 25% of the registered voters, actually it's more if it's 12.5,000. That's a huge number. I remember in the days we used to play poker. And if a car got flipped over or an extra car was dealt, we used to call it a flood deal. So I'm thinking, whether this election is certified or can you uncertify it, that we should call this a flood deal and do a do-over election for the sake of many candidates who spent lots of money. And some of it might be theirs, mind you. Who knows how much time and aggravation? Is it too much to ask in a so-called republic democracy for free, fair elections that we can make book on? That's all I have to say. Do you have any responses at all?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Could we file lawsuits? No, not me. I ain't got your kind of cash or union money behind me. I'm talking about, a lawsuit can be filed for that, you think? Anything can be done. That is your honorable opinion. Thank you. Thank you, sir. This is very upsetting in plain English.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, East Ford, Massachusetts. Am I coming across?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to add some historical information to this parking enforcement business. Let's go backwards to when I got my license, when Papageno's used to be in the middle of Medford Square, they had the parking meters 50 years ago. And it costs like whatever, a nickel for 10 minutes, half hour. And then after a couple of four or five years, it seemed that we pulled all the meters out from the cement curb. And then we added signs that said two-hour parking only. And for whatever reasons or reasons, it was not enforced very well, except for our old friend Vinnie the Cop. And he would write up a few of those fluorescent orange tickets in probably multiple squares. And it seems to me that the people from Stonehenge, Melrose, Winchester, Malden, etc. They would drive down to Medford Square, they would park their car there for 8-10 hours and take the express buses that you people took from Medford Square and come back and they tied up all the parking spots for the local businessmen. And It seems like that's when we got serious, and as Councilor Penta said, we hired the bounty hunters, and we found it out, we subbed that job out, et cetera. And here it is, eight, 10 years later, who knows where we're gonna go with this now. And Councilor Machford brought up a good point. Will the new enforcers be able to effectively police near resident parking, which is like whatever, five, seven miles of the city. It's a tough situation, and I wish us all good luck, or else we're gonna be back in the same soup like 50 years ago. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, can you hear me? We can hear you. Thank you, Mr. Calviello. Mr. President, I just wanted to add a few comments. Councilor Marks is absolutely correct, he speaks perfectly. As a matter of fact, I wish he was mayor for the last 10 years in this community. Anyways, we have a perfect solution that I've been presenting to the council for at least 17 years. And that is to help the unoccupied real estate owner through a Massachusetts state law. And that's called Chapter 59, Section 5C, Massachusetts law, owner-occupied real estate tax exemption. And simply put, it would save the average homeowner in our city who live in their house, it's an 85% perfect solution, about $2,300 per year. We've been missing out on this exemption since its inception, when Chelsea got into it, when the state started in 1998. If we averaged $1,000 that we lost, we overpaid for the last 20-something years, that's over $20,000, not counting juice, meaning interest. That's, to me, it's like robbery of the people. And a lot of us are seniors. House rich for sure, cash poor with cigarettes at $13 per pack. Anyways, I can't understand why the city does not adopt it. If four out of seven Councilors adopt it, the mayor says, yes, it's done, and a snap of a finger with the state house. We get it. End of story. By the way, An override never happened in this community since I've been here for over 60 years. Never. We're not Winchester with multiple overrides of Barbara Anderson's prop two and a half, rest her soul. And nor have we done any debt exclusions like Winchester High School did for their high school for $100 million. And my old friend, the bookie from Tough Spark, was on South Border Road living in Winchester, says, Andrew, this thing cost me 800 bucks per year for the next 20 years to pay you off the Winchester New High School. This is nuts. We're having troubles. Forget two and a half overrides. You already have $180 million plus budget. Just cut the fat and get the job done. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Point of information. May I make a counterpoint, please? It's important.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello. Hello, have my hands up for about 510 minutes I was going to say something about this last resolution about the race.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Right, so I simply wanted to say before, I believe there's good and bad in every race, creed, and religion, and I believe Martin Luther King had the right idea, we should judge man or woman by their character. Now, onto the subject at hand. Councilor Marks is right on, as usual. I remember when the previous mayor was gonna sell her for a song, a cheap song at that, and I think believe Council Marks and Caraviello was saving it for the people. And Council Marks is always also right about when the three to three vote for the Swan School was the deciding dagger in the table was by Councilor Muccini-Burke at that time. And that's why we lost the vote four to three to get the Swan School for the TB3 and methadoxinitis and the, Method Arts Council. Council March has been right on for over two decades. Anyways, maybe this opportunity for the artists might come somewhere else, it seems to me in my gut feeling. So maybe this would, it is cost prohibitive and maybe you people should just sell it our city building to a developer dependent on the square footage and just demolish it and make more hopefully affordable housing. I have no further comments.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford Mass. Good evening, consulary Councilors. I don't want to be political tonight, but as they say, if you don't get involved with politics, we'll get involved with you, I guess. Our veterans should matter more than any other group in our nation. Because of our soldiers, we still have our republic and our First Amendment rights. to speak our minds here tonight. Imagine if you can, if you walked just a half mile in their boots to experience the hell they went through to keep our United States of America. When I went to Woodstock, they went into battle. And if I may, I'd like to commend them big time and please do the right thing for duty and humanity.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Move approval.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'll have to be careful what I say then. By the way, Mr. President, to the chair, off the record, I could tell Councilor Marks, say it ain't so, Joe. We're gonna sorely miss him, but not for long, I hope. Thank you. On this tree business, it is my understanding, let me back up, I'm not sure what the ordinance or law is within the city about trees. I love nature, personally speaking, and I have three trees around my house, city trees. My question Actually, my thought was, I remember reading the legal notices all too often, and I thought they were advertised in advance, so at least I want to guesstimate a week, two or three weeks in advance, and usually has a listing of multiple trees at certain addresses in the city, saying and calling them public trees, and they will be taken down, so that's all I can say. I'm not sure if I was dreaming when I saw this years and years ago, haven't seen any recently.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, 23 Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. I sincerely want to thank City Councilor Morell for bringing this up, especially the Clippership Connector part. It's very personal to me being injured in that location. I scribbled a few notes, I hope it makes sense, but this missing incomplete bike community path. And we in Medford have the best location in all of New England, in my opinion, five miles north of Boston with Route 93 here. But you know, they can't seem to finish off the missing link, the half mile right behind 99 Riverside Ave. I was supposed to wave to Mr. Sano, who lives there. Anyways, It's sad because you could go from West Method and beyond, actually, you come right through here, if you didn't have the half mile blockage to the Duggar Andrews, you could go clear to the MBTA stations without dealing with Route 16 or Route 28. That's huge as a safety concern. So it's long overdue. Personally, in my opinion, it should have been done 20 years ago about when they built the two new schools, so-called two new schools, with bike paths and footpaths that go underneath Route 16. Also, they should do this job right. Finish this half-mile missing link in the center of Medford Square with the Riparian Right Law. It's a 1600 Massachusetts law. And that means we the people have the right of pathway, egress, I believe it's 15 feet alongside waterways. In this case, the Mystic River and Blessing of the Bay. Please, build this missing link The part that's missing is right next to the Doug Randrew School, that piece of land there. And then the next piece would be the Riverside Yacht Club. And then heading towards the square would be two condo buildings, 54 to 68, Ship Ave, I believe. And by the way, they have two fences on each end of the property. that go from the sidewalk all the way to the river, which, in my opinion, under riparian rights, is illegally built on the people's egress land. And then there's another building going towards 93 that will be the last building, the 76th shipyard, large condo complex of approximately 20 units. They have plenty of land and they didn't build any fences on top of the people's land. And it continues around where I actually broke my hand with a bike injury when my bike found one of two potholes, four feet wide, one to two feet deep. They're still there. They put cones there. I found one on the river today, took my bike ride again. I put one cone inside the hole. The DCR, they should at least fill in the potholes, which is grass. And the storm outfall number is OF04100. And then it continues, the missing link I should say, does not continue, underneath 93 to behind the senior citizen center, which is the building in the back where Mr. Sano lives at 99 Riverside Avenue, the high affordable rent building. It's a lousy half a mile, we're talking like 10, 15 miles beyond Arlington, Lexington possibly. Are you kidding? This is ridiculous. Excuse my lack of 10 cent words here, but I understand the wheels of government work slowly, but 20 years and still waiting is ridiculous. Come on, man. Let's get the missing half-mile path done now and complete the 10-mile plus route to the MBTA assembly row and station landing, and safely keep with the people off the streets, especially Route 16 and Route 28. This is a no-brainer. Please, city, wake up.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Last week's transcript? No, is that? It's going underneath Route 28, like some of them already did it at my path to Sunday Road. They already have that. This is great. Barbara is the rep? Yes. Right. But you know, I'm talking about the center of method over 20 effing years. Come on, people.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And are they actually going to build it on our property? As far as the egress next to the river behind those condo complexes? Because they were complaining. Yes. Yeah. Or they have to build a little bit onto the water. in order to give them a break, which they don't need. They already built the fence on our land. I'm speaking straight English here. That's wrong. I'm sorry, my heart bleeds, my head broke, I was bleeding, broke my hand, I have receipts and bills like this. I did not sue DCR or the city. All I'm asking for is common sense 20 years later. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address of the record please cast a netting on the subject of Councilor Marks about the condition of the city. I once made a comment is looking. It's looking like Chelsea around here but I was, I was corrected. I looked at Chelsea Chelsea looks a lot better. I can point out defects and, but I don't want to complain too much behind doors with a difference for one example, the bricks are sticking up like eight inches. It's incredible, and with the snow, you don't see that. But anyways, besides what my wife felt, Mr. Caballero tried to bring up that issue before we went on vacation. In front of Doris, what a difference, and she ripped her shoulder apart. I want to thank you, Councilors, for bringing up these concerns. But you know something? Out of 550 tree stumps, and we're going to fix 10%, maybe 50. I used to be involved with methadoncinitis. a chairman at that time, 2001 until Councilor Moss recalls. You know something? Put a planter with a hanging plant over it. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, yes, of East Method, Massachusetts. Good evening, honorable Councilors. I wanna thank Councilor Marks for bringing up this resolution. I might also add if you could possibly add to have the facilities to add public parks and statues. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Method, Massachusetts. It's very, very sad that the Method School Committee has caused such a great division in Medford. They said that Christopher Columbus was a bad person. He was no good. He was a criminal of sorts. As far as I'm concerned, it's just hearsay and rumor. So I'd like to know where's the beef? Can someone, anyone out there show me in the method transcript next week or the week after the police show me the court case when he was convicted of any major crime, please. Talking about the rumors of bad people, I don't know if Columbus was good or bad. It's all hearsay to me. Then I hear other rumors, why should we believe anything? For example, did Ms. Rousseau stopped this problem from the school committee?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay. Can we mention Columbus's name?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Even though he's not here to represent himself?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Aren't you kind? Thank you, sir. Also, I want to ask the city lawyer if a convicted Felon is legally allowed to run And serve as an elected official on that road.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Mr. Castagnetti Yes Councilor. Can you hear me? Councilor president? I can hear you Thank you very much Um, I just wanted to ad lib a few words. I wanted to go back in the meeting and thank The director of the veterans affairs for his wonderful words of of thankfulness to our veterans usa and because of them we still uh speak the English language mostly, and also we still have the Constitution and I believe first, second amendments and more. Hopefully we have all of them in place. Also, he was very well spoken. He wrote a great speech. He sounded good at Memorial Day at Oak Grove last Monday, and it's great to hear someone of his stature speak up for these veterans, including my father. And come to think of it, I don't recollect President Biden talking on Memorial Day, anything to this effect to thank our veterans. And I want to thank Mr. Durham, especially. Thank you all, Councilors.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello. Andrew Castagnetti. Thank you, Council President. I don't know if you can hear me with all this plane noise above me in East Medford.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You can hear me? Okay, the plane went by. I want to commend Councilor Marks for bringing forward to commemorate The gentleman and Dr. Graffield, for bringing, getting the cinema back into motion, from the ashes. It was wonderful. And Councilor Marks mentioned all the beautiful businesses we had, World War Western, Grants, et cetera, et cetera. He neglected only two. One was Joe's pool room below the cafeteria on High Street and Forest, and also the small ball bowling where Harvey Van Guyde is also. And it was great to have businesses doing some business. However, the city, the politicians made a huge mistake. Back in 1970, when my wife graduated, that was the last year of the old Medford High School. And unfortunately, they built the new high school and the so-called new high school in the West Medford Woods. And in my opinion, it devastated the Medford Square economically. And we've never, ever recovered from that. Hopefully we all learn lessons, especially our next cities around us. But it's wonderful that we commemorate him and have a plaque there for him because he did a lot for the city. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Hello.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I was actually having a cigarette inside my fireplace. I was waving at my cigarette. However, that's okay. However, since I have an invitation.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Tell you what, I'll say a few words. I'd be remiss not to. May I?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti Andrew, Cushman Street.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thanks, Councilor Marks, for bringing this on your agenda. And I believe last week, Councilor Penta was right when he said back when we installed these meters in 2002, thereabouts, that as Councilor Penta says, they sold us a bill of sale. It's more like a bill of goods. I believe back then it was stated by the department heads in the water and Mr. Geer, that if there's an unusual increase in our water meters, that we would be notified through the computer system. And I remember it like it was yesterday, even though it's probably 18 years ago. So a friend of mine received a bill instead of the usual bill, it was like six times per bill. And she owns Bell Raviolis, it happened in her home. And she was very upset about it. I guess she used the bathroom downstairs in the cellar and went upstairs and probably didn't go back for two more months until she received the bill. Probably six times the usual bill. And it's hard for her to make the steps. So, very sad. She went to pay the bill or actually question it. And I guess she just paid it, period. As they say, it counts by city hall.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm glad to hear that. So therefore, since the city has approximately $5 million in the so-called water fund account, Basically, in my opinion, it's like an overcharge to all us rate payers. So therefore, the money's just sitting there. Maybe I'm thinking outside the box that the city could figure it out or the city council to give us a one strike, one time only shot. If it is increased by double and triple or better, that you could forgive it through the $5 million overcharge fund. Just a thought, if you want to take it on the committee as a whole, because sometimes you face City Hall, if you appeal it, you probably, maybe you don't have any requests after the fact. So that's all I wanted to say. You might want to consider something like that with the $5 million, but the commission, that's what you're hiring.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: All right, because please urge you to do that to receive a bill that's like five or 10 or 20 times your usual. That might hurt a lot of people who are having struggles in these times. Thank you, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Mr. Caraviello. Hello. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, tomorrow, 101 Main Street. Thank you for your time. I especially want to thank you. Thanks to Councilor Marks for all the information, tons of homework. He's been doing it consistently. He truly earns his $30,000 salary. Thank you, Councilor. You got a race. As I said, as I said at the last Verizon meeting and the next one, by the way, I believe is 7 p.m. Thursday, Councilor. On Zoom, as I said at the last meeting on part two of the of the three meetings, I guess is I told Verizon, it seems like this is a done deal. through their lobbyists and other high-tech companies, and they got the law on their side. I guess from what I understand, we cannot say no. We can mitigate whatever that means, but they'll definitely, if they're not approved, litigate, and that's gonna cost us a lot to the taxpayers' coffers. Obviously, They cannot guarantee this is a safe situation when they install it, because it very well could be a potential problem. I gave them a simple example, low tech. 40, 50 years ago, we were painting the house, inside the house, and then 30 years later, they start saying, well, we have a lead paint problem. I don't care how safe they say it is, but at least if we cannot stop this, And I have a loved one that's gonna have an apartment directly across from this pole. And by the way, the apartment is five feet above the telephone pole, which is worse. I'm not happy about this because I don't know about the future and I can't trust nobody. So I asked Verizon directly, I'll ask them again, maybe you will, maybe they'll laugh. But if it's so effing safe, at least why don't you put up a $10 billion charity bond for possible health concerns in the future? That is my only point, sir. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti Andrew, Cushing Street, Method Mass. I want to thank all the councilors for bringing this up. and Mayor Marks and our citizens. I'm also very concerned about this 5G. As a matter of fact, if it's so safe, as the Verizon people were telling us a few days ago, how about the mandatory, they put up a $10 billion bond for future possible health issues in 02155. By the way, I have a loved one who they plan to place one of these boxes in front of his bedroom window. And I'm very, very concerned. And it's unfair and it's appalling that we as a community, according to GOP, have no push or say because the government okayed them. I presume Verizon and the other entities of that nature had their had their people, you know, basically bribe the politicians to give them cop lunch. I'm very, very concerned. I'll see you Thursday night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, 101 Main Street, temporarily under doctor's care.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: 101 Main Street.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm Christian and 101 Main. Did you miss me? I didn't think so.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Not here. Not for a year. Not for a year. Anyways, it's nice to see most of you back in the City Hall chambers, taking care of the people's business. and not Ohio in your Corona basements. I did not write up anything. I guess this time it's very personal. Columbus, he's a big one. And I've been to the old country 12 times, even though I was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So your legislative powers, you cannot put on the ballot.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Mr. McKillop was right. Where it stops, nobody knows. And I don't wanna go down that path with this canceled culture.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti Cushman street method, Massachusetts. Um, I like to agree strongly with Councilor Bears. He makes a good point. We all should be opposed to any kind of violence, violence against all sentient beings period. because as you can see what happened this year, violence begets more violence. We all need peace. Let there be peace. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Are you talking to me, Mr. President?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I was going to, I was, I wanted to say some condolence prayer for Adam, Mr. Adam Hurdybee and his family because he's always been a constant gentleman. But I think I coined a prayer last year with my friend Geshe-la Tenley at the Buddhist temple around two words, sentient beings. I think I like to say my prayer for all of mankind. Almighty God, creator of heaven, earth, and all sentient beings, and more. Please get me and all of us to be and do the best that we can, now, always, forever and ever, in our quest for eternal, blissful peace. Amen.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Will the clerk please call the roll.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, Councilor President. Can you hear me?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford, Massachusetts. Thank you, Council President. And again, I would also like to thank Councilor Scarpelli for bringing this forward. I believe it's long overdue to come out of our old hide-in basements and get back to the forum to take care of the city's business, especially as Councilor Marks had Brooke stole my words saying that with $180 million plus budget, it's time to, uh, at least be able to fix our, our damn potholes. That's all I have to say. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Needs a second.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Morell. Can you hear me now?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, we can, Mr. Castagnetti.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Mr. President. Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford. If I may play devil's advocate, I'm neither here nor there on this issue. However, I must recollect when I was on my honeymoon in California many decades ago, I was rudely awakened one morning by the sound of the leaf blower for the first time in my lifetime. It was not a pleasant sound. And when I was out there in the field, even near Big Sur, mind you, I didn't appreciate all that debris going in my face. So I do own a rake. And I own snow shovels, plural. And I'm not sure if Man, the new generation knows what slow shovels are. So I wish you well in your deliberations. I don't like hearing it. I don't like the debris. I understand time is money, et cetera, et cetera. And the cat is out of the bag. As long as you preserve our second amendment and leave that cat out of the bag, I'm all set. Thank you, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Move approval as amended.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Is that better?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you very much, Councilor Bears. Can someone there explain to me- Name and address of the record, please, sir. Andrew Castagnetti, East Medford.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Sorry?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Go ahead. It's this technical stuff, excuse me. Can someone there simply please explain what this phase one expenditure is on the Thomas Brooks Park master plan? Are there other phases beyond this? And what is the total cost? And what is this all being spent for, please?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good evening, councilors. Can you hear me, please? Yes, we can hear you. Great. I'm Andrew Castagnetti, Method, Massachusetts. It's nice to see you all back in the city hall chambers. Not in O'Heiden, but when can the taxpayers come attend in person, sir? You know? We're trying. Got to get through the COVID. Thank you. Anyways, welcome back to the new admiral. Thank you for your attention. I'll be very brief. I'm here for the 10th year to ask you and the mayor to lower our real estate tax bills for own occupied homeowners. It's not a hard thing to do, but with the people. Simply adopt mass general law, Chapter 59, Section 5C, at the full 35% exemption. This act will lower the average owner-occupied real estate tax bill by $2,000 yearly in O2-155, as it is being done in Chelsea, Everett, Malvern, Cambridge, and even in all of Boston. So why not here? This Massachusetts state law has been applied for over 28 years times an average of, let's say $1,000 a year equals over $28,000 in total loss savings and all the charge by this city's against the average owner occupied homeowner, if they live in their home. So why not here? Furthermore, the city will still receive the full total real estate tax levy that the city demands because the law states that our tax savings is simply shifted and added to all the absentee residential apartment building owners from one unit to 350 unit buildings. It is a commercial business enterprise. Furthermore, these owners mostly don't live or vote in our city. Imagine this. Even our Massachusetts state politicians had a touch of heart to relieve some of our real estate taxpayers when they copied California's Proposition 13 law. So, Why not here? Because after all, we own occupied homeowners have a vested interest and take pride in improving our city, I think. Also, this would help renters to become first time home buyers in Medford with lower real estate tax bills if they live in the home. So please, I ask again, Why not here stop the discrimination and help us adopt the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption under state of Massachusetts law for method homeowners only if they actually live in their house. Of course, it is 28 years long overdue. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Mr. President, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street Method Mass. If I may, I'd like to commend the mayor for her mission and her entourage. It's a great idea because no one should be hurting. If they're hurting now, imagine if at full employment, mind you, as we're going to hear tonight from the State of the Union. Imagine if we have a recession or something worse We're it's really going to be much worse of course I'm sort of thinking out loud Would it be possible to ask the presidential candidate the ex? Resident of massive method mass mr.. Bloomberg for some assistance on this matter. Just think it out loud.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. I want to thank Councilor Scarpelli for bringing this up on the agenda. The Selton Main Street intersection has been a problem when I got my license and most people in this room, if not all, were not even born. I hear the $5 million bond is possible. I'm not sure, even if it does go through, if that will help, even if you spend $50 million. Again, I hate to reiterate and repeat myself, the risk of being cruder, but I would suggest trying in right turn only at this juncture from South onto Main, right street only. Or else, as someone else suggested in the past, let me back up. Also, Councilor Knight mentioned, I believe something to the effect of shutting down that exit on Route 16 heading east. If the state will do that, that would be a big help. And another, sorry?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilman Knight, for clarifying my brain on that. However, if it was shut down, they still could take the exit at Winthrop Street, near where your condominium's located, towards that rotary. Another person or persons has suggested another idea, and that would be to make South Street a one-way, which it is, but in the opposite direction. I understand some of the residents don't like that, but again, this has been going on for over 50 years. I and we all know people that have personally been injured and there have been deaths there. I would start with right to rent only and good luck with the bond.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: But I was thinking that the tax should be reduced from...
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, East Medford, Massachusetts. Not to put words in my friend, Dr. Starella, in his repertoire of words, but I think he's implying if you walk the streets, we'll tax your feet, because I'm the tax man, quote the Beatles. First of all, I want to thank Councilor Morell, Councilor Marks, and others, and ex-Councilor Penta for bringing up this housing and affordability situation the way I'm comprehending it. And Councilor Marks brought up a good point that I found out about 20 years ago when my mother was doing income taxes. And he brought up, I believe it's actually called a circuit breaker under the Massachusetts income tax. And a lot of people don't know about this. And believe it or not, some accountants that do taxes don't know about it also. Scary thought, but I've caught a few of them. I believe the formula is, on a Massachusetts return, they take your real estate tax and your water bill, or a portion thereof, and they take 10% of your adjusted gross income, and then they do the mathematics, and if you're above, in other words, you're hurting, you would get dollar for dollar, mind you. up to the max of, like you said, about $1,100, I guess it is. Haven't looked at it since my mother's been gone for years. But thank you for bringing that up. Also, what you failed to mention was, it not only applies to people who pay real estate taxes in houses that they live in, it also applies to renters, which I was surprised to read in the law, unless the law has changed since 12 years ago. However, in Andrew's gut opinion, there's only one surefire way to help the owner-occupied people that live in their houses in Medford is to adopt the Commonwealth of Massachusetts owner-occupied real estate tax exemption. And it's called, if you want to look it up, Chapter 59, Section 5C. And in my estimation, The average owner, average I'm saying, would save about $2,000 a year off their real estate tax bill. I've been asking for nine and a half years. It will be done someday. I may not see it. And if it's done, it's in perpetuity.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Haven't decided yet.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Haven't decided yet. Andrew, Cush Street, Medford, Mass. There's been some good points and concerns brought up with this Chapter 40B. If I remember correctly, one of my many jobs was 30 years ago about real estate. For the layman out there that doesn't know what it is, correct me if I'm wrong, but the gist of it is, in any city or town, specifically here, we're speaking of Medford, If our total housing stock is not at 10% or higher affordability, that a developer can come in from wherever, from the world, and buy a nice piece of valuable land, and pretty much do what they want, or should I say, circumvent the present zoning laws, if there are any at that area. I believe it's something to that effect. Make sense? You are correct, sir. Correct. Thank you, Councilor Knight. So I want to say you ain't seen nothing yet. We're at a crossroads with this boom times during this election year. And unless there's a major crash, whether it's Dow Jones or real estate, we ain't seen nothing yet, if you think about it. because we're not at the 10% threshold yet. So, and I used to live on Mystic Avenue as a youth. And that was a major highway to Boston, Route 38. And then in 1960, they built this Route 93. By eminent domain, they took property and schools, et cetera. So we have very valuable location. three to five miles north of Boston. So, also, it was mentioned about, months ago, about MAC, not a Big Mac, but Mystic Ave... Community? Mystic Ave Corridor. The Big Mac. Although no McDonald's is in Bedford, Burger King's down there. But the point is, unless we get a handle on this, if it's possible to avoid this 40B being jammed on our throats with all this congestion we already have, without our Orange Line subway behind you, we're gonna be in deep stuff, man. So. I'm not sure if you can do moratoriums or anything that's fancy with those 25 cent words, but chances are you can't if we're already in this 40 B thing with the state. But, carverum tuor, buyer beware, be careful.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, uh, Cushman street, East Method, Massachusetts. Um, definitely I'm in agreement that South and main street is most dangerous intersection probably in all the city. And as Councilor mocks has had said at the last meeting that, uh, It's not the only intersection that we should be looking into to make it safer, such as Mystic Ave and Hancock Street near Atlas Liquors, Park Street and Riverside Avenue with that high fence that's hard to see coming onto Riverside from Park. in other locations, I'm sure, but this south of Maine has been a major problem since before I got my license, 50 years ago even. And it seems that it's getting worse with more congestion and cars trying to get into Boston. I would think, at the risk of repeating myself from last meeting, Why can't we, as they say, the low-hanging fruit, erect two signs at the end of South Street before the end of Main Street, which becomes our city street? That you take a right turn only. I understand it would be a change, but it would eliminate people going across, which is already illegal, towards 93, but they do it regardless. and they want to enter the center of Main Street, they want to take a left underneath Route 16, going to Medford Square. That's where a lot of the accidents happen. So if it was right turn only, I understand it's a change. However, why not just try it on a three-month trial basis? and just see what happens, because some action would be better than zero action, instead of talking about a pie dream, about $5 million light travel signal systems from here to Malden Square. That sounds absurd to me. It's just, it's sad, because there's a lot of injuries, and there's been deaths there. I just hope that they could try a simple solution, a right to an only. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Mefford, Massachusetts. Congratulations, politicians, and I wish you great success and good health. Thank you. On the subject of Salton Main Street, when I first received my license a while back, many decades, it's been a problem since then. I'm glad the council is still trying to find a solution to this problem. I believe a few years back, I brought up the Chief Sacco, the crime watch meetings, and also to Chief Buckley, can't we just erect the $100 sign that you probably have at the DPW yard, one on each side, as you're coming off of South onto Main, and have it be right turn only, not go across towards Route 93, not go into the middle of Main Street to take a left into Medford Square, And I believe Chief Buckley says, Andrew, it's going to happen, a few months ago. And for some reason, I guess it did not go forward. So I guess there's no perfect solutions in this world. However, is it possible to put the $100 sign up, times two, and have an officer at that corner during rush hour times, especially? At least for a three-month or six-month trial basis, what we got to lose, we probably have a lot to save. Just an idea that I'm rehashing. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Method Mass. We would even be having this conversation about knocking down three buildings, police, fire, library, about 55 years old, made of brick. It seems to me we have a problem with maintenance in the city. Hate to sound like a broken record, but when will the city ever learn? Especially when you keep putting this on our kids' dime on their charge card. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street. What I'm about to say, it all ties in, so bear with me, Council President, to this Clippership Connector path and behind it, Dr. Andrews. First of all, the Douglas Andrews and the McGlynn was probably built on a dump, if I remember correctly. However, that worked out as far as testing, I don't know. I find it unfortunate, as I say in the real estate business, that there's a dirty 21E involved, meaning pollution in the earth, dirt. It's very appalling, it's more than appalling to me that this missing clipper ship connected, which is about a half a mile from behind the Salton Star building to the Dr. Andrews ray yard. It's probably a half mile, otherwise you could go from the center of Medford Square all the way past Arlington. And on the east side, you could go from the Dark of Andrews all the way and not deal with Route 16 or Route 28 and walk to the subway station. Capital idea. Unfortunately, it seems that the leadership here has not done the half mile behind you, Council President. And I find that more than appalling because As you stated, it was not an official bike path, Council President. However, one week after I threw my hat into the ring to run for city council, I was driving and riding my bicycle near the Mystic River, within five feet of the river, next to Route 93, near the Riverside Yacht Club. And my front tire went into a sinkhole, And I had a severe head injury, concussion, and broken bones. When I finally got home, my wife took me to the Lawrence Memorial Hospital, I guess it's called. And we had all kinds of repair work done. I can't understand why it's not done. And if the zero to two foot level has not been tested, If the Douglas Andrews is okay to put a piece of tar on there for their bike path, footpath, and stone dust on the Tom Lincoln side that he designed, well, if you're not gonna disturb the soil, I can't see why we're getting into this big ball of wax trouble.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So the schools are?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: They have car parks that their grandfather know?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, my second point would be, from behind the Salton Star building, where the path does not exist, towards all the way to the Doug Andrews border. That is underneath Route 93, behind 76 Ship Avenue, behind 54 to 68 Ship Avenue, behind the Riverside Yacht Club, which leases the land. They don't own it, to the best of my knowledge. And behind Shipside Green at 20 Ship Avenue. where the dirty 21E is in the back. And it's all fenced off. So I don't have egress to that area either. This bike path should be built on the people's land under riparian rights in the 1630s, Massachusetts law, that we the people have the rights within so many feet of mean high tide. If I recollect, when I was a child, high tide came up to the Karate Bridge. And low tide, that didn't smell so good, but I don't want to get out of track so people can stop laughing. I'm dead serious. In a city like this, you cannot do the half mile path out of the 10 miles? You know, what is wrong? That is the point. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm listening. And why are your children going to the schools behind there?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Well, it didn't get polluted after the buildings were built, my dear. Think about that.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: So what was the plan under the rug and dirt back then? If it's not done, one year anniversary of my head injury, I believe I will take legal action to get the city to get this job done, the state, Middlesex County, I got them all covered.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: If I remember correctly, I was the one that brought this forward, and Breonna took the motion to send it to the mayor. Thank you, and thank you for the response. I am more than appalled. I'll take care of it if I have to. Thank you for listening. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Cushman Street. It's, in order to have, what's the word? no appearance of collusion. It makes sense to have an independent outsider from far, far away. If you're going to spend the money, especially, and we had a saying back even prior to the sixties, if you're not part of the solution, maybe it's all part of something else. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good evening, name and address of the record, please. Good evening, Council President Caraviello, honorable Councilors, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford Mass. I'm sorry for my tiredness this evening. I'm just trying to make some sense of this. First off, my silent concern back in around the year 2000, after the closing of many neighborhood schools and the opening of the so-called new central schools, was my silent thought to myself, hope a Columbine never happens here or anywhere. My understanding is a big boo-boo happened at my wife's school. Because silence was not golden, are there others? God only knows. But hopefully for a silver lining, especially for you, Councilor Marks, with your children at the high school, if they're still there. Hopefully for a silver lining out of all this, after this admitted mistake, with the city budget of 167 point something, million dollars for the year, at least please post a full-time Medford police officer at Medford High School during business hours, especially in a 1970 building with over 500,000 square feet. Should have been done long ago. That's my humble request for a silver lining.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you for your attention. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street Method Mass. Smoking is a very nasty habit. It's a very addictive drug. However, the government seems to have a nasty habit of also putting their nose in private people's business, such as private clubs like the VFW, American Legion. If it wasn't for these organizations, we'd be speaking German in this country. Smokers deserve a place where they can call themselves lepers instead of be chewing on some cinnamon stick here. and respecting people's rights to keep the smoke away from their face. Most people are considerate of their smokers. I'm not saying maybe we should go as far as I told my VFW people. Ban cigars and pipes. That's overpowering. I think I'm a fair person. I use common sense most of the time. But it doesn't affect me because as W.C. Fields says, there are loopholes. And I seem to have found a few. However, some people that are upset at Mr. Councilor Knight's club, for example, when they're shooting the game of pool, they can't smoke. Maybe they're going somewhere else, or at the fireman's club, this and that. I'm not that smart with information. But there are loopholes. But the point is, The private entity should have the opportunity to vote amongst themselves, whether they're World War II, 98-year-old veterans, or from one of the other 100 wars that we've been into as teenagers today. I believe even the leper deserves a spot away from society. and I'll take one less shower per week. There'll be less pollution in your world.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good evening, name and address of the record. Good evening, Andrew Kasten, Eddy Cushion Street, Method Mass. Good evening, honorable Councilors. Thank you, Councilor Falco, for implying a good point that this plastic bag business can be problematic and is problematic, especially when it doesn't break down for like hundreds or thousands of years. Not to go against the grain of today's speakers, I just wanted to make some counterpoints. Plastic bags as trash is not a good idea. However, if this is adopted, the paper bags would be challenging to the shoppers. Also if adopted can I bring my own plastic bag or bags to go shopping For our convenience for many safety reasons less trips in and out of the car less breakage Less trips down those long corridors from those so-called condominium hallways Things of that nature So much for that movie, The Graduate, when he said one word, that Tustin Hoffman knows plastics. I guess some inventions are not that great after all, or maybe we have to reinvent it or cancel them out. And just thinking out of the box, by the way, maybe God made man to invent plastic, because I don't know why.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Councilor Scarpelli, Mr. President?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address of the record, please. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Medford, Massachusetts. I was hoping if one of you Councilors can or will, one or even better, all four of you or better, could please amend this resolution to ask the question, what's up next door to the Andrews Middle School you're talking? You're talking about the Andrews Middle School, are you?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Actually the soccer field itself.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I think that's great. I think you have very common sense and great courage to ask that question. I would like to ask if you could amend this to add next door to that piece of land, which is bordering behind the Doug Randall School. I believe that section of land is from the, behind the Doug E. Andrews School to the Medford Riverside Yacht Club. And I believe it has, as I say in the real estate business, a dirty 21E, which means contaminated soil with arsenic, possibly, and other chemicals. And it's been cordoned off for over a year. So I'm not sure what's going on. I would like to know, because that's the area where they're supposed to finish the half-mile bike path. from the Dogger Andrews to Route 93, behind the Salton Stall. It does not exist, and that's where I had my bicycle injury. I had my concussion and broken hand. So I would like to get this half mile of bike, flipper ship, bike path connector done. It's only a half mile, it's not completed out of the 10 or 20 miles from West Method Island to all the way to the MBTA station at Assembly Road, mind you. I would think it should have been done in the center of the square before to West Bedford Island and also towards McDonald Park and towards Assembly Road. The center of the square does not have it. This has a dirty 21-D, I was told. And it's just, it's bordering behind the Doug Andrews. So if you could ask, if you're gonna ask that question again, I would like for you to amend it and also ask about the bordering area where the kids play soccer.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I hope you could pass the amendment also. Thank you very much. And if I may, if it's okay, I'd like to say Merry Christmas.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Have a good New Year to everybody else.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Honorable Council President. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, Method, Massachusetts. I'm a little bit disconnected here. I had to go home for some papers. And the information that I received today was actually not the answer I was looking for from the assessor's office. So first of all, good evening, honorable Councilors. Please bear with me, because I'm a bit disconnected here. This is probably my seventh and a half year that I've come here for this month of December, as you set the tax rate, or proposed to elect a residential owner exemption or not. And without success in the last 7.5 years that I've come before you, since 2009, I believe. When I ran for city council, my platform mission was, and still is, which I like to pass out, because some councilors had requested my political brochure, so I would like to. We're not handing out political brochures. No, this is information. It's about the real estate tax exemption, and if I may give it to the, Mr. Clerk, Mr. Lepore, the seven for the council, one specifically for Ms. Mayor Muccini-Burke. I would like you to pass them out after I'm done, please. Not now. Thank you very much for your consideration. My priority number one for the community, for the people, is to improve public safety. Number two, improve maintenance of public buildings and city infrastructure. Number three, encourage fiscal responsibility. Number four, promote responsible development. And number five, My special interest would be to reduce real estate tax bills for owner-occupied.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, you win. I still would like to speak on behalf of the majority of the homeowners. Number five, I would want to reduce real estate tax bills for owner-occupied homeowners by adopting the full 35% under Massachusetts general law Chapter 59, Section 5C, as it is done, as Dr. Starella said, in Somerville, Malden, Everett, all of Boston, and other area communities, to provide some long overdue tax relief to homeowners. Please be aware and assured all seven Councilors, and Ms. Mayor Burke, the city would not lose any real estate tax dollars. They still will receive the whole real estate tax levy of $109.5 million, as they want, with a 4% increase from last year. Our savings will simply be paid for by all others, such as absentee, residential only, residential homeowners who are absentee landlords, period. At the tune of whatever it cost on their bill, I didn't get enough current factual information to write this number in. However, I may continue. On average, these absentee owners, they're collecting $2,000 a month rent. If it's a two family, you're talking $48,000 in rents, even if they had an $800 increase. They're still generating $48,000 and not living in our neighborhoods. You, the city councilors and the mayor, have before you an opportunity of a lifetime. If you adopt Mass General Law, Chapter 59, Section 5C, the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption, the people would benefit greatly. Now, I don't have all my information because of other circumstances that I had no control over. However, I have a packet from the assessor's office that was given out a week ago, last Wednesday, and it states the communities and cities and towns that give out this owner-occupied exemption. And we're talking, as I said, Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville. And the numbers I'm seeing here that they're saving on real estate tax bills, like the lowest is like $1,400 a year, and that is in Chelsea. And that is where the interim director of the assessor's office, Mr. Ken Stein, who's here this evening, was working in that department. And I just found out this evening that the owner-occupied exemption was in effect prior to him working there in 1999. Wow, this has been around since the millennium. This is over 17 years. If we're losing $1,000 a year for the average homeowner, and I'm talking nine out of 10, if you live in the house, that's 90%, 900% batting average. That's incredible. And furthermore, if that 10th person has an increase, it may indeed be less of an increase if we were not to adopt wonderful law that was thought up by our Massachusetts legislators. Finally, they come up with a solution to keep maybe the seniors to be able to afford to live in their town. because the real estate taxes are just too much for them to carry. And furthermore, I don't want to get off track, but the gentleman, Mr. Ken Stein, the interim assessor, did say Chelsea's been doing it since 19, prior to 1999. That's a lot of thousand dollar bills every year. I don't understand why this is not being done here. But in closing, lots of people, including City Hall employees, especially actually, asked me, why not here in 02155? I replied, I'm not sure. So I spoke to Bernie Sanders, and he said, Andrew, the system is rigged. He said, the political donations come from not you, with the empty two-family home on Cushing Street, it comes from the well-to-do, a la the corporate world, businesses and the like. I hope he's wrong, because we must save the middle class from becoming extinct. If we're gonna have a society worth a damn, please give the average homeowner 90% of them, a 1,000 plus, who knows how much, can't get a straight answer. Sad. Give them a nice present for Christmas for the first time ever in history, and go to 155.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: May I comment on Councilor Marks' brilliant achievement? Thank you. Councilor Marks, congratulations, you came through. I'm glad the dogs got their due. I hope someday the owner-occupiers get their $1,200 a year in real estate tax savings also. Especially when the seniors can maybe afford to stay and live in the houses in West Medford or South Medford. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm sorry. Name and address of the record. Thank you, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford. Good evening, honorable Councilors. I guess this Tuesday must be Medford City Council meeting. I have an idea for a CPA fix, if they could do this. It may seem trivial to some of you, but presentation, I believe, is everything. And I'm talking about the staple that's missing at 30 Salem Street. As you're coming in, from Route 93, north or south, the only Route 16 exit, through the square. In front of, or next door, I should say, to the Methodist Cinema, which is now Elizabeth Grady, there's a church there at 30 Salem Street. It's been missing the steeple for many years. And it is the gateway into the city. Now, I would think, It would be a good idea to place some sort of finial on there. It doesn't have to be a full-blown, heavy-duty, original staple. However, anything would be better than a flat top. I think it would be appropriate in our downtown center as it is in most other downtowns I've been to, whether it's Chelsea, Malden, or especially Winchester.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Just feel for at least 25 years, it seems to me that I shouldn't be the one that brings it forward. It should have been done a long time ago. If it was structurally sound. Thank you for listening. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street. Good evening, honorable Councilors. I'm not against the energy, especially clean energy. And if I may get a little bit off track, supposedly this country sent man to the moon a dozen times and brought him back safely. If that's true, there's no excuse for us to be burning fossil fuels, period. There's only a good reason, I'm sure, and that's capitalism from down deep in Texas. And also, I believe Tesla, the famous inventor from Yugoslavia, was creating a power grid over 80 years ago, backed by J.P. Morgan, I believe. And once J.P. Morgan found out that Tesla wanted to give free energy from power plant to power plant without wires, mind you, he pulled the plug. So, so much for capitalism. This community aggregation, I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing. I don't know what's in it for the city. I don't know why they would force undemocratically to pull all, I'm estimating, 40,000 National Grid electric ratepayers into the pool and making them opt out if they want to get out, which means they have to be proactive or, as I would say, reactive. And very well could be, instead of me paying $0.10 for the delivery charge on my electric bill, it could come in at $0.16. I'm hearing different numbers. That would be a 60% increase in my electric bill on the delivery charge only. So if I'm using an average of 400 kilowatts times $0.06 extra, that would be approximately $25, $26 extra. And so a lot of people may be having a hard time paying the electric bills as we speak. So I just hope this community aggregation does not become community aggravation.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street. Good evening, honorable Councilors. I'm not against the energy, especially clean energy. And if I may get a little bit off track, supposedly this country sent man to the moon a dozen times and brought him back safely. If that's true, there's no excuse for us to be burning fossil fuels, period. There's only a good reason, I'm sure, and that's capitalism from down deep in Texas. And also, I believe Tesla, the famous inventor from Yugoslavia, was creating a power grid over 80 years ago, backed by J.P. Morgan, I believe. And once J.P. Morgan found out that Tesla wanted to give free energy from power plant to power plant without wires, mind you, he pulled the plug. So, so much for capitalism. This community aggregation, I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing. I don't know what's in it for the city. I don't know why they would force undemocratically to pull all, I'm estimating 40,000 national grid electric rate payers into the pool and making them opt out if they want to get out, which means they have to be proactive or, as I would say, reactive. And very well could be, instead of me paying $0.10 for the delivery charge on my electric bill, it could come in at $0.16. I'm hearing different numbers. There would be a 60% increase in my electric bill on the delivery charge only. So if I'm using an average of 400 kilowatts times $0.06 extra, that would be approximately $25, $26 extra. And to a lot of people who may be having a hard time paying the electric bills as we speak. So I just hope this community aggregation does not become community aggravation.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Method, Massachusetts.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Welcome to you. Nice to see all the city councilors. Congratulations. You're all back in your respective seats. Thank you. The gang of seven. And I'd like to also congratulate the first mayor in the Oval Office. And more importantly, I'd like to thank all the challengers that ran with their ideas and foresight to hopefully help city government improve society. If I may, I'd like to commend them big time. Back to the subject of the Green Line, Mariana Ducci brought up some good points, especially the advertisement. I would think, I'm old school, it should be in the method non-script, I mean the transcript, at least one week prior. not two days prior. Also, I believe Mary Ann made some noise about this green line extending from College Ave, Tufts University, westward to uh, Route 16 and Boston Avenue. That seems kind of redundant to me, the way I think, because that's at the doorstep of West Medford Square, and they already have a commuter line that goes to Boston, and it also goes right through Winchester, and that's above ground, mind you, with the freight trains also, at all hours. On the other side, the east side of our city, Malton Center, has the Orange Line. I would think common sense would dictate many years ago, from college out, they should put an underground tunnel. without doing any eminent domain to speak of, and have it emerge in the Medford Square subway station right behind you, Councilor, President, and take that one building by eminent domain, the red brick building, you could put down a piece of grass, you could call it the Medford Commons, and you would have the eternal stimulus, economically speaking, for all times. Okay, cost extra, cost more underground. I've talked to the union reps that dig these tunnels. Maybe if Tufts really wants their station, maybe with $7 billion in the bank, they could put up some cash in a form of a bond. They get their Green Line station, and when it's completed, maybe they would volunteer their funds to dig the tunnel underground. Again, we are five miles north of Boston. Route 93 is right here. I don't understand, in my opinion, the lack of common sense. And we should turn our back towards the river and not away from the river. This could be the most happening place all of the North Shore, in my opinion. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street. On that vein of overcharging consumers, I'd like to share a story that happened to me. I bought $20 worth of gasoline a few weeks back in this city at a gas station. And mathematics, I sort of know. And it was 7.5 gallons. I thought it should have been 8 gallons because it was exactly $2.49 and nine-tenths per gallon. So I'm thinking there should be eight gallons for $20. And I questioned the attendant who poured the gas into my vehicle. And he says, I just work here, you know. And so I guess what I'm trying to say is people should probably pay attention at the gas pumps. And I brought gas to the following same station weeks later. and it came out exactly eight gallons at $2.50 a gallon. So it was corrected. I'm not sure about the weights and measures, if that was just an abnormality or what. That's all I wanted to say.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I understand, but I'm a sub-Method graduate. I don't like to be so-called Mr. Belgian rat.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: But I will keep an eye on that station. Thank you. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street. former Medford City Council candidate, October 17th, 2017. We're all immigrants, except for the Eskimo and the Indian, plural. In a perfect world, or a perfect country, we would not even have borders. On the other hand, my father sponsored my mother's brother to come from Northern Italy to come here back in the 60s. And I had to get him a job and gave him an apartment, half price. And I kind of feel bad for the people that are trying to do this legally. They're waiting in line. Maybe they're paying attorney fees, Who else they're paying, I don't know. And maybe they won't be able to get in legally. And I don't know what kind of a process it is these days, if there is such a system at all. So therefore, I coined the phrase, all sentient beings matter, period. I said that, not Bob Dylan.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Good. Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Mefford, Massachusetts. Speak back to the mystic of zoning. I'd like to add some input. I lived on Mystic Ave in 1955. That was the old highways of Boston before they built Route 93 in 1960, I believe. And about 1965, I came up with an idea, although I didn't have much in numbers of age or power. The city, in my opinion, should have taken all of Mr. Gav on the east side by Eminent Domain at that time when we had the muscle and it was more affordable, even with a duty 21E at the junkyard, presumably. And then I'd have the developers go up whatever, 25, 35 stories high. And if you worked here, you'd be at work now. Marshall Sloan took the idea 10 years ago with his billboard. However, that never happened, and Mr. Gabb is underutilized. And it would be a goldmine if it was in New York City, or even for five miles north of Boston, which it is. However, first of all, this new growth, real estate tax, To grow is wonderful because without growth, we start to go backwards. However, when the new growth, when you don't use the new real estate taxes to offset prop two and a half increases, it doesn't help us who have been carrying the weight and paying real estate taxes for all these decades. It actually hurts us infinitely because we need more police, more fire, school, buildings, pensions, infrastructure. And then, in the following year, they add 2.5% to a larger inflated number. And I would have put a ring road on Mr. Gav, keep him off Main Street, unless they wanted to go to the Pasquales in those days. Now, good luck with this new zoning, because it should have been done a long, long time ago. But I must reiterate, the new growth does not help us. It hurts us infinitely. Thank you for listening. Thank you, Mr. Castagnetti.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: May I comment? Regardless. I really have very little comment. I just wanted to say it's a sad state of affairs that TV 3 has been off the air for approximately four years and also it would be nice if it was housed instead of here in a central location. As a matter of fact, in my opinion, the demise of Medford Square back in 1970 is when they closed Medford High School in Forest Street and opened up this high school.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, exactly. In TB3. And they put the high school here in the West Medford Woods. which in effect was the kiss of death in Medford Square. Then the middle of Glen Mall was finally in the coffin. And coincidentally, ironically, they went bankrupt, except for Wegmans, bail them out. The point is, we're repeating, we're not learning from history, in my opinion. We're repeating the same mistakes. We're not putting it in a central location. Hopefully you understand my point.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, 23 Cushman Street, former Medford City Council candidate. The lady brought up a good point. City has a scheduling problem. We cannot be in more than one location at one time. I wanted to go to something about Haines Square.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It would be nice to have meetings separate. We're on the CPA though. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: We're doing CPA first. Okay, about the CPA. My comprehension of past facts on the CPA vote, number one, in effect, it's an override of proposition two and a half. Number two, I believe approximately 5,555 people voted for the mayor in the past election, and about 5,000 voted for the runner-up. It came out to about 10,500. but approximately only 8,000 voted for the CPA tax, including renters were allowed, approximately, including the renters were allowed to vote for it, Mr. Finn. And it was passed by a narrow margin, I believe.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, so there's a narrow margin in my opinion. Number three, why did they only require approximately 1,700 signatures to get the CPA question on the ballot? But we, the average people or person, we need 20% of the registered voters, which is about approximately 7,000 signatures to get something on the ballot. And also, I believe some people were involved with grabbing the petitions, worked for City Hall. A director of a certain department I noticed was involved.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm not sure if that was legal. Do not be quiet about that right now. Number four, however, I'm not very upset at the extra $60 a year for my real estate tax bill. I'm more concerned I'm three real estate tax bills in arrears at the tune of $4,500 plus fine, plus 14% per annum juice interest. Because some of us are struggling to pay our bills. Number five, also I'm most concerned where most of this money will be spent, meaning outside of the West Medford area, we have South Medford, East Medford, Fulton Heights, and I believe these other areas have greater need to improve our quality of life, period. And finally, number six, And of course, the so-called matching state funds was and is a fallacy, period, again. Thank you, if you're listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Method, Massachusetts. Patiently, I've been listening, and I'd like to offer a few words, knowing that you can never satisfy all the people all the time. However, I believe that is still an industrial zone, not residential. And also, the old saying goes, competition usually makes better business. So the more competition, it would definitely be better for the consumer, I presume, lowering the prices, maybe stopping shop or lower the usury prices. As a matter of fact, it might be a great idea to, instead of the 490 unit proposed development across the street, which is tied up in two or three lawsuits, that market basket goes in there. And then we could really lower some prices. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address of the record, please. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, 02155. I want to thank Councilor Piano for bringing this resolution forward, especially when in 2001, I believe, we had a large meeting with the neighborhood crime watch at the old train station, I believe, on Washington Street, former Redskins building. And that's when the new schools were opening, I believe. police, if he could get installed a push-button stoplight so the children could cross Riverside Avenue onto the newly created Freedom Way, the two schools, Tucker Andrews and McGlynn. And basically, his reply, I believe, And I said, well, basically, I'm just asking for a push-button stop, not a full-fledged. It cost $100,000. So nothing has ever been put there except a crosswalk, I believe. If I'm not mistaken, not long ago, within 12 months, on High Street, they put something in real quick when the child was almost hit by a car, they say. And it's on High Street in front of this book school, I believe. I would like to confide with Councilor Knight also, if I could have a request to put it there, because that crosswalk, the dangerous street, Riverside Avenue, and furthermore, it's used 12 months a year, not just for the school year, because of the park, footpath, bike paths, partial bike paths, soccer fields, et cetera, Little League. request. Thank you for listening. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I just want to re-ask a question that I brought forward to the council at the last meeting. And that was simply, for a council, councilor I ask to bring forward the question. To ask the mayor, why isn't new growth, brand new real estate tax used to offset any proposed The council voted for it. I just wanted to know, was that question actually sent to the mayor?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: They will be adopted. My question, hopefully, is indeed inside the minutes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes. The rules are suspended. Can I address the council? I wanted to make, I actually wanted to say, Honorable Councilors, While I have this moment, I would like a minute to congratulate all of the seven city councilors and the seven council challengers. I wish you all good luck, and more importantly, good health before and after seven of the 14 are elected in November. Also, I'd like to give a heartfelt thanks to my 499 people who voted for me. It did me no favor. Because now I'm in a real good place. This is my five key priorities. That is, number one, improve public safety. Three, encourage fiscal responsibility. Four, promote responsible development. And my baby, number five, reduce real estate tax burden. for unoccupied homelands by adopting the full 35% undone message of the federal law, under 59 section 5C, as it's done in the formidable Walden area, and all across the other area communities. Finally, provide some long overdue tax relief for homelands. And now I have a sixth, Thank you for your attention, assistance, and public spirit. Now back to my question. Was the question in the records, Councilor? Yes, it was. Thank you very much for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Paul Castagnetti, 23 Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: If I may try to put this in proper perspective for if there's ever a viewing public of this meeting in the future. I believe the formula is, because it is confusing.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay, thank you. Excuse my appearance. I had a bad injury at the bike path that doesn't exist in the Mystic River. The formula for a primary, I believe, is seven positions for the city council, which you all hold, times two is 14, add one is 15. If there's 15 or more candidates running, and there are, I believe, triggers a primary according to the city ordinance or charter. Is that accurate? That is correct. Thank you, sir. I, when Mr. City Clerk Finn had the drawing for the post positions, I did sign as a council candidate for this election a so-called document, I believe all eight of us signed it, of the challenges, I should say. And that's the only document I ever signed to that nature. And the document was stating, I believe, to let's waive the primary and save the taxpayers $30,000, $45,000, I hear sometimes $70,000. I don't know what the actual figure is. So I said, sure, it makes sense to me, common sense. that why spend 30 to 45,000 to eliminate one out of the 15? And God forbid someone gets eliminated, if there is a primary, that person's not gonna feel very happy, I presume. It seems like a lot of big chunk of cash to eliminate one person. However, if you put it in perspective, as Councilor Marks was alluding to, 45,000, when this city spent, first of all, they collected from our pockets, the taxpayers, a billion dollars, over a billion dollars, not including the bonds they borrowed and extended our debt, the public debt. And from real perspective, I believe the 45,000, is 2 hundredths of 1% of this year's $167 million budget. Furthermore, bottom line, this might be the best $45,000 this city has ever spent in 55 years. It's going to open up some conversation, I would think. Thank you. You're welcome. I'm not finished. And maybe we can get some leadership that can improve our situation in the city and lower our real estate taxes, et cetera, et cetera, and improve the quality of life. So frankly, Charlotte, have the primary, don't have the primary, it might be a good thing to spend that $45,000 after all. Thank you. You're quite welcome, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor, President. Part of my appearance, I had a bad bicycle injury on Mystic River last Wednesday, right where the Clippership connected path is supposed to be. Unfortunately, it's not there. There's a couple of sinkholes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, I noticed. I've been through a thousand times. I get distracted, and it costs me dearly. Head injuries and broken bones. If I had some power in this, I would be the first on the agenda that I would take care of. It's public safety, not just that. Mystic Avenue, cars that should not be parked there when five lanes becomes two lanes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, we are. In a nutshell, Andrew Castagnetti, 23 Cushion Street, 781396. TIPS, T-I-P-S. This new growth, we've had this for many, many years, probably every year since pre-my birth. However, I don't understand why we don't use this new growth, which basically is real estate tax that never existed before from a development. Why don't they use that new growth to offset Prop 2.5 increases? Directly, it should be directly applied to Prop 2.5 increases. I don't understand why. Two years ago, I did the math, my real estate tax bill went up $400. if they apply the $1.5 million of new growth, brand new real estate taxes against the 2.5%, which was $2.5 million, it would have went up $80 instead of $400. And this has been going on since before I was born. Basically, I believe this new growth, it should not be encouraged the way it is. I'm for smart growth, great economic growth. However, if you don't use that new real estate tax to offset two and a half increases, not only does it hurt us, it hurts us five fold. First of all, you need more fire, police, school teachers, buildings, vehicles. and infrastructure improvements. It doesn't make sense to me. I'm asking if you could formally ask the mayor for an answer, a formal answer, because I've tried on my own with the head of the city assessor's office, and I have not received a straight answer, although I was told he would mail me something that was three months ago. I understand I'm not tech savvy. Snail mail can take time, but it's been three months. Could you please, can one councilor make a formal request to ask the mayor why aren't we using new growth to offset Prop 2.5 increases? Sure.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Please.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Who will make that?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you very much.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Paul Castagnetti, 23 Cushman Street Method Massachusetts. Good evening honorable city councilors. I mean, almost good morning. It's almost midnight. God bless America for allowing me to file my petition and speak on this matter with our first amendment right. I promise to be brief as possible and not ad lib. Therefore, I'll read from my teleprompter of handwritten notes before me. I only need about eight minutes. If the phone works, it's 1151 for the record. Are we a democracy or not a democracy? That is my question. An extreme concern here in 02155 and for all of the United States of America. Number two, for example, I must read two letters that were issued from the City of Medford Board of Health. The first letter was sent, I'm not sure of the date because it's not dated, from Mary Ann O'Connor, Director of the Board of Health. It states, the Board of Health recently voted to implement proposed changes to Medford tobacco regulations. As of July 10, 2017, the proposed changes will become effective. And in the bottom, it's directed towards private clubs. Smoking prohibited in private clubs slash memberships associations. Another letter was also sent out thereafter. What date, I don't know. It's not dated, again. Same department, same director. It states, Board of Health notice to private clubs. The Medford Board of Health voted at the June meeting to postpone the enactment of the private club smoking ban for six months until after the next election. Three, it seems very undemocratic, you'd think. Before I continue, I'll disclose I am an officer at the Sons of Italy in Winchester, Massachusetts. And yes, the club did ban smoking, November of 016. However, the private club membership voted amongst themselves in a democratic election period. Furthermore, the Winchester town government never dictated any such order. And also, our club did allow a special area for the people to go and enjoy their medicine, smoking. With thoughtful respect, thank you to the sons of Italy. Number five, look, we understand that smoking is a nasty addictive habit. My belief is nicotine is the most addictive drug on earth. They say smoking kills people and may indeed be killing me. However, did anyone ever think that this nicotine medicine kept me alive for 66 years? And many others. especially U.S. soldiers who are now veterans, a la VFW, American Legion, and more. Six, by the way, my point of factual information, when I started smoking in 1962, cigarettes was 28 cents a pack, the same price as a gallon of gasoline at Dick's Esso at Tufts Park. OK, so gas is now $2.10 a gallon. But a package of smokes is five times more than that in Texas. Costing the most addicted and poorest people in society more than $10 per package. PS, most of that $10 is federal, state, local taxes. hello, if we all stop smoking, the government will lose billions in tax revenue. And I don't even want to think how and what the government would tax to recoup the huge tax loss, especially with Proposition 2.5 in effect in Massachusetts. Thank you, Barbara Anderson. Rest her soul. 6A, please don't get too lost in what I just said. But at that time, I really felt that way, and I still do. In closing, sorry, I'm going to have to ad lib now. Once, I agree with the past councilor, President Robert Mayorko, when he once said, leave the people alone. I remember it because it was the only time I agreed with a man. I'll never forget it, but that never happened. It seems Big Brother, the government, has its own nasty habit. of putting their nose in people's private business. Again, again, and again. It is appalling to me and many other voters when our so-called leaders dictate to our VFW veterans of way too many wars, demanding that we cease from smoking in our private club. This is not fair and very undemocratic. We, the member peoples, are very capable to vote amongst ourselves. Furthermore, these fellow veterans who sacrificed life and limb and much more that I couldn't even comprehend, and we don't want to walk a mile on this show, I'm sure, unless you already have, you don't want to go back there, are the only reason we are not speaking German on the East Coast or Japanese on the West Coast and maybe even Mexican up to the Mason-Dixon line. Number nine, you know when I started kindergarten at the Hancock School, I no speak of the English at all. I spoke a Northern Italian dialect. Eventually I picked up your English as my second language without an ESL teacher. But I do remember quite well those 50s teachers told me, this country is based on democracy. However, I've learned since then that this may be the biggest lie of all time, because it seems to be capitalism rules, and therefore trumps over our so-called democracy. So please, back off. Leave us alone. And finally, number 10, my fellow VFW members asked me to ask you all, will you stand on this matter now tonight, July 18th, 2017? This is from seven minutes ago. It's 11.58.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I don't want that much time. I don't want that much time. I'm going to repeat number 10, however. I got to get off track.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: My fellow VFW members, including the top three, Commander Down, and in succession, they asked me to ask you all, where you stand on this matter now, tonight, before the next general election. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you for your response. Anyone else? I think it's time to start another party call, not we the people, you the people. Because democracy doesn't seem to be working. I know we're a minority, and we're looked upon as- I know, I know Woobin did the same thing.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: My mother died from smoking. It's a tough, tough topic. I know exactly where you're coming from. Maybe I should just throw my hat in the ring for the first time ever tomorrow morning and put my papers up at city council. Good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address of the record, please. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Medford, Massachusetts. The previous speaker brought up a good point on the OCD, I believe it's Office of Community Development. It's very important that we hire the best of the best, in my opinion. Medford, in general, is at a crossroads for development. And if we need more help, or the cream of the cream, a Boston or a Somerville type of individual that knows, because Route 93 goes right through us since 1960. A lot of development's been going on, especially on the east side. And it's time we come up with a better plan. And if we're going to develop, especially any housing that's going to generate real estate tax, as long as they're not tax exempt like Tufts University or a nonprofit 501c3, I don't mind if you're going to jam this in and and East Ford on the east side of the square. However, also that new growth real estate tax should be deducted from any ideas of prop 2.49% increase because if not, that new growth real estate tax does not help us who's been supporting the city for decades. As a matter of fact, it hurts us real big time. We need more teachers, more fire, more police, buildings, infrastructure, and not to mention, it's becoming overly congested. That is simply my opinion. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Then I'll make it very brief as usual.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Cushing Street, 02155. To hear Mr. Starella speak, it gives me hope for mankind. He reminds me of my father. He uses a lot of common sense, but I'm sure he has more than a sixth grade education. Basically, I think the translation would be, let's cut the waste. and take care of what we have, and maintain what we have. I have a gut feeling that the old high school, 1970, that was closed on Forest Street, will still be standing when all these so-called new schools will become rubble, and have to be rebuilt at our children.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I thought you were telling me not to campaign. I'm not running at this juncture.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's okay. I believe I remember the key point. Mr. Starella brought up it would probably be a $400, $500 increase in that real estate tax, I presume he meant. And he's probably right on from the last couple of years standing in a row. It seems like my real estate tax has gone up $400 annually. So, I would like to say, as you people spent lots of time, and if I may commend you, an effort on this budget process. Hopefully you've taken into consideration, God willing, I'll be back in December, about the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption, because we're talking about money now, budget. Instead of that $400 increase that Mr. Sorella presumed it's gonna be, would a 35% owner-occupied real estate tax exemption which has never been adopted in this city, but has been in Everett, Somerville, and Malden, and Nantucket, and Brookline, and in Boston, mind you. Instead of a $400 increase, we would see a $700 decrease in my estimation with my simple mathematics. That's $1,000 swing. So if you really wanna jack up the budget three, four, 5%, At least give us what the commonwealth of Massachusetts gave to we the people, the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption, so we could have a $1,000 swing of a savings. Instead of at this rate, our tax rate will be $10,000 a year on a house instead of six in the next five years. Especially for the seniors, it's not easy for a lot of people. I hope you're listening. Hope to see you in December.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti. Cushion Street, Method, Massachusetts. The CPA tax, it does not hurt me that much at $60 a year approximate versus the $6,000 per year with the real estate tax. So putting it on a scale, on a scheme of things, I would like to see my owner occupy real estate tax exemption pass at the full 35%. The state would give us, and that would save us the $400 future increase under Prop 2 1⁄2 and reduce it $400, which would be $800 savings that we've missed out for many, many, many years, as Somerville and Malden has been doing so, if you lived in one house, your own house. And as far as the CPA, the vote was I don't know how to explain it, but it was on page two, and it seemed like 10,500 people voted for the mayorship, and it seems to me about only 8,500 voted for the CPA. To me, it was about $2,000 on my memory. That never turned it over. And CPA tax is supposed to be used if it ever gets used, And for one is open space. Well, all of a sudden we possibly have a dirty 21E where I want my bike path to go the one half mile out of the 20 miles that's already built. It's one twentieth is incomplete, and that's right behind your council president. I can't understand that. If there is a dirty 21E, that is open space. And if someone started to dig around there for whatever reason, why it was initiated and found arsenic and lead. I don't like that. And as Brianna was quoted in the transcript, which I finally read today, that what about the soccer fields over there? And I had said previously at one of these meetings, well, how about those pastor already there by the proposed new dog park? I don't understand this country and the city. Something is amiss.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's too far for my bicycle. Thank you, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, 02155. I really hate to repeat myself from past meetings on this issue. However, the time to have spoke up and be at the table would have been pre, before 2007 when they built this runway, 330, whatever it's called. But even then, we didn't have the power of Tip O'Neill I'm not sure if we're going to be able to tell Massport and the FDA, whatever it's called, what to do. However, since we are so blessed to have the Atlantic Ocean next to Boston, I would hope at least after a certain time, let's say 8, 9, 10 p.m., seems like 11 o'clock news, they start coming hot and heavy, 11.30, As the lady behind me said, three in the morning. I wouldn't know, cause I'm dead asleep. So maybe they could be businesslike and it would work out that after 9 PM or 10, 11 at the latest, hopefully the children will stay asleep, take off over the Atlantic ocean. That's all I have to say.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address of the record, please. Castagnetti cushion street. Um, my recollection at that meeting, I asked the vendor more importantly, what would it cost in the future per year? And I believe one of the councilors stated that would be in the contract, but at least he was up front enough, hopefully factual and truthful to say the increase can only be a maximum of, I believe it was 3%. Thank you. So increase. So hopefully 3% would be like $600 on top of 20,000 in the following year if they max it out. So hopefully it won't be a surprise bill of a hundred thousand for the following year. 3% is supposed to be the max. And I would, if you people get into the contract, I would, and sign it. I would hope they will stick to that 3% in the contract. so there's no surprises in the future, thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: May I have an address to the record, please? Andrew Cushman Street and Abbott Street. It's the same location today, June 13th, 2017, that the big city neglected infested tree had fallen down an hour and a half ago all around my house. Again, I hate to repeat myself, I've said it before, I'm not that smart. I went to BU once, it was closed. I'm not going back either. I'm just not going to go back. I'm not going to go there. However, on this connectivity fee, I like to call it, we're already connected to the grid of H2O and the storage going out. So I kind of understand how you'd want to charge for that. unless you're doing a new Marauder development and you're putting new pipes in. That makes sense to me. You might even charge a thousand, whatever it costs, depending on what the contractor is going to make. And as far as the shape, whatever they call that, that fee that they try to charge contractors at times, if they want to develop. I'm thinking out loud, so to speak, I'm wondering if the connectivity fee is a way to generate a base such as when Representative Congressman Markey, I believe, an example next door in Malden, I believe, lived in Malden, he said, when he was a congressman. And I'm not sure if that water meter was running when he supposedly lived there. And so now Senator Markey, I guess, would still get a connectivity fee, a base rate. I don't use any gas on my electric on the second floor, because I have an empty apartment. So the bill should be zero, you would think, but it's not zero. There's some sort of basic charge on the electric, and as Penta would say, the other conglomerate, for the gas. With eight and a half million dollars of overcharged money out of our rate payers' money, water bills, you know, it's like 1,200 bucks a year on an average, I'm guesstimating. Why do you want to shake down the lower middle class especially? Give us a break, please.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street Method Mass. I'm very dismayed all of a sudden we may have a dirty 21E at this river site after 200 to 300 years of the area being a dumping site. And if there is a problem, although is this not the DCR state of Massachusetts problem and their cost to clean up, believe in that In the 1677 law, Massachusetts had said, we the people have rights of 20 feet above mean high tide along all waterways. P.S., I, we have been fishing, my son and many of my neighbors, and biking there for over 50 years. I'm further dismayed being on the eve of finally getting our East Medford connect the bike path, the missing link, which happens to be the center of the city, mind you, connecting West to assembly road. Also, we had already built bike paths behind adjacent and adjoining that possible dirty 21 E area behind the new schools, the McGlynn and the Andrews. And it's sad, coincidentally, when we're finally having a Thursday meeting to hopefully finalize and connect the middle part that we have the situation that I've noticed the fences and I couldn't negotiate with my bicycle for the last couple of weeks. Please, let's try to make some sense of this.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And hopefully this year and not in 10 years.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Cushman Street. This past gentleman brought up a corner location where a car went through his fence and onto the corner location, I believe it was called RE max. Um, it's also my memory. I believe Councilor Penta had said one that we should have used money by that corner piece of real estate when it was for sale, especially now with more tractor trailers trying to navigate that turn. Very dangerous. And in hindsight, I believe the gentleman was right in the past.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address for the record, please. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Method Mass. On a positive note, I'd like to thank all you councilors, the mayor, all the salaried employees, and especially the volunteers for doing all the hard work and trying to improve our city. Thank you very much. As far as saving taxpayers' money on the water, it sounds really good to me. Trust is good, but verify would be better. The city is strongly believing this device or system will not only save taxpayers' money, and it may be a good idea, But verifying if it's historically a fact and true is a better, I believe, and a must idea before spending almost a million dollars of the people's money. Is it a wise purchase? Does it work? So, like, who, what cities have bought this system in the last three years? And can we call them and ask if they saved any money? And how much per year? Please. I also recollect the new water meters, they're probably 10 to 15 years old, and those are supposed to be all kinds of bells and whistles, and I believe in those meters, I believe one of the Councilors had brought up, and I'm not sure if that saved the center any money. But I'd like to see from past experiences who has bought this around our locale, under the MWRA system, if they in fact really did save, or did it did they not save and they spent a million dollars or whatever, and was a cost-effective period. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti Christian. Someone brought up there's a meeting coming up, what was that meeting? The dog park. I think it's 1 p.m. 1 p.m., Riverbend Park. And that's behind the Dogger Andrews, I presume?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Okay. Behind the McGlynn, okay. Also, I think there's two other meetings.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It's also, okay, at the Andrews. And also, I believe there's some, my friend Captain Barry Clemente called about some final traffic meeting. There's also a traffic meeting also tomorrow night on Thursday night. Thursday night's a very busy night. So Thursday night's meeting is about the last meeting for the proposed possible city-wide or part of the city-wide Resident parking only? Yes. Correct? That's correct. Okay.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Six o'clock, an hour before the bike path, Riverside Bend.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address of the record, please. Thank you, Council President Andrew Castagnetti, Christian Street Method Mass. The trees are very nice. Of course, maintenance can be a problem. I never heard the terminology, difference between Somerville and Medford would be where a city or they're a city without trees. That's funny. My concern is we've got to maintain and take care of our basics. Maintain what we have, let alone building anew. For example, behind by Riverbend, I'm sorry, the term would be Ring Road. That parking lot back there, this hunks of cement that are supposed to be in place to stop cars from encroaching upon the sidewalks. They're all over the place, from the snow plowing. They can't see them when they plow. And there's one on the other side, almost in the river, mind you. I'm concerned someone's gonna get seriously, seriously hurt. And the potholes, as Councilor Del Russo calls them, potholders. I am not sure if there is a better way to build a mousetrap. Maybe we should talk to Montreal or some other locale where they have pothole problems big time, and maybe we can learn from the engineering process what would actually hold up. Maybe it has to be cut in a V or an opposite angle and filled maybe with cement if the tire is not going to stay. I am not that savvy in this area. However, my concern is, if you don't take care of our basics, I don't know about some of them, but I'm concerned that we're gonna have like a weekend in Chelsea here. That's my concern, with your massage parlors, or your hawk shops, and there is some plane noise also.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Kast and Eddie Cushon, Street Method Mass. Thank you, Councilor Marks, for bringing up the windmill. It got me thinking. A few years back, I was at the energy fair, I believe it's called, and I asked the new head person of the electrical department and some other person that works for the city if they could tell me how much energy it generated, dollar for dollar, what the cost would have been initially to build it if we had to pay for it out of our pocket, what the return is for the dollar. And they didn't have any answer whatsoever. First of all, and I believe it's a great idea to use anything that's natural, wind, solar, et cetera. Supposedly this country put man on the moon 12 or 13 times and returned them safely. If that is true, I believe there's no excuse for us to be burning fossil fuels. There's only probably one good reason and that is Mr. President Bush holding hands with the Arabs on his Texas ranch. Capitalism, I'm sure. It makes great sense, I just would like to know if it's cost effective. If you put up a dollar, do you get your dollar back? That's all I have to say, thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Councilor Dello Russo? Yes. Councilor Falco? Yes. Councilor Knight? Yes. Councilor Lockhart? Yes. Vice-President Marks? Yes. Councilor Scarpelli? Yes. Vice-President Caraviello?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew, Cushing Street. Thank you, Councilors, for jostling my memory with Tufts University and the Green Line. If I had it in my power, I would allow Tufts to have their Green Line extension and their on one condition, that they take, let's say it's $1 billion even, out of their $7 billion endowment that they have in cash, and they don't pay any real estate tax, and they don't pay any corporation tax as a university. I would have them put up whatever it takes before their station is completed, before it's even started. to have an underground tunnel from Tufts University to right behind you, Council President Caraviello. And where the red brick building is, I'd have the entrance to the Green Line. And then, Medford Square and the whole city would have the internal stimulus with a downtown subway, just like Malden and just like Winchester.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Um, briefly, I just wanted to, uh, say, I'm not sure if the local police on this 18 wheeler business can, can, uh, enforce outside of speeding tickets and things of that nature. Um, police maybe even had trouble 10 years ago to enforce to our pocket. And that's why we inherited Republic Park and I presume, um, So maybe it's, I'm just thinking out loud, maybe that would be a problem in a job for the state police.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President Andrew Cast and Eddie Cushion Street. Method mask. To the chair, I would like to ask the... To the chair. To the chair, ask the director of the Board of Health, I'm sorry, the director of environmental planning of the Metropolitan Area Council. I've been hearing some words about flooding and national disasters and things of that nature. and with the melt and ice caps, so they say. I have two simple questions. I would like two simple, concrete answers. Through the chair, for the director, how many feet above sea level is the Karatek Bridge? And the second question, how many feet above sea level is the Amelia Earhart Dam at the Tippity Top? Two simple questions.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. On the motion by Councilor Nice. Does paper be adopted? Seconded by Councilor Falco.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew cast an anti Christian street method, Massachusetts, The ex-Councilor brought up some good points about this issue. Why would we merge the water accounts, the income and the sewerage? I can understand, as it was stated, for making a simpler accountant to be one number combined instead of two numbers. But my concern is, will this ever hurt us, the payer, because of this combination? I don't know if anyone has that answer, or I could guarantee that answer either. Number two, this connectivity fee, is this a one-time charge at the town next to us, or is this a yearly fee, or biannually? Does anyone know that? Councilor Langelgren.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: For a total of one year or continuously?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Is it yearly? After the first year, it will continue as a yearly extra cost.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: But this is not a one-time charge for 12 months. It's going to be done continuously after the year is over.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: As it stands right now. OK, thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: OK, point number two, why a connection fee if we're already connected to our water lines? I can understand for new construction, there must be fees to hook it up to the street. But we're already connected. I kind of see why, in a fair way, you would add such a fee, or the state did, or the NWRA. I would say, why not simply raise the usage rate only if needed, because we're used to that every so many years, and it doesn't condolute the issue by having a connectivity fee forever and a day. It's just, I can't understand it. Unless some water meters are not being used, and they're basically trying to get a connectivity fee yearly, even if they use zero cubic feet of water, like The gas, natural gas has a supply side, and with all their hundreds of sentences, we'll need to try to decipher their bills. It doesn't seem fair, and I'm concerned it's gonna cost us not only in combination fees, but there might be extra costs, there might be a method to the reasoning here that might cost us greatly in the future. And the connectivity fee, I can't understand that unless we're gonna do a new connection. Thank you for this.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Andrew. The man's right. Usually when the city comes up with an idea, I'm not usually for it because it might cost us money or aggravation or a combination thereof sometimes. However, I believe we in East Medford deserve this as a connection to West Medford all the way through to Assembly Road so I can continue my bike path. Also, I must say, Route 93 got sound barriers on the west side, but the other child on my side, east forward, we never got any sound barriers. If you're gonna give it to one child, you should give it to both childs, or else Paul did not bring any presents home whatsoever for Christmas. That's only my opinion, of course. You're welcome, Councilor Dello Russo. So why not us in East Medford? Besides, there is a law, I believe it goes back to 1647, Cuomo of the Massachusetts, probably the oldest law in the 13 colonies, that states we the people have egress rights to walk along waterways, up to 20 feet, I believe, above high mean high tide. So if properties were built close to the waterway, that's a nice amenity for them to have in the real estate business. However, the Supreme Court also backed up this law on Cape Cod with Smith and Wesson's Peninsula down in Kituit. It's the people's right of way. I hope it goes forward as it should, as in West Medford. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti. Thank you, Councilor Caraviello, for informing me about Sammy Petrola a couple of hours ago. I'm very saddened to hear that he's out. I'm at a loss for words, he's a gentleman of a gentleman, one of the kindest people I've ever met in Salt and met Ford, and holy, he left a great legacy, and I hope somebody can even come close to matching him. I'm very sorry to his family.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew, I've been here enough. At the risk of repeating myself from last night's meeting and being crude, and knowing that hindsight is 20-20, seems to me the local politicians, however, are way too late. They should have been At that table, if they were, and with better power, back in 2006, 7, before runway 33L was actually built, which affects us on east side of Medford. But even with Tip O'Neill power, I'm not sure if you're going to stop Massport from doing what they want, being the entity that they are. And if Logan Airport is way too busy, Why can't we lay it off, some of that traffic to Providence, Worcester, Manchester? Seems to me it's a day late and a dollar short. And it is noise pollution and other pollution, as was stated. So I say I wish you the best of luck fixing this, or we have to live with it, or it's leaving 02155 if it bothers you that much. Unfortunately.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Name and address of the record, please. Andrew Cast and Eddie Cushion Street, Method, Massachusetts. I'm for historical preservation. As a matter of fact, if I may tell you a short story, you might find it interesting, although most of the people behind me I'm sure know this story already. I lived in 41 Mystic Avenue for 25 years in a three family, which was originally a single family, that was originally next to Gaffey's, Captain Isaac Hall's house. And they moved that house, I have no idea when, before I was born, where Governor Zav is today. They moved it, instead of destroying it, over 100 years ago, in order to make Governor Zav and you a reasonable facsimile of Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, from what I understand. How they got it across the Karate Bridge, I have no idea. That probably explains why those 200-year-old floors were sagging. The house was built in the 1750s, before Paul Revere. Paul Revere went right by it before they broke up and that's where the house was. Captain Isaac Hall had three sons, if I understand correctly, and I was the first of three sons. I won't get into the fact that they married three sisters from Cambridge. However, by the way, historical designation can be complicated, I'm sure. I'm sure there's different entities that classify it, whatever strength of power they have. I don't know. You have the federal, you have state, city, and I presume there's others, including possibly Middlesex County that I'm not aware of. But you should also consider the new growth as not anti-American, especially if we can fix up some blighted properties. And as far as gentrification, as the lady had spoken earlier, I don't believe we would have much gentrification, even if real estate taxes, the real estate values, the prices, valuations went up drastically. But if you don't use that new growth from the new development to offset Prop 2.5 increases, then we will be pushed out, especially seniors on fixed income. or zero income for the last 29 years. Just wanted to volunteer a story from my childhood.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You're welcome.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Greetings, Mr. President Caraviello. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. How do I start?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, I'm talking about water.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Is it free water? There's something in the water, 02155. I got my T-shirt. It's about the water. Listen, Richard. Okay. This connectivity fee, it's all new to me, Councilor Marks. I'd ask you to explain it, but it's kind of late, and some people want to go watch that basketball game. Although the only last two minutes is what really counts, in my opinion. However, this connectivity fee might be something that might, how you say it, the straw that breaks the tax man's back, or the taxpayer's back. I enjoyed seeing Councilor Brianna and some other politicians Yesterday, first time that I recollect ever going to see front of Captain Isaac Hall's house and celebrating our first revolution. Thank you. I guess the Beatles would say, if you walk the streets, we'll tax your feet, because I'm the taxpayer. When does this end? At Dela Rousseau's or Chinkardi's? or a cremation of some sort.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Who polluted the harbor talking about water? Me? You? No. The Mills and Lawrence, the GE, the corporations in Woburn. Who's cleaning it up? The lower middle class. It's paid for. It's done.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Mefford, Massachusetts. I'm not gonna get into the West Mefford and South Mefford or East Ford, although Dr. Cerello may have brought up some reasonable points. However, I would like to say the implication that Mr. Sorella made was it was in effect an override of prop two and a half. In effect, we could say that, but it really wasn't. It was under the Massachusetts law of the Community Preservation Act, I believe. However, I'd say when it was voted in by, however it was voted in, and that's, kind of an understatement of how it got approved. Um, I just wanted to say, if I was had input to what to use as one and a half million dollars, if that's what it is, the first thing I would do is they talk about Shibali auditorium as having being the crown jewel of the city. However, as you pull into Medford Square from the Rotary, Route 93, Interstate Route 93, on Salem Street, as you're going past the old Medford Cinema, which is now Elizabeth Grady, and on the right-hand side there, after that church, is, I believe it's Martin Pastry, or Mike's, I think it's Martin. However, that steeple has not been there since, we shouldn't pull it, Joe's pool room back in 68. I would think maybe it's not a crown jewel that's missing, but at least put, as they say on a Christmas tree, a finial on top of that steeple. It doesn't have to be a full blown out structure, because it might come down with another windstorm or hurricane and get condemned. It could be a reasonable facsimile that goes up 20, 30, 40 feet, made of some sort of carbon or plastic material. At least the center of the square We'll look a little bit more with a cap on top. Make a better presentation to the outsiders and also to myself as I'm driving my bicycle around City Hall. I think it's a no-brainer. People might think it's not important, but I think we'll make a big presentation. I would thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: One of the major parts of it, if I recollect, is architecture and housing, I believe. But talk about architecture, historical society should have been on that one 25 years ago. Thank you for listening. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street. It's hard to follow Dr. Starella, he's so eloquent. And my education is not so good, you know. From Tuspac, I was educated at Woodstock, and I went to BU once. I did go to BU once, Boston University I think it's called, but it was closed. However, What really fries my backside is this new growth that's projected at about $1.5 million, it is not, never has been deducted from Prop 2.5 before you raise the real estate tax. If it did last year, the $1.7 million, of new growth deducted that first from the two and a half percent of 100 million, two and a half million, you would have had like $800,000 increase instead of two, three, $4 million. Approximately, I would say, The real estate tax was never going up like $400. It probably would have went up $80. Probably would have saved 80% on the tax increase. I don't know why it's not being done. Furthermore, I don't understand why we can't do what Somerville, Everett, Malden does, Boston, Brookline, and I believe Martha's Vineyard. to give the owner-occupied who live in their one home, doesn't matter if it's a condo, single, two, three family, or 100 family, marauder home, doesn't matter. They're all gonna get the same 20% exemption. Actually, now I'm talking, since it's never been done here, 35% to make it worthwhile. So no one's real estate tax will go up, even if you live in it, because the cap would be much higher than last year's projected $600,000 or thereabouts, it'll go up to $1 million. And if it does go up, because you live in a house that's valued over $1 million, it's going to be a minuscule increase. And don't forget, at 20%, if that was adopted, it would have been, I don't know, I'm losing track because it's highly unfair. And I kind of understand it. And if you give the city more money, even on the side, I'm sure they'll take it. But Dr. Sorella brings up some good points. I still understand why we don't use that new growth, because the new growth, we might as well not have it because we don't need more congestion in East Ford, South Medford, because They don't help the real estate tax because it's been carrying the load for decades. They hurt us. Need more police, more fire, schools, school teachers, infrastructure, things of that nature. So where does that come from? We need more money. And the real estate tax, thanks to Barbara Anderson, rest her soul, is about two and a half. But like Dr. Stirella says, last year's increase or his projected increase for 2018 will be like over 4%. So that's a fallacy also, Prop 2.5. How much more can you tax the lower middle class? I really don't care too much for rich people, and I'm not really in the poor people's corner either. I'm for the lower middle class, because without the lower middle class, which is the majority, you're not gonna have a society worth a damn, and I repeat, and it might be time for a second revolution. That's how this country was founded when we threw out the English. Give him a break. Please, help the taxpayer, the average person, please help them for a change, just once.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address of the record, please. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman street, Method, Massachusetts. Great to hear. vocational training for our local students in Medford. As a matter of fact, it seems it's way overdue. From what I understand, a lot of corporations that are here, the Raytheons and GEs, they cannot find enough qualified students, especially coming out of high school. So I was kind of surprised to hear that the Minuteman bill was I believe the awards were up to a million dollars on one annual basis. And I understand and I've heard for many years if it's true that some other communities send their students here, such as Everett and others maybe. And I was just curious if it's $20,000 or $30,000 to send our children to Minuteman, times 20-something, whatever, became a million dollars. I was just wondering, if you put it on a scale, how much did we acquire by renting out vocational and teachers to other students? How much per year and what that total was compared to up to the million dollars? One other addendum, if I could recollect. Yes, I recollect. Thank you for your patience. Thank you. On the motion by- May I just finish one- I'm sorry. Mr. President. I would hope it would be automatic that in the future, even the present, that the Medford High School vocational school would be on a first term, first basis to satisfy all of our local students that live here. before we start renting it out and charging and making monies from other students. So to the chair, I'd like to know, on a scale of a million dollars, minute man versus how much we charged and how much per student we charge, and also if there'd be a guarantee that to make sure that our students would have first preference over any aliens that might come in from other cities.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Honorable Caraviello Presidents. Andrew Kast and Eddie Cushing Street in Medford, Mass., And I want to thank Councilor Marks and Brianna and other Councilors for bringing up this situation at the Wellington Circle. In my opinion, it's well over 20 years overdue that the state itself, I would think, should have at least put some bridges or tunnels, water permitting, et cetera, as they did on McGrath Highway and other sections towards Somerville. Unfortunately, it has not been done. And meanwhile, since 20 years ago or 30 years ago, they closed the Meadowland Drive and the Wellington Trenton Drive. We have multiple apartment buildings left and right. And we have Wegmans about to open. We have Station Landon. Then we have Assembly Road is probably only 5% developed, mind you. I'm just guesstimating. And I think the casino's supposed to draw 17,000 cars per whatever, which sounds like a big number. So it's unfair, especially to these two Councilors who do business or live in that neighborhood also. And it affects my wife going to Market Basket in Chelsea. In the name of Medford traffic safety, however, I saw Mr. Gav in this resolution, and I wanted to bring up something. And in the name of Medford Public's traffic safety, again, I want to notify 02155 of two dangerous traffic locations. Number one is at Route 38, which is Mystic Avenue, the old highway to Boston. heading north from Harvard Street towards Medford Square. There's five lanes on that highway going towards Atlas Liquors. And there's no parking on either side of that state road. And then the five lanes reduces to only two lanes directly across the street of 141 Mystic Avenue, which has a sign on that building saying, David's auto repair. For lack of better words, it's a real goat's F of a situation. There's been many accidents there, and I've seen cars turn over, and I've seen people get into wheelchairs and not walk again. So, all of a sudden, when you hit Atlas, there's an ambiguous sign. Left lane's supposed to take a left onto Hancock Street. And the other lane, there's an arrow where it says only, but good luck if you can try to configure what that means. And then there's also a sign where it says crosswalk, and it has a big, beautiful yellow sign, brand new, and it shows a crosswalk with two people, caricatures crossing. However, wouldn't you know, there's three vehicles parked on the right-hand side at David's Auto Repair. a dangerous, dangerous situation, especially when vehicles sometimes are doing well over 40, maybe 50 or 60 miles per hour, and a lot of them are outsiders, they don't know about that left onto Hancock Street, and it reduces, I repeat, from five lanes to two lanes, and all of a sudden there's three cars parked on the right, and they're SUVs, and you can't see over them, especially if you're a pedestrian wanting to cross the old civilization to cross the street to 141. It's very dangerous. That's not the only one, in my opinion. I hope we get resolution. I brought this up at the police station, at their meetings, and a couple of officers said they would look into it. I'm not sure if it's already been ratified. I'm not sure. But the last time I was out last week, I did see the three vehicles still there. Whether they're legally parked or illegally parked, I don't know, but common sense says you're looking for another bad accident. The second one is also a dangerous intersection, and it's my neck of the woods in East Ford. At Park Street, as you're coming down Park Street onto Riverside Avenue, you cannot see over that left house on the end, which is number one Park Street. It has a corner wooden fence, which causes an obstructed view. Again, there's been many, many accidents there. Some police officers have told me, good luck, because it'd be nice to get rid of that fence. And I'm not saying to do it in eminent domain, but maybe you could ask the resident if they'd be willing to allow me to cut the top half of that fence down at my cost. I'd be happy to do so. Two dangerous situations. And the third one I've already covered before, and that was the Roosevelt Circle. Was it Roosevelt? Yeah, Wellington I talked about. That's the bridge that should have been there 20 years ago. Roosevelt Circle. As you're coming from Medford Square, going on to Exit 33, it may be. But you're going towards that first rotary before you get to the Rice Pond turnoff, so to speak. But anyway, around that rotary, there's a lot of overgrown trees, it seems, that are wild. But I think in the last year or so, they've been cutting them down. Another dangerous location, because they're really flying around that rotary, and a lot of accidents happen at that rotary also. So I don't want to give you more than three today. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Around the corridor.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street Method. Thank you, Council President. Appreciate your attention. Thought I'd share some information about this gas leak situation. Approximately 15 years ago, my wife said there was a gas leak in front of the house, but I couldn't tell. She can smell a cigarette from a mile away, but I really can't. So, sure enough, a gas employee, National Grid, came in front of the house and I didn't notice my new tree on Cushion Street was dwarfed and it looked like it was dying compared to the others that were newly planted. Anyways, across the street, they had gone through multiple trees about number 26 Cushion. So the guest gentleman said to me, listen, This is, I thought he said stage one, stage two, stage three, or I said grade, you said stage, whatever it is, there's one, two, and three. I'm not sure which was the worst. I'm sure you counsel much, you know better. And your mind is refreshed. However, he said it was not so bad. Okay, so he also says to me, don't say I said it, so I'm not quoting his name, I probably have it in my notes. He said, Medford is known as the gassy city, kind of like Shark Bay. And I said, I presume it has nothing to do with Boston baked beans, mind you. So, and I've been seeing them walking around and driving around with their scanners and snifters, whatever they hang from their bumpers. And sure enough, they did come and replace the whole main for the entire street. And we've been fortunate. We have new infrastructure on that street. And they replanted new trees, because they also did the sidewalks. And our tree in the front seems a little bit more dwarfed than the other one we have on the front, which is more on the Abbott's corner. And across the street, where they already went through three trees prior to the replacement of the new line, their tree looks more dwarfed than mine. I would say it's ready to go to De La Ruza's pretty soon. So I think I covered the information I'd like to share. And just think, these pipes are probably 100 years old or more, give or take 20 years. God forbid, if we ever had to do entire re-digging the infrastructure, I don't think this country could afford such a thing and the inconvenience. So I guess we're gonna have to do a piecemeal when it becomes a stage one, as you say, Councilor Marks. But I wanna re-quote this gentleman, just don't quote me, but Medford is known as the gassy city. That's all I have to offer.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew, Cushing Street, Method Mass. I appreciate Councilor Knight's concern about keeping a more of a Winchester-type atmosphere versus a Chelsea-type atmosphere. It's a great thought. Glad you respect the city. It seems to me most people in the world, including in our community, are good people. However, there are some that have issues, and maybe they do bad things, and I'm not sure if we can, Someone can dictate, even through an ordinance, and you probably can, but to whether they should have grates or not, especially if they're carrying 24-karat gold bullion or jewelry. I'm not sure about ice cream parlors. However, I think in order to avoid possibly more of the secondhand shops and massage parlors, which kept Medford hopping until after eight o'clock at night, but they had to go, I guess. But they had to roll up the sidewalks at 4 p.m. at least. However, all kidding aside, I believe it's more important for the leadership in this city to make better amends to beautify our city. and at least clean up the trash. I know it's not Winchester, but I fear it might become like the communities on the East Coast as night is implying it. So behind Mystic River Bend Park, for example, that parking lot, and I've said it to many people, leaders in this community, it's insane. It's like a war zone. You have these cement things that's supposed to stop the cars from hitting the curb. Well, they've been plowed over and broken in half, and you have rebar sticking up. I'm afraid someone's gonna end up in a wheelchair. And there's a lot of debris back there, and it's just, that's only one location. I guess, what's the name? Aretha Franklin, R-E-S. Respect the city. Do something. Besides the great work you're doing, we gotta have respect. I don't mind picking up papers in the street, pieces of plywood in Medford Square, on Salem Street, Riverside Ave, but what am I gonna put in my pocket? The city could do a better job, although DPW employees have a shortage of manpower, in my estimation, and They're tired after a snowstorm, and instead of spending money for the high execs, maybe we should hire a few Indians, so to speak. Use some of that free cash to clean up the neighborhood, and maybe people will stop throwing their chewing gum wrappers on the street. Just thinking out loud, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I want to thank Councilor Knight. That's news to me. I'm very sorry to hear that John's gone. I remember when I was a teenager, we used to get our cars fixed. And if some of us didn't have enough funds, he was very nice about extending time. And I actually didn't really get to know him until I was a member of the Elks. And he was a stature of that organization. And he was a very, very good man. I'm very sorry to hear it. Thank you. Thank you. Councilor knife for bringing this forward.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President. Name and address of the record, please. Andrew Castagnetti, Medford. Good development, I believe, most of the time is very good. It's just that, how was this now? How was I going to present this? especially if it's mixed use, a la station landing, because that's how the Roman Empire did business way back. If you lived here, if you worked here, you could eat downstairs, you didn't even need a bicycle, for God's sakes, in the T's there. It'd be nice to have one in Method Square someday also. Might as well get that in there again. Council President, however, when the new growth That's the new real estate taxes from these brand new developments that grow out of ground are not applied to offset the prop two and a half increases. This new growth doesn't help the taxpayer at all that pays real estate taxes. It hurts us because we have to get more schools, more teachers, more police, more fire. infrastructure. So I don't see how it helps us. As a matter of fact, it hurts us because the following year to the $100 million tax levy, they add the new growth, the 1.7 million, and then the two, prop two and a half, another two and a half million on top. Then they take two and a half percent of that greater number. Again, it's like the Russian lady used to say here 15, 20 years ago. It's like an annuity that keeps on giving, but at the cost of the real estate taxpayers here. I'd like to see the city to be a hopping place, because the location is strategic. It's probably the best in all of Massachusetts, proximity to Boston. There's a lot of open space. We're being jammed in in East Medford. I'm not sure, maybe we should secede from the city. It's a capital idea, possibly. Councilor Marks, you lived it yourself. West Medford can stay with Winchester, with your own zip code, by the way. Well, that's okay, because who's gonna pay for their services, the squeaky wheels? The salt won't be able to pay anymore if West Medford secedes. Good luck. You get all the money, but we have the territory. From Route 93 all the way to Fells Lake, this is like Donald Trump land, very valuable. If you ever have one of the two fires Chelsea ever had, hang on to your land. I like new growth. But if you don't use the real estate taxes, and by the way, who says you have to raise real estate taxes $1 or actually $2.5 million at 2.5% of last year's $100 million levy? Is there a law that says you have to? Thank you, Councilor Briana. I knew I liked you. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street. Thank you, Councilor Falco. I knew Elaine Bordenaro. I think her name was Elaine Carrier back at high school when I knew her. And great person. And she ended up marrying one of the top five friends I ever had in my life, truest gentleman of all time, Michael Bordenaro, back in the 70s. And I remember going down to Michael's house when we were engaged, and he would be playing Emerson Lake and Pablo on the organ. And although he was educated at Berklee School of Music, And unfortunately, he passed away more than 25 years ago. And she was fortunate, and also her present husband was fortunate to meet each other, Eric. He's also a great person. And as I said at the wake to Elaine's daughter, Christine, and her brother, the children were very lucky to have three of the greatest parents that ever parented. Thank you. I wish him all the best. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Oh, incredible.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Medford, Massachusetts. I'm speaking about the subject of the new growth.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You're talking about lighting? We're talking about lighting. It says here, I believe, whereas new commercial and residential development is occurring throughout the city. That's how the paragraph started. and it talks about lighting. So I'm gonna talk about lighting and the new growth that's all in the same paragraph of the resolution, I believe it's called. Thank you, sir. It's a nice idea to keep the blinding lights out of our eyes. Thank you, Councilor Felicko, appreciate that. But more importantly, I feel it would be better to amend this and add to the resolution to make sure that any and all new real estate tax growth be first used to offset any and all prop two and a half real estate tax increases. Also, I don't believe there is any law that mandates that the city must increase the real estate taxes at all. Therefore, but if you still insist on raising our real estate taxes, again, a la the last 50 years plus standing, at least use our new growth tax monies to offset any prop two and a half proposed increases and for once give the middle class a break. Simply put, I'm wondering out loud if you or anyone in political power here in 02155 can finally get this extra new growth, real estate taxes, to help lower the middle class real estate tax bill instead of this so-called new real estate tax growth as stated in the paragraph, is working against us, as in we need more schools, police, fire. And it adds to our total of last year's real estate tax bill, not to mention the infrastructure costs. So it adds more money to the inflated bill of the real estate tax, which is over $100 million to that levy, So then, meaning next year, they're gonna take two and a half percent of an over-inflated bill. Does anybody have any ideas to help the middle class, especially the lower middle class while it still exists, to help the middle class? Anyone? On this new growth business? Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. I've said many times, if the city needs it, we should just get it done. What I don't understand is, however, the building's only 55 years old, it's brick and mortar, and now it's almost condemned. We have thousands of homes that are over 200 years old, and they seem to be in fine shape. How did this station or multiple buildings get to this situation? It seems like we have a maintenance problem for sure. Very sad. I'm now hearing the city's using new growth. We, the taxpayers, should get all that new growth. that new real estate tax to offset prop two and a half, or in this city it seems to be prop 2.49%, and give the middle class a break on the real estate, home real estate taxes. And now I'm here and talking about an override. It's never happened as far as I know in 02155, Winchester, has had many prop two and a half overrides. But here, I don't think that would be a wise move against the real estate taxpayer. And I believe for every $20 million borrowed, it's gonna cost us, the taxpayers, 50% more. It would be a $3 million bill in the 20-year payback. By the way, maintenance is still key. If anything is done, If I was in charge, I would make damn sure that so much is put aside for maintenance. Because the old high school on Forest Street will still be standing, and the new schools will turn to dust. Please adhere. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Cushing Street. Thank you, Councilor Knight, for bringing up graffiti. Sometimes it is a problem, visually to the eyes. On the other hand, it's more important that the state, whoever's in charge, around that circle, near 93, getting on and off going up towards our rights pond. That area, a lot of times, is overgrown with kind of like trees that are wild. And it's a visual obstruction to the drivers. And that's not an easy place to negotiate vehicles back and forth. Thank you, Councilor Knight. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Name and address for the record, please. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Lexington, Massachusetts. As I said many times in the past, if you need something to, let's get it done in a smart, smart full way. Um, what I don't understand this, however, we have a building that's only 55 years old, made of brick and mortar and it's on, it's teetering on the being condemned as was the DPW yard. It seems like we have a problem, Houston, as far as maintenance in this city with our higher end tax money. And now you're talking, or someone's talking here about a $2 million cost to do an architectural study of some sort. I bet back in 62 when I visited that station, when it was brand spank, I knew it probably didn't cost $2 million. However, just for inflation, I understand I'm behind the times. But over 10,000 wood frame homes are in the city. And they seem to be in fine order, even though I don't have $160 million budget every year to take care of my two families. The old high school, built in 1830-something, I believe. And my old high school will still be there, and these new schools will long be gone. I'm concerned. Our children can afford to live in this city today at 2017 prices, if they can. And that's debatable. What are they going to be paying for another station if it transpires next year? In 55 years, mind you, because the city's not taking care of our taxpayer property. If the police need a decent building to take care of police business, so be it. Let's get it done. but it has to be done smart. I kind of understand how come the middle class keeps getting raked over the coals. Don't people care to take care of us? Because without a middle class, we're not going to have a society worth a damn. And then again, I repeat, we may have our second revolution. Please take care of our hard-earned investments. Please. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Aye.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castaneri, Cushing Street, Methodist. I'm sorry sometimes that people are not satisfied with some of the work that's being done in the city. However, I'm not on either side of the party, so to speak. I must say, it seems to me that the DPW workers are overworked and understaffed, especially with these recent storms and stuff. Maybe some of this free cash should be spent to hire some key positions in DPW, because they work really hard, and they're very tired.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Very brief. Andrew Cushion Street, Method Mass, Castagnetti. This pop-up idea is a good idea, I believe, by Councilor Marks. I believe a friend of mine on Charles Street does it during the November, December holiday seasons on Charles Street in Boston. And I think it's a great idea if we have vacancies. I'm not sure of any around Method Square itself right now. But of course, the landlord's gonna have to okay it. And as a councilor has said earlier, if the concern is also about liability, that concern would have to be satisfied somehow, I'm sure. And as far as the open fields, I think councilor said something about palm seed or something. Seed balms, that's a great idea. I think we should plant a lot of seeds and plant a lot of grass. And then after we're all done, maybe we could take care of our streets, too, and fix some of the holes, the potholes, as Councilor LaRusso says. Thank you for this. Here's some tar bombs.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council Vice President Marks. Um, before you adjourn this honorable body, I, Councilor Brianna must've read my mind. Um, I, I've often heard the separation of church and state, whatever that means and how it applies and not apply to this, uh, public type of meeting. However, um, for the sake of, uh, pulling New England closer together, economically more viable and, to put more smiles on the people's faces and have the psychiatrists sell less Prozac. I wish the Patriots well. Let's pray.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Roll call.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Please repeat the subject of the resolution, Mr. Clerk.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Honorable Council, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Method Mass. I'll try to be short, concise, and hopefully mathematically, uh, correct on a common sense basis. First two questions before I go on, I believe it's 21 units of staff for Salem street. And how many parking spots? I didn't catch that. I don't know. Unknown.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That's where I'm getting at. Thank you, Councilor Brianna. It seems on that side of town, East Medford, it's in high demand from a lot of developers for various reasons. And my concern is since parking seems to be a problem and is at a premium for most of us in that area, I can understand as Councilor Marks mentioned quite perfectly that are variants asked for under hardship to change, whatever, so they can go for the longest dollars. But hardship is not an issue when it's purely capitalism. So I would think if you're going to issue a variance as far as height, setbacks, et cetera, that's one thing. Although I don't have to live next door to it. And some people behind me too. But I'm speaking again, common sense, mathematically speaking only, although it affects me when I go to the bicycle store across the street. Seems to me it's at a premium in certain sections, at least two of these on the compass roads, the South on East side. And so I would say to a board of appeals, please, The 2.1 parking spots per unit should not ever be negotiable. And you have that tune and tool and weapon in your arsenal as we speak presently without worrying about zoning changes down the road.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: No, Ricky, I hope to make a God willing, but on the other hand, This is a great city and a lot of what in a lot of ways really is by we live here. Location is incredible. However, we're an underachiever by far. I can agree with that. We got to cut this stuff out. One side of Mr. Gav should all be 25 stories high. 35 years ago. One side only with a ring road. Keep them off main street. They don't want to go to the old deepest qualities. If you worked here, you'd be at work now. As Sloan took my idea 10 years ago for his billboard. The location is incredible. Councilor Baxter was right. Why would you want to put that kind of a Springstead building in front of the city hall and block our view? Why don't we have phase two from the Green Line if the squeaky wheel Tufts University ever gets their subway stop? Or why don't phase two, instead of redundantly go to the west side of town, The squeaky wheels already have the commuter line. Malden Center has downtown subway. Winchester Center has it above ground, mind you, in the town of Winchester. Well, why not have it come from Tufts when they eventually get it? If it's not double over the budget and underground as the crow flies three quarters of a mile and no eminent domain at all. And You have Emerge right behind you, Councilor Rick, at the Redbrick Building, that I would take by eminent domain, because I don't go to the dentist there. And I would have a subway entrance right there, and this is not Andrew Castagnetti's idea, this is Mr. Dick Ober's idea, retired electrical engineer, and he used to take care of Chevalier, like the Phantom of the Opera. It's his idea, it's not Andrew's idea. And furthermore, I would add a tour clipper ship on the river, and you could chauffeur in tourists from all over the world. 10,000 a day with pockets full of Japanese yen, euro, whatever, and put us back on the map, because we built clipper ships. Over 50 was longer than Edgley Field of Dreams. It's incredible. So, and who would pay for this subway underground? Not Mexico. Have Tufts pay for it. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Councilor. President Caraviello, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing street, Medford. Um, this insurance stuff for the lack of a better word is way over my head. And I can understand why they have the tallest building in Boston and Hartford, Connecticut, and stable of attorneys working in their buildings. I don't know what happened here, but if I'm not mistaken, I had read a political leader's statement in the local newspaper, the transcript, some six years ago, thereabouts, saying if we select the GIC insurance versus what we had, what I have from my wife, we're a school teacher and was tough total health. I believe that we was, we counseled Dello Russo. I believe the top leader was quoted in six years ago that we were going to save $5 million annually exalted. Well, the 5 million seems to be exalted also per annum. times 6.5 years, maybe. I don't understand what's going on. If we save $5 million a year, first of all, I told my wife, I don't need her master's degree to figure out for such a great deal in savings through the Corporation of Massachusetts, GIC, that I said, you watch. The co-pays, the doctor's visits, And the monthly costs will be going up again after the 6.5 years. But I don't see the $5 million savings. Did our real estate taxes go down? No, probably went up $2.5 million per year for the last five years, approximate. So, that's a lot of money. $5 million savings, not having to spend the extra $5 million on health insurance, for the city itself, yeah, that's $32 million totaled at the end of this year. And our real estate tax is going up in that time span, probably at least 2 million times 6, 12 million. So that's like a lot of money. It's like $50 million we're talking, but yet we don't even save a dime in real estate taxes. And furthermore, our new growth is never applied to offset the Prop 2.49% increases. So what good is this new growth? It doesn't help our city.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Exactly. Not real estate. And the cost. Okay, so it all comes down to health insurance, $5 million a year savings. Can someone educate me and show me where that money went? and we never even adopted the owner-occupied real estate taxes exemption. The point is we say $5 million a year, real estate taxes go up $2 million a year, something is amiss. Can someone help me as I pay thousands of dollars every year for real estate tax, can someone tell me where this money went? Someone, anyone. What do we get? Somebody, does anybody know where the money went? Councilor Dello Russo says aye. Did he get the money? I don't know. He may have. I don't know. I can't answer that. I don't understand.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you for answering my question.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Uh, Andrew cast and Eddie Cushion street method. Mass. Um, first of all, congratulations belatedly to council president. Mr. Caraviello. Thank you. And vice president Councilor Marks. Congratulations on this subject of our traffic and parking in the name of public safety. Bear with me. A few things came to my head and didn't have a chance to write them down. But I believe Karen DiLorenzo Pop, the community developer, I believe, for the city, I questioned her about Route 16 and 93 way back, and she said, what's the point of time? There was funds for that, but for whatever reason, it's not done. Meaning, coming down 93 South, heading into Method Square's exit 32, which is like 32 ounces at a quart, that's why I remember it. So when you get that at exit, it says, I presume rule 16 cause I don't pay attention cause I know the neighborhoods, but I believe it's probably rule 16 exit west to go to the dentist office in Arlington or wherever, but they have to go through method square and they're not buying a cup of coffee. So there's a lot of congestion for that reason. So if indeed the state had earmarked that money's to have when they built with 93 1960, they should have came behind you city hall after the method square exit and then go around the senior citizen and go to 16 West directly. That's only my opinion. Uh, also I was at the sub method police meeting. Thank you. Councilor Falco for bringing the show on the road. The fourth thought of four on the compass rose and I kind of laid into Chief Sacco a little bit about what I call, for lack of better words, a goat's F of a situation on Mystic Avenue. There's three cars parked right after Atlas as you're coming in towards the square, and it never should have been parked there ever, in my opinion, because five lanes becomes only one lane going south after you pass Atlas. And all of a sudden, from zero cars parked on both sides, I presume it's a state road, There's three cars parked across from 141 Mystic Ave, which is David's Auto Repair and Ravello's Tin Knockin', whatever it was. And if I wanted to presume when you gave them the license, whenever that was, either one of those, I'm sure you Councilors questioned them about parking vehicles on the street, et cetera. I would think common sense, but I don't recollect for sure. So anyways, that's a real GOAT situation. And I noticed, I didn't go out Thursday after the Wednesday meeting, but I went out Friday and I noticed those three vehicles were not there. And I have an index card, I've been listing them for over a month, and two of the vehicles have been there over five times on different days. And it's just during business hours. Anyways, I'm tired of seeing a lot of accidents there. I'm tired of seeing cars being rolled over in accidents. Tired of seeing injuries at that point. and hopefully there'll be less accidents for sure. So if I may, I want to come in chief circle and his offices again, Councilor Falco. Thank you. But I'm here to speak about one thing originally and that is we're talking about traffic safety. Method Square is not really a square. We get a lot of situations. As Councilor Knight, I believe, mentioned, we have three, four, five state roads. However, when developers come into this city, I'm worried about parking because if there's parking, then there's less of a road to drive upon also. But I don't understand, for example, at the end of this month, according to the legal notices and the method transcript, on January 31st, I believe, Board of Appeals is having two businesses or two landowners, I should say, LLCs, whatever they are, that are adjoining each other. And they want to build condominiums or apartments, I believe, or condominiums. And I'm not against development, especially smart development, even though it doesn't help the real estate taxpayers because you don't deduct that first from prop two and a half increases and it works against us. It's a, it's called the, uh, the annuity that keeps on giving as a Russian lady used to say, but I won't get into that right now. However, according to this various requests amongst height restrictions and this and that, I highlighted off street park. And so that implies to me that this developer or development is looking to circumvent the 2.1 parking spaces per apartment or per condominium. I believe that's the requirement, ordinance, whatever you want to call it. That should not ever be negotiable in my opinion, unless it was, I shouldn't say never, never, Mr. Bond, but If anything, you should increase Mr. Knight, the 2.1 spots to 3.1 but never half it to one and a quarter spots. I'm just thinking out loud, not out of the box. I'm trying to be right focused in the box. A word to the wise for the board of appeals. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It almost sounds like he's leaving, but he's saying he's staying so he's saying I wanted to thank him for his years of service Thank you Name address for the record sir Thank You cast Castagnetti Andrew Cushin Street, Method, Mass I would also thank council representative Paul judge and to not oh also for a his longevity and all his good work he's done for the local peoples, even going back to the Chevalier Auditorium and getting those seats installed and things of that nature. I also would be remiss not to thank him for my birthday cards.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Bedford, Mass. Um, This Riverside Plaza project, it seems to me that it's money that's not being well spent. If you go through a spending 250,000 or, or 350,000, however it works out whenever you get the grant money, et cetera. I took a real close look at it. I'm kind of old school and it seems to me it's an fine, I'll stand in order as far as the strength of the structure. It does need a roof, obviously. And if it was me, what I would do, I would put a new roof on it, and that shouldn't cost more than $2,000. And I would, let's say, a weather vane, maybe someone could donate it from one of their estates from the old days, in the clipper ship building days, and I would probably a 25 to 55 foot high, a sculptor of sorts, metal with the wind, and I would put it three steps higher towards, next to the old cemetery. That's what I would do. That shouldn't cost more than, depending on how much the artist wants, 25,000 total. And we have no so-called handcuff limits in the future with that property that way. Just thinking out loud. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Dello Russo, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford Mass. I also commend all the people involved that want to better the city. In the past, I've said it numerous times, if you need something, the city needs it, but they should do it. My only concern is these buildings are not that old, such as the police station, the library. And actually, they're younger than I am. and it doesn't seem right that they're in such disrepair that they have to be replaced. Saying that, we have over probably 10,000 houses in this city that are made of wood frame, and they seem to be in fine standing order. Chevrolet Auditorium, I believe, was built in 1939, according to Dee, and I think Method High School on Forest Street, the old one, I believe, was built in the 1800s. So it seems to me we have a problem with maintenance and I just don't want to see us spend millions and down the road our children are going to be saddled in another 50 years with billion dollar buildings. That's my only concern. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Season's greetings.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: First off, I'd be remiss after receiving some information finally from the assessor's office not to mentioned this calculation that I did on my own time, hopefully would benefit the middle class real estate taxpayer in the future. I'll make it very brief. Finally, I received all the information pertaining to last week's real estate tax rate meeting, and I did a fair sample calculation to compare what the average real estate tax bill for the year would be. if we had adopted the 20% owner occupied real estate tax exemption based on the average home value here in 02155, which is 485,000 times $10 and 50 something cents would be 5,122. And with the 20% exemption, the 485, you would take away 20% of the value, which is 97,000. You have therefore a sum of 388,000 times, much higher rate from 1050 to 1240s, but it's 4,800 and change. The bottom line is the average home of a home that lives in it would save $307 a year if the 20% exemption was adopted. But in reality, the average single family will be building extra $280 increase next year. Therefore also 11,000 out of the 12,000 owner occupied homeowners who actually live in their house will miss out on this huge real estate savings. If we only had adopted the Commonwealth of Massachusetts general law chapter 59 section five C which offers us middle class real estate tax relief. This 300 to possibly $600 real estate tax savings for the average homeowner would have been a nice Christmas gift for the first time ever. As I say in baseball, wait until next year unless somebody wants to discuss the matter right now. Thank you for saying no. Furthermore, if I may ad lib this, problem number two we have, in my opinion, you may remember the lovely Russian lady brought this issue to this honorable body. years ago, but I never understood it until now. Now I get it proposition two and a half. Thank you to Barbara Anderson. Rest her soul limits the tax levy, which is about a hundred million dollars last year to two and a half percent increase. So that's about two and a half million dollars. However, the new growth that we generated was 1.8 million. The city always goes up to the max within a hair. which is $2.5 million, the new growth is $1.8 million. And those are new buildings that just come out of nowhere to generate the extra $1.8 million of new real estate tax that never existed prior. Never. So the Russian lady made a good point. In reality, take away a $2.5 million increase from Prop 2.5, and the new growth was $1.8 million, the increase should have been $700,000, period, versus 4.2 million. That's like seven times. So we could have saved maybe, instead of a $300 average increase, maybe it would have been like 50 bucks. But I'm not a math scientist, but the math seems to tell the facts. I'm not sure who was responsible for this injustice. By not first deducting the new growth, from the Prop 2.5 increase. As she used to say, it's like an annuity that keeps on giving. And then the 2.5% is based on the following year on a higher number, and we don't get any tax relief. Not only that, we get hurt because we have to pay more police cars, more fire trucks, more schooling, more teachers, I don't understand. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. In closing, if I may say, wishing some of you a merry Christmas and a happy Hanukkah and to all a good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. So, um, Andrew Castagnetti, cushion street, Medford, Massachusetts. You usually I'm very prepared with some sort of statement. It's the owner occupied real estate tax exemption because I'd like to see that happen here for the first time ever. However, due to family circumstances and I don't have, I'm not privy to all the paperwork on this year's proposal from the assessor's office. So therefore I'm going to have to ad lib this. Please bear with me. In a nutshell, I've been here five years, standing every December when you set the tax rate, and I am pushing for the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption. They do this in Somerville, Everett, and in Malden. And I would like to see us get the automatic 20% advantage for our owner-occupied. as long as the council votes for it in majority and also the mirror says yes and you automatically just meal it, send it into the state house and it's automatically approved up to 20% other cities around here that are bordering us are at higher than 20% they asked for a special exclusion up to 35% and maybe others are at even 37.5% Last year I made my first ever petition presentation and similar matter document. S 15-seven nine four. I made a petition by Andrew P Castagnetti 23 asking that the council to adopt mass general laws chapter 59 section five C for owner occupied real estate tax exemption. Thank you for allowing me to present that prior to your vote last year. Also in September of that year, prior to the, the great debate. And actually this finally was asked during the second great debate. And I believe I probably had this published and Escobar's method transcript. And this is a question, I wrote up date of September 30th, 2015 question for all city of Medford politics and candidates. Are you for or against the home on owner occupied real estate tax exemption? Go to Commonwealth Massachusetts website referred to mass general laws chapter 59 section five C one Massachusetts cities are already presently given this real estate tax savings to its owner-occupied homeowners. This includes three bordering cities, Malden, Everett, and Somerville. My question is, why not here in Medford? For the past 40 or more years, our real estate tax bill in Medford has increased over 2.5 percent per year. If this automatic 20 percent exemption outlined in Chapter 59, Section 5C, is adopted, the average owner-occupied homeowner, if you live on that one house, would receive a $200 savings a year instead of the usual $200 increase. That's a $400 swing times 12,000 owner-occupieds. Those are tens of millions of dollars. Again, I am asking, why not here in this city? I'm asking all city council and mayoral candidates to respond to this question before the upcoming election so that the voters have ample time to read your responses and cast their ballots for candidates who support tax relief for the citizens of our fair city. Please send your written response to the method transcript, letters to the editor, and to We the People. Thank you for your attention and your response submitted by Andrew P. To this day, I have not received any responses in writing to the transcript or to me personally. It just seems to me that this is way past due to give our middle class some tax relief for the first time ever in my lifetime that I know of. The $650,000 push valuation would be slight increases above that with the adoption of what I'm talking about. And below that, they would all save money. In a nutshell, they would save $200 to $300, not having today's numbers, of course. And opposed to the opposite direction, so you're talking like $500 to $600 swing difference, again, times 12,000 owner-occupied. That's tens of millions of dollars. It seems kind of sad to me that we cannot help the middle class, because the middle class, in my day, as a youth, dad worked, mom stood home, took care of the kids, and bought a house, saved money, Today, if both people are working at what kind of job, I don't know, whatever benefits they may not have, they can't have a hard time paying their bills, let alone saving. So if the middle class is going to continue in this direction, on one shoulder, they carry the rich that don't want to pay taxes or refuse to. And then on the other shoulder, they're carrying citizens or non-citizens who are getting checks from federal government, who can work, but maybe refuse to work. So if you collapse the middle class, I believe common sense would dictate that we wouldn't have a society worth a damn. And then? there might be the second revolution. Maybe Bernie Sanders made a good point once upon a time. He was telling me about this so-called rigged system. And I remember one astute individual once said, we can have democracy in this country, or we can have a few capitalists control most of the wealth, but we can't have both.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Simply put, why not us? The ball is in your court, in the mayor's. People need relief. Thank you if you're listening, and I have a whole box of thank yous if you do something positive, up to the 20%, which is automatic, and the numbers tell the truth. The average homeowner is gonna save 200 instead of pay $200 more for the first time ever. think of those hundred dollar bills, $20 million worth.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street. Thank you, Councilor. Uh, I'm not privy to much of this information, so I, I really don't have any comment. However, if a supermarket overcharges me $2 for an item, my shopping cart, it'd be nice to get that $2 back with treble damages, mind you. And also if, if, if, if some entity is charging me, the homeowner, a water bill in excessive totality of $8 million. I would like to see that gave them back to the customer also. Um, and furthermore, what I don't understand is this tier one, tier two and tier three, I believe is designated for tier one, one family, two family, three family, It's based on consumption, actually. It's an assumption? Consumption. Yes. It's a general ballpark number they go by, if I recollect without having a water bill in front of me. However, then there's the un-tiered rate. And I presume un-tiered has nothing to do with one, two, or three family homes. It's most likely commercial, businesses, General Electric, Metal Grimm Mall. business establishments. However, that commercial rate, I'd like to call it, sir, is lower than a three family rate. So I think the people are getting it and not so nice ways. I still, and I brought this up numerous times in the past. Good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. Andrew Castagnetti. ac roeddwn i'n ei gynhyrchu o'r amser hwnnw, ac mae'n 56 mlynedd. Mae'n fwy na fi. Mae'n gwneud o bric, nid o ddŵr. Mae'n deimlo bod yna broblem gyda chwaraeon. Rwy'n bwysig y byddwn ni'n mynd i'r dŵr i'r ffyrdd. Mae gennym llawer o ysgolion newydd, nid ydw i'n siŵr eu bod yn cael eu chwaraeon mewn pricetag o $100,000,000. Dwi'n credu bod y Auditorium Chevalier wedi'i adeiladu ym 1939. Dwi'n credu bod yr Ysgol Gwladol ar Ffarr Stryd wedi'i adeiladu, rwy'n credu, ym 1839. Ac maen nhw'n fwy ychydig, ac maen nhw'n ymdrech iawn. Mae'r adeiladau'n ymwneud â chyfrifiad a chyhoeddiadau cyhoeddus, adeiladau gwahanol. Mae'n debyg bod mwy na 10,000 ystafell ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag ymwneud ag Mae'n deimlo i mi bod yna broblem gwybodaeth, ac nid wyf eisiau i'n myfyrwyr gweld a yw'r myfyrwyr yn gallu byw yn y ddinas hwnnw. Mae'n cael arddangosfeydd o $40,000,000 er mwyn gweld a ydyn ni'n arddangos ffyrdd arall mewn 30 mlynedd o heddiw. Mae'r gwybodaeth yn llawn. Yn ystod y budget o $160,000,000, byddai'n rhaid
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Uh, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing street method mass. Um, thank you honorable council for the time. Appreciate it. And I wish you an early Thanksgiving for all. a good thanks for all the good things in the world and the time we have left on earth to make things better. On the CPA, I believe it was voted in by the voters by a slim margin, and it sounds wonderful. My only request would be is on this ordinance that you're about to pass to add an addendum that would publicly publish in the method transcript or whatever newspaper would be in the future at the deadline of all the requests and ideas that come forth from the entire city population. Therefore, I believe we as a people could make a better decision as to get a better bang for our investment. I believe I would like to see an amendment added to the documents. So the city would indeed publish all the ideas for future reference. So we, the people can make better decisions, hopefully, and not just the mayor. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Cost of the Lord was for Andrew cast and Eddie Cushman street, Medford mass. Thank you for allowing me to speak again. Um, I think Councilor Knight brought up a great idea to have the community bike path from Crystal Campbell, the Marathon Monument towards Somerville. As other parts of our city along the Mystic River has. If I'm not mistaken, one of my various employment opportunities was real estate. I believe the people have the right within, I believe it's 20 feet of mean high tide. Don't quote me, but it's been a Supreme Court ruling that the people own the rights from mean high tide, I believe, to 20 feet on the shore, on the land. And furthermore, when people or persons or entities bought condominiums, or built yard clubs. I'm sure that's deeded, the Cambridge Clerk of Deeds for Real Estate, and they know that. Whether they've been cutting the grass or not, that's their prerogative. However, we the people in the United States of America own so many feet from mean high tide on beach or soil, whatever it is. I would like to see it happen for the benefit of we the people. I really emphasize this. Thank you, Councilor Knight. I'm very impressed. It should happen. It must happen if we have a democracy. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes. Andrew Castaneri, Cushman street, Medford. Oh, two one five five. Uh, I appreciate Councilor Marx's words and I believe some, some of these extra liquor licenses will probably help a lot of the restaurant businesses presently and in the future. Um, although I believe in the thirties or forties, uh, there was a bar room on Salem street and there was a miss misfortunate incident that took place and someone lost a life. And I believe that's the point when method met Ford became a dry town from what I understand from my elders. Um, if I was making the, the delusion, the vision of Medford square to make it a, uh, one or five, uh, hop in place like Davis square. And my opinion, if Tufts this week, you will ever gets their green line station, it would make sense instead of redundantly on phase two going to West Medford towards the river because West Method already has a commuter line to a North station and Winchester center has that same line into downtown Winchester, even at trains at four o'clock in the morning, although they told him to shut the whistles down at that hour. Malden center has the orange line, Wouldn't it be wonderful to, as the crow flies, I can see it behind Mr. Finn's window, I can see the smokestack at College Ave in Winthrop, and it seems like three quarters of a mile as the crow flies, and if you did it underground, there's no such thing as eminent domain, except you could disturb a few rodents. And then behind you, Councilor, President, Mr. Dello Russo, I would take away that red brick building via eminent domain and give them fair market value, or even pay them double if I had the dimes to pay them, and have the Medford Commons, a la Winchester Commons, not quite the Boston Commons. While I'm at it, I would throw in a clipper ship. That's how I'd claim the fame, right over the bridge and left the drum. Over 500 clipper ships were built. I believe over 50 were over a football field long. Incredible. Sea of the Ocean, all the seas. We don't have one as a museum. They have one in Salem Harbor, which is only 200 feet. We'd have the eternal stimulus of all times, forever and a day. And we should turn our back towards the river and not turn our backs on the river As we did, if we did it like Georgetown, Virginia, we'd be sitting pretty today. And Councilor Marks brought up a good point. Location. This is probably the best location of all of Massachusetts if you want to do commerce because of Route 93. It's better than fighting the traffic down to Braintree. This land is the most valuable asset you could ever have. Have you ever had a Chelsea fire? or two of those fires they had, and most of these houses burnt down. We're sitting on Donald Trump type of a land. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Constable Russo. I'm Andrew Kass. I'm at a Cushman street method. Uh, I just drove in from the house. I started to watch him. You'd hope I, not redundant on some of the things I might want to say. This airport noise is becoming problematic to some degree and to other people on a high elevation. It's even worse, I'm sure. Especially, it seems to me, maybe it's my imagination, but it's pretty quiet some evenings from 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. When it's time to think about the midnight hour, they seem to kick in, which is very odd. I would think at a midnight hour, even Logan Airport being as busy as it is in the world market, maybe they don't have as many, I would think, flights at that hour. They should be able, I would think, common sense, but I am not that smart, to just fly or especially take off over the ocean, head east, and then make their turns if they have to. That would be common sense, I would think. As I reiterated in the past, it seems to me when they were proposing to build runway, I believe Brianna mentioned 33 L is that correct? Thank you. I believe that was, would be the time for us to make, uh, our comments to mass port. Although as I said in the past, unless we had the power of tip O'Neill, I don't think we're going to be able to tell mass port what to do. Um, having said all of that, Councilor March brought up something is, and that's the reason why I drove down here. I want, I believe in East Boston, they're not only given new windows to homeowners, but they're also given insulation. So I'm not sure who I so-called the eyes is and what kind of clout they have on a mass port scene. maybe at least we can get that to try to lessen the noise damage. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Andrew Cushman street. Oh two one five five on the subject of safety and sell street. I'd be remiss not to repeat myself at the last police crime watch meeting that transpired in West method last month. So chief Sacco and the offices and the people that were attended, It seems to me the most dangerous intersection in the whole city is at South Street. But I'm not sure where you're speaking of, but if you continue down South Street, heading east, and you come to the end, as you're approaching the police academy and the police station in front of you, and you're entering onto Main Street, in my opinion, it's the most accident prone, I'm sure it's even documented intersection in the entire city, even beats Wellington, Winthrop circle. I've been dealing with sub method for over 40 something years. So by recommendation, not being in a safety professional would be as you enter main street, it's right turn only council max.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Please, and then, Councilor Marks brought up a point that I recollect exactly that session and the answer, you seem 100% accurate to my recollection. Thank you. And thank you for jumping on this because it's It's more than an incredibly dangerous intersection. It's got to be the worst in Andrew's book, period, in the whole city. So Route 38, which is Mystic Ave, no, it's Mystic Ave, I believe, and Main Street has no number. So I don't think that's a state road. Mystic Ave is not there. It doesn't start until after the fire station, I believe. So I believe South Street also is a city road, even though it's sort of like an exit off route 16. So maybe we don't have to deal with no state to put up a rights, right turn only coming off, coming off south onto main. There's so many access. I can attest from my own blood having situations there. If it's a right turn only, that means they cannot take a left into Medford square where a lot of accidents happened. because they don't stop at the stop sign properly, or they do, and it's just called accidents. Right, and you cannot go straight, the way I'm speaking, because if you wanted to go straight, well, you could have stayed on 16. No, it's coming off 16, right? You take the right turn only, yeah, okay, now you end up at the fork of Mystic Ave and Main Street. When you make your U-turn around Mystic Ave, Fire stations, parking lot, because it's a law. You can't go in there and turn. But when there's a will, there's a way. We can eliminate lots of misery, hardship, hopefully a lot of people end up in wheelchairs, and more people going to the funeral homes. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President. I want to thank Council March for bringing up a safety concern on the streets at Park and Riverside Avenue. I've been meaning to say this for many decades, and I've heard many people express concerns about the safety issue when they're driving a vehicle, also pedestrians, at that exact location. If you're on Park Street, coming from the north side, from the old Swan School, and you're entering onto Riverside Ave, you have to go left or right, or straight. However, there is, it seems like it's not a fair obstruction, that fence on the left-hand side, it's a white picket fence, Even if you're sitting in a high-rise vehicle versus, forget about it, if you're driving a Corvette, of course, it's hard to see over that fence. I'm sure everyone here is totally aware of the exact location. There's been numerous accidents without me checking the internet from the insurance companies, and therefore, if we could sort of, like, do a surgical eminent domain on the the top 18 inches, whatever it takes on the fence, I would gladly be out of my pocket to see less accidents, less injuries. Just let me know the number, I'll cut you the check.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Dello Russo. Andrew P. Castagnetti, Cushion Street, Medford, Mass. I don't have much to add to the pains in Salt and Method for the parking. I do feel that pain, however, because although I've been out of there for 36 years, I used to live in Mystic Avenue. That was the old Route 93 to Boston before they built Route 93 in 1960. It wasn't a picnic back then when there's more cars, obviously, these days. I would like to advise to a word of caution for future excavations of the problems for future parking. It may become even more of a nightmare if the board of appeals allows developers to not meet their 2.1 parking spots per residential unit. I would find it hard to issue an invariance to not require the 2.1, which maybe we could even increase the three or whatever. Just a word of caution. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Castagnetti, Cushing street. Um, I don't know much about this auxiliary enforcement police business. However, if I recollect years back when we took away the parking meters in Medford square and then I believe the city installed signs saying two hour parking only. And for whatever reason or reasons, it wasn't enforced very well, especially after my buddy Vinnie the cop left the department. And all they had to do was show, in my estimation, five orange tickets on a daily basis in each square, including the middle square, all five squares, and other squares, if they exist. And I think people would have, saw the orange and said, maybe I should stay in Winchester and Stoneham, Melrose, et cetera, or Somerville, and find other alternate transportation to work. I'm just assuming all this. I don't really know. And I think, I believe, actually, that some citizen brought up a point, well, why can't we hire since the police staff might be understaffed in this community. Why can't we hire, I believe the term was auxiliary police, in order to give out tickets and maybe pay them 10, 12, $15 an hour, instead of what the going rate is in pension for police officers. And I believe the police, not to get involved with unions, but there was some comment made from a department or entity of government here that it's not allowed. However, I believe down the road there was sort of some sort of an agreement between the city and the police union of Medford that they would allow the city to hire auxiliary police. Um, But of course, the city had to give in to some sort of perks, I think, for the union, for the officers. I believe it was something to do with extra education monies, things of that nature. I'm not sure. My recollection's not that good.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And I don't know what happened thereafter, but maybe there's something to that that might be of some help for the, across industries for these children. if they could hire them. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Please state your name and address for Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman street method mass. The man makes perfect sense. Obviously, I'm not a politician. You can tell by my choice of words or lack of choice words thereof. But in the name of safety, the law should not be broken, especially when there's children around. I'm not against all dogs. I like some dogs better than some people, I've stated many times. However, please. have it fenced in, number one, and enforce your city ordinance or law, whatever you want to call it, as a leash law before someone gets maimed. And again, I repeat, the risk of being crude. I said this in front of higher-ups than here, that the average lawsuit in the United States for a dog biter is over $40,000 U.S. dollars. Beware. It's only a recommendation. However, I'd never enjoy being bitten by any dogs. Please be careful. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Nice to see you again. Feeling I'm a just and fair person, after hearing Mr. Capucci talk about his Evans Street many, many times along with his neighbors about being in disrepair. So therefore, about three weeks ago, after hitting some baseballs at Morrison Park, I went across the street, drove my bicycle down there. I've never ever seen a street in such disrepair as an understatement, as he may quote him, I think in the past, look like a war zone of some sort. It's really, I've never seen one so bad, I've never seen one that bad.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yeah, he's very astute of you, Mr. President. However, Councilor Marks brought up a good point. The Heckner Center. If the contract originally, when it was sold, was written properly by the city, and the stipulation was it would revert back to the city instead of being sold for a dollar if it was not use no longer for a non-profit educational purpose. Correct, Councilor? Thank you, Mr. Marks. So therefore, I would presume, not being a lawyer, however, that there would be a cloud on the title, and that deed should be duly noted and registered at the Cambridge Clerk of deeds. And that money could be used to maybe pave a street or something, or give it to some arts organization that was promised a locale after the Swan School fell to a four to three vote midnight during a snowstorm. That's all I have today. Thank you, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Greetings, Councilor, President, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Method Mass. Smart new growth is a wonderful thing, most of the time. When I was a kid, before Marada did any of his huge projects, I reiterate, living on Mystic Avenue, of all places, commercial the old highway to Boston before they built Route 93 in 1960, I believe. I said many times I would have taken all of Mystic Ave on one side only, by eminent domain, when we had the muscle and it was affordable, even if there was an EPA problem at the junkyard. And I would have put a ring road next to 93. and keep them off Main Street, unless they really want to go to deeper squalor in those days, and build 20 stories high.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: If you worked here, you'd be at work now. Mr. Sloan took my idea 10 years ago on his billboard, 1.5 in the community to the left, on the major highway, of course. However, that's near the end of the act, because no one would listen to me then, and I'm not even sure about today. But that would have taken a lot of the property tax heat off mama and papa in those days, if it was done properly. And it's not being done properly as of today, still. As we know, Prop 2.5. Thank Barbara Anderson, rest her soul. Every year, you can only raise it 200 percent on your so-called tax levy, which is approximately very close to $100 million this past budget. So that's 2.5% maximum unless you apply for an override. So that's 2.5 million on top of the 100 million. And they never go to 2.5. They seem to go to 2.49% right on the money, very efficiently close to the max. So this smart new growth is wonderful, especially the Roman Empire way. which is like Assembly Road. If you lived, worked, and played here, you wouldn't even need a bicycle. That's very smart. That is smart. My major point is when you have more children attending schools, it costs money for the schools to fire the police. And the problem is the new growth is hurting the existing real estate taxpayers. It's killing us. Think about it. It's common sense. If you use the new growth and applied it to that 2.49% increase on a yearly basis, like clockwork for the past many decades I've been around, fine. But you don't. The city does not. They take the $100 million and they tax it 2.5% increase, $2.5 million, and they do not deduct that new growth, which was approximately $1.5 to $2 million last year. If they did that first, then the increase wouldn't be $2.5 million. It would be more like $1 million increase. Instead of my two-family house going up at a rate of 8%, So what about Prop 2 1⁄2? Well, forget about it. It's hard to explain it. That's a fallacy. So my 2 feet under goes up $400 a year in the past 2 years consecutively. And before that, who knows? But they don't apply the new growth to the Prop 2 1⁄2 increase. Now that's a problem. I rest my case.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, if I may, I didn't want to interrupt your moment of silence from my old neighbor, Jack McGlynn, Sr. I'd be amiss not to say, read this short three paragraphs, Please. If I may, please, thank you. I'd like to say some kind words about my old neighbor, Mr. John Jake, Jack Sr. McGlynn. But first off, if I may, I'd like to commend you, Councilor President Dello Russo, for doing an outstanding job on Jack's stately funeral. Mr. McGlynn Sr. may have been the consummate politician But more importantly, he was and still is, as he is reunited with his wonderful wife, Helen Lennox, the consummate gentleman, a kind and gentle man all the time. May God bless him and all of us to emulate his character while we are still here on Earth. Also, I'd like to share a little known fact about Jack Sr. In 1980, I knocked on his door to introduce myself as his new neighbor, and he surprised me by speaking in a fluent Southern Italian dialect. This blew my mind, but later on I surmised he must have learned it as a child, as I did, my Northern Italian dialect. Maybe he learned it from the Perica or the Catino, but I believe it's the Perica side of the family. Although I know he also spoke Latin. There's lots more good stories from the past 36 years, but I'll keep it very brief. Okay, I'll just say one more. About 20 years ago, my son knocked on his door for Halloween. Jack come running down the stairs from the second floor. Put some candy in his bag, I guess, and then when he came back down, my son, He says, Andrew, is that your boy? I said, yes. He says, send him back. So anyways, he started to deposit some more treats in his bag. It's like US currency. Sweet guy. Furthermore, can you imagine how many wakes the man attended to? Including both my parents. Didn't have to do these things. The man was and will always be a class act. He truly is one of the greats of the greatest generation. Jack will be sorely missed, but not forgotten. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Councilor, president Andrew Kasten, Eddie Cushion street method mass. Um, first off everything body and pet deserves to have us place. I definitely agree with it and away. First off, I do like some dogs and at times even more than some of the people. But dogs, if they're unleashed in a public area, they must be in a fenced-in area, or else we may for sure have an extra safety problem in 02155. If it's approved, therefore, would the city, although they say maybe no, be responsible for any dog attacks in the future? for dogs behaving badly? What about the so-called $1.5 million, whatever the figure was, dog park? Therefore, maybe we don't need the dog park. So can we cancel that dog park and give our money back to the taxpayers or grant money? Also, who decides if a dog is well-behaved? And if it is true, according to GOP, is it not possible for any dog to have a bout of rage? Therefore, if you, the political leaders, allow this, you may have, maybe you should have dog owners post a bond in the city also to cover all possible dog attacks and injuries. In closing, maybe my godfather was right. After all, in this country, they care more about the dogs than they do the people. Also, my friend's daughter, as a girl, was brutally mauled in her face and attacked by a dog and required multiple surgeries and, I'm sure, trauma to this day. Very sad. P.S., the average lawsuit, I believe I told the mayor at a meeting over a month ago about this, is about $40,000 per dog attack in the United States of America. Personally speaking, I would not repeal your city's leash law. Rather, I would reason on the side of caution and safety. The dog is in your court. Thank you for your attention.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President Dello Russo, Andrew Kasten, Eddie Cushman, Street Medford, Massachusetts. I was thinking out loud, out of the box, City Solicitor Rumley mentioned that we could maybe change, the way I understood, the parameters of 300 feet to make it further for notices. And Brianna brought up some good points that I had missed some of them earlier, because I came in a little late. If one wants to change, if it's possible, I presume, first of all, Chapter 48 is a state law. And if you want to change it, maybe 300 feet, or 500 feet, or 1,000 feet would not be sufficient, especially when depending on the city or town, when you have a development of 300 or 500 or 6,000 units, depending on the population, the locale, I mean, 300 feet would be a butters and a butters, a butters possibly. However, if it's a large unit for that city or town, it might affect five square miles or at least one and a half square miles. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You're very kind, Council President. I have two points of hopeful common sense. I've noticed, it seems, when the planes are flying low and overhead, it's a west wind or a south wind. And I presume the airlines want to save fuel, as in U.S. dollars. And it seems like their path is down Riverside Avenue or in front of the Dalai Lama's temple, Central Avenue, heading west. Okay. That being one. The second point is, I believe this runway is no It's not even 10 years old thereabouts. And if I recollect correctly, all the cities and towns on this proposed flight path before they built the runway was invited to speak to Massport about this before construction. And I believe that would have been, and hopefully people did go from Medford community to make their points and concerns known. And regardless, I'm not sure how much weight we could carry unless we had good old Tip O'Neill to block it. I wish her luck, because it bothers me and Riverside Ave, and it bothers my friend Getschy Tenley at the temple.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Mr. Castaneri, Cushing Street, 02155. Um, this ordinance, I haven't had a chance to read it in total. It seems that applies to any present campus or any future new campus that may establish here. Notes one five five. Also it reads campus means any real property owned by a school. So my question is, does this ordinance, include Walnut Hill properties or any other entity that buys housing, real estate in Medford for any method college or any entity in the future under the guise of under the wing of any local university. That's very important. I would think to have your language set and contract if you pass this and studying is a lot better than making a possible mistake.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes. Actually, no, it's not on the budget. However, it's partially on the budget. I want to say, and this may shock you, However, I've been to a lot of these budget meetings that all you Councilors have been to in the last few months, it seems like. And I never realized how much work that you, lady and gentlemen, put in. It's astounding. So if I may, I'd like to commend you on all the hard work, and it's incredible. I really, I've never realized it was that intensive. I don't have the budget myself. I'm not privy or I just don't have it. So therefore, I didn't read it. Matter of fact, if I had it, I probably would have a hard time reading it because I have learning disabilities and a head injury, not to sound like Dr. Woods. However, I probably have a better chance of reading the Bible instead. But if it was in my power, I would automatically give all you Councilors a 50% pay increase on a yearly basis. I honestly would. Even though you might be, you might be, are you interested? You may be the second highest paid study Councilors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts after or the third, or the fourth. Out of 351 communities, I'm sure you're in the top 5%, which would be the top 15. But actually, I would actually double your salaries if you would, this December, when you set the tax rate, as Brianna looks and smiles, give me what they have in Somerville, Everett, and Malden, the owner occupied 20% real estate tax savings. for the owner occupied. If you live in one house only, and the city will still get their levy of $104 million, they would not lose a dollar of tax. It would just be shifted to all others, multiple real estate owners, whether they're Lemire apartment buildings, Meadow Glen malls, Wegmans, or whatever that is. They would not lose a dime, but yet, Somerville, Everett, and Malden does this. And I won't even mention that Somerville gets 35% with a special exclusion permission, I should say, from the state. So I hope this December I would like to double your salary if we could just get the owner-occupied real estate tax exemption at the 20% under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Chapter 56. Law Section 5C. I'll see you in December. However, if you're going to go on hiatus in the next few months, I wish you all a happy, safe summer. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Mr. President and councillors.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Honorable President. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. By the way, I didn't write this down, but a friend of mine closer to City Hall here He received a reverse 911 call, I guess, about, it's a robocall, is that what happened tonight? Anyways, I live like three blocks further east, even closer to this proposed development, and I have not received any robocall. Usually, my friend Sergeant Barry Clemente calls for a lot of things, but I didn't get it. So, I mean, if it wasn't for Mr. Captain Barry Clemente and the IRS, nobody would call me, for God's sakes. But anyways, it's neither here nor there. I'm sorry, but East Medford matters too. I'm not against progressive development, but 490-unit apartment building is huge, way too huge for my side of town. Traffic is heavy now before Wetman's Assembly Road is fully developed, and the casino opens with 18,000 vehicles daily alone, just the casino alone, 18,000. The Board of Appeals approved this? Yeah? I don't believe that can happen. What were they thinking? Inhaling? This size project is overkill in a New York minute. So let's take a Medford moment and get the scale down to 150,000 square feet, which must include a smart commercial mixed use of 50,000 with a coffee shop too, please. I'm stunned and I'm at a loss for any nice words for this matter. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, Mr. President. Andrew Castagnetti, Method, Massachusetts. I was only going to bring up one point when Ms. Jean had spoken. It's been a lengthy conversation and I come up with some more points. I'm sure I'm not going to take up 10 minutes, whoever knowing me. So anyways, first off, I'm not for or against this development. I don't know enough about it. 490 units of apartments for residential. I believe that's the number that's they have applied for. It seems like a big number to me. Can someone give me an idea like a block away from this location behind the old metal glam mall? Well, where miss is gonna go. I think Marauder. Mr. Marauder built some condominium complex kind of a large built I'd say does anyone can answer my question like how many units that is to give a comparison perspective a little bit someone please ballpark anyone 140
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Do you know who Mr. Marauders is?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Approximately, if it's a twin size, that's about 100 units, 120. So this is like three, four, five times, who knows, if we're accurate, number one. That's huge. However, Ms. Jean brought up a good point, and I believe ex-councilor Pinter, who spoke a little while ago, alluded to this same comment that Jean had made at past council meetings, when he said we should, I believe his words were, something to the effect that we should have bought that corner piece of real estate on Riverside Avenue, Locust Street, where the trucks have trouble making that turn. When we had the muscle, it was more affordable, and maybe we had some free cash back then also. And I believe the building is up for sale now, or it was recently sold, and maybe that's part of a development cost for a developer. Now, I read in the local newspaper, method transcript, that someone was quoted, I believe, saying that this building was going to be mixed use. Mixed use is great. That's how the Roman Empire took care of business in Europe. When they would conquer a city, like whatever it was, they'll call it Paris. You don't have to fight. We will be your army. We build a round wall, plenty of land. Now we're going to put the Coliseum in the center. That's your entertainment. No more blood and war. We built City Hall, the Forum, the churches. Anyways, what they did was once they filled up that community in a round circle, they farmed the land outside. But then they would not develop from Boston to Somerville to South Medford to North Medford. They would say, let's go 50 miles away. We'll call it Worcester instead. and start a new development. And that was perfect mixed-use from 2,000 years ago or more. So mixed-use is great. I remember from the North End, they had businesses downstairs, upstairs. They would sleep in their apartments. Don't need a car or a bicycle. It makes great sense, mixed-use. However, if you're talking 500 units and The average apartment is supposed to be 1,000 square feet, I believe, from my real estate days, I recollect. So that's a half a million square feet of residential space. So they're talking 7,000 square feet on the ground floor for the mixed use end, not even a coffee shop. That's not even 1%. I mean, 10% of half a million is $50,000. They're talking $7,000. Mr. President, I'm over here. So, this doesn't make sense. Now, my major concern as being a person that's trying to get owner-occupied real estate tax exemption for Medford, because some of our Everett and Malden does it, but we don't do it for the owner occupies in this city. So I'd be concerned if this was a sweetheart deal. First of all, I'd like to know what the residential real estate tax value is going to be before it's built. I also want to know, I request to know what the tax rate is going to be. for, and what it is called, if it's called residential, or condominiums, if they go condominium down the road. I don't know. Councilor Falco has been trying for zoning, or looking at new zoning, and I think it makes good sense for the new development that's coming in. As a matter of fact, in 1960, As a child, I was living on Mystic Avenue. And one of my ideas was the city should have taken all of Mystic Avenue only on the Route 93 side. And they could build a ring road to keep the people that would be living in the new buildings off Main Street, unless they really wanted to go to deeper squalor in those days. And I would have built all high rise office buildings, even 20 stories high. And if you worked there, you'd be at work now, as Marshall Sloan took the idea and put it on his billboard five years ago. and helped to lower the real estate tax on Mar and Pa back in the 60s, mind you. Now it's 2016. Now the people realize we're not a bedroom community. Route 93 is here. Boston is five miles away. Good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Method, Massachusetts. Thank you. Don't get mad at me, but you're the prettiest VP, Vice President I've seen today. Thank you. So anyways, I want to thank Mrs. Alicia Hunt for performing her job and trying or implying to save us the residential electric payers some money on their bills, hopefully, if it ever goes through there. However, I know what I pay for my supply service side of the electric bill from National Grid on Cushing Street, and that rate is X amount of cents per kilowatt hour. Coincidentally, direct energy, I'm sorry, you didn't get that? I'm paying X amounts cents per kilowatt hour. I left it blank on purpose. Thank you. Thank you for paying attention. So coincidentally, direct energy knocked on my door and I actually gave them half hour of my time this time instead of zero time. And they gave me a contract just to use and read, but he didn't want me to keep it. But this is it. He came back later, and I compared it to what he offered. He offered X amount of cents less than what I'm paying. And much to my chagrin, he told me a lot of my neighbors are paying less than I am. And I did not know that. So I presume some people are paying even more than I am. That sort of tells me that there is no set rate, I guess, period. It could vary. I'm not sure how much it could fluctuate. So through the chair, I never did hear what the cost would be, presently speaking, or through Alicia's energy connections in her department. What is the latest rate that you heard of per kilowatt hours on the supply side? No one would I pay. And people out there that may be in the audience listening, that they may go home and check their bill, see what they're paying. Can you please answer me for the chair?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: What is the kilowatt hour rate, the latest that you know of?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Do you understand the question? Do you understand the question?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you very much, Mrs. Hunt. Okay, direct energy offered me 0.09 cents, which is, as they would say, two-tenths of a cent less than what the latest one in Melrose was. So direct energy, I believe, is two-tenths of a cent cheaper per kilowatt hour on the supply service charge. If I took this offer from direct energy, if it's still available today, from May 30th, I'd be saving 16%, and that would always be 16%. For one full year thereafter, there is no guarantee in life. That's what the market rate would be. If someone brought up solar energy, if I may go off course, but stay on the grid of solar energy, this is from a method transcript I believe. And there's a picture of Senator Patricia G. Holland. Jalen, thank you. She was among one of those who voted to pass the solar energy bill signed into law by the governor on April 11. This is in the transcript on April 28, 2016. And in a nutshell, it says, legislature passes solar energy bill, lifting the net metering cap. So the first paragraph I'll only read, the Massachusetts legislator recently passed legislation that raises the solar net metering cap. Net metering allows consumers, businesses, and municipalities to produce solar power and feed it back into the electric grid for discounts on electric expenses. The legislator raises the net metering cap 3 percent for private facilities and 3 percent for public facilities, which will allow solar projects currently in the development pipeline to move forward. I guess it is an incentive of sorts to get these projects more off the oil addiction, as Mr. Bush would say. My point or question is, if the state really cared about us, they wouldn't have any cap whatsoever. And we could sell it all back to the electric company and tell them to get a real job instead. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Mr. Castagnetti, please state your name and address for the record. Welcome. Thank you. conference president, uh, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman street method mass. Um, just as a concerned citizen, taxpayer, et cetera, and for other taxpayers, uh, my concern with the old adage or saying is, uh, it ain't broke, don't fix it, but if it's broke, what you should fix it, obviously, especially on the side of safety concerns. Um, my concern is the 600, or 400 sidewalk panels, thereabouts, and 192 stumps. I'm not sure if it's 400 locations or 600 locations. However, my concern is since they're on a list, so they made the grade, so to speak, as a problem, this $500,000 should hopefully be enough to take care of every single location. and not start jumping down other addresses on the same street because, I mean, $400,000, you couldn't even do Clippership Drive. That would eat the whole business of $400,000. So if they just say, well, my sidewalk is busted too, five doors down, well, did you at least call it in? Chances are it was not called in. So they made the grade, but they must be in bad, bad shape and a safety issue. Through the chair, I'd like to ask Mr. Brian Curran a question. On average, I'd like to know, first of all, one question is how many locations? Is it 400 or 600 locations? And then I have a follow-up question.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: And at the Committee of the Whole meeting with the Mayor, you had mentioned, I believe, it costs $25 per panel. for the concrete aggregated self material and $28 labor, which equals approximately, you believe, $53 average per panel, depending on how the contract comes in. A panel, I presume, is four feet by six feet, if that, not even. Thank you. So my final question to you would be, hopefully my final question is, on average, if you could just ballpark 600 locations on average per location, some might be yay big, some might be a lot bigger. Can you give me an average per location what the cost might be, please?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. So what's unknown. So if we get $500,000 from the hard earned taxpayers money from the free cash that the city is holding, If it's $1,000 a shot, I'm presuming that's going to cover 500 problem areas out of the 600 that's on the list. I'm just guesstimating this. However, Councilor Marks are eluded to past histories about this sidewalk repair business with tree stumps. And I'm not sure if he was accurate, but the numbers didn't make much sense. One million, then another million, that's two million, and the list of 400 or 600, and they never totally got completed. So you're talking like 10, 20, $30,000 per shot. I don't understand. Hopefully this law will work out. Thank you if you're listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Method, Massachusetts. It was great to hear Dr. Starella. He's always so profound, and it ain't easy to follow him. However, on this subject of U.S. government, I liked it. He reminded me of some things that have been bouncing around in my head of late, especially with these elections that are coming up on a national level. Basically, I feel that I've been lied to back in elementary school in Somerville and when I finished the kindergarten at the Hancock School. They told me it was a democracy. I don't think so. It's more like a capital C, capitalism. Bernie Sanders, I believe, is right in one area for sure, that the Supreme Court allowed Citizens United to exist as an entity a few years back, and it was by a five to four Supreme Court vote. and Mr. Scalia is gone. So now it might be a draw if it came back before the Supreme Court. Citizens United, a lot of people don't know what that means. They think it's a wonderful two words put together. But in reality, the way I understand it, it allows that entity to collect unlimited money, funds, different currencies worldwide, from you and I or from China, Russia, Soviet Union, it doesn't matter, England, and big conglomerates in this country, big oil, et cetera. Rupert Murdoch controls newspapers by the hundreds worldwide. So they collect unlimited funds, unlimited. And furthermore, they do not have to disclose where they received any of these funds. So I'm thinking maybe they are the ones that create these super PACs and give it to hopefully their next political puppet that they want as a leader of the United States of America. whoever that might be on either side does not matter because they want that person to win with all the monies that were collected, illicit and unknown locations, and they don't want the apple cart to be upset in Washington, D.C. So even the Republicans, they don't want Trump, they don't want Cruz, but they're going to allow maybe Mrs. Hillary, to win the next four years. And then they're willing to give up four years in order not to upset their apple cart in Washington, D.C. Now, the Sicilians are right to fish for us from the head down. It starts in Washington, D.C. It comes to the local governors and to your local yokels. in any town and community out of the 351 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I guess I care too much about justice. That's my only agenda. I like to change the old adage from the founding fathers and say, no further taxation without proper representation and to stop the waste, hire Trump to negotiate edge of the bubble before we end up with the Superdome in New Orleans. God forbid. Good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Move approval of the paper, Mr. President.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. Good evening, councillors. I'll make this very brief. Speaking about the proposed possible city of Medford charter review is to be or not to be, I guess that is the question. Please allow me to start by saying as of today, May 17, 2016, I'm neither for or against changing the city's charter from plan A to plan E nor to B or C. I'm just not that smart. However, after 28 years of having the same old charter of plan A government, maybe it's time to simply review our charter options. It's sort of like a business corporation reviewing its business plan to better compete and be more successful. Even at our next election on November 8, 2016, the voters could, would, hopefully, simply elect a nine-person commission who can only make recommendations and nothing else. And then those recommendations, if any, would go on the following year's 2017 voting ballot, allowing all voters to decide yes or no to any proposed changes. With that, that I said. I understand that some citizens want this process to go forward in the traditional way versus going the way of a home rule petition through the Massachusetts State House. But it is a monumental task and highly improbable to collect the required 5,300 signatures to put this question on the ballot. We don't have that Miss Frazzuli type of gun hoe, go get them, back in the 80s. However, please note this charter review petition presently has about 1,500 signatures or more. By the way, I almost forgot to say the CPA ballot, which passed, only needed and had approximately 1750 signatures. How did that happen? Need I say more? If I wanted to repeat my song that I have done for five years every December and get a petition to get the owner occupied for real estate tax exemption on the ballot, I'm not sure the state would let me do that with 1,750 signatures. I think I need 20% of the registered voters. I think that would be 5,300 or more. And they have to be certified, verified, and all that jazz. I didn't write the second page. I'm just basically confused. I'm dismayed. about Methods Home Rule petition by Massachusetts legislation, bill number 4227. What they did or what they did not do. I'm told this was a reverse Houdini. I don't know what that means, but someone very intelligent told me that, and I have no idea, so maybe it's, I should change the title and call it Houdini Effect and use Andrew's words. Now you see it and now you don't. I'm very confused. I don't know nothing.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Carson at a cushion street method. Thank you. Councilor. You saw like a broken record and you're doing a good job because it's an important issue. You would think in a city like this we could have nice and bright on these crosswalks. Maybe the 3D hologram effect might be a good way to do it and maybe the color could be changed. I'm not sure. Instead of the whites. and maybe make it yellow if that's allowed legally. And maybe we should check out the paint manufacturer and make sure that the paint they've been using is not a defective batch number. Something is amiss. They shouldn't be fading so quickly, in my opinion. And with less rock salt being used this past winter. I don't know, maybe it should be just as bright as the front of the vinyl LP Abbey Road. Good luck, people.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, President Dello Russo. Name is not important. Point of possible information from Councilor Marks and all the people that have water. In order to tell what kind of pipe you have, it would probably be best says it's all dirty and corroded on the top, to scratch it with a piece of metal, and you'd be able to tell if it's a silvery look, that would probably lead, and you may want to get the lead out. Secondly, hopefully you have a reddish copper look, because you prefer copper pipes. As far as I know, these days, unless they change their mind, tomorrow morning.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street. How can I phrase this? In 1970, The new high school was built in the West Method Woods. And I recollect Woolworths and Grants behind you, Candlepen Bowling at Hobbit Vanguard, Method Cinema where the Elephant Store is thereabouts, Pewter Park, Brigham's, Joel's Poolroom below ex-Maki's office. This place was economically viable. Lots of businesses, maybe a bit before your time, However, it seemed shortly thereafter, 1970, the square economically went south. Didn't do very well. A lot of businesses closed down. So I would think if it was a mistake, some of us should learn from our mistakes or other communities can learn from our mistake. As they say in the real estate business, The three words location, location, location. So I would like to see this at a central location, whether it's at city hall here, I don't know about an extra millions of dollars expenditure next door and who's going to pay that nut every month or the gene brought up Chevalier. Maybe we could figure out how long the leases in the basement. And of course, if it was rent free, we'd be able to use more of our money that's already collected to do a better job and not have to worry about paying the landlord every month. It's been a couple of three years. Nothing's going down. Hopefully this can be done before Christmas and this Christmas. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. If I may, on this not good day, Osher, we should take a moment to say a prayer, if you'd like, for what happened in Brussels, Belgium. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Greetings. Councilor, Councilors. Um, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman street in Beth. I simply have a mathematical point of information, the mathematics only. And I believe the CPA, the community preservation act, When they started that process, I believe they acquired less signatures than what is presently acquired here at 1800 or so. And as one of the Councilors had brought up, through the process, through the signature process, you would need, well, I believe it's 20% of the registered voters. And that's probably over 4,000, 5,000, almost 6,000. and they have to be certified and make sure that they are totally legitimate. So it's almost, it's not impossible, mathematically speaking. However, it's nearly impossible in the real world, and I'm not sure if it's ever been done in this community, to gather that many signatures to do such a thing. Simply the math, if there's a shortcut on a Home Rule petition, And if it goes forward to the ballot, the people will be able to decide regardless. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Clinton Street, Method Mass. Do I have 10 minutes of time? Is that how it works, the maximum? I'll try to drop the vernacular and keep it real brief. Maybe I'll take one minute and designate it by nine minutes to some other senator. I'll make it very brief. Um, generally speaking, uh, I'm not for or against this so-called charter review. However, I'm sure we should probably review. This hasn't been done in three decades. Um, check out the city's chapter and see if we need to improve it. Um, I mean, after all businesses, corporations, I'm sure they changed their business plans from time to time. So I would think a city that has a lot of public taxpayers, they would want to have better with themselves. Um, if I could throw in an audit, I'd throw it in an audit or two while I'm at it, but I'm not going to bring that up anymore. Um, let's see, maybe one, we could have, we want, okay. On the charter review, some minor changes that might come about, or some may consider them quite major, actually. And I can think of three, top of my head, and some of them have been discussed earlier, and I'm sure many times in the previous days. Number one may want to change, let's see, P-A, so that would be, and I can't read my writing. And the second one could be term limits to get your attention back. And the third one could be what representation, I believe. Yes, thank you, Councilor Marks. And the first one I should read my writing because we may want to change the P-A-P-E. What is it? Thank you. Plan A, Plan E, vice versa.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Right, exactly. It is a work in progress. And I wrote a hormonal petition for some reason. Oh yes, thank you Councilor Marks for bringing up the home rule petition to try to go that route if we get a favorable vote on this. And I believe we should in the manner of fair government. It would be huge because otherwise you need, I believe 20% of the registered voters, which is approximately 4,500, Mr. Finn, I believe. Thank you. And we only have 1,500. So it's such a huge process, as Councilor Marks has alluded to many times. And by the way, I don't know if anyone's remembering this, instead of me getting my owner-occupied real estate tax exemption for the last five years, never got it once, like they do in Somerville, Everett, Malden, but the CPA went on, and we got a 1.5% tax on top of our real estate, minus the exclusion, but the point is, they only needed $1,000 Approximately 500 signatures. Oh, well, I'm sorry. They put that on the ballot, but my friend Sergeant Barry Clemente never told me about when he told me to go vote that was on the back of the ballot to flip it over either. So, I mean, let's call a diamond a diamond here. Something is amiss. I like your rules. I hope Bernie does a better job. We need to stop the corruption from the Head down, as the singers would say. Of course, there's no such thing as a mafia. From the head down, we have to stop the corruption to the state, to the local level. Stop it all.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes. Motion of six in affirmative, one absent, motion passes. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: On the motion for a adjournment. I understand you, uh, you, you approved it. Um, I just wanted to say, uh, I don't know much about the green burial, um, but I'm sure it should be investigated. So there will be no future, uh, indecisiveness in the future. And also she mentioned something about the cemetery was thinking about building a mausoleum of sorts. I was curious if there may be a better capital idea to build an actual type of church structure or chapel there. And you could have a one-stop burial situation, such as you could view the body there. You could, uh, have a prayer said, or at the same time, you could just walk to the burial hole and we'll have to worry about the elements at three different locations. Just a thought. It's been done. Other parts of the USA.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. As a taxpayer, I also would like to commend and thank Councilor Falco. It's a great common sense request to the city to get some budget information and hopefully the best information possible in due time so it's not too late. And hopefully better spend our taxpayers' monies Thank you for your listening. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Are you done for the entire meeting? We are. Okay. Cause it says on the back page, public participation. I didn't hear you announce that. Are we allowed to speak at the end of the meeting before it ends? It says public participation before you check on your records.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Dello Russo. Thank you, Councilor. Um, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, 02155. I simply wanted to please allow me to congratulate you, the reelected city councilors, especially the two new city councilors, JC Falco jr. And GA Scarpelli. And also kudos, the new first ever elected female Mrs. Mayor Stephanie Muccini Burke and Mr. Finn and Mr. LaPore. Let us all work together and make this a good 2016 and a great new year and make Medford greater again. Of course, I have my agenda from last Christmas, and I'd like to give everybody a heads up six months in advance before the budget meeting and before the real estate tax rate is set 12 months from today. Hopefully, Santa Claus will be good to us this December. and finally give our middle-class homeowners some real estate tax relief if they live in their house as an owner-occupied dweller. As you know, the best time to prepare for this is at budget time in June. Then we will be ready, able, and hopefully willing to adopt the full 20 percent owner-occupied real estate tax exemption under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 56, Section 5C. I can repeat that if you want to write this down six months in advance. It's Massachusetts MGL, Chapter 56, Section 5C. Thank you for your attention, and I wish us all a healthy Good New Year's.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Please state your name and address for the record. You must be psychic, Councilor Dello Russo. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushman Street, Medford, Massachusetts. I'm sorry I'm late. I had to go to awake my brother-in-law. So I wanted to say goodbye to some of these Councilors and mayors And I apologize again, but I see Mr. Camuso's, Councilor Camuso. He's not here, but I jokingly used to call him Mayor Curley, and I think he's done a great job. He's done quite well for himself. And if I may say, I believe he's a definite overachiever. I congratulate him and wish him well in his future endeavors, as I wish everyone well. It's a wonderful life. Also, I'd be remiss not to mention a fond farewell to the outgoing mayor, Michael, for he did do a lot of good things for our city of Medford on the Mystic River. And third, Councilor Penta of 30-something plus years. Six? Wow. I never ever heard any politician seem to care for the people as you. And we thank you for your many amendments. Thank you, Councilor. And we thank you, Councilor Panther, for your many amendments that alleviated some of our tax increases. And although I never received any yes votes in my quest to lower our real estate taxes, we always knew where you stood on all issues. On many occasions here at the public forum, it's been stated that we Councilors have no power under this plan A government. With that being said, maybe it's high time for you, Mr. Robert M. Penta, to join us, we the people, on this side of the rail and hopefully achieve your greatest accomplishments for the people and make Method great again. Thank you. I'll strike that. Let's all work together with the new mayor and 57,000 population in Medford and make it a great year and to all a good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Mass. I want to thank for five of the seven Councilors for speaking up on this matter of public access, a lack of. The point of, I believe, information might be, I believe the rate that they deduct from Comcast bills is more like $3.50, I believe, per month, times my guesstimate of 20,000 subscribers, that would be probably over $60,000 per month. And that would be, I believe, accumulate to over $700,000 on an annual basis in the past year or two per year. It is about time that this is reopened. And I believe it should definitely be in Method Square. And other communities, as I was pointing out, they have a viable public access. And it really should be in downtown or the Chevalier a worse scenario, the TPWR, which is brand new, and there's a lot of rooms I saw that were in an open house when I got a Coke and a smile when they had the grand opening. But Medford Square would be the best location, and it seems like there's plenty of cash on hand, in place, and maybe more besides that. If I was in charge, I would set a deadline for three months just to get it organized, and therefore add an additional three months more, which is a total of six months, to be reborn and up and running, period. Just my thoughts. Thank you, if you're listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Andrew. I will say this about that. Maintenance is obviously key. It's best to spend a couple hundred thousand dollars these days versus hundreds of millions of dollars to our sons and grandchildren.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor De La Ruza. Andrew Castagnetti, 23 Cushion Street, Method Mass. My phone number is 396-TIPS. Thank you. and allow me to express myself under our first amendment rights. Um, first of all, it's not apathy when there's only a few people here at the council meetings. It's more like people have given up fighting the city hall, figuring they're probably going to do what they want anyways. Um, my petition actually read Andrew P Castagnetti petitioning the city council and the mayor to adopt mass general laws, chapter 59, Chapter 59. Is it okay? Test, test, test, test. Thank you anyway, just look for it. My petition actually read the following. It's the Andrew P Castagnetti petition, not just the city council, but in the mayor to adopt mass general laws, chapter 59, section five C. for the maximum 20% owner-occupied real estate tax exemption to lower the real estate tax for the middle-class homeowner. Please allow me to quote my open-ended letter in the method transcript published on October 15th. I sent this to Nell Escobar Coakley, the editor. Please publish my great question before this Thursday's great debate on October 15th of this year. The letter stated, question for all of city of Medford political candidates. Are you for or against the home owner occupied real estate tax exemption? Go to the Commonwealth Massachusetts website and refer to a mass general laws chapter 59 section five C one. Massachusetts cities are already presenting this real estate tax savings to its owner-occupied homeowners. This includes three bordering cities, such as Malden, Everett, and Somerville. My question is, why not here in Medford? For the past 40 or more years, our real estate tax bill in Medford has increased over 2.5 percent per annum. However, if this automatic 20% exemption outlining mass general laws, 59 section five C is adopted. The average owner occupied homeowner would receive a $200 savings per year instead of the usual $200 increase. That's a large swing of a difference. Again, I'm asking why not here in Medford? I'm asking all city council and mayor candidates. to respond to this question before the upcoming election so that the voters have ample time to read your responses and cast their ballots for candidates who support tax relief for the citizens of our city. Please send your written response to the method transcript, letters to the editor, and so we the people. Thank you for your attention and response. APC. My question was not asked at the great debate. And as of tonight, December 8th, 2015, I have not seen any replies of communication in the method transcript as requested. Maybe you are not aware of this, come with the Massachusetts law or whatever. I took some time today and I prepared a sampling of all the city appraised valuations. some of them, most of the city Councilors, homes in the mirrors, and all of these city appraised valuations are below 539,000. Even if all of these home values increase 10% next year, they will still see their real estate tax bill go down up to $600 a year. instead of the usual $130 to $390 increase every year, after year, after year, and so on. The one exception is one of the Councilors, and it may go up a whopping $7. Bottom line, nine of 10 owner-occupied average homeowners will save about $200 a year instead of the usual $200 increase. That's a big swing. Again, why not here? And I'm under the weather. I'm not feeling so good, so I never finished the rest of my spiel. But basically, I hope when you do the allocation that you will give the average owner, occupied homeowner who lives in their one house only the full 20 percent. That's all I have to say. I request for the sixth consecutive year. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Councilor Dello Russo. I'm not sure which question you're moving, so I had a few notations and I didn't want to interrupt prior, so I'd like to just blurt them out if I may. Yeah. The Mass General Law 56-5C is flawed on a Massachusetts state level. But don't forget, at least the state did something right to try to help the middle class. Let's not lose that perspective. So why are we not adopting it? Boston's at 37.5%. My information here is inaccurate at 30%. Some of those inaccurate in my packet. It's not 30, it's 35%. I'm just shooting for the 20 maximum by law. Not only does this city, this body, city council have to approve it by a majority vote, also the mayor, whatever mayor has to also approve it or else the state won't automatically give it to you. So that's why my amendment, or my whatever you want to call it, petition, never petitioned in my life, asked for both to adopt it, or else it just gets filed in the basket. Meanwhile, I would like to fix the state law, however, That will be my final mission as far as city hall business. After the second mission, which I'm not divulging right now. And the first mission, this is at hand right now. Let's get this one done today for the middle class while they still exist. By the way, the law is flawed. And I believe somebody applied for a home rule petitioner from what I understand. I never saw the document. I asked for it. I don't know. And there should be a flat, I believe, if you can make the mathematics work, according to the formulas. Maybe a flat, whatever it is, 10% off your real tax dollars, period, for every single owner occupied, if you live in one house. And to clarify something from Mr. Marks, if you live in one family, two, three, four, condo, or a hundred unit building, you will get under this master law, blah, blah, blah, blah. The owner occupied exclusion providing the city council majority at the opposite and the mirror or mirrors at least one at the right time. So having said all that, the more the law is flawed, but as we speak, like 12,000, The number is staggering. Who gets this? Let's not lose fact of that. 12,000 is it? Let's see. 16,000 plus owner occupied. That includes real estate, land also. So let's deal with the projected Ed O'Neill number that he believes estimate of 12,000 and change are owner occupied. Yeah, 1,569 will go up because the law is flawed, granted. But don't forget, you're talking about 10,695 that will see a decrease versus the usual 100-year standard increases per annum. It's huge. So back to Councilor Marks. So you get the way the formula works, the way I understand high school education, 68, 11 went to forestry. The thing is, it's 20% of a shift, I believe Ed told me, and what I read in the law. So the shift of, let's say, about $96 million it was last year, went up like 3.5%, so much for Prop 2.5, that's a fallacy. And this year it's going over $100 million, that's over 4.5% increase right now that they're talking, mind you. But the point is, it's a shift. And they're divided into, I guess, the 12,000 possible owner-occupieds. And that comes out to a grand total, at the full 20% I'm asking for, of about $87,000. Is that correct, Mr. Ed? It is. Thank you. Thanks, John. $87,000 value reduction from your appraised value. So therefore, if you have a Marauder 100-unit building and you do live there, you can only deduct the 87,000 Councilor Marks, not the 99 units that you don't live in. It's only pertaining to your unit, I believe. Furthermore, so therefore eight out of nine, or maybe 11 out of 12, the numbers are kind of blurred. But it's like 90% of owner-occupies are going to save versus the usual increase. Last year, I think I put a dollar coin here, and I put nine coins here. After five, I get tired of counting. I just drop the whole package. 10 to 1 save. I don't know how to say it diplomatically. Clarify to Mr. Marks, $87,000. And by the way, new growth, what is this? What's the word, panacea, panacea? The new growth, or is it a fallacy? It's supposed to help our parents pay their real estate taxes. Now the parents are gone. We become the elders, as they say. So what happened to all this new growth that's supposed to help? Station Lenin, for one example, Lemire and Nishmir, and then you have to River Edge or something to that effect. We destroyed a bunch of buildings, lost a lot of commercial tax revenue when that was done. And then we had an economic crash, no fault of my own or your own probably. And we didn't recoup at all. Now, I hope we have. But the new growth is not helping the average taxpayer for real estate. I don't see it. Maybe I should have went to college more than high school. I don't see it. And then I'm told, well, that has to get done. in June, July, whenever the budget is presented. Well, then what came first? I don't mind the chicken and egg, the cat or the horse. Isn't that the time to have this new growth, take some of the edge off the middle class so they can still exist, maybe. So therefore, I keep on ranting about requesting my full 20%. Because also, according to Ed O'Neill in his documents, I should say, the cutoff, I call it the push, is $580,000 at 10%, 15%, or 20%. So it's not going to go any higher that you pay more, so why not go for the full 20? I won't even get into going for special legislation or exemption to go for the Somerville telephone numbers in Boston even higher. If you can't do the 20, meet me halfway and give us the 10 cents on the total. By the way, the circuit breaker he mentioned, Mr. O'Neill, that's on a state level, real estate income tax, I should say. I think the formula, what they used to do for my mom when she was alive, I believe it's like you take 10% of your adjusted gross income and you take half your water bill, I believe, and your real estate, total it up, And every dollar above whatever the formula is, you get back dollar for dollar, up to a max at that time was $900, and today it's over $1,000 easily. And you don't have to pay any Massachusetts income tax to get it. A lot of accountants I speak to, even CPAs, don't know what I'm talking about. But it's a fact that it exists, and a lot of people might get it. Thank you. Good night.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Those two points brought up, and this is very important. Councilor Dello Russo, president. Proceed. Thank you. Name's not important. Thank you. Councilor Peta for bringing up who wrote up number three on the owner occupied selection. Um, through the chair, I'd like to ask Ed O'Neill, How many properties will have a savings versus the $1,569 of the owner-occupies? It would go up.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I would like a straight answer.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I would like a straight answer. He never said it. He never told me how many properties are going to go down in value versus the $1,569 owner-occupies that would go up. Can I get a straight answer as a citizen? For Matt O'Neill, please, through the chair.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I would be happy to. Thank you very much.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Once upon a time, the unions served a really good cause when my grandfather was digging a ditch to build the pumping station on Spa Pond so they could pump that water up to the Hidden Res. These days, I'm not sure what's going on with the unions. Maybe it's a bit out of control, nothing to do with the other side of Jimmy Hoffa Stadium, but gotta put things in perspective, I think.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council President. Councilor Neddy, Andrew, Cushing Street, Method Mass. Councilor Marks brought up a point about, I think it's tier one, and thanks to Councilor Penta, I believe it was increased for a single-family usage from 800 to 1,000 units of... Anyways, I'm not sure how to feel about this before your decision for the vote. However, it seems like these water bills, the new tiered system that went into effect a few years back, and I'm not sure if the state set those numbers with the tiered But it seems like it adds insult to injury to the ratepayer for water in the MWRA system, because Tier 1 is for, I believe, single-family usage, and it's X amount, like let's just say 12 cents per gallon or whatever it is. However, Tier 2 allows more, and that's at a little bit higher cost, a cent more. Tier 3, that was not really the third because they called it un-tiered for the next highest price, which is fine. However, Tier 3 is higher than the un-tiered. Well, That means a three-family, in effect, is paying more per gallon than all others outside of a one, two, or three-family home. And that is businesses, commercial, industrial, maybe, otherwise it has something to do with lobbying the state house to pass this law and its tiered structure, whether it was the state's doing or the local doing. It seems like it's as insult to further rape as injuries. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: That is correct.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, Merritt, Mass. The most recent speaker made some good points. I wanted to reiterate some of it. And Councilor Brianna brought up a good resolution, although Councilor Penta also mentioned we already have the tool in your chest as we speak, as he used before the Section 20, I believe it was called. Not being a lawyer, however, I've noticed how this is written, be it resolved that the Medford City Council not approve it of any bond or expenditure that does not have a written explanation of such expenditure at least seven days prior to the said vote. It's a little vague, a written explanation. They could just say, I have to do, I need the money to do whatever, part three of some bridge project. And I think more importantly, we'd want some sort of itemized explanation. And I would think that seven days prior, you should have the information. That should have been going on since day one, 100 years ago. So if you go to a bank to borrow money, they ask you why you want to borrow it. So if you want to borrow it or have the taxpayers responsible for it for the next 20 years, if it's a bond, we would think we should know what it's for. In detail. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushion Street, Bedford, Massachusetts. I have a question for the chair, for the budget director, Louise Miller. This talk about floating a bond to pay for some of these things. Knowing that the United States national debt is over $18 trillion, I'd like to ask her a question through the chair. And that is, what is the total 0 to 155 for method bond debt as we speak today in 2015, please?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Castagnetti, Andrew. 23 Cushing Street, Method, Marist. It's good. Brought up this evening. My wife was one of the teachers that was robbed and she's very, very upset and concerned about her safety. I love that meeting that trial that the perpetrators does not want to attend to today in Danvers. She's very, very concerned as should all the teachers and all citizens of the city. Thank you for listening, sir.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes. I didn't want to speak for her. She has a master's degree. I don't. Maybe someday she can come up and get some sort of certificate. That was a very kind of you. Councilor Penton. No one expected that. We didn't know. Thank you, sir. Um, Andrew Paul Castagnetti, 23 Cushing street, Medford, Massachusetts. First off, I'd like to say, I'm sure Mr. Starrella appreciates his right to speak under the First Amendment. Thank you very much. I'll make this very brief, less than two and a half minutes. Mr. Camuso, can you hang around? Should I wait? I guess he can't wait. I got a vote for Nixon myself, but I waited. I don't want to sound like a Republican, but what, another real estate tax? This CPA, the 1.5% solution, the real estate tax, sounds like, And if it looks like a tax, smells like a tax, then it must be another tax. In effect, this is an override of Proposition 2 1⁄2. This is still to do with real estate taxes. I've been trying for years to get our Method homeowners a $400 a year on average real estate tax savings unsuccessfully through the Massachusetts law titled owner-occupied real estate tax exemption, as they do in Malden, Everett, and Somerville. As a matter of fact, I even wrote a letter in the method transcript published on October 15, 2015, asking for all politicians to respond in writing to the method transcript asking whether They are for or against this 20% real estate tax exemption. Thus far, as we speak tonight, October 27th, the only response was verbal from Councilor Penta and we thank him. Also, my question, this question was titled when I submitted it to the the debate committee, October, the day before the deadline, mind you. And it was titled, Please Answer My Question. It should have been asked after great debate, but it was not. Maybe we'll get all the 18 replies in this Thursday's method transcript, hopefully before the next election and a week from tonight. Thank you. What else can I say? Maybe you would like to take this opportunity to communicate your responses now. Thank you. If you would like, Councilor Dello Russo or any other Councilor.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you for your silence.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Massachusetts. It concerns me that this discussion here about giving the businesses a discount on their real estate although I'm not anti-business, and this city should be more pro-business, in my opinion, within reason, of course. If anything, I would consider what I've been pushing for for many years, and that would be to have the owner-occupying real estate tax exemption under the state law instead. That being said again, and I will pursue it in the next few weeks further. That part of Haines Square seems to have problems for many, many years and decades. A lot of turnover, fires, et cetera. Just my limited education thought, why not just eminent domain that whole block? and give them fair market value, and put up a mixed-use type of property, a la Station and Landon, so to speak. To me, that would make good business sense and help us, the homeowner, real estate owner, occupy, hopefully. Thank you for listening.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Citizen Castagnetti. Councilor Dela Cruz. Castagnetti, Andrew, Cushion Street, 02155. If I may, I'd like to commend Mr. Ruggiero for at least trying to improve the traffic, automobile, et cetera, situation in the city. It would be wonderful if there is some improvement, and I'm sure the citizens would appreciate it, and the general public. I commend them. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Mass. I'll make it brief as possible. Our city is getting more congested and it's getting worse. Mr. Caraviello, you're right. By right, a real estate owner, the way I understand it, can go do whatever they please and build out within the zoning rights. I believe it's through a Board of Appeals, through a hardship that they would have to prove hardship. and do arrests of some sort that they could get a variance in order to go from a three-family to a five or whatever if it's not allowed in that area. So I guess, Mr. Caraviello, you should go to the meeting and express your concern. And other people should also if they have some issues with that. But most importantly, I would worry about Tufts University. I would make sure that Tufts University is buying all their real estate. through Wild Night Hill Properties to keep the real estate tax bill in place, or else it becomes a non-profit and we lose more and more of our real estate tax base, or some other entity that will pay a real estate tax. I don't care if it's commercial or residential.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Certainly. Andrew Castagnetti, 23 Cushman street, Medford, Massachusetts. Congratulations. Council president and council vice president. I'm no politician, as you can tell by my choice of words or lack of choice of words thereof. Therefore, I call it the way I see it. First off, it's very encouraging for a change to see all these people get civically involved. I wish they were here for my residential real estate exemption last month. Number two. Once upon a time, Medford Square did have parking meters. I believe when I was a teenager, they were there. Number three, then the meters were removed and replaced with two-hour free parking signs. However, for whatever reason or reasons, the two-hour limit was not consistently enforced. And then number four, the parking became abused from within and from without. Out-of-towners taking the bus or the train into Boston or wherever. Also, I believe most business owners want constant turnover for customer parking. And six, and now the free parking party is over, and we all must pay as we go or stop to park. Seems that the valid contract is signed, right or wrong? Good luck.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street, Medford, Mass. I'm sorry. Too much luggage. Season's greetings. If I may wish you all a peaceful Christmas too. We feel like this is deja vu all over again and again. But will you please give the local owner occupied homeowner at least a 20% real estate tax exemption. only if they live in their house, which can be verified by their income tax filing address. As you know, this real real estate tax savings is being done in Malden, and Somerville is at 35%. Why not us? At least give us 20%, especially when nine of 10 About 90% of Method homeowners would receive a lower real estate tax bill than presently proposed, versus a historical 3% to 8% increase on a yearly basis. If I may, I'd like to give an example. This year, my home, Attu, has a $400,000 value, times the present tax rate of $12.25, per thousand, I paid $4,900. Next year, in 2015, my evaluation on the home will go from $400,000 to $452,000, times $11.70 at the proposed new lower tax rate per 1,000 that will equal $5,288 in real estate tax for next year as proposed. This yearly increase of $388 is almost 8% over last year, so much for Prop 2.5. There is hope. You, the elected city officials, have the power, through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts law, to lower this increase for the average homeowner in Medford if they live in their house as their primary residence, which is verified by their address on their income tax return. We, the people, are not politicians at this time. However, you, our, the elected city councilors, do have the power tonight to vote for a 20% real estate tax residential exemption and vote to send this request to Mayor McGlynn, because I believe only he, the mayor, has the authorization slash option to select and adopt this real estate tax exemption. along with your city council approval. Under Commonwealth of Massachusetts General Laws, chapter number 59, section 5C, we the people, the working class, need real estate tax relief. Please vote yes, help save our middle class neighbors before it's too late. Thank you kindly for listening and hopefully getting this done, for it's, in my opinion, 10 years overdue. Thank you for your time.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I hope you give the taxpayers a nice Christmas present, and I hope it's a good new year without any fear. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Can I give some information about what was just said? Thank you. Mr. O'Neill made some good points. In a perfect world, we wouldn't have any taxes. That's why we threw the English show in 1776. However, if we do not adopt this 20%, the full 20%, residential, unoccupied, the full 20%, which is automatic, if you approve it, and the mayor approves it. Councilor Camuso, talking to you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you. If you do the full 20% in a perfect world, Zero owner-occupied should pay any increase. However, one, I believe, out of the 10, at a full 20%, I repeat, residential exemption, one will pay more. However, nine others would pay less. It's very important to save the middle class. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm sorry. Thank you, Councilor Caraviello. Andrew Castaneri, Cushion Street, Method Mass. This, I think Councilor Panter brings up some good points about this tiered rate. I believe it's presently very unfair to the residential versus the commercial. And if I may think off the cuff here, I doubt it was the peoples that polluted the harbor, general public. It was more so like the Tannenmills in Lawrence or the Monsantos where the ProPublica casino probably is going to go.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: You sure? Yes. Because it seems like three tiers. Listen---- They are paying the top rate. No, I don't think so. I disagree with that, sir. Let me, I'm going on my recollection. The first tier was like 800, up to 800, I believe, right? At whatever it is, 13 and 12 point something cents. Correct, Councilor Buenaventura? Something like that.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: But wait a minute.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: It doesn't say commercial in their Councilor Knight, does it? Right.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: I'm not sure that's accurate. You're right, thank you Councilor. Right.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: If I may, if you are going to buy a gallon of gasoline, you buy 1 gallon, it is whatever the price is, $3. If you buy 10, it is $3. As far as the wholesale rate, I am not sure about that. In my limited mathematics, I would have Mr. Lasky, the director, figure this out, but I would start with at least $1,000 for the first tier, $2,000 for the second tier, ballpark here, and $3,000 for the third tier, and above that $3,000, I don't care if you're residential, commercial, or the shoemaker, you pay the highest rate. So you pay as you use and try to conserve. And these old corporations that are defunct, Chapter 11, Chapter 7, like the Monsantos, how much do they pay to clean the harbor? Why do we saddle with this beyond our children's times?
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Andrew Castagnetti. I just wanted to say, when you voted on the owner-occupied exemption, even though we all knew that 9 out of 10 of the owner-occupied would see less of a tax increase, I'm very shocked there was 7 to nothing against the proposal from the state. which is from the state we could use. I figure at least you're going to offer 10%, half, a half a bone. I guess I'm not surprised. Maybe capitalism wins again.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, 23 Cushing Street, Medford, Mass. Excuse my hat, I'm a bit out of the weather. I'll make this very brief, even though I forgot my glasses. Thank you, Councilor Dela Ruzzo. First off, season greetings, and if I may, I wish you all a peaceful Christmas. We feel like this is deja vu all over again, will you please give the local owner-occupied homeowner at least a 20% real estate tax exemption, only if they live in their house, which can be verified by their income tax filing address. As you know, this real real estate tax savings is being done in Malden, Everett, Somerville, and it's at 35 percent in Somerville. Why not us? At least give us the 20 percent, which is automatic from the state of Massachusetts, if we adopt it. Especially when 12 of 13, over 90% of Medford homeowners would receive a lower real estate tax bill than last year's, versus historically a two to 4% yearly increase in real estate tax bill dollars. I, we the people, are not politicians at this time, however, You, our elected city councilors, do have the power tonight to vote for a 20% real estate tax exemption and vote to send this request to Mayor McGlynn because I believe only he, the mayor, has the authority slash option to select and adopt this real estate tax exemption. along with U.S. City Council approval. Under Commonwealth of Massachusetts, General Laws, Chapter 59, Section 5C. We the people, the working class hero, needs real estate tax relief. Please vote yes, help save our middle class neighbors, before it's too late. Thank you kindly for listening and hopefully getting this done for its 10 years overdue. Thanks again.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, thank you, Larry.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Andrew Castagnetti, Cushing Street Method Mass. I hate to go against the man upstairs, and once upon a time there were blue laws in this state. However, as one of the councilors stated, it's the state of the times, it's capitalism, so to speak. It's been a long discussion. I believe in the spirit of compromise, especially with council, they're making some great points. Maybe you people might want to consider a one-shot deal, and for eight days as a compromise. And then you don't have to worry about 90-day review. It can come back next year. Because if it becomes an issue after 90 days or prior to 90 days, unfortunately, this country is strong on litigation. You don't want to go down that road, I would think. This is my thoughts. Thank you.
[Andrew Castagnetti]: Yes, thank you, Mr. President. Castagnetti, Andrew, Cushing Street. Don't recollect. I'm trying to blank. I'm not here to challenge anyone. It's not my style. It seems to me, however, in a city of this size, they should have TV3 broadcasting or government access. Surrounding towns and cities are doing it. And he's sitting on the money. He's raping his money. I don't know. It's just a sad state of affairs, especially during an election month coming up. You would think there would be a It's a great avenue for politicians to talk about what they think is important to help the citizens. It's a sad state of affairs. It's a complete mystery. I wish it gets back on the air so the community can use their monies. Thank you.