It’s amazing, 4 years have flown by. It’s been a cathartic experience serving my community! We have accomplished many important things in our little neck of the woods proudly named Soldiers Home or Powderhorn Hill.
I want to thank you for electing me to serve our Chelsea Neighborhood, I want you to know that I do not take this Honor of serving lightly as I realize that the seat belongs to You, the masses, and not me and so I hope I have performed up to your standards and I do hope you elect to allow me to serve for another term.
Together we have done many big and small things that have improved our quality of life, things such as improving the safety of our streets at night by improving the lighting. Our streets have never looked brighter and that is fantastic, the safety of all of us is of primary importance. The city steps, particularly the Washington Ave. to Franklin Ave. side was hard to light up but we found a way to finally light that up without disturbing the neighbors while providing maximum illumination and security.
Thanks to the great job performed by DPW, we have kept on top of the damage created by snow and storms on our streets. We have given senior citizens discounts on water, have increased the residential exemption in an effort to further lower residential taxes and mitigated the proposed increase of water to residents from almost 3 percent to 1 percent.
We negotiated favorably on behalf of our residents with the DOT and on Summit ave we are working on minimizing thedisturbanced cause by the building of the new hospital. We are taking care of streets on Washington Ave and County Road, and are embarking on more efforts to beautify our Soldiers Home like improved Christmas and holiday ligting this season.
We also provided barrells both for trash and recycle inan effort to curb the rodent problems in the city.
Thanks to the great work by all of the boards and groups like the Chelsea Hill Community, we can see the ever flourishing beauty that is Chelsea, come through more and more everyday! We have beautified the city with trees, newer streets and newer sidewalks. Improved the condition of our parks. Our city is the safest and our transportation efforts are the best they have ever been.
All of this we have done together, with You, our neighbors, hand in hand, at meetings that have run through the night, along with a City Council that Cares and is Commited to bringing the Best Services to our Communities. A City Manager that is commited to seeing Chelsea grow and phenomenal people serving in the various boards doing their best to make Chelsea the varied complex and magnificent place it is to call Home.
It is an pleasure to have the Honor of fighting alongside with you for the betterment of our Chelsea and my little slice of heaven our beloved Soldiers Home!
Changes are in the air.
Did you know, that a long time ago, Chelsea was , get this, a Vacation Destination, yes our own little Chelsea Massachusetts was Elite. We do of course know, because it has been drilled into our heads, the Chelsea that everyone called and wrote about as the Worst Crime City in America or Poorest City in America.
Chelsea has a Mystery about Her! This gorgeous city we call home has been up and down and over but never out, Its a City I Adore and I am So Proud to call Home and my Area of Soldiers Home, the Only Place for My Family.
We have all heard, its not a secret anymore, Chelsea is the New It Place. Yup a place where just 20 years ago our families rented 3 bedroom apartments for $450 everything included, is Now, Once Again, Elite!
They call it Gentrification!
The dictionary defines Gentrification as : Gentrification is a process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses.
Chelsea is in need of Well Rooted, Caring, Informed and Responsible Leadership. One who understand the struggles of the lifelong residents of Chelsea and will work towards the efforts of helping those residents remain here and welcome our new reality and our new neighbors and make them feel at home just as we were made to feel at home when we first came here, its the Chelsea Way!
There is a balance that the Council needs to be able to strike and that is how to help our well-rooted families that have been here for generations, remain here, it is a struggle that I have pledged to help fight in an effort to alleviate some of the burden being placed by the increasing rents.
How do I help, I am on the Board of Capic, an amazing organization full of wonderful people working to alleviate many of lives problems and particularly Homelessness, Volunteering as an instructor at Chelsea Restoration doing first time home buyer seminars in an effort to help people achieve a part of the American dream and form Roots that call Chelsea their home.
Working alongside the City Manager on a Master Plan which will set the direction the city is going to take for decades to come. This alone needs a council that is knowledgeable with bold leadership that will help bring about a brighter future for Chelsea as it moves into its new and ever changing face while at the same time ensuring that the historical value and character remain intact.
Chelsea matters to me , I have lived here since my arrival from Colombia in 1977, Chelsea and particularly Soldiers Home have been where my New American Roots began to take shape back in 1977 and they never left. Don’t fret my friends, my family and I have maintained every little bit of our heritage from back in Colombia and we enjoy our sancocho y chicharon y pan debono en la manana con cafe.
I cannot function without my dunks in the morning.
My roots are here in Chelsea Soldiers Home, I have my village here, my two beautiful sons and daughter, nieces, nephews, aunts, cousins, my beautiful mom Alda, two amazing sisters and many other extended family.
I love doing my part in protecting our home and I am asking for your Vote to Re-Elect me to serve on your behalf in the Council for our Great area District 2 Soldiers Home!
It has been an Honor serving the needs of our area and know that I do not take Lightly the Responsibility of Representing Our Interest and our Area.
I , Luis Tejada , ask for your vote so that we can continue the fight for an ever improving, never settleling Chelsea and Chelsea Soldiers Home District 2 .
Preliminary elections may happen on Sept. 14, with the countdown to narrow the running mates down to two and then its off to the election in November.
Thank you in advance for participating in the process and for taking the time to read this my message to you my dear friends.
Luis Tejada 617-306-0732, [email protected].