Earlier this week, Council President Roy Avellaneda endorsed State Representative Dan Ryan’s re-election bid in the Second Suffolk District, which includes the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown and much of Chelsea; as well as State Sen. Sal DiDomenico, for Tuesday’s State Primary on September 1. Avellaneda cited his long-standing working relationship with the pair of legislators and their shared experiences working on the COVID-19 response as well as other issues in Chelsea over the recent months.
“Sal, Dan and I have worked on issues together for quite some time. That relationship continues now that we are elected officials. Chelsea and Charlestown are better served when we work as colleagues to deliver the goods and services that our constituents rightly deserve,” said Avellaneda. “I proudly stand by Senator DiDomenico and Representative Ryan and endorse their re-election.”
Councilor Avellaneda laid out an extensive list of issues and projects to which they have been in constant communication since he assumed the role of Council President in January.
“2020 has certainly been a trying time for Chelsea and the Commonwealth,” he said. “We have a strong delegation in the State House. They have helped navigate state resources to address the current crisis and also long-standing inequities.”
Avellaneda discussed working with Senator Sal DiDomenico and Representative Ryan in shutting down the Chelsea Curves project when debris from the worksite engulfed the surrounding neighborhood with dirt and dust. They worked with City Manager Tom Ambrosino and other city and state officials to hold the contractor accountable. The State’s commitment to COVID-19 resources including millions of dollars in testing, PPE and food supplies were also items of note in the work they have done as a team.
“When this pandemic started and the news of the Holyoke Soldier’s Home began to roll out, Roy was one of the first people I heard from to make sure that the Chelsea Home was taking the necessary steps to protect its residents as well as the community at large. As Council President Avellaneda took a pro-active role in working with us to assess the situation at hand and marshal resources both locally and through the State to confront the pandemic. I’m proud of his endorsement and even prouder of our working relationship for the people of Chelsea,” said Representative Ryan.
Avellaneda also discussed the leadership of Senator DiDomenico in bringing together the City Council and School Committee members in early discussions about education funding and the economic crisis the State was facing.
“The Senator brought us all together through Zoom and other conversations early in the pandemic,” said Avellaneda. “He discussed a grim outlook for education funding months ago but pledged to work to deliver the resources Chelsea needed to get through the school year and re-open safely when the time is right. Senator DiDomenico and the State delegation delivered on that promise. They actually went above the projected funding forecast that we thought we’d be faced with. I look forward to our continued work together and strongly endorse Senator DiDomenico’s re-election.”
Avellaneda said doing the job in the State Legislature is about more than Tweeting or getting media attention.
“Being an elected official and working in a community that faces the challenges that Chelsea has isn’t about Tweeting or trying to make a splash in the media,” he said. “The job is a behind the scenes daily grind of lobbying and pressing local, state and federal officials on a regular basis with phone calls and meetings to get the needs of a community like Chelsea addressed. Both Sal and Dan have showed the required diligence, perseverance and long hour days over their time served in public office to make a difference and deserve to be re-elected.”