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Council Initiatives
Councillor Arroyo makes every decision based on the core principles of Equity and Respect. He promised to host pubic hearings and to promote a series of reforms and legislation in the areas of Education, Economic Vitality, Housing, Health, Public Safety and the Environment. And that is exactly what he has done!
Contact the Councillor's office for a full copy of his legislative agenda.
• Housing
The Arroyo Agenda:
Councillor Arroyo is dedicated to promoting a comprehensive City strategy dedicated to the production and maintenance of safe and truly affordable housing. He has advocated for reform of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, including the creation of a City Planning Department, to promote housing development. He also continues to support the Boston Housing Authority and efforts to promote safe and affordable public housing, while serving as a consistently strong advocate for tenants and homeowners throughout Boston. In 2005, Councillor Arroyo was lead sponsor of the Community Stabilization Act and he continues to seek creative solutions to ensure affordability for homeowners, renters, and landlords.
Selected Accomplishments:
- Lead sponsor of the 2004 Community Stabilization Act, which sought to limit increases in rents while protecting small landlords and strengthening the communities of Boston.
- Author of legislation to create a new City Planning Department (separate form the Boston Redevelopment Authority) which would create an accountable and conflict-free agency to integrate needed planning for jobs, housing, environmental protection, transportation and business development.
- Leader sponsor of “Affordability Standard” Resolution which resulted in the May 2006 decision that the BRA will use lower income limits for their programs to better serve low-income residents.
- Sponsor of a University Expansion Moratorium to limit institutional expansion, reduce their impact on the local housing market and lower residential property taxes.
- Held a series of public hearings and community meetings to highlight the cost to the City of the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the special zoning and tax deals it gives to developers.
- Provided assistance to dozens of constituents, helping them find housing, obtain Section 8 vouchers and fight eviction.
The Arroyo Agenda:
Councillor Arroyo is a tireless advocate of universal health care and continues to champion proposals to increase coverage, accessibility and affordability at the national, state and local level. He also believes it is essential the public officials make concerted efforts to publicize and address the tie between environmental issues to public health. He continues to host hearings to focus on public health issues such as healthy schools, lead in our water, air quality, pesticide use, healthy workplaces, and City transportation policy.
Selected Accomplishments:
- Author of successful Resolution supporting state legislation to implement single-payer health care.
- Author of legislation to remove lead from Boston’s drinking water, to discuss implementation of the City’s 10-year transportation plan, and guaranteeing accessibility for the City’s disabled residents.
- Authored a successful Resolution and worked to implement a citywide dioxin pollution prevention plan that included an agreement for the City to purchase dioxin-free products whenever possible.
- Lead sponsor of successful Resolution and worked to implement a pilot program in Jamaica Plain to manage the City’s parks without the use of toxic pesticides.
- Chairs the newly-created Committee on Environment & Health.
The Arroyo Agenda:
As a parent of five children who either graduated from or are currently enrolled in Boston’s public schools, and as President of the Boston School Committee for two years and a member of the Committee for eight years, Councillor Arroyo has always been personally invested in the success of our public schools. He is committed to working with the BPS administration and the City’s communities to improve school quality and to provide a better educational opportunity for the parents, families, teachers and, most importantly, the children of the Boston public schools. He continues to work hard to promote needed reform of the City’s special education programs, against efforts to re-segregate the schools, and to close the persistent achievement gap. He continues to lobby the state legislature in opposition to the onerous MCAS graduation requirement, in favor of bilingual education, and in support of allowing Boston’s immigrants to attend our public colleges and universities.
Selected Accomplishments:
- Held BPS accountable for school drop-out prevention through public hearings and other measures.
- Led successful opposition to proposals to re-segregate the City’s public schools.
- Helped many constituents with school assignment, school transportation and other education concerns.
- Lobbied state legislature in opposition to the MCAS graduation requirement, in favor of bilingual education, and in support of in-state tuition for immigrants.
- Worked with local groups to prevent the Boston Archdiocese from closing the Our Lady of Presentation School in Brighton.
- Author of legislation to reform special education and to promote civic education programs.
The Arroyo Agenda:
Boston continues to struggle with
a difficult economy for working families at the same time many City residents
lack the skills, education or training needed to effectively compete.
Federal, state and local budget cuts are eliminating investments in workforce
development and job training programs. Ultimately, Councillor Arroyo
believes there is a real need for leadership of an aggressive public
education campaign together with the City’s non-profit community
to bring the issue of workforce development to the forefront of public
debate.
Selected Accomplishments :
- Author of successful resolution to ensure that jobs at the National Democratic Convention were reserved for City residents, businesses owned by people of color and women-owned businesses.
- Has stood in solidarity with many of the City’s labor unions on the picket line and in negotiations.
- Author of legislation to limit institutional expansion, to increase revenue from state-owned land, to reduce automobile insurance rates, and to close corporate tax loopholes.
The Arroyo Agenda:
Councillor Arroyo believes that it is more important
to be “smart on crime” than “tough on crime.” Rather
than continuing with the revolving door of incarceration, he supports efforts
to improve prisoner reintegration services and to strengthen and promote
community police, firefighters, and their unions. He believes that public
safety requires a focus on services for the City’s youth, while we
look to initiate sentencing reforms, improve the City’s drug treatment
and prevention programs, revisit the unfair CORI system, and move forward
with an honest discussion about drug policy.
Selected Accomplishments :
- Leader in efforts to provide opportunities for the City’s youth, promote police/youth dialogues, and reduce youth violence.
- Author of Ordinance to create a Civilian Review Board, which resulted in Mayor’s agreement to create a review panel.
- Consistent and active opponent of proposed bio-terror lab in the South End
- Sponsor of legislation to improve re-entry services for ex-offenders, reform the City’s homeless programs and to reduce crime in and round MBTA stations.
- Chair of the Council’s Committee on Youth Affairs.