Tuesday, December 30, 2008

April 4th 2009 Election has a Candidate

Yesterday, I spoke with both the Burlington Daily Times and the Burlington Union to announce my intent to run for one of the two open Selectman seats in the April 4th 2009 election. In my first bid for Selectman last year, I came up short by 22 votes. I won 5 of the 6 Burlington precincts with more votes. I look forward to Burlington residents’ support this year. As always, please call or email me anytime with questions.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Sewage out of control

What you see here is overflow from the Terrace Hall sewer pumping station. This gets chlorinated…..sometimes and then gets pumped into our aquifer. The overflow is a result of heavy rains and sewer demands from our toilets, sinks, sump pumps, and water that goes down the sewer system. This is why some of us think we have enough development for now. What do you think?

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Commerical Density

An interesting article I want to share with you. Please read
this blog
about more commerical density in the town of Burlington.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Tis The Season

The holidays are upon us as is the pressure of how much to spend and who to buy for. To me this is the most insignificant part of the holiday season. The time spent with family and friends is my first priority. As a senior member of the community (not in age…yet), and as a small business owner this is my third recession. My advice is don’t feel pressured to spend money just to satisfy someone else. Also don’t dwell on all the bad news. Worrying will only make you weak and sick. While the news reports on issues such as 8% unemployment keep in mind 92% of us are working. The stock market is for those who are the gamblers. For decades the money in CD's as well as money markets, or just savings accounts have been a safe haven. I think many of us got caught up in the greed, and also in trying to speed up the retirement process. I think we should concentrate on working as being part of the balance of our lives as long as we can. We have all heard 80% of the bad you worry about happening only really happens 20% of the time. This does hold true for me. Good luck to all and have a Happy Holidays.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Town Meeting Talk

The September Town Meeting ended Oct 1.

We extended the session to accommodate a special town meeting on
A school feasibility study as requested by the MSBA.This is part of an
on going effort to get the necessary funding for the new Memorial
School project.The School Committee has been pursuing this to get a
commitment from the state to go forward with our Memorial school
project so we may receive a 50% reimbursement.

Town Meeting supported one last effort to reconstruct the Grandview
Farm Complex. Request for Proposals (RFPs) will go out to bid soon in
hope that we may finally complete the renovation within our
budget.This has been on going since we received the property from
Ruping Builders Inc. as part of the famous or infamous three way land swap.

An effort by Patriot Partners to acquire the Landlocked parcel
wasdefused by the voting down of two warrant articles as well
as a Motion to continue talks on municipal owned properties by
Land-use. Patriot Partners has a deadline to meet by way of an
option on the property that will expire May 2010. The Selectmen,
as well as Town Meeting, Do not feel the need to be pressured by
this deadline.Right now, the property is not for sale because it
is not in the best interest of the community. Why would we sell a
valuable piece of land with only one bidder at the table? Currently,
we have approx 4 million square feet of retail and office space that
has been permitted to go forward. We must allow these projects to
be built out and occupied before we move forward with additional
projects, such as the Landlocked parcel. At some time in the future,
the selectmen will want to open up some Talks with Town Meeting,
as well as the taxpayers, to hammer out some Ideas on what to do or
not what to do with this 247 acre parcel/forest. As I said at Town
Meeting, this land has survived two recessions and can also survive
a possible third.

The other land issue we are discussing is the Boston-owned property
located at the Northeastern campus, near Blanchard and Muller roads.
The property is owned by the city of Boston and is 219 acres. All but
45 acres of this land are located in Burlington. This land has been in
a trust by Mary Cummings to be forever used as recreational land.
Town Meeting supported the trust of Mary Cummings via an open
space Article by Paul Raymond to be attached to the property as an
extra layer ofprotection. Preserving open space has been a key issue
in manycommunities, especially with developers having opposing views.

As always, feel free to call or email me about these or any issues in the town.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Landlocked Parcel

The landlocked parcel issue has come up in our local news. At the May
12th town meeting, a warrant article was put on the agenda to convince the town that a development proposal by Patriot Partners is beneficial to Burlington. This warrant article was only supported by two of our five selectman but, unfortunately, 57 town meeting members supported it. Patriot Partners holds a first right of refusal in the event the town wishes to sell the property.

Just so you don't think you missed something, the property is *not for sale*. The sale of the landlocked parcel needs a majority vote from the selectman, as well as a two-thirds vote from town meeting to trigger the option. Further, a two-thirds vote from our legislators is needed to remove Article 97, a water resource protection article, along with town dept approvals. Only after these steps are taken could a sale be executed.

The selectman are the trustees of this property. If you do not think selling 247 acres of beautiful Burlington property is in the best interests of the community, you should speak up. Contact your selectman and town meeting representatives. A list of elected officials and information on the landlocked parcel can be found at http://www.burlington.org/LLPC.htm. The site includes information on the option for Patriot Partners plus information on the land transaction in 1985. The next town meeting is September 22nd. Please let your voice be heard. I'm a supporter of open space. I'm happy to listen so feel free to contact me.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Town Meeting update

Well, we are rounding 3rd base at Town Meeting this week. The members supported the raising of the Wildwood School for $750,000. This cost is about half of what was estimated a couple of years ago, which is a true reflection of a hurting real estate market. The low cost includes the asbestos removal, demolition of the building, and grading of the land. I am very pleased that Town Meeting recognized that the building is a safety issue and responded appropriately. (The vote was 60-17 in favor.) What's next for this town owned site? For the near future, it will be nothing more than open space. I can see possible uses for the land: recreational fields, playground, and cemetery space. I can't emphasize enough that Town Meeting completed its objective without selling off this pristine neighborhood property.

A study of the land-locked parcel was approved. This study will not cost the town any money. The development consortium, Patriot Partners, who bought up all the options on the property, will foot the bill for the study. They have the first right to purchase the properly until the end of 2010. Keep in mind that the town on Burlington still owns the property. This is simply a feasibility study of what the land could be used for. We are not obligated to sell this property to Patriots Partners or anyone else. Let your feelings be heard by the town and your Town Meeting members.

I voted against funding the B-Line at a cost of $217,000 of the tax payers' money. This service is used by less than 200 residents (and some non residents). The fares from the ridership bring in only $30,000 per year in revenue to the town. With the exception of
Lexington, most communities do not provide in-town transportation for its residents. As you can see, it is very costly and will continue to rise with gas prices going up. The town does not have a protection clause in its contract if the fuel costs continue to rise this year.
It's important to note that I do support the COA bus service for our seniors and I have recommended we get a second bus if we eliminate the B-Line.

Coming up this week will be the Francis Wyman play ground article. Last year, we gave them$100,000. They are looking for additional funds to match the $54,000 they have raised. Town meeting resumed last night. Feel free to email or call me if you want to discuss any of the latest agenda items.

Friday, April 25, 2008

22 Votes

This past Tuesday was the Burlington Board of Selectman recount. The
results were the same in that Gary Gianino came in first. I did pick
up a three of votes. All in all, I came in second by 22 votes, won
four precincts, tied one precincts, and lost only 1 precinct. In other
news, we are finishing up the budgets for the May Town Meeting and
then onto the warrant articles. The Wildwood demolition costs will be
on the warrant this May. If anyone has a question about the budget or
warrant article please contact me.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Feedback

It has been two weeks since the 2008 Burlington town election. I must
admit, it took me 10 days to recover from the physical stress of the
campaign. (Three to four hours of sign holding a day plus walking
around the neighborhoods of Burlington knocking on doors served as a
good workout.) Although I came in second by 26 votes, I was not
disappointed with our campaign strategy. We had a great group of
supporters, many who were never involved in politics at the town
level. Having such dedicated supporters made the campaign very
rewarding. A day does not go by without someone asking me about the
election. Some people who did not closely follow the election tell me
they are surprised to hear that I came in second. Most people ask if I
am planning to run again next year. Well, the recount is this Tuesday,
4/21. Let's get through that first and finally put the 2008 election
behind us. I'm happy to be back to the gym and playing golf. I played
Tewksbury Country Club this past Thursday and Billerica Country Club
on Friday afternoon. The weather is great and winter is over so it's a
victory for everyone.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

26 Votes

The election is now over, and Garry Gianino will start his 6th term as a member of the Board of Selectmen. Although we lost by only 26 votes, I am pleased we won 4 of the 6 precincts. Virginia Mooney came in third with 259 votes and also lost her bid for a seat on Town Meeting. On Monday, we will formally ask the town for a recount, which is standard procedure for an election this close. Approx 25 years ago, there was a School Committee seat that was decided by 6 votes. We do not know if a Board of Selectmen's race was ever this close.

Thank you to all my supporters, especially those who volunteered to hold signs with me and those I met when going door to door. A special thanks to Cindy Gilpin, my campaign manager, and Rose Manni, co-chair. I also want to thank Dan Raske for building and distributing the many signs we had around Burlington. Finally, thank you to everyone who got out there and voted. With a margin as slim as 26 votes, it is clear that every vote does count.

I look forward to continuing to serve the Town of Burlington as a Town Meeting Member (Precinct 6) and Ways and Means Committee member. I will continue to post to the blog on a regular basis.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

The Truth

Less than 48 hours left until judgment day. The election is this Saturday, April 5th from 8am-8pm. The opposition is now spreading the trash talk. One rumor being spread is that I want to privatize the ambulance and remove it from the Fire Department. The Fire Department is doing an outstanding job. Why would I want to privatize this service? Next rumor: I’m going to remove the DPW from the town service. Our infrastructure is in tough shape but, if we did that, who will maintain the water, sewer, and roads? These rumors are being spread around Burlington for the purpose of making people afraid to vote for me, Dan DiTucci. These rumors are simply untrue.

Tonight, I started to receive phone calls. Turns out that my opponent sent a mailing to some residents with a list of people who endorse his campaign. The calls I received were from people on that list. Each caller told me that they did not authorize their name to be on that list and wanted to assure me that I had their support. By the way, if your name happens to appear on that list and you did not authorize it, don’t worry about it. I see the game going on here.

Situations like this are exactly why my promise to the voters is “HONEST GOVERNMENT.” As always, I’m happy to speak further on this. I’ve been thrilled to receive emails and phone calls from voters. Keep them coming. Most important, please get out and vote this Saturday.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Five days to go

Today, at the request of a few Town Meeting members in precinct 3, I hit the streets of Mueller, Eugene, and Cormier Roads. I knocked ondoors to introduce myself. Almost every person thanked me for stopping by. I meet a few home owners that I knew from high school and some residents that knew my brothers and sister.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Nine days away

This morning I held signs at the intersection of Cambridge and Bedford Street. I blew-off sign holding this afternoon so I could knock on doors. (Thank you to my friends, family, and supporters who were out there in the cold holding Dan DiTucci signs.) I started at 3pm and worked my way down Fox Hill, Vincent, and Donald roads. My announcement of candidacy is now on the Wicked Local Burlington website. I was happy with the first comment: http://www.wickedlocal.com/burlington/news/x125179354.

The election is nine days away. My goal is to hit 600 homes. This is the most rewarding part of the campaign. Even though I prefer to talk to people in person, I’m excited anytime a voter calls or emails me…. So keep the emails and phone calls coming.

Thanks Phil

Phil: Thank you for your ongoing support during my campaign. You know I am all in on this campaign, along with my supporters. Just one comment - defeat is not an option for me or the residents of Burlington.

Phil Gallagher's blog: DiTucci for Selectman

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

My announcement of candidacy for the Burlington Board of Selectmen

I would usually not post something like this on my blog. I figured that anyone who does not get the Daily Times Chronicle or the Burlington Union can have a chance to read my letter.

This announcement is also posted on Wicked Local.

My name is Daniel R. DiTucci and I am pleased to announce my candidacy for the Burlington Board of Selectmen. I have chosen to run for this position because the issues facing our community continue to mount and renewed energy is needed to bring solutions to Burlington.

Burlington has been my home since 1959, when the town had more dirt roads than paved roads. My wife, Mary, and I raised three sons who all attended Burlington schools K-12, went on to college, and are now working in corporate America. I’ve been involved in many recreational activities through my children, including coaching 10 years of youth soccer and coaching little league baseball. I’m also the proud grandfather of a 2 ½ year old grandson and a 15 month old granddaughter.

I have gained experience in Burlington town government as a Town Meeting member for the past 9 years. During my tenure as a Town Meeting member, I supported many new revenue producing business development projects, including the Sun Microsystems development, the redevelopment of the high voltage property Oracle now occupies, the Trammell Crow development, the Wayside Commons retail development, and most recently, the development districts with the Guiterriz Corporation of Second Avenue and with the Nordblom Corporation at Northwest Park. These projects will increase commercial property values and generate more tax dollars for our community. As a Ways and Means Committee member, I have become very familiar with the town’s finances and budget procedures. I am currently on the subcommittee for schools and we are reviewing the $34 million school budget for 2009. I have been a strong supporter of the schools and believe education is the foundation of our community.

Burlington is a fortunate town that has resources and revenues that other communities do not enjoy. Even with adequate resources, Burlington must confront issues in a timely and efficient manner. The supply of tax money is not endless and I am committed to keeping Burlington affordable. I believe in being proactive and not waiting until town matters become large scale issues. Examples of unresolved issues include the deterioration of the Grandview Farm, structural decline of the Wildwood School, and extension of the planned three month project at the water treatment plant.

My passion for the Town of Burlington results in my activism. As a Town Meeting member, I put a resolution on the floor to protect the Wildwood School property from development. My position on the landlocked parcel is a hands-off approach. We have approximately 3 million square feet of office and retail space, including Second Avenue and Northwest Park, which will be built in the next 2 to 5 years. We should get this new space up and running before looking at options for the landlocked parcel.

I have owned Spencer Cleaners in Burlington for the past 21 years. As a local business owner, I am aware of Burlington’s zoning bylaws and can jump into the role of selectman with the experience the job requires. Being an entrepreneur has allowed me to demonstrate the depth of my management skills. I have to balance the short term needs of my business, such as the weekly payroll, with the long term needs, such as negotiating supplier contracts and tough decisions to repair or replace manufacturing equipment. I have proven my ability to act in a fiscally responsible manner through my business and will continue this as a selectman.

The job of selectman is a part time job that requires a full time commitment. I am willing and able to put forth this commitment. Board meetings and subcommittee meetings need to be attended to ensure important issues are resolved in a timely manner. Over the next three years, many important issues will come before the Board of Selectmen. I want to use both my town government and business management experience to keep Burlington moving forward. We want to thrive but we do not want to lose our identity as an outstanding suburban town.

I believe in honest government and promise to be truthful and fair. I would appreciate your vote on Saturday, April 5th.

Continuing my journey

I have continued my journey across the town of Burlington. I have met some tremendous people. I have now completed both sides of the Winnmere area, Winn St, Bedford St, Lexington St, and Wilmington Rd. Next, I will be headed to Terrace Hall and then lastly to the Fox hill area (my home area). This will keep me busy all way until voting day on April 5th. Please, if I missed you email me or call me.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Continuing to Pound the Pavement

On Friday, I walked up and down Lexington Street and knocked on every door that did not have a lawn sign on it. The walk took me about 3 hours. You never know who will open up the door. It's great when a resident tells me that they know my face from the newspaper or the mailing I did. The most rewarding responses are when people tell methat they knew my mom and dad, know one of my brothers, went to school with my sister, or had a child play on my soccer team. I've had many people who don't know me thank me for stopping by to introduce myself.

I figure I'll have hit more than 600 homes in just a few weeks. Hey, I'm outside in the cold but I don't need to do cardio at the gym on the days I go door to door. On this last walk I took, I spoke with a gentleman who was born in Burlington and is now 80 years old. He held a municipal job in the town his entire working career. He said,"Thank you for dropping by and saying hello, and remember, signs don't win elections." I thanked him for that.

As Tip O'Neill said, "All Politics is Local."

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Talking the Talk

I've completed the two traditional "Meet the Candidates" forums. The first one was sponsored by the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) and the second one was at the Burlington Cable Access Television (BCAT) studio. The format for both forums was an opening statement by each candidate and then Q&A. Up until the election, the BCAT forum will be aired often. This will give the voters a chance to hear directly from the candidates, not just prepared words in the newspaper. As voters, you should not feel uncomfortable picking up the phone and calling a candidate. If you read something or heard a candidate say something that was not clear, you should ask the candidate to further explain what they meant. I'm becoming a broken record but I really do want residents to contact me. I am always willing to listen.

To see upcoming times for the BCAT Election Special: Selectmen Candidates Debate: http://bcattv.org/

To read more about the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce: http://burlingtonchamberofcommerce.org/

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Pounding the Pavement

The DiTucci signs are out there around town and we are well into the campaign for selectman. I have a lot of small business supporters on Route 3A and it's great that so many of the business owners in Burlington support each other. I'm a strong believer of patronizing local businesses. When given the choice between walking into two similar stores, I'll always choose the non-chain.

This past Saturday, I hit the road, knocking on doors and introducing myself to the residents. Now that I have daylight savings time on my side, I will be walking around various streets in Burlington after dinner time, continuing to knock on doors. If you want a sign in your yard or just want to chat, email me or call me at home: 781 273-3346

Monday, March 3, 2008

Why I am Running for the Board of Selectmen

I have been a Town Meeting member since 1999 and in that time have developed a great passion for town government. In order to be effective in any endeavor whether it be in business or in local government, passion for the job, along with being on the right side of the issues, is important. I have been in the service business for 21 years. I enjoy serving the needs of people. I have to be honest, I love this town with all my heart but I think it was a little better back then. I remember the old Dale Pharmacy selling hot fudge sundaes for 30 cents.

Getting onto the political note, if elected to the Board of Selectmen I plan on continuing to preserve municipal property from the tax rolls. I fought to keep the Wildwood School property from development by putting in a resolution on the ballot two years ago. The Board of Selectman will now bring the demolition cost proposal before Town Meeting in order to remove the 50 year old elementary school building that has been rotting since it closed in 1996. I love and want to preserve open space since it is so rare.


The twelve acre site at the corner of Bedford St. and Francis Wyman is a beautiful picture of old Burlington. A word of caution, some officials are talking about carving out some house lots on the property to pay for the cost of demolition which to me is very short sited. While on the subject of open space, the 140 acre Cummings property off Blanchard Road, although in Burlington, is owned by the city of Boston. It has been rumored that the city of Boston is trying to break the Trust that preserves the property from being commercially developed. The reason they want to do this is so could then sell it to the highest bidder. That also goes for the 250+ acre landlocked parcel which is another bombshell. Lets not do anything with this property for now.

We have about 3 million square feet of high rise office and retail space from Second Avenue to the Sun Property (now part of the Nordblom Park) through North West Park that will be built in the next 2 to 5 years. Let’s see this get up and running 1st before we decide to put our 250 acre site on the block. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.