Dan DiTucci's Blog

Summer updates

2010-08-14T21:27:00.001-04:00

It has been a while since my last blog entry. On a personal front, I now have one more grandchild. Three grandsons and one granddaughter to bring the total to four.

The job, as a member of the board of Selectman, is on-going if you chose to get involved in your sub-committees. I ran for the position because I felt I could make a difference. I choose to do the work and make sure I am up to speed on all important matters. I thank the residents around town for their ongoing support and participation in our great town. I continue to get emails and calls from residents who have concerns and questions that they need straight up answers on.

It has been an unusually hot summer, like the ones I remember growing up. Although we are not quite talking about a water ban, like some communities, it would be nice to see residents conserving water on a volunteer basis. One of the best ways to conserve is to water our lawns less often or only at night or in the early morning. I notice residents do step up to the plate. This has been seen in our very successful recycling program. Not only are we doing great with recycling at home but I also see a lot of plastic bottles in our recycle bins at the parks.

Town meeting is back September 27 with some interesting warrant articles. As I always say, if you have any questions about the warrant or want to discuss any items that are important to you, please email or call and I will get back to you. Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Town Meeting

2010-01-29T17:14:00.000-05:00

There will be one more night of Town Meeting on Feb 1. Both Town Meeting and Ways & Means need one more week to digest the $391,000 cost for the police contract settlement. This has been on going for two years now and a settlement is close. In other police news, the town administrator has appointed a new Police chief to replace Chief Fran Hart, who is retiring next month. Mike Kent, a Captain in the Amherst police department, has 28 years of experience. He was introduced at Monday’s Town Meeting this week. Hiring from outside civil service is a first for Burlington. I support Mike Kent and believe he will be a great leader for the BPD. The next Selectman meeting is Mon, Feb 8.

January 2010 Town Meeting

2010-01-15T09:26:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! The Jan 25th warrant is out and posted on the towns web site.

Last September, we approved a slight increase of the hotel tax for those hotels in Burlington. Estimates from the hotel tax increase will bring to the town an additional $250,000 per year. A revenue producing article that will be at Town Meeting in January is to increase the meal tax by 0.75%. This extra revenue will go directly to the town. The estimated additional revenue per year for the Town of Burlington is $500,000. These estimates hinge on the local economy. If hotel and restaurant usage remains the same, these estimates will hold true.

As you have probably read, our local state aid is down around $1.6 million. The Department of Revenue (DOR) is giving us the green light on these two revenue producing tax increases to help lessen the financial blow from the decrease in state aid. I supported both of these increases. I will ask as we move forward that this extra revenue be put in our stabilization account. Withdrawing money from this town stabilization account requires a 2/3 majority vote from Town Meeting. We need this money for many of our capital improvements and infrastructure needs.

Town Meeting Article 10 is the cemetery expansion. We will be able to increase our capacity by about 20 years on the two existing sites. This will be a costly construction project but I continue to believe we must provide burial space for our deceased residents. Many of our older population have already purchased cemetery lots years ago when they were available.

The transfer of the Wildwood property to the Recreation Department for ball fields is Article 13. The Recreation Dept was able to secure 56% reimbursement from a state grant for this project. Great job to that team.

The landlocked parcel is back in our local news or maybe it never left. This will be a campaign issue again for the upcoming Selectmen race in April. My position has been the same as it was as a Town Meeting member and now as a member of the Board of Selectmen. I do not wish to sell this property to private development. I felt the same way back when I was a town meeting when there was talk about selling of the Wildwood site by some local officials. I have a strong position on preserving our municipal property. Thank you again for supporting me as a member of the BOS and please don’t hesitate to call or email me about any of your local concerns.

Step in the right direction

2009-11-10T23:22:00.001-05:00

On Monday night at the Selectmen’s meeting, the ballot question was not supported by the board. The BOS voted 3 to 2 not to approve the question to sell and develop the landlocked parcel. The proponents will now have to gather 1615 votes to have the non-binding question placed on the ballot. In my opinion, this is a victory for the town. It is important that we keep our town-owned land for future municipal use only. We have millions of square feet of class A office, retail and biotech space already permitted and waiting for tenants to occupy. I urge you not to sign the petition as this is the last large piece of beautiful forest in our town.

Let it Run Out

2009-11-06T20:16:00.000-05:00

Landlocked Forrest will be on the Selectmen agenda on Monday, Nov 9 ay 7pm. This is a last ditch effort by a small group of Town Meeting members and a couple of other people who think selling Burlington’s jewel of real estate is in the community’s best interest. This group clearly represents the interests of Patriot Partners, the developer who has a first right of refusal on this 247 acres of prime land. Burlington took the land in 1985 to prevent over development, protect the water supply and add open space to our municipal portfolio. Right now, we have 5 planned development districts and just over 4.5 million square feet of office, biotech and retail space waiting for tenants. In this economy, who knows how long it will take for the current property owners to get tenants to lease these spaces. We currently have a 20% vacancy rate in town. I anticipate a full court press by Patriot Partners to convince the residents of Burlington that developing this land is in the best interest of the town. Why should our town allow further development when we have planned development districts in process and a high vacancy rate? Keep your eye on this one. Contact your Selectmen and Town Meeting Members and tell them let the Patriot Partner’s first right of refusal option run out .We do not need to sell town-owned land.

Town Meeting Update

2009-10-17T09:52:00.001-04:00

The September 30th Town Meeting ended with only the zoning article unfinished. TM voted, by a landslide, to support the effort of the Recreation Commission to move forward with the grant application. The $900k project for the Wildwood site could bring a 56% reimbursement from the PARC grant.We will know our status November 15th. The Recreation Dept acknowledged that if the grant did not win approval, they would scale back the project.

The term limits article and the removal of stipends from elected officials did not pass. The hotel tax increase did move forward by a strong majority. 100% of this increase will go to our town could bring in up to $500 thousand in a full calendar year. I will make a strong suggestion that the extra money go into our stabilization account. The stabilization account is the town's rainy day funds and require a 2/3 majority vote at Town Meeting to spend the money.

We Need Your Help

2009-09-01T23:06:00.005-04:00

September is just a pitch and a two-putt away. We had a Selectmen’s meeting in July and August. The Selectmen meet one more time on September 14th and then we are onto the September 30th Town Meeting.

We have some open appointments by our Town Administrator that have been placed in our local papers as well as the Boston Globe Northwest section. Click here for all the information on what appointments are available and how to pursue them. Some of the vacancies include the Board of Appeals, Sealer of Weights and Measures, and Housing Partnership.

If you are interested in any appointments please let us know. We will also be looking to our residents who may wish to seek town wide elected positions. Town Meeting is a great way to get involved for the novice. Don’t hesitate to inquire.

May Town Meeting Concludes

2009-05-27T22:22:00.001-04:00

Town meeting came to an end May 18th after three sessions.The three bid warrant articles passed. One such article was for new, automated water meters for a total cost of $3 million. approximately 8,000 meters residential and commercial meters are in our town. Of these, 1000 are fairly new and only need a new tamper proof part added to the top of the meter. This will allow the meters to be read from the DPW office.

$9 million was approved to upgrade the sewer pumping system and force main that carries sewage. This 7,500 feet of sewer pipe is 50 years old. I'm happy this passes, as I feel it was a top priority for the town. Unlike a broken water pipe, you simply cannot turn of the sewer flow in the event of a rupture.

Last, $2 million dollars was budgeted for new bleachers, new bathrooms, and a new turf surface at BHS Varsity Field.

I just opened my pool and I'm looking forward to the summer.

May Town Meeting

2009-05-06T17:43:00.002-04:00

This is the last week before the May Town Meeting. There will be a Ways and Means meeting both Monday and Wednesday night this week. On Tuesday from 7:00-10PM, there is a trade show at the Kelly Murray wing where all all TM Members as well as voters have the opportunity to ask questions on the May warrant articles.Town Meeting will meet May 11th at 7:30PM in the BHS auditorium. Town meetings are open to residents
of Burlington so even if you aren't a TM member, you can attend if you live in the town.

As we enter into the budget process at this next town meeting, it’s a time to question all your elected officials about how they are managing your money, myself included. IAs President Bill Clinton once said, “Politics is a Contact Sport, you can’t complain about being attacked.” In the NBA, guys Like Yao Ming get hacked by the other team and they still go take their free throws like a professional.

Tonight's Board of Selectmen Meeting

2009-04-27T14:38:00.002-04:00

Here is the agenda for tonight's Board of Selectmen meeting. You can see the meetings live on BCAT or attend in person at the town hall (2nd floor). This is the last Selectmen meeting before the May11th Town Meeting and we will be reviewing the Town Meeting warrant around 8:25pm. You can review the warrant online.

The Grand Deal

2009-04-19T09:25:00.007-04:00

The renovation of the Grandview has started and I’d like to provide some clarity on how this came to be. A recent article could lead one to believe the Gutierrez Company has committed $1.5 million dollars to the renovation. The $1.5 million dollars was their payment to the town of Burlington as a result of the 2001 landswap that was negotiated by the members of the Board of Selectmen at that time. The final deal was approved by Town Meeting. I was a Town Meeting member at the time. The Gutierrez Company gave Ruping Builders 11 acres of property at the end of Wall Street, where approximately 176 apartments were constructed. The Guiterrez Company also gave 6.4 acres of unbuildable wetlands to the Town of Burlington to be used as a buffer zone for the apartments that Ruping Builders was to build. The apartments were a mixture of market value rental units (that help the town keep its required 10% of affordable housing) and senior affordable units. The Gutierrez Company received 14.6 acres of prime commercial property located on Wheeler Rd from the town of Burlington. The current estimated value of that property is approximately $7 million dollars.

Since the Grandview work has begun, we will now start to receive $75,000 per year (for 20 years) from the Gutierrez Company, which will eventually total $1.5 million. These payments will cover the town’s bond payment that we borrowed to renovate the Grandview Farm. What did the town of Burlington get in this deal? The town of Burlington received two houses on South Bedford Street, which have an estimated value of $300,000 each, from the Gutierrez Company. Ruping Builders gave the town the entire Grandview Farm site, which included the land behind the farm (where the Burlington senior condos were built) and 4 house lots on Sleeper Drive. The town sold one double lot for $400,000, which went to jump-start the renovation work. When the market improves, we will sell one of the other lots plus the two house lots on South Bedford Street. This money will be used to complete the interior restoration of the Grandview Farm.

The reason why the town entered into this deal was to prevent 150 units of affordable housing over looking the common. Instead, we got 42 senior condos restricted to Burlington residents. And that, my friends, is a summary of the famous 3-way land swap.

First Board of Selectmen meeting

2009-04-12T13:48:00.000-04:00

My first Board of Selectmen meeting will be at 7pm on Monday, April 13th, at the Town Hall. The meetings will all be live on BCAT. The first order of business will be the reorganization of the board and selecting the chairman.

The agenda for the upcoming meetings will include discussing and voting on articles for the May Town Meeting. There are a host of warrant articles that will be considered by the board. The warrant articles cover both town and school items. We will also be discussing a 10-year capital plan for all town improvements. It's important to keep up with building maintenance and perform infrastructure improvements. The final warrant will first go to Ways and Means for their approval or disapproval then go onto Town Meeting. Last year at this time, I was acting as a Ways and Means and a Town Meeting member so I fully understand the process.

I will use this blog to give an overview of all the BOS meetings since I know people are busy and cannot watch all of them on BCAT.

Thank you!

2009-04-05T10:31:00.000-04:00

I would like to thank all my supporters for coming out to vote on Saturday. It took us two years to convince the voters that a change is what our town needs. I will continue to update this blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will not disappoint you.

Official Burlington Election Results

The home stretch

2009-03-30T22:23:00.002-04:00

We are in the home stretch of the Board of Selectmen race. This is the last week of the campaigning, door knocking, and sign holding. On Saturday, April 4th, the voters of Burlington will have a chance to reshape our town government. My opponents have not had to run an actual campaign in many years. Last year, I lost by 22 votes against a strong incumbent. This defeat gave new meaning to the phrase, “Every vote counts.”

This year, let’s make a statement that status quo isn’t how we want our elected leaders to operate. I hope we have a high voter turnout and with full representation from voters of all ages. I will passionately serve this town and always base my decisions on the best interests of the community. I ask you for your vote of confidence to elect me as your new Selectman for the town of Burlington this Saturday.

Still pounding the pavement

2009-03-26T20:55:00.000-04:00

I have been knocking on residents' doors for the past 3 weeks. I made it through precincts 1 and 6 and I'm now onto precinct 5. It's been great to talk to voters. If you want me to stop by your house, email me at danditucci@yahoo.com.

Politics by intimidation

2009-03-18T22:18:00.001-04:00

I find it interesting how people go about getting elected to different positions. We all watched the last presidential election and saw the different strategies and tactics used. President Obama had great charisma and little negativity during his campaign. Senator McCain leveraged his experience and military service to this country.

I spoke to a resident recently about a situation she ran into with a local candidate, who asked if he could put a sign on her property. When the resident responded that she was supporting another candidate, the candidate expressed his dissatisfaction with
her decision and made unprofessional remarks. As a result, the resident became nervous and decided not to put any candidates’ signs on her property.

Is this really what people need to do to win a town election? Why am I surprised? I am good friends with some people in a personal and professional manner who are supporting another candidate. That is certainly their choice and right. I will be happy to receive their second vote. While I really want to win this year’s race and serve the Town of Burlington, I would never succumb to making anyone feel uncomfortable. Politics by intimidation has no place in our town. This election should not be about who has the most signs, it should be about who will do the best job.

Getting out there

2009-03-15T12:50:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was the day that started the visible part of the campaign. The sign holders were out and now we are starting to place the lawn signs around town. Signs will only tell you the names of people who are running for office. I always like to get out and meet people face-to-face. I was knocking on doors and introducing myself to residents in precinct 1 yesterday.

We had our first debate this past Thursday. Check out the BCAT schedule for when this debate will be shown. The second debate will be at the Council on Aging March 16th from 1:00-3:00 and the third debate is March 19th on BCAT. Finally, March 31st is a Q&A with the Burlington Chamber. These debates and forums are a great way to understand the views and positions of the candidates.

In the coming weeks, I will continue my door knocking, hitting the streets across all 6 precincts in the town. If you have any question or would like me to visit your house to talk, please let me know. My email address is danditucci@yahoo.com.

The ballot is ready

2009-03-10T17:41:00.004-04:00

Check out Burlington Union's guide to this year's election and the sample ballot.

I'm hoping the snow is now done for the winter b/c I'm starting the door knocking part of the campaign. Even if the Spring weather doesn't start, I'll be out there pounding the pavement in rain, snow, or shine.

My Mission

2009-02-18T11:03:00.012-05:00

One of my supporters suggested I look at the mission statement of the Burlington Board of Selectmen and articulate how I would follow it if I were elected. I promise to continue my public service to the voters just as I have done as a Town Meeting member for twelve years and Ways and Means member for two years.

I will:

Support only controlled redevelopment of commercial property. I will support a policy to protect our wetlands and our water supply. Specifically, I will fight hard so Burlington can
continue to be one of the few towns that does not have to buy water from the MWRA, which burdens taxpayers with excessive fees. I will continue to fight to protect open space from commercial development, whether it is our own land (landlocked parcel) or property in Burlington that we don’t own {Mary Cummings property). I will work to preserve that rural look that we’ve lost over the 50 years I have been a resident of Burlington.
Continue to support the school and recreation programs. My three sons went through the Burlington school system and participated in many recreation programs. I understand the value that strong schools and recreation bring to the residents. Further, these programs attract young families to our town and are an investment in our community.
Be approachable and available to all town employees, both union and non-union. I will treat them with the same dignity and respect as I have done with my own employees for the
past 22 years.
Support efforts to make life comfortable for our seniors. My mother participated in various activities offered by the Burlington Council on Aging. I support door-to-door transportation for our seniors in town. As a Ways and Means Committee Member, I supported the new COA bus that will be coming to town this summer.
Be considerate in spending taxpayers’ money to balance life quality for our residents with keeping the tax burden in check. As a small business owner, I know how to balance expenses with services. We need to continue the vital services that this community has maintained for many years. I’ll also be cooperative with small business owners who provide jobs for many in our town, including Burlington students.

I will always keep an open mind and search for better ways to raise the bar. I promise to keep the quality of our town government as high and as transparent as possible.

Transparency

2009-02-06T22:47:00.001-05:00

It's important to be transparent in an elected position. What does this mean? It means that elected officials should be an open book and willing to share their opinions and ideas. As residents, it's important to keep your elected officials focused on the issues that are in the best interests of the voters. Do you attend board meetings, watch them on BCAT or read about them in the paper? Do you know how your elected officials vote on important matters? As this Board of Selectman election is ramping up, it's great to hear from the residents who keep current on the issues in the town. For those who may not be as up to date, you don't even need a tv or a newspaper.

Board of Selectman meeting minutes are posted here: http://burlington.org/selectmen.htm

Town meeting information, including attendance records, are posted here: http://burlington.org/TMgov.htm#A

Kudos to the folks who keep the Burlington.org site current with this information.

Jan 26th Town Meeting

2009-02-02T20:59:00.003-05:00

The Jan 26th Town Meeting only took one night. 20 articles appeared on the warrant. Article 3, which passed with a large majority, proposed spending $20k for a recreation planner to help with the layout of the former Wildwood school site in the event the Selectman feel this is the best use of the property. Three years ago when town meeting agreed it was time to raze that building, the members voted for the property to be of a municipal use. As you know, there was some talk of selling this pristine property by some members of the Board of Selectman. My kids were involved in Burlington sports programs in the 80s and 90s and there was always a shortage of playing fields. Also, when the Wildwood building and grounds were deemed unsafe, the neighborhood kids also lost a tot lot. If using the site for recreation purposes moves forward we will perhaps see a tot lot, small basketball court, little league fields and one or two small size soccer fields. A cemetery was also considered for the site. In talking to the DPW, we were told we have enough space for about 8 years .

Article 8 had to do with a new public safety building. Specifically, the article is for a home rule petition that would allow the town to seek out land and assistance in constructing the building from the
private sector. Not only would this article need to be passed by town meeting but the state legislator would need to approve as well. This would be a first for Burlington. A new building would eliminate the outdated fire station at the corner of Terrace Hall Ave and Middlesex Turnpike. The town would then enter into a long-term lease agreement with the private developer, which means the town would not have to bond money for the land or building. There is still a lot of work in this document, even if it passed by the legislator. I certainly agree a new building will be needed but would like this particular approach as a last resort. I have done some research and am finding commercial space that has been vacant for a while. I see some bargains on land in the West Burlington area. It's also important to factor in that the town of Burlington can bond money at a very low interest rate. Town meeting supported this article mainly because there is no financial exposure to the town right now. This building is a few years off, at best.

If you have any questions, email me or give me a call.

April 4th 2009 Election has a Candidate

2008-12-30T16:11:00.001-05:00

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.

Sewage out of control

2008-12-16T21:31:00.005-05:00

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?

Commerical Density

2008-12-07T21:18:00.006-05:00

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

Tis The Season

2008-11-18T22:23:00.000-05:00

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.

Town Meeting Talk

2008-10-07T12:12:00.012-04:00

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.

Landlocked Parcel

2008-08-26T11:09:00.004-04:00

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.

Town Meeting update

2008-05-20T15:13:00.007-04:00

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.

22 Votes

2008-04-25T15:21:00.000-04:00

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.

Feedback

2008-04-20T17:21:00.003-04:00

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.

26 Votes

2008-04-06T18:21:00.002-04:00

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.

The Truth

2008-04-03T20:59:00.001-04:00

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.

Five days to go

2008-03-31T21:58:00.001-04:00

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.

Nine days away

2008-03-27T22:11:00.001-04:00

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

2008-03-27T21:35:00.004-04:00

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

My announcement of candidacy for the Burlington Board of Selectmen

2008-03-25T20:55:00.006-04:00

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

2008-03-25T20:46:00.003-04:00

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.

Continuing to Pound the Pavement

2008-03-22T22:54:00.003-04:00

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."

Talking the Talk

2008-03-20T20:39:00.003-04:00

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/

Pounding the Pavement

2008-03-19T13:09:00.002-04:00

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

Why I am Running for the Board of Selectmen

2008-03-03T20:29:00.008-05:00

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.