As a retired Somerville resident, I have seen this city go through many changes and unfortunately not always for the better when it comes to shared economic prosperity. I’m proud that we are an inclusive and inviting city, at one time where everyone had a chance to make it. But city leaders are taking our beloved home in the wrong direction when it comes to economic fairness for our working families.
When I was a young union construction worker raising my family here in Somerville, I could count on the fact that I would make a good wage – enough to support a family, buy a home, and stay in the city I love. But now I see the city allowing out-of-town developers to use outside non-union labor, paying well below community standard wages and benefits, cutting corners on safety, and making it harder for workers to afford to live in Somerville.
