Staff Report
A huge crowd of friends and supporters packed the function room at Anthony’s for Mayor Carlo DeMaria’s campaign kickoff March 20 at Anthony’s, Malden.
Event organizers told the Everett Independent that more than 600 people signed in at the front desk for the reception.
First Lady of Everett Stacy DeMaria delivered the introductory remarks.
“First and foremost, on behalf of my entire family, we want to thank you all for being here tonight and for your continued support throughout the years,” said DeMaria. “You are all truly amazing. I would like to address the recent situation regarding my husband. I’m not sure how much I can speak on this subject at this point in time, so I will be brief. But I find it very frustrating and quite frankly, it makes me angry. In my opinion, this so-called investigation is incomplete and one sided. I am well aware that politics can be ugly, often expected to a certain degree. But the past few years have well exceeded any expectations. I’ve grown tired of people trying to tarnish his integrity with their self-serving, calculated motives. It’s maddening and it’s obvious. Carlo loves this city so much and he would never do anything to sabotage the trust of this community. I am certain of this. So, I would ask you all to stand up for him the way he has for so many for so long. And together we can fight a good fight. There is no other alternative but to fight. Which is why it gives me great pleasure to formally announce that Carlo is wholeheartedly running for re-election.”
As Mayor DeMaria walked to the podium, the crowd erupted in applause and the chants, “Four more years,” broke out throughout theMayor DeMaria told his many supporters that “the work is not done yet.”
“I look around the city and I say since 2008, the changes we have made as an administration, as a group of people, are unbelievable,” said DeMaria. “I hear it more from people outside the city. They say, ‘wow, your streets are clean, your streets are safe, your parks are beautiful, your islands are all done over, the development is booming, people are coming and wanting to live in Everett.’’’
“Everett is for everyone and that’s just not a tagline, it’s the truth,” continued the mayor. “You want to come to Everett and raise your family and get an opportunity, this is the city to do it in.”
DeMaria stated some of his goals for the future.
“These next four years, I’m going to build a brand-new high school with full vocational programming. I’m going to get the second phase of Encore done. We’re going to get that [soccer] stadium built. We’re going to clean up the whole entire waterfront. We’re going to get commuter rail stops in our city. The Silver Line will be coming into Everett. I had a great meeting with [MBTA General Manager] Philip Eng promising me that the governor, the lieutenant governor, the entire team from Sec. Augustus to Sec. Hao – they want to work with the Mayor and the City of Everett to bring economic vitality to the City of Everett.”
DeMaria seemed humbled by the size of the crowd in attendance. During his remarks, he acknowledged several of his supporters in the audience on a first-name basis, displaying a personal connection to residents of his hometown that has symbolized his highly successful tenure in office. Mrs. DeMaria embraced the mayor following his remarks as the crowd rose for a standing ovation