After almost a decade on the job, Mayor Carlo DeMaria seems to be moving toward seeking another 4-year term when he officially pulled his nomination papers last week. .
Few can deny that DeMaria has been the catalyst of what may be termed Everett’s renaissance.
When DeMaria took office in 2008, as with many surrounding communities, Everett officials faced a shrinking commercial tax base.
This all changed in 2012 when DeMaria, against all odds, pulled the Royal Straight Flush when he convinced Steve Wynn to locate a casino/resort in Everett.
Everett officials are now poised to be able to afford for its residents, 21st Century services that only highly affluent communities like Weston, Wellesley or Newton are able to have due to the high price tag that goes along with funding these programs. From kindergarten students in the schools to all age groups including our senior citizens, Everett will be the envy of most Massachusetts communities.
Again, this is due to DeMaria’s vision of Everett that started in his first term as mayor with small projects to fix the parks. Many a Monday night DeMaria found himself before the City Council pleading for the monies to re-do Everett’s neglected public spaces. His vision was to have Everett look great and the residents to feel great about Everett. Maybe, when Steve Wynn first toured Everett in 2012, DeMaria’s public space improvements might have been the selling point for Steve Wynn to invest $2 billion in an Everett Casino.
Why Steve Wynn chose Everett continues to be debated among many elected officials.
What is fact is that DeMaria was always pushing Everett as a casino site.
For the next generation of Everett citizens, city budgets will have a cash flow from the casino that will insure Everett is on the cutting edge to provide top-notch services to all its residents.
Former Boston Mayor Tom Menino with over 20 years at the helm transformed The City first in the neighborhoods and then with multi-billion dollar commercial projects. He did such a great job of not only delivering basic constituent services like fixing pot holes but to linking large developments to neglected areas, that he was said to be “Mayor for Life.”
In 10 years, DeMaria has done this kind of quality job in Everett.
If pulling nomination papers is any indication, voters can sleep well knowing that there will be at least four more years with DeMaria as Mayor.