It is my firm belief that my decisions in City Hall are the cumulative judgment of my constituents. I take time every day to listen to members of my community and to listen to their opinions on the issues of importance to the residents of Ryal Side. These concerns inform each and every policy I participate in making. I welcome you to contact me to share your view on the issues that matter to you and your family.

September 16, 2003
To date, I have knocked on the doors of 111 streets in Ryal Side. It has been a very rewarding experience. I have had the opportunity to meet the many new families who have have chosen to live here and raise their families here in Ward One. I have had the pleasure of seeing first hand how much residents have beautified our neighborhoods with spectacular renovations and landscaping. Most of all, our new neighbors are very happy to have made the decision to move to Ryal Side. Over and over, I hear what a close knit and friendly community we share.

From speaking with hundreds of you, my neighbors, regarding your concerns, the most prominent issues currently at the forefront are:

• High School Accreditation
  It is unacceptable to have our high school on probation and I assure you, whatever it takes, the high school will regain its accreditation.
• Trash Fees
  The majority of our Ward’s residents have expressed their position against a trash fee in Beverly. They believe that it is a service that they pay for with their taxes. There are pros and cons to this type of fee, and this issue will likely surface again in the future.
• Home Rule Petition
  Is involving the state government, through home rule petition, in order to increase the percentage of health insurance paid on the part of city employees detrimental to negotiations?
• Taxes
  Our ward residents feel that taxes have skyrocketed. Besides the impact of the tax rate, state law determines that a house must be assessed at 100% market value, home values have gone up dramatically, and thus taxes have gone up. The tax rate could be stabilized if other forms of revenue were generated to alleviate the tax burden on our residents.
• Public Services
  Reduced local aid from state revenue has forced us to decrease our services, but we must have a vision to find creative and innovative ways to fill that gap.
• The Budget
  Next year’s fiscal budget will be a most trying experience. We as a community must work together to weather the storm. We are strong and resilient and have been here before, and we have the determination and ingenuity to prevail.
• Quality of Education
  Our educators in Beverly have done a fantastic job preparing our students for MCAS testing. The MCAS reminds us that we must raise the bar on the quality of our education, and I have confidence that our schools will continue to set the standard. No other community in Massachusetts can boast of renovating six elementary schools in six years. If we continue this vision at the secondary level, we will have the best educational system in the state.

I welcome you to contact me to discuss your position on these and other issues of importance to you and your family.

Maureen Troubetaris
Councilor, Ward One