Newton alderman: How DARE you mention Somerville in the same breath as Newton

This is the same Neanderthal who believes "discussions take place on the phone, not on blogs."

I am going to out myself on here as a politician, from Chelsea no less!

I am the current Chelsea City Council Vice President and I represent District 3 which includes the Chelsea Soldiers Home, and the new loft areas (including the giant white wind mill you may see from the Tobin Bridge.) I have lived in Chelsea all my life, and in my 27 years have seen the good and the bad. Currently Chelsea is known throughout the state as a city that does incredible things with limited resources and a sometimes transient population, and that is something that all cities can learn from in this economic downturn. I also know for a fact that SOMERVILLE is also known across the state for it's innovation and its ability to adapt.

Some people, god love them, have not been to these cities since the early 1980's. I would be willing to put our government up against any other government structure in the state.

I doubt Somerville's the only place that's changed dramatically over the past 30 years, but which hasn't had everyone's attitudes towards it catch up. But it's definitely a prime example.

One of my neighbors told me that when he moved to Davis Square, his parents were horrified: "We scrimped and saved to get OUT of Somerville and raise you in Belmont!" His response: "Ma, that was 30 years ago. The city has changed."

Somerville is not without problems, of course, but in my opinion as a resident for about five years, it's a very well-run city- For example, the 311 hotline, the responsiveness to neighborhood issues, and the generally sane process for building and licensing, make it a very reasonable place to live and do business.

These days the major complaint I hear about our fair city is that it's being gentrified too much.

I think people really develop gravity towards particular communities, and unfortunately sometimes in a rather unenlightened way. From the perspective of someone who grew up in Belmont (not sure why we lived there, we were a poor shopkeeper family amidst the lawyers and doctors and professors, but that's another matter...), has lived in Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, and Arlington, and has spent a lot of time in other burb patches all around the 95 ring, EVERY community has their pros and cons.

But that comment about Somerville shows a really sad level of out of touch-ness. Somerville - as well as some of the "lesser esteemed" towns nearby - have amazing cultural and educational things going on for people of all ages. I agree with Matt Frank that it seems as if the Newton alderman has not been to Somerville since the 1980's. He really should go and loosen up over a pint at The Burren.

-Christine Koh

Somerville has Tom Champion. Kneel, plebeians.

Wait...Newton's a town? I thought it was a condo development.

Ribbing aside, Somerville is actually very well run. I've actually spoken to my mayor; when I lived in Waltham, I wasn't even sure who the mayor WAS, let alone see the guy in local coffee shops (I mistook "mayor's hours" at Diesel for the guy just trying to grab a coffee in peace, alas).

And I may make fun of Chelsea occasionally, but it seems to be a nice place.

Unfortunately, I've found that often it's less attitudes towards TOWNS that need to catch up and more good old-fashioned racism. We have brown people! There must be crime!

Somerville's come a long way from the Slummerville days, but old conceptions die hard. With regards to Newton, however, the only time I've recently heard the two cities mentioned in the same sentence is when someone says something like "Sure, there may be gentrification in Somerville, but at least we're not Newton!"

SOMERVILLE SUCKS !

I learned that today through first hand experience. Traveling at 38 mph passing Dilboy Field and a Somerville police officer stops me for going over the artificially low 30 mph speed limit. He claimed I was doing 40. That was a lie. He then proceeds with a song and dance about a tot park nearby while cars fly past us doing 45.

This is typical behavior of Somerville police. I recall when the Somerville mayor declared a snow emergency and the cops ticketed and towed hundreds of vehicles. Just one problem - it NEVER SNOWED during the “SNOW EMERGENCY”. The mayor and the cops in Somerville never learned that snow is cold white stuff that falls from the sky. Are they living in a world of Orwellian newspeak ?

And the "gentrification" consists of people who would rather live in Cambridge and will move there as soon as they can afford it.

Residents of Somerville please realize this fact - nobody needs your city. Somerville is a grubby, worn out tired old place filled with the wastrels and leeches of society. I am encouraging everybody I know to not spend a dime in your rotten city. I could have traveled several routes on my journey today. The next time, I will choose a route that avoids Somerville - and I will never patronize a business in Somerville ever again.