Felix Arroyo

Eating crow

BostonBastard — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:52:40 +0000

(Originally appeared at www.bostonbastard.com)
I can remember watching Steve Murphy speaking over a year ago to the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO). Murphy was still in the midst of his failed run at the State Treasurer’s office, and was asked to speak along with fellow candidate Steve Grossman and then-Treasurer Tim Cahill.

The GBIO had been campaigning against banks that are not headquartered in Massachusetts, and thus have no legal obligation to loan money at less than 18 percent interest – the state mandated usury limit.

The GBIO asked the candidates about their willingness to move state funds out of any banks that do not recognize that 18 percent interest usury limit.

While Grossman came off as a polished politician giving lip service, and Cahill was just full of shit in general, Murphy easily stole the show, speaking about growing up around churches that are now a part of the GBIO and the importance of social justice that was instilled in him as a youth.

Arroyo: Cost of not supporting Occupy Boston could be greater than cost of policing it

adamg — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:35:02 +0000

Arroyo speaks at Occupy Boston.

Local unions came out swinging in favor of Occupy Boston today. At an afternoon rally, the final speaker wasCity Councilor Felix Arroyo, himself a former organizer for the SEIU. Afterwards, Arroyo was asked about Council President Steve Murphy's comments this morning that he's worried about an estimated $2-million-a-month cost for police overtime and about the arrival of "professional agitators."

Arroyo said he has not seen any figures from the police department yet on the costs of patrolling the occupation, or Murphy's comments, so he said he could not really comment on either.

But, Arroyo said, "The question is, though, what the cost is to the city if we don't change our economic practices now, what is the cost then and that's the lense I hope we [use to] look at this, to say what is the cost to all of us if we continue on this track, if we continue on the track where 99% of the population is essentially struggling and 1% has all our wealth."

Trash talking at the City Council: Proposals would limit hours, numbers of commercial trash haulers in Boston

adamg — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:59:22 +0000

Two city councilors are working on proposals that could prohibit 3 a.m. commercial trash pickups in neighborhoods like the North End and limit the number of companies allowed to pick up trash there at all.

What did Michael Graham say about people with dwarfism and why did Felix Arroyo stick around?

adamg — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 19:47:31 +0000

Apparently, Michael Graham thinks a Texas Starbucks franchise was within its rights to fire a woman with dwarfism. Dan Kennedy wants to know just what went down on a Graham segment on 96.9 yesterday for which City Councilor Felix Arroyo was a guest:

Councilor Arroyo, you appeared on Michael Graham's show yesterday while Graham and his fellow guest Rob Eno were making fun of people with dwarfism. What do you have to say about that? Will you be issuing a statement? Will you appear again? Will you demand that WTKK post the audio on its website so that we can judge whether your own comments were appropriate or not? Thank you.

Arroyo responds (in the same discussion):

I was the only who disagreed with the woman being fired because of her dwarfism. I believe Starbucks should have found work she could have performed.Should I be invited, I will appear on the program again. Our democracy depends on deferring opinions in debate. If liberals cede talk radio to conservatives, then only one side gets heard. We can’t allow one ideology to dominate the airwaves.

He adds he wants the station to post a copy of the segment.

How much does it cost to run for an at-large city council seat?

adamg — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:57:56 +0000

According to incumbent Felix Arroyo, it's $100,000. Arroyo told supporters in e-mail he wants to raise that much to keep being one of four at-large councilors in this fall's election:

These funds will help us hire an organizer, open an office, pay for mailings and get our vote out.

Arroyo more conciliatory on Whole Foods than Chang-Diaz

adamg — Tue, 03 May 2011 03:05:40 +0000

At-large City Councilor Felix Arroyo also sent a letter to the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council last week about Whole Foods. He makes many of the same points as State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz about the need for local hiring and gentrification. Unlike Chang-Diaz, however, he doesn't tell Whole Foods to pay up or move out; his letter is instead full of "coulds."

City Council could try to pave over South End alley issue by seeking changes to state road laws

adamg — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:09:34 +0000

City Councilors Bill Linehan and Felix Arroyo said tonight they may try to get an amendment to a current state law that keeps the city from taking over private South End alleyways because they're too narrow to comply with modern public road requirements.

Why one city councilor won't march in the St. Patrick's Day parade

adamg — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:28:28 +0000

At-large Councilor Felix Arroyo tells Bay Windows he deliberately scheduled an LGBT fundraiser on Sunday:

As an At-Large City Councilor, I represent all of Boston and all of Boston's residents. I take that responsibility very seriously. An entire community that I represent is excluded from marching in the parade. While the Supreme Court said it is legally permissible to exclude LGBT groups, I cannot in good conscience march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade until everyone else can.

Councilors want smokers to butt out at parks, beaches

adamg — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:57:10 +0000

Councilors Felix Arroyo (at large) and Sal LaMattina (East Boston, North End, Charlestown) say it's time to ban smoking at both city and state recreation sites in Boston.

The two say second-hand smoke poses too much of a health risk to other park goers and that "careless smokers who choose to litter their used cigarette butts threaten the environmental integrity and cleanliness of our cherished public spaces."

The city council considers their request for a hearing on the issue today.

Arroyo: Vacant licensing-board seat should be filled by somebody who knows Boston neighborhoods

adamg — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:47:05 +0000

The Globe talks to the at-large councilor about the licensing-board seat that's been vacant for several months now. Although the board meets at City Hall and uses the city seal, it's a state agency whose members are appointed by the governor to dole out and oversee liquor and food-serving licenses - as opposed to the city licensing office, appointed by the mayor to oversee entertainment licenses, which many of the liquor-license holders also have.

Arroyo: Rightwing media out to get me

adamg — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:23:54 +0000

The not-yet-one-term at-large city councilor is already fundraising for next year's election, with a little help from the Herald. In a fundraising e-mail today, the Arroyo campaign dourly warns:

... Now he is under attack from the right wing media for keeping his promise to us. Their goal is obvious: stop Felix's momentum right now so that he does not win re-election in 2011. ...

The message doesn't specify which rightwing media are attacking him for what, but since Fox News has yet to take notice of Felix Sr.'s son, we're forced to conclude the missive refers to disdainful Herald coverage of his effort to get Boston to boycott businesses in Arizona (in the early edition, the Herald Photoshopped him onto the side of a milk carton because he wouldn't call them back).

Library trustees could meet later this month to reconsider shutting four branches

adamg — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:52:18 +0000

City Councilor Felix Arroyo gets library officials to at least think about reversing their decision to shut branches in Brighton, South Boston, Dorchester and East Boston, if the city or state can come up with enough money to keep them open, the Dorchester Reporter reports.

City Council members: Don't close branches

adamg — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:06:11 +0000

Protester outside City Hall this evening.

As one city councilor held out hope that savings from a possible concession by firefighters could save four branch libraries, BPL President Amy Ryan told the City Council she has little choice but to cut the branches - and jobs across the branches and at the Copley Square central library (roughly 75 workers - no managers).

Boston City Council votes to divest from Arizona companies

adamg — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:22:23 +0000

The council today called on city agencies to stop doing business with any companies based in or doing substantial business in Arizona because of its law allowing police to ask people for their papers if they have "reasonable suspicion" they are illegal immigrants.

The resolution (Read here) passed on a voice vote. In practical terms, it asks the mayor's office to look for any investments in or dealings with Arizona companies and then what it would take to sell off those investments or stop doing business with the companies. At-large Councilor Felix Arroyo, a co-sponsor of the resolution, said he does not know if the city actually does have any such dealings.

What do they want? Jobs. When do they want them? Now

adamg — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:39:46 +0000

About 100 people, many union members, marched outside the Bank of America building on Federal Street today to call for more bank lending to job-creation efforts in Boston.

That's former union organizer and current City Councilor Felix Arroyo in the background. Yesterday, Arroyo called for a council hearing to discuss which banks the city now uses and to investigate how to give priority for city funds to banks that "invest locally by supporting small business, lending to home buyers, have a foreclosure prevention plan and invest in Boston-based development projects."

Arroyo shared a hug with Green Party gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein. Also marching: Former Green Party head and current Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Grace Ross.