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| Annissa Essaibi George揚言斥資1億改善各種不公平。(周菊子攝) |
(Boston Orange 周菊子綜合整理)
波士頓市長候選人Annissa Essaibi George在10月5日公佈她長達46頁的「公平、包容及正義議程 (Equity,
Inclusion and Justice Agenda)」，揚言要投資1億美元來執行這些工作，解決相關問題，以根除不公平，化解種族主義。
Annissa Essaibi George在靠近洛士百利(Roxbury)Nubian廣場附近的Dudley廣場表示，她將投資1億美元，在波士頓的黑人、拉丁裔，亞裔，以及被邊緣化的社區中，推行這些計畫。她也將邀請社區成員，宗教領袖以及居民們，來領導一個公開，透明，由社區及鄰里說出各自所需的過程。
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Annissa Essaibi George在Dudley廣場發表「公平、包容及
正義議程 (Equity, Inclusion and Justice Agenda)」。(周菊子攝) |
回應本刊詢問時，她表示，這1億元將來自聯邦政府援救計畫撥給波士頓市府的錢。作為現任市議員，她知道動用經費需要市議會的支持，一旦當選市長，她將在市長的位置上和市議會及相關團體、人士合作，推動這議程。
據悉，聯邦政府撥給波士頓市政府的援救款項，可能有6億美元，從中撥出一億元，並不是一個小數目。
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華裔支持者Betty Lim King (左)告訴Annissa Essaibi George
她所關心的議題。(周菊子攝) |
宣佈會現場的一名牧師，Eugen Rivers激動表示，這是第一次有人拋出了一個數目，而且還是這麼大的數目，這正是黑人及少數族裔社區所需要的支持。如果Kim
Janey當初也這麼大膽，豪氣，初選時就會是她闖關成功。Annissa Essaibi George的這份議程，從教育、住宅，氣候，醫療健保，新冠病毒防治，甚至路面坑洞及人行道的重新鋪平，幾乎無所不包。她說這是為了要確保無論膚色黑、棕，是移民或難民，是女人或打工者，是LGBTQIA的各種性別人士，以及被邊緣化了的社區，都能發聲，都得到應有的重視。
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牧師Eugene River(左)大讚Annissa Essaibi George得一億元計畫。
(周菊子攝) |
這份議程書在分別討論的議題中，都列出了第一個100天，以及未來長期計畫的願景。談到解決豪華化及住房危機時，Annissa
Essaibi George在她的議程書中以波士頓華埠的7,143名居民中，26%是白人，4%黑人，6.7%拉丁人，60%是亞裔為例，指波士頓市的人口結構正在改變，越來越多人想搬進波士頓，她要和地方社區及發展公司合作，讓更多人都能以波士頓為家。在這方面，她有四大優先要務，一是藉由增加有色社區擁有住宅的機會來彌平族裔財富差距，二是在波士頓市內被剝奪了權力的社區，建造有收入限制，非常可負擔的住宅。三是改革波士頓計畫發展局(BPDA)的角色，以卻爆公平，有包容性的成長。四是確保鄰里發展局(DND)負責任。
在她列出的第100天計畫內，她要成立一個獨立於BPDA之外的計畫辦公室，指派一名首長來領導鄰里發展局(DND)，稽核服務局(ISD)，以及BPDA這3個機構，以做綜合的更週全考量；增加波士頓住家中心(Boston Home Center)，以及One+波士頓貸款計畫的經費，以為波士頓居民提供更具競爭力的貸款，以及頭期款援助；要把波士頓市對麻州可負擔住宅聯盟的32萬5000元經費家被，還要挪100萬元給這項目奠底；實施租戶購買權法(Tenant
Opportunity to Purchase Act)，或類似法案，並且和現有的提供貸款者合作，以使”租到買(rent- to- own)”項目更加容易應用。
在確保鄰里發展局負責任的議程中，她要動用市府擁有的100塊空地來可負擔住宅，並確保市府各部門的多元化及多語言。
在經濟正義方面，她的優先要務包括支持黑人，拉丁裔及亞裔所擁有的小企業；公平的做人力發展投資；在波士頓居民出任市府工作及採購等政策上確保族裔公平等。
她要設立一個5000萬元基金，直接用於支持黑人、拉丁裔及亞裔企業家；至少投資1000萬元辦市府人力發展項目，優先用於麥迪遜公園技術高中等職業培訓。
在教育上她要求聘用的教師及輔導人員有40%為有色人種，為波士頓公校基礎設達到公平程度。長期來說，她要讓波士頓公校的每一名學生都能領到一台膝上型電腦，還有寬頻無線網路的網點(hotspot)，設立統一的學齡前兒童支持項目。
在治安上，她要設立波士頓警察局更為透明，負責，規定警察穿戴相機所拍視頻，必須在事件發生後的24小時內交給公眾，以透明並建立公眾信任。
她也將加倍社區服務部門的預算，從500萬元增加到1000萬元。
在交通上，她說，做為市長，她無權讓MBTA免費，但她將專注於改善MBTA得安全，可靠。一旦當選，她要在上任得100天之內改善100個巴士站。
WGBH在一份報導中說，住在洛士百利的一名”危機中青少年”項目組織者Anthony Seymour表示，Essaibi George的計劃能夠很恰當的處理根植波士頓的種族主義問題。
ANNISSA ESSAIBI GEORGE
RELEASES EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE AGENDA
Announces community task
force to allocate a dedicated $100M investment towards implementation
Boston, MA — Surrounded by a diverse coalition of residents,
community leaders and advocates, At-Large City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George
today released her Equity, Inclusion and Justice Agenda at an event in Roxbury.
The plan was, and continues to be, informed by a series of conversations and
roundtable discussions with communities of color, residents, faith-based
leaders, organizations, businesses and Essaibi George’s Listen & Learn
neighborhood conversation tour.
In addition to the plan, Essaibi George announced a $100 million
investment towards implementing the plan in Boston’s Black community and
Latinx, AAPI and other marginalized communities. She will form a task force of
community members, faith-based leaders, advocates and residents to lead a
transparent and open allocation process that is driven by our communities and
neighborhoods and speaks to their needs.
“Creating a more equitable, inclusive, and just Boston will be a
charge in which I will intentionally and deliberately work towards every single
day as your Mayor. That’s why today I’m proud to release our Equity, Inclusion
and Justice Agenda, a plan that can only be informed by showing up in our
communities and listening to and learning from our residents,” said Essaibi
George. “As I stated when I first announced my candidacy, I believe in a
Boston that sees the inequities and everyday injustices—and then tackles them
head on. It will be a constant work in progress to build a better Boston for
all, and I look forward to doing that work, together, as your Mayor.”
Essaibi George’s Equity, Inclusion and Justice Agenda policies
seek to prioritize access to and representation in city government, especially
for communities of color, individuals with disabilities, the LGBTQIA+
community, women, and working class residents. It highlights how she will root
out systemic inequity and dismantle racism in issues such as education,
housing, transportation, climate, healthcare, public safety, and basic city
services, and how she will work alongside Boston’s residents to find solutions
to the City’s most pressing problems through an equity and justice lens.
“What’s reflected in Annissa’s agenda is the culmination of six
years of listening and learning. She’s done the work. We’ve been on many walks
together, we’ve sat across from each other at meetings, and I know when I call
her she will pick up the phone and get things done,” said Anthony “Big Time
Tony” Seymour, a community advocate for violence prevention and youth support
resources.
“This agenda is personal to me because I helped inform it. Annissa
came to talk to me and several other women about our experiences in Boston’s
workforce and the barriers we face in building a more equitable economy,” said Renee
Dozier, member of IBEW Local 103. “We have a lot of work to do. But I trust
Annissa, as my mayor, will be the one to bring my voice and the voices of my
community to City Hall.”
“Throughout her time on the Council, Annissa has championed the
issues of homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorder,” said
Kelly Ransom. “Annissa was talking about these issues and trying to find
solutions long before anyone else in this race. That’s bold, that’s leadership,
and that’s exactly the qualities I want to see in my next Mayor of Boston.”
“Just last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Annissa, as
part of her Latinx Roundtable, to talk about the issues that most impact our
community. Annissa will always pull up a seat next to you to listen, learn, and
get to work, together. Her equity plan is a testament to that, and I’m proud to
have played a part in informing it,” said Felicia Teruel.
