FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeff Batstone at: 508.997.0488

Inclusive planning, incentives for participation, aggressive tax title policy cornerstones of plan

Mayoral candidate Matt Morrissey today unveiled his plan to restore the neighborhoods of New Bedford, his first of several comprehensive plans to address the city’s core challenges of public safety, jobs, and education.

“It all begins with strong neighborhoods,’’ Morrissey said. “The fact is that New Bedford has the fourth worst unemployment rate in Massachusetts; roughly 33 percent of our students drop out of school; and 17 murders have gone unsolved despite our property tax bills increasing by 54 percent since Fred Kalisz took office. We MUST do better with the hard-earned money that we send to City Hall. It is going to require a new generation of leadership with new ideas to address these core issues of crime, jobs and education.’’

“Crime, jobs, and education are closely connected, and they need to be confronted as close to home as possible,’’ Morrissey said. “Aside from the family unit itself, a vibrant neighborhood is the most powerful support structure a person can have. Strong neighborhoods can win the war on crime, support young people who choose learning over the streets, and provide fertile ground for small business to prosper. That is why we chose to make neighborhoods the subject of our first major issues presentation, and we hope that it sparks a real conversation throughout the city.”

The plan, which is available at www.MattForNewBedford.com, includes the following highlights:

• The development of a comprehensive and inclusive master plan delivered within 160 days that assures that the character of each neighborhood is preserved while development opportunities are identified and shaped.
   
• Incentives to build bigger and more vibrant neighborhood associations.
   
• The development of school/community partnerships
   
• Aggressive taking of derelict property with a focus on new homeownership.

The plan, which includes several additional specific, tangible action steps that Morrissey will take when elected mayor, was crafted with the input of dozens of people from many walks of life. Neighborhood residents, small business owners, policy-makers, and non-profit organization leaders all contributed ideas and perspectives the plan. Some of the ideas came directly from Morrissey’s precinct-by-precinct walk of New Bedford. “Our campaign has been all about listening for the past two months,’’ Morrissey said. “I want to thank all of those people who contributed their ideas and energy to creating this plan. Thanks to them I have great confidence that our community CAN do better and WILL do better.”