Councilor Leila Migliorelli Announces Re-Election Campaign

The following was submitted by City Councilor Leila Migliorelli:

COUNCILOR-AT-LARGE LEILA MIGLIORELLI
ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN FOR RE-ELECTION
Trusted leadership & fresh perspectives for Melrose’s future

MELROSE, MAY 3, 2021 -- City Councilor Leila Migliorelli announced her bid for re-election today for one of the four at-large council seats in Melrose. After serving a first term unlike any in recent history, Councilor Migliorelli is committed to continuing her work to make Melrose a thriving community for all. Faced with new challenges during the pandemic, Migliorelli consistently ensured that Melrose was responsive to the needs of its residents during this difficult past year.

“Whether it was pivoting quickly to remote meetings, or urgent calls with city officials to ensure the basic needs of our residents were being met, it has been quite a first term. But I am proud of my accomplishments and working together with my colleagues to move Melrose forward,” said Migliorelli.

During her first term, Councilor Migliorelli advocated for greater transparency of fiscal practices by filing legislation to require public reporting on how federal Covid relief funds were spent and also called for a plan for the city’s Free Cash distribution.

“As a parent, educator, and resident, I have appreciated Leila’s initiative to always ask the tough questions when it comes to our finances. We have such a great opportunity to be creative now, and I don’t want to see the city squander that away. Leila is exactly the type of elected official we need on the council to hold the administration accountable,” said Amy Drago, Ward 4 resident.

One issue that has remained at the forefront for Councilor Migliorelli is the high cost of housing, which has not changed during the pandemic. Recognizing the need for the city to take action on this, she co-filed legislation to accept the city’s first Affordable Housing Trust and has advocated for transferring Free Cash to help add much needed funds to the Trust.

“Having seen the effectiveness of Affordable Housing Trusts across the state, I am excited to see Melrose moving forward with this critical step to operationalize our housing goals and make Melrose a place that is truly welcoming and affordable for longtime and new residents alike. Leila has been such a great partner and advocate to ensure that this happens in our community,” said Dana LeWinter, an affordable housing professional and Ward 1 resident.

Recognizing that small businesses were hit hard during the pandemic, Leila worked with fellow councilors to research what tools were at the Council’s disposal to help this hard-hit industry. As a result, she co-filed legislation to temporarily suspend common victualler license fees for the year.

“As a small business owner myself, and after having worked with Leila directly on the Human Rights Commission, I know that she is committed to examining issues from all angles and is a natural problem- solver, which is exactly the type of person we need on the City Council,” Mike Stankavish, Ward 2 resident.

For her second term, Councilor Migliorelli is looking forward to shifting focus to a Covid-recovery mode, putting an emphasis on creativity and thoughtful planning. “Doing things the way we’ve always done things is no longer sufficient. I believe it is incumbent on all of us as public officials to take these unique circumstances and act on behalf of our constituents. I have spoken with many residents who are eager to see more progress, such as upgrading sidewalk conditions, paving streets for cyclists, improving our parks, and creating affordable and accessible housing. It is time to help move Melrose forward together,” said Migliorelli.

Stay up to date with the campaign at LeilaForMelrose.com and social media @leilaformelrose on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.