COURTESY PHOTO
Pictured is Ward 1 City Councilor Wayne Lozzi.
By THOMAS GRILLO
LYNN — Wayne Lozzi, the seven-term city councilor from Ward 1, has a race on his hands.
Two opponents have pulled papers. William O’Shea, an attorney, and Jesse Warren Jr. have set their sights on the post.
“Now that my children are grown and coaching youth sports is in the past, I have a lot of time on my hands,” said O’Shea, 53. One the things that puzzles O’Shea is why KIPP Academy, the city’s charter school, can build a new high school to serve 450 students for $20 million, while the plan defeated by voters last month called for construction of two middle schools for $188.5 million.
In March, voters rejected a 652-student school on Parkland Avenue and a second facility for 1,008 students on McManus Field.
“The city wanted to build one public school for nearly $90 million while a charter school can build it for one fourth the cost,” he said.
O’Shea also wonders why the city’s tax rate rises annually and yet there’s a budget shortfall.
In addition, O’Shea questioned why the city has a methadone clinic on the Lynnway and a homeless shelter downtown.
“We can’t attract new businesses or residents with those things in the middle of downtown,” he said.
Still, he is not sure how to solve that issue.
“I don’t have the particular answers, but as an attorney, I find solutions,” he said.
Lozzi, 60, who has served on the council since 2004, said he is seeking re-election because he loves the job, and is proud of the work he’s done.
“I’ve accomplished quite a bit as the ward councilor,” he said. Among his proudest projects, he said, is reconstruction of the city’s parks.
“When I first ran, Gowdy, Flax Pond and Magnolia parks were in deplorable condition,” Lozzi said. “Now, we have a new Flax Pond playground, Gowdy was mostly done with private funds at no cost to taxpayers, Magnolia has a fairly new tennis court and Lynn Woods Park playground has been remodeled.”
Lozzi noted that the council’s initiative to move the high tension wires off the waterfront and a zoning change for the Lynnway are key to modernizing the city and spurring development.
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While Lozzi acknowledges the city’s financial picture is grim today, he said it’s short term.
“Historically, the city has gone through these phases where we are up and down,” he said. “I don’t want to assign blame, we need to look forward and continue to provide good services to the residents despite these difficulties.”
While the city needs new sources of revenue, Lozzi said he opposed to the imposition of a local option meals tax that would raise about $600,000 annually.
“Raising taxes is a last resort and I’m not sure I would support it,” he said.
Still, Lozzi supported the plan to build two new middle schools by raising taxes.
“I voted yes because I felt strongly that we need a new Pickering Middle School,” he said.
On the question of whether the city will need to lay off city workers to balance the budget, Lozzi said the jury is still out.
“I hope we can avoid them,” he said. “If there is any question about layoffs, that falls onto the mayor’s desk and she has to answer those questions and inform the council and residents.”
Warren could not be reached for comment.
Thomas Grillo can be reached at [email protected].
