In January of 1978, Mayor George Colella appointed me as Revere’s first director of the
Department of Planning and Development. I assembled a young staff, like me, eager to plan a
better future for our city. Come February 6-8, everything changed, as all hell broke loose and
the Great Blizzard of ’78 devastated our coastal community.
We quickly turned for help to our freshman Congressman Ed Markey, he immediately went to work and boy did he deliver for Revere then … and ever since.
Congressman Markey worked tirelessly to help Revere recover, over the next several years he secured more than $22 million in federal funding for repair of damaged infrastructure, for construction of seawalls and major flood protection structures and for re-sanding of washed away Revere Beach.
He didn’t stop there, in the ensuing years he fought to secure multi-millions of dollars in federal grants and appropriations for major job-generating development projects; park improvements and programs; sewer system upgrades and moderate-income home improvements. And he was also responsible for passage of the Act of Congress that designated Revere Beach as a National Historic Landmark.
As United States Senator, Ed Markey continued his fight for Revere’s efforts to revitalize
Revere Beach. He is responsible for the city being awarded nearly $50 million in federal
appropriations and competitive grants that made possible the replacement of outmoded
Wonderland station with a new multi-modal transit facility and an open public plaza and iconic
pedestrian bridge that safely link Revere Beach and the Blue Line.
This public investment in turn has generated nearly a billion dollars in private investment in quality housing units, hotel development, and restaurants that constitute the realization of Revere’s decades long dream for the rebirth of America’s first public beach.
All told, Ed Markey has channeled nearly $94 million in federal resources to help the people
of Revere, including a $4 million Clean Energy Grant for the Jack Satter House senior housing
complex.
I know firsthand how Ed Markey, as both U.S. Representative and Senator, has worked tirelessly to address the needs and achieve the dreams of many other Massachusetts communities, including the Winthrop Town Pier and ferry service.
Ed Markey has proven his work ethic and his love of Massachusetts completely and
consistently. Why would we want to replace him and his considerable seniority and knowledge
of the federal system with a rookie … just when the Senate may well return to Democratic
control? I just don’t get Joe Kennedy on this one. Massachusetts needs Ed Markey now more
than ever.
Paul Rupp
Swampscott
