LYNN — The five candidates running for Councilor-at-Large gathered at the Lynn Museum on Wednesday to discuss their positions on critical community issues.
Incumbents Nicole McClain, Hong Net, Brian Field, Brian LaPierre, and challenger Jean Michael Fana were asked questions by the community regarding affordable housing, homelessness, and immigrant rights.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor asked candidates about their stance on the $45 million tax break for Lynn’s South Harbor project, which includes luxury apartment units.
McClain noted that she voted against the tax break and said this was because she felt the developers “weren’t giving Lynn enough.”
“They were doing things that were great for labor, but they weren’t doing much for our community. There wasn’t enough due-diligence done to diversify funding for that project. They could have done more to get grants and money from the state so there could be deeper affordability,” McClain said.
Fana spoke about the necessity of communicating the reasoning behind Tax Increment Financing to the community.
“I’ve seen good TIFs and bad TIFs in the city. If they are going to happen, the tradeoffs need to be clearly articulated. What are the specific benefits that have been negotiated? That needs to be really thoroughly communicated to the community in an easily understandable way,” Fana said.
LaPierre, Field, and Net explained why they voted for the South Harbor project tax break.
“This was a $500 million dollar private investment. Those don’t come around too often,” LaPierre said. “I’ve been waiting over 50 years for the Lynnway to actually see real development. This is a lot of jobs for Lynn. This is a lot of open areas, retail stores, and community gatherings. This is going to be a revolutionizing of the waterfront as we know it on the south harbor.”
Field said, “We trust our development team, and we trust the mayor’s office. It has a commercial component; it has apartments; it has affordable housing — not as much as we would like, but it has some. What are some of those project labor agreements? How is it helping the unions and apprenticeship programs in our city? Those are the ideas that we have moving forward on projects like this.”
Net said, “This is way too big to pass. The place has been sitting there for decades, and no one has done anything. We are a gateway to the North Shore, so when people come to Lynn, they’ll see this beautiful economy. We’ve had a bad reputation for too long. It’s about time we do something and show that Lynn has something to offer.”
My Brother’s Table asked if the councilors would support the creation of a seasonal warming center for unhoused individuals in Lynn.
Net voiced his support for the idea.
“Housing is a human right. We will work with the City to find an open space so we can raise funds to build a center for our homeless. Our job is to make sure our residents are safe. That is what we are elected for,” Net said.
McClain said she is also on board and suggested partnering with community organizations, such as local churches, to bring the initiative to fruition.
“Its something that could definitely happen,” McClain said.
LaPierre raised the idea of a cooling center during summer months along with supporting a warming center.
“We have an epidemic on homelessness,” LaPierre said. “The shelters being built are not enough. We have to get creative in a time where the federal administration is doing unprecedented cuts in our city. The time is now to act.”
Fana called the idea of a seasonal warming center a “great thing.”
“Lynn has a great continuum of care here. A season-long (center) provides stability where its expected,” Fana said.
Meanwhile, Field said that organizations should be “looking deeper” regarding causes of homelessness in the area.
“As a City, we have an obligation to help and protect everyone in our community and get them the services they need. I think the underlying challenge is: How do we deal with the challenges that these people that are homeless face? A lot of the time, it is mental health issues and drug and alcohol dependency. Those are issues that we take up as a council,” Field said.
The candidates also voiced their thoughts regarding recent ICE raids within the community.
“What (ICE) is doing is wrong. They ship our residents far away so they cannot be with their families. So our job is to help them,” Net said.
Field said, “(Immigrants) came here to make a better life for themselves and their families. That’s what makes Lynn amazing. And what ICE has done is create fear in communities like Lynn. We’re not going to break.”
LaPierre said, “There are consequences to (ICE’s) actions. It’s wrong. It will not be tolerated as a community.”
McClain said, “I am against ICE. I am against all of their operations. I will do whatever I can in my power to safeguard our immigrant community.”
Fana said, “ICE is engaged in a practice of dividing working class communities by legal status. (But) there’s a long tradition in the country of communities coming together to defend themselves.”
