Jessica began her career in politics as a City Councilor At-Large for the City of Revere in 2012. In that time, she has worked on countless issues that impact the daily lives of the citizens of Revere, as well as ordinances that will impact generations to follow. In 2013 her inclusive style and strong leadership qualities prompted her colleagues to elect her Vice President of the Council. In 2016 and 2018, Jessica had the honor of serving as City Council President. During that time, she worked ensure the agenda maintained a balance between protecting and growing the city’s economic base, without compromising the quality of city services to residents. Jessica believes it is her responsibility to ensure that Revere’s government is accountable to the people, financially responsible and forward thinking.
I am a proud supporter of An Act to Prevent Wage Theft. Wage theft continues to be a major problem in the building trades and other industries. Right now workers are denied proper benefits and are paid under the table. This theft hurts workers, reduces our tax rolls and costs jobs. As a State Representative, I will continue to fight for the working families of my district and will highlight the work done to expose employers who are stealing from their workers and from YOU as a taxpayer.
Public transportation is a necessity in the Commonwealth. We need to make sure the system works for our residents because right now, it doesn’t. I’ve been a very active part of the traffic commission while serving on the Council. If the MBTA worked the way it should, these issues would not be as pressing.
The district is also impacted by the effects of regional traffic as a result of new technology like Uber, Lyft and Waze which bring in additional vehicles. While on the Council, I also worked on the Resident Sticker parking program and Commercial Vehicle ordinances. Theses ordinances helped to get vehicles that did not belong in the City of Revere off our streets.
I am pro-choice. I believe women should have the right to choose and not have it be dictated by the government.
As a woman, I know how important it is to support each other as well as organizations that promote advancing and increasing access to sexual health and reproductive services. As an elected official, I’ve been consistently responsive and I prioritize serving with accessibility for my constituents.
As a State Representative, I will continue to champion equitable access to reproductive health and comprehensive sex education. We should ensure that all students K-12 have access to reproductive health and comprehensive sex education at an age-appropriate level. Students of all ages, in all schools, should be given the tools and a science backed education to make informed decisions on their reproductive and sexual health. They should also have access to free birth control and protection.
I support a “fair share” tax that would invest in public education and public transportation by creating an additional tax of four percentage points on annual income above one million dollars, with the one-million-dollar threshold adjusted each year to reflect cost-of-living increases.
Organized labor and the right to collectively bargain is critical for the well-being of individuals, families and our overall economy. I believe that the decline of unions has a direct correlation to the income inequality our District and the country faces today. I would be more than open to working with community members and my colleagues on Beacon Hill in exploring options to address this crisis. I am also no stranger to picket lines and will absolutely work with unions to publicly call out agencies and companies that work against our efforts.
Representing my community on environmental injustices is one of the reasons I became involved in politics in the first place. Along with several of my colleagues on the Council, I introduced the motion to ban single-use plastic bags in Revere and worked hard up until it’s passing in 2018. I’ve been extremely vocal about the lack of accountability from the region’s biggest polluter, Wheelabrator. I am a founding member of the Alliance for Health and Environment. With little benefit to our district or its residents, Wheelabrator flaunts their disregard for local, state and national pollution standards daily. This has been an uphill battle, and significant work remains but I will not stand down. As State Representative, I will continue to lead the fight on behalf of all the affected cities and towns.
One of the most pressing environmental injustices in the district that I’ve been vocal about during my time on the Council is Wheelabrator in Saugus and their utter lack of accountability. Wheelabrator, with an ancient incinerator, unlined landfill and massive expansion plans, is laser focused on profit over people. The company has never cared about the health and welfare of the residents of Revere, Saugus, Lynn or the surrounding communities that are forced to live with the noxious odor, unbearable noise, toxic pot-ash and black billowing smoke that pollute our air and water daily.
Wheelabrator was supposed to be closed more 20 years ago, yet it remains open and seeks to aggressively expand its presence and operation in the area. While our cries for relief have fallen on deaf ears at the Department of Environmental Protection, I will never stop advocating for the safety and well-being of our district.
We must continue to address the addiction epidemic, including through the commitment of resources that increase access to recovery services, the mental health needs of those struggling or the families of those struggling with substance abuse. As a former City Councilor, and lifelong Revere resident, I’m aware of the trickling affect the addiction epidemic has, and how prevalent it is in our District.
I was an active Power of Know member at Revere High School. Power of Know is group of student leaders dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use. The club strives to get students more involved in school activities as healthy alternatives to destructive behaviors.
In my personal and professional life, I have worked on efforts focused on substance abuse prevention education as well as recovery high schools. I have also participated in numerous Recovery Month events including Revere’s Community Walk for Recovery.
I come from a long line of dedicated public servants and have inherited this undying commitment to community. I’m a proud product of the Revere public school system and the State University system. I know that the system relies on legislative allies and have been an outspoken advocate for our schools and teachers while on the Revere City Council. While at Salem State, my interest in politics was first sparked by lobbying for more funding for public higher-ed as a member of SGA.
Coming from a family of public servants, I wholeheartedly support first responder and essential staff through hazard pay. I believe there should be extensions of unemployment benefits for residents in need and investments in expansion of broadband. I also think plans need to be put in place and necessary equipment provided in the case of extended school closures.