10 Questions For Domenica Perrone, 2023 Worcester Council Candidate

WORCESTER, MA — For the first time in years, every single city council election in Worcester this year is competitive, meaning every incumbent (or multiple incumbents in the case of the at-large race) is facing a challenger in 2023.

Voters in Worcester will go to the polls Nov. 7 to elect the next slate of councilors for the coming two-year term. To help voters make their decisions, Worcester Patch sent 10 questions to each candidate running for city council this year, including both incumbents and challengers. We'll publish them ahead of Election Day as candidates return them.

At-large candidate Domenica Perrone is running in her first city council race in 2023. Perrone, who migrated to Worcester from Ecuador, works as the director of Clark University's office of community engagement and volunteering. Here's how she answered our questionnaire:

What is the main job of a city councilor in Worcester?

The role of a city councilor in Worcester encompasses several responsibilities. First, our city council approves the budget and our budget is a representation of the values and needs of our city. Additionally, they also hold our City Manager accountable to ensure voted ordinances, plans, and other tasks are put forth for review or implemented. A city councilor is meant to oversee the policies and procedures that impact our residents. It is the city council's role to ensure every resident in our city has every opportunity to access a happy and healthy life. It is their responsibility to ensure city employees and departments are equitably resourced and supported in their respective areas, reflecting the needs of our greater constituents.

The council in 2022 began a national search for a new city manager, but then stopped to hire Eric Batista. What are your thoughts on the city manager hiring process both recently and in general?

I believe in the democratic process, transparency, and community input. For these reasons I would have voted for a national search to take place. I am happy to have our first Latino City Manager in the city and I know Eric Batista works hard. That being said, I think democracy and transparency are most important in creating a culture of trust between our municipal government and our constituents, who truly deserve equity, transparency and the best candidate for the role.

If you could pick three goals for Batista to work toward in the coming council term, what would they be?

Early education and care! Together For Kids Coalition has been working hard to advocate for access to universal high quality education and care. Recently, I heard the City Manager speak at one of their events, and he committed to putting forth a plan to address our crisis here in Worcester. I look forward to seeing that plan. Additional goals include reviewing the permit process for public events in the city and at our parks, and advocating a holistic harm reduction strategy that include winter sheltering, additional low threshold housing, mobile healthcare, and a day resource center.

This summer, Batista told councilors he was declining to act on an order they voted affirmatively on (crisis pregnancy centers). Do you think that’s an appropriate response, why or why not?

Again speaking to transparency, this is not acceptable. If an order is passed by council, our City Manager should adhere to the democratic process and act on the order. This is why there is a lack of trust between City Hall and people in our community.

Some city council subcommittees meet infrequently, sometimes only a few times a year. Do you think subcommittees should have a fixed schedule so they have a minimum number of meetings per year?

Yes subcommittees should all have fixed and regular schedules that are accessible to the public. This is one way to increase public participation and engagement in subcommittee meetings, where important work takes place before it hits the City Council floor for a final vote.

Serious allegations about the conduct of the former police chief were recently made public in news reports. Do you think councilors should have an oversight role when serious allegations are made against city employees?

Yes councilors should have oversight when serious allegations are made against city employees. As democratically elected representatives, we should have the ability to engage in a process of accountability in a situation such as this. It is important to ensure city employees are representing the city appropriately in their roles and that tax dollars are not wasted in bailing them out of lawsuits.

Homelessness is on the rise in Worcester. The city has pursued a policy of sweeping camps, and we’re heading into the cold weather season with a shortage of temporary shelter beds. What should Worcester do about this issue in the short and long term?

In the short term, we need to create more sheltering opportunities along with warming and cooling centers. In the long term, we need to create various opportunities for housing including low threshold housing such as single-room occupancies with wraparound behavioral healthcare support, many more affordable units, and we need to support community development corporations. We need a comprehensive and holistic plan that is centered in harm reduction and is research driven. We should protect community members who are in these vulnerable situations and create opportunities for upward mobility that includes housing, healthcare and workforce development.

Councilors can use personal privilege to hold items before a meeting, delaying action for a week or longer. Do you think councilors should disclose why they’re holding items before doing so, why or why not?

Absolutely, again this is how we ensure there is transparency between Council and the community. As elected representatives, that is a part of our responsibility in demonstrating open communication.

There are many large, blighted parcels around Worcester, with the former Big D supermarket perhaps the most recognizable. Would you support a new tax on blighted parcels to ensure property owners don’t let them sit for long periods?

Yes I would support a new tax on blighted parcels so that they are not able to sit there for a long time. Research has shown that the built environment is correlated to community safety and economic opportunity, perpetuating inequities between neighborhoods. This would reduce a burden to residents and taxpayers who are negatively impacted by blighted property.

What’s one thing you think you want to achieve as a city councilor if elected?

I have many goals but am consistently vocal about affordable and high quality early education and care. As a huge driver of inequities for families in our city, data has shown that we would all benefit from increased access to childcare. I want to see Worcester lead with innovation around this issue so that mothers and caretakers can feel supported while in the workforce and so that all children enter our K-12 system prepared and set up for success.

More profiles in this series:

• Dave Peterson, District 1
• Jose Rivera, District 5
• Thu Nguyen, At-Large
• Feanna Jattan-Singh, District 3
• Etel Haxhiaj, District 5
• George Russell, District 3
• Johanna Hampton-Dance, At-Large