10 Questions For Jose Rivera, 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.

Candidate Jose Rivera is running his first council race in 2023 for the District 5 seat held by Etel Haxhiaj. The two candidates have clashed many times before the preliminary and through October, with one main point of contention being changes to Mill Street, homelessness and the frustrating Big D supermarket site. Here's how Rivera answered:

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

To hire/terminate a city manager, city clerk and city auditor; vote on a budget prepared and submitted by the city manager; and guide the city manager in his role as CAO and CEO of the City of Worcester. City councilors are the policymaking legislative body; they set policies, and the City Manager does his best to carry them out. Ultimately, I believe the most important aspect of a councilor’s job is to represent their constituents and serve as their voice. District Councilors, in particular, serve as the point of contact for their 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 supported the hiring of Eric Batista then and I do now. I believe in giving employees an opportunity to “climb the ladder” and earn promotions. City Manager Batista served Worcester faithfully in different roles for many years and earned the trust of his predecessor. A majority of councilors supported his appointment as city manager. The process worked as it should have. City Manager Batista truly is qualified, and I look forward to extending his contract and working with him over the next two years or more.

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

If elected, I will develop my own set of expectations and in my regular meetings with the city manager, we will address those. Certainly, I think creating more housing opportunities for all residents is important. As part of that, I want permanent housing solutions for our homeless. I would like to make sure District 5 issues and concerns, such as public safety and quality of life are being addressed. And I want to see greater transparency and accountability across all levels of government. I know he’s already working on that, and I look forward to collaborating on those important issues.

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?

Yes. The City Manager has an obligation to protect the city from actions that could result in lawsuits and other issues. He is the full-time CEO of the City, not councilors. He also has a city solicitor to guide him in making decisions on legal matters. This, of course, needs to be done evenly throughout city government, which I do not believe has been the case, but I do think we’re moving in the right direction. As for the crisis centers, I have said this is something to be addressed on the state level. If we’re going to talk about deceptive advertising or practices, I’m fairly certain you could apply that to many businesses.

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?

I know there are a lot of meetings councilors have to attend, but I think subcommittee chairs do have an obligation to hold timely meetings, so items don’t build up and create a backlog. Items of a critical nature should be acted on accordingly.

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?

I believe that would require a charter change, one that I would not support. The city manager deals with his department heads on a regular basis. Those department heads are empowered with running their departments, including discipline of employees. What I do want to see is greater accountability and transparency across all departments. I think we’re heading in that direction, but obviously more work remains. But no, I do not believe councilors, under the current form of government, should or could play an oversight role.

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?

We need permanent, long-term solutions for homeless housing. The City is working on that, but this is not an issue to be solved alone. We need our community partners, our state and federal delegation, and any others with a vested interest at the table. I believe solutions are there, but they may require uncomfortable discussions and they may require the city to stand firm in seeking help. As for shelters, we saw the good and the bad with Blessed Sacrament. Open Sky ran a good program inside the facility, but there was a marked increase in police responses in the area around the shelter. If an emergency shelter needs to be put in place, I am open to that, but I would call for full transparency beforehand so we can create as comprehensive a mitigation plan as possible for neighboring businesses and residents. I also want to hold our existing shelters to higher standards.

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?

Honestly, I’m not a fan of that practice. In many instances, particularly in an election year, we see it used for what appear to be personal or political reasons that have nothing to do with the matter at hand. I think there’s a time for it. As a councilor if I exercise that privilege, I will give a reason why.

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?

No. The City Administration and City Council must be more diligent in pursuing any and all reasonable means at their disposal to discourage long-term vacancy of properties. We do need to bear in mind there are different reasons why a property might remain vacant and unsold. However, as we saw with the former Big D supermarket, some will take advantage just to jack up the price. That said, I don’t believe taxation is the solution, just as I don’t believe it should be the answer whenever we need to generate new revenues.

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

There are many things I want to accomplish, but most importantly to me is just being a true representative of District 5. That means being responsive year-round to all my constituents, not just my supporters, and not just in an election year. The majority of my orders will relate to District 5. I want to provide consistent representation for all constituents. I will work toward the goal of doing what I can to improve my district. That would be my main focus.

More profiles in this series:

• Worcester 2023 Council Candidate Thu Nguyen: 10 Questions
• Worcester 2023 Council Candidate Feanna Jattan-Singh: 10 Questions
• Worcester 2023 Council Candidate Etel Haxhiaj: 10 Questions
• Worcester 2023 City Council Incumbent George Russell: 10 Questions
• Worcester 2023 Council Candidate Johanna Hampton-Dance: 10 Questions