Page 6 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, OCTObER 3, 2025 DiDomenico pushes to advance his ‘Healthy Youth Act’ O Special to Th e Advocate n September 16, 2025, State Senator Sal DiDomenico testifi ed in support of his bill titled An Act relative to healthy youth (S.340) at a hearing by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education. As a member of that committee, DiDomenico also listened to testimony from a wide range of advocates and asked questions to gain more insight into the benefi ts and need for this proposal. This bill would ensure that Massachusetts public schools electing to teach sex and relationship education will use age-appropriate, medically accurate and research-based information State Senator Sal DiDomenico is shown at a recent hearing by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education. If We Happen To Meet By Accident ... You’ll Be Glad You Found Us! There is a difference between the rest and the BEST! Celebrating 46 Years In Business! TONY’S AUTO BODY Call or Visit 781-321-0032 34 Sharon Street Malden, MA 02148 TONYSAUTOBODYLLC.COM COME VISIT OUR STATE OF THE ART BODY SHOP • Computerized Paint Matching (State of the Art Spray Booth) • Computerized Frame Machines • P.P.G. Refinishing System • R134 + 1234yf A/C Machines Fully Insured -RS2415 Insurance Company Approval ALL OUR WORK IS GUARANTEED! TONY BARTOLO Owner 46 Years Let Us Handle Your Next Insurance Claim. Go With the BEST It Doesn’t Get BETTER! RENTAL CARS Available that covers a comprehensive range of topics. In his remarks, Senator DiDomenico outlined the bill’s benefi ts: “Massachusetts youth deserve the most accurate and inclusive information, resources, and skills needed to make decisions about their health, FACTS | FROM PAGE 2 bouin’s fl ippant reply—“I guess COLAs only apply to the Mayor”—only highlighted the performative tone of the meeting. The Mayor’s 2023 COLA payment of $31,664 was criticized for being paid as a lump sum. But this was only to correct prior underpayments—a fact conveniently omitted from several councillors’ remarks. Meanwhile, infl ated concerns over credit card expenses ignored that the Mayor’s prior average usage was modest ($2,000–$4,000 per year), with the $25,000 fi gure in Fiscal 2023 lacking proper context or a fi nding of inappropriateness. Even Flaherty stated plainly: “I’m not here to opine on the appropriateness of the charges.” In an apparent attempt to link unrelated individuals to wrongdoing, some councillors also raised concerns about the Mayor’s executive assistant, Dolores Lattanzi—despite MDD concluding that her expenses were “all very small” and showed no red fl ags. The motivation for targeting her, a city employee who wasn’t mentioned in the original Inspector General’s report, suggests the council’s actions were politically motivated. That suspicion was confi rmed when Councillor Smith called for a resolution to send without judgement. My bill has passed the Senate several times, and I will continue to fi ght for this legislation until it is signed into law so all our children can protect their health, form respectful relationships, and build the bright futures they deserve.” information to state and federal Attorneys General and to pursue internal audits—moves approved by unanimous voice vote, despite no conclusive evidence of corruption. Ward 5 Councillor and mayoral challenger Robert Van Campen went further, calling past payments “misappropriations” and pushing for the City Council to retain its own legal counsel— again, based on recommendations from outside attorney Chris Petrini, whose involvement raises further questions about neutrality. Councillor-at-Large Michael Marchese provided a rare moment of clarity, stating: “This wasn’t written by the Mayor... someone else should be held responsible.” Yet, this insight was largely ignored in the rush to turn the meeting into a referendum on the Mayor’s ethics. In his post-meeting statement, Mayor DeMaria defended his administration’s conduct: “From the beginning my administration has been fully cooperative... We have furnished all the documentation requested; nothing was shielded or concealed.” He went on to condemn the presentation as politically charged and lacking in objectivity: “What was presented last FACTS | SEE PAGE 7
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