James Jenner Responds to the Crowdsourced A-B City Council Candidate Questionnaire

Allston-Brighton District 9 City Council Candidate James Jenner responds to the crowdsourced questionnaire at the Brighton Centered Blog:

1. What could the city do about noisy parties, illegal parking (both on front lawns and streets), and tenant occupancy code issues, either by enforcing existing ordinances, increasing or changing penalties, or passing new ones?
   
   Response: I believe that curfews for loud parties would be a good idea especially in residential areas. Illegal parking has always been a problem in Allston/Brighton and the fact is that it causes serious safety concerns for motorists and pedistrians and should not be overlooked as a simple annoyance. We need to ticket illegal parkers to make sure they know this is not a light annoyance but a safety hazard. Tenants codes must be enforced to their full extent and risidual tenancy should not affect the review process of a landlord.
   
   
2. What will be your first three steps as the new A-B City Councilor to improve the infrastructure of Allston/Brighton?
   
   Response: First, I would initiate a massive repaving of all the damaged streets and sidewalks in A/B. I am tired of driving down the same bumpy and cracked streets for years as are many others. Secondly, I would disguise all the traffic signal boxes and electrical boxes on our streets so they dont stick out as the ugly eyesores they are. Third, I would work with the MBTA to ensure that we have covered bus stops with emergency call buttons at every bus stop in A/B to ensure the safety of our residents and keep all of us safe from the elements.
   
   
3. What are the specific steps you will take in order to implement the needs of the community related to institutional expansion (Harvard, BC)?
   
   Response: I have already sat down with representatives of Boston College to discuss their plans and I believe that communication is our biggest asset. My job as your city councilor will be to talk to the community and bring our concerns to BC, Harvard and Bu. We must remain open in diologue as it is the only way all concerns from both parties are addressed.
   
   
4. Do you support the goal that BC build dormitories for their juniors on the main campus and therefore eliminate undergraduate student rentals on neighborhood streets? If so, what steps would you take to accomplish this?
   
   Response: I believe that the ideal of a centralized domitory village on BC's main campus is a good idea. I feel that if BC and their planners go to the drawing board they can find a way to accomplish this.
   
   
5. What measures do you propose for improving the appearance of Allston-Brighton, particularly related to trash, street-cleaning, and graffiti?
   
   Response: We need to make sure that people are vigilant when it comes to trash. The receptacles are there but pepoles behavior is hard to break. I have seen people drop a piece of trash on the street and have told them there is a trash can right on the corner. If more people do this we can break people of the habits of littering and help in the cleanup.
   
   
6. While City Councilor, do you intend to work a second job, run a business, stand for another office, or leave for another job before your term expires?
   
   Response: Absolutly not. I will be a full time full term councilor.
   
   
7. What are your plans to improve the Allston-Brighton school system without overhauling the whole Boston school system?
   
   Response: You cannot address a leak in a dam without knowing that one day the whole dam has to be fixed. With that said new programs in A/B schools to teach our kids some trades would be nice. Bringing Art and Music back as options for students, and making sure resources such as text books are up to date and reliable.