JALSA in The Boston Globe on the Alignment of Moral and Economic Imperatives in Our Communities

Full letter to the editor of The Boston Globe at this link.

Way forward is blocked by fears over migrants in Dedham, rezoning in Milton

What’s wrong with this picture?

Our state desperately needs more workers, yet Dedham’s Zoning Board of Appeals refused to let a hotel hire just a couple more people to cook food to feed migrant families who are building new lives for themselves after fleeing violence and starvation. These new arrivals are here, finding housing and seeking employment, so that they can join our workforce and contribute to our Commonwealth.

A couple of weeks earlier, a majority of voters in Milton rejected a plan to build multifamily housing, defying state law. That leaves the dream of living in their town out of reach for many prospective residents.

Let’s wake up, folks. If we don’t build housing, people won’t be able to live in our state. If they can’t live in our state, they won’t be able to fill the thousands of jobs that are available here, and our economy will stagnate. Moreover, we need immigrants to come here so that we can increase the number of people in our labor force and generate more revenue. Compassion and economic common sense are totally aligned right now, and we need to see that with open eyes, hearts, and, yes, pocketbooks.

Larry Bailis
Chair
Cindy Rowe
President and CEO
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
Boston