By Brian Wright O’Connor
State Sen. Nick Collins dropped in on El Mundo Boston’s “La Hora del Café” last week to provide an update on his work for the residents of the 1st Suffolk District.
It happened to be one of the busiest weeks of the year for the South Boston politician. The annual Evacuation Day Parade and its estimated one million revelers took over his neighborhood this past Sunday. Celebrations in honor of Ireland’s patron saint are being held throughout the city as St. Patrick’s Day arrives on March 17.
A prominent member of the Democratic majority in the State House, Collins, 43, let drop during the show that his favorite figure in Boston sports is Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora. While also citing his love for former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez and current Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown, Collins said the World Series-winning baseball guru tops his list.
“He’s a great coach and was a great player,” said Collins. “He’s my favorite.”
This past Sunday morning, before the kick-off of the parade in South Boston, Collins presided over the Evacuation Day Breakfast, an annual corned-beef-and-cabbage fest that has featured sharp but good-natured verbal jousting between political celebrities from mayors and presidents to cabinet secretaries and senators over its long history.
Boston Mayor Wu, State Senator Nick Collin and former Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty at a past St Patrick’s Day Breakfast – an annual tradition in Boston. (Photo: TimeOut Boston).
Focusing on his work at the State House during his appearance on the live-streamed morning program, Collins said constituent services are a priority of representing the 160,000 residents of the diverse district, which covers South Boston, the South End, Chinatown, parts of Roxbury and Dorchester and the Harbor Islands.
“We’re the branch of government closest to the people. We represent the people,” said Collins, who began his service on Beacon Hill after his election to the House of Representatives in 2010. “We live here, we’re among them – we’re not at a distance.”
Citizens who need help accessing state government for issues related to health care, taxes, housing, business development, and other public services can find assistance through his office, he said. “I work seven days and week and my staff works very hard.”
The son of former Charlestown state Rep. Jimmy Collins, Collins grew up around politics and has been involved in campaigns since an early age.
On the policy front, Collins has been feuding with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu over her efforts to raise commercial property taxes at a time of rising office vacancies and declining property values. He said the upcoming state budget debate will take place amidst concerns about declining revenues and federal budget cuts. An $8 billion rainy-day fund can help backstop the $60 billion spending plan but will require tough choices to maintain current levels of spending on everything from schools and transportation to health care and public safety.
Collins also pledged to take action on complaints from merchants – especially those along the Blue Hill Avenue corridor – about receiving legislatively mandated payments in compensation for the loss of business as the result of multi-year utility work tearing up the sidewalks and restricting customer access to their stores.
Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia, also appearing on the show, said the money was appropriated long ago but small business owners have been unable to access it.
