City Fondly Remembers John Arrigo

By Cary Shuman

Mr. John Arrigo sat in the front row in the City Council Chambers for his son Brian’s inauguration as the new mayor of the city of Revere in January.

It was as proud a moment as one could imagine, following up on the memorable night in November that Mr. Arrigo’s son was elected mayor (a recount would affirm that result in December). One week before Election Day, Brian and Daveen Balliro had celebrated the birth of their son, John Joseph Arrigo. Mr. Arrigo and his wife, Paula, have three grandchildren.

Mr. Arrigo, who also served in city government as the Ward 5 city councillor, died on July 25. He was 68 years old.

Mr. Arrigo was a pressman in the newspaper industry for more than 30 years and worked at the Boston Globe for more than 20 years.

Mr. Arrigo served as the Ward 5 city councillor for two terms, from 1989 to 1993.

John Powers, current city councillor for Ward 5, joined other city officials and friends in paying tribute to Mr. Arrigo’s service and dedication to Revere.

“Mr. Arrigo came out of the Oak Island neighborhood and was familiar with all the problems in that area, the flooding and the traffic, and he worked very diligently to abate those problems,” said Powers.

Powers said he considered Mr. Arrigo a role model as a public official. “He wasn’t so much a politician – he was a Ward 5 councillor who worked hard to make changes in the ward in regard to zoning. He was 100 percent against overbuilding in the city. I try very hard to follow in his footsteps. As long as I’ve been the Ward 5 councillor, I’ve heard only positive comments about John Arrigo.”

Powers said Mr. Arrigo was “immensely proud” of his son’s ascension to the corner office in a city that he loved.

“Everything happened at once and it brought him much happiness in his final months – Brian and Daveen welcomed their first child and Brian was elected mayor. He got to enjoy all the things that a grandfather wants to enjoy. They’re a good family and I think John instilled in Brian a strong work ethic and a strong commitment to the people he represents.”

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