[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 160 (Wednesday, December 14, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO RICHARD P. HOWE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARTIN T. MEEHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 14, 2005

  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Richard P. Howe for 
his 40 years of public service to the City of Lowell. Richard P. Howe 
is a community leader, political activist, and dear friend.
  The story of the city of Lowell is a cycle of rise and decline, a 
constant struggle to revive and then maintain the local economy and to 
always improve the quality of life of its residents. During the past 
decade, Lowell has been in the ascent. The fully occupied Cross Point 
office towers, a rejuvenated downtown symbolized by the Bon Marche 
building, a newly constructed ballpark and arena, and 10 new schools 
are the symbols of Lowell's resurgence. Many people contributed to the 
success of these projects. There is one person, however, whose 
leadership was critical to each of these projects and that is City 
Councilor Richard P. Howe.
  First elected in 1965, Howe's electoral accomplishments alone would 
identify him as having great impact on the revitalization of the city 
of Lowell. Tonight marks the end of a 40-year career on the Lowell City 
council. He has been mayor 4 times (8 years) and a city councilor for 
longer than anyone else in the city's history.
  During the first half of his career, Howe's campaign slogan was 
``Keep a strong voice in city government.'' On that note, he never let 
his constituents down. While his critics--not coincidentally the 
targets of his pointed questions and critical comments--called him an 
obstructionist, the voters saw it differently, reelecting him 
repeatedly by comfortable margins. The time of Howe's fiercest 
political battles was also the time of his greatest electoral success, 
topping the ticket on four occasions.
  Finishing first once again in the 1987 elections, Howe was 
unanimously elected mayor in January 1988. In a January 9, 1988 Sun 
article entitled ``Richard Howe: From political outcast to elder 
statesman'' Terry Williams called the veteran councilor's election as 
mayor ``perhaps the most remarkable turnabout in recent Lowell 
history.'' Williams, however, ended with a question:

       But will Howe, who made a career as a critic, be 
     ``comfortable'' in his new role? And more importantly, will 
     he be as effective as a leader as he was a dissident? The 
     answer is critical to Lowell's future.

  Events of the past 17 years have answered that question in the 
affirmative.
  The first test of Howe's leadership abilities came within days, when 
the new mayor attended a hearing in the United States District Court in 
Boston. Judge Robert Keeton was about to place the city's schools under 
Federal control in response to a suit brought by the parents of 
minority students who alleged segregation and unequal treatment in 
Lowell's schools. Acceding to Howe's plea that, having just taken 
office, he needed some time to address the problem, the judge delayed 
the takeover. After numerous meetings, a city team led by Howe 
negotiated a settlement of the suit that prevented the Federal 
takeover. As a result of this desegregation settlement the city was 
able to secure funding for 10 new schools, making the physical plant of 
its school system the envy of every community in the State.

  The city council ratified Howe's leadership by again electing him 
mayor in 1990, the first time in Lowell's history that a mayor served 
consecutive terms.
  School desegregation was not the only problem that made this period a 
turbulent one. The influx of 30,000 Southeast Asian immigrants strained 
the city's resources to the breaking point. During this period, Howe 
made frequent trips to Washington where he persuaded Senator Edward M. 
Kennedy to secure additional funds for the city to ease the strain. 
More importantly, Howe's principled and practical approach to Lowell's 
newest immigrants set the example for the rest of the city. The 
relatively smooth and rapid integration of an enormous population of 
new comers into Lowell's fabric is a remarkable and under appreciated 
story.
  Economic difficulty returned, however. Banks were seized by the FDIC, 
foreclosures abounded, and Wang filed for bankruptcy. City government 
faced a $14 million deficit. The city council of 1992-93 seemed 
powerless--or unwilling--to respond. That all changed with the election 
of November 1993 when the voters elected 6 new city councilors. They, 
in turn, elected Richard Howe mayor.
  Mayor Howe played a major role in putting together the city council 
votes necessary to construct the Paul E. Tsongas Arena and Edward 
LeLacheur Field. No one played a greater role in securing an arena for 
Lowell than Paul Tsongas. But Tsongas, whose first vote on the Lowell 
City Council in January 1970 was to elect Richard Howe mayor, realized 
that unless you get a majority vote of the city council, no project 
would succeed. He also realized that Richard Howe, through the strength 
of his personality and the wisdom of his experience, had an unsurpassed 
ability to put those votes together.
  While votes on the arena and baseball park are better known, Howe's 
leadership proved critical to the success of two other and equally 
important projects during this term. The city and the region were 
shocked when the Wang Towers were sold at auction for only $525,000. 
Renaming the complex Cross Point, the new owners needed the city's 
help--in the form of a $4 million letter of credit--to land Nynex as 
its anchor tenant. Viewed in light of Cross Point's subsequent sale in 
1998 for $110 million, the vote on the letter of credit could be viewed 
as a ``no brainer.'' Nothing could be farther from the truth, however, 
because the vote to extend the letter of credit faced substantial 
opposition and succeeded only because of Howe's decisive leadership on 
the floor of the city council.
  This scenario was replayed with the Bon Marche renovations. That 
building, long the anchor of downtown, had stood vacant and decaying 
for years until two local residents proposed its redevelopment. The 
finances would not work without city government providing a major 
tenant. In spite of strong opposition by some members of the school 
committee, Howe persuaded a majority of that board to lease two floors 
of the building for the school department headquarters, and convinced 
the city council to pay a portion of the rent. Bon Marche was a 
success, winning an award for historic preservation; it has resumed its 
former prominence in downtown Lowell.
  In Lowell, during the past 40 years, Richard P. Howe has been a 
strong and independent voice in city government. Cross Point, the Bon 
Marche building, the Tsongas Arena, LeLacheur Field, and 10 new schools 
are monuments to his leadership.




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