Issues

Great schools are the cornerstone of Newton's success, and we must continue to invest in our kids, support our teachers, and rebuild our school facilities. Newton schools are among the best in the region. By prioritizing investments in public education, we can have the top schools in Massachusetts.

The condition of Newton’s roads, school & municipal buildings, and parks & playgrounds are important to our daily quality of life. Sewer/water/stormwater systems, IT, city vehicles and equipment keep our city running. Let’s invest wisely and prioritize preventative maintenance. Let’s ease traffic congestion by making Newton safer for bikers and pedestrians, using smart traffic lights in well-designed intersections, and advocating for better T service.

From our 13 unique village centers, numerous commercial corridors, and residential neighborhoods, Newton has a diverse range of community landscapes. Let’s preserve the character of our residential areas and improve our village centers, while understanding there should not be a one-size-fits-all approach. Through proactive planning and effective zoning, we can make Newton more livable, walkable, and vibrant.

A well-managed, fiscally sound city is essential to fund our great schools, deliver top-notch city services, and make important updates to our infrastructure. Similarly, we must ensure our tax dollars are being put to use in an effective and accountable manner. As the City Council’s fiscal watchdog, I’ve worked tirelessly on these issues. And as Mayor, I will deliver smart financial decision-making and advocate for thoughtful investments in Newton’s future.

Newton’s older residents built this city and are the backbone of our community. Let’s increase access to programming, enhance transportation options, provide comprehensive support services, and develop strategies for our elderly residents to remain in Newton. We can do this by embracing partnerships with public, private, and non-profit partners.

Open space is one of the aspects of Newton that makes it a great place to live. We are fortunate that past generations of Newton activists had the foresight to recommend the preservation of key parcels of land, and that past generations of elected officials had the good sense to follow those recommendations. Today’s environmentalists carry on that tradition with their advocacy for Webster Woods, the largest contiguous parcel of open space in Newton.

As the “Garden City”, we justifiably have high expectations when it comes to promoting sustainability, preserving green and open space, and protecting our environment. Through thoughtful strategies in areas like transportation, buildings, stormwater, and energy, Newton can be a municipal leader for cutting greenhouse gas emissions while making our city healthier and more livable.

As Mayor, I envision a Newton which supports all forms of cultural expression and artistic endeavors; a Newton where organizations engaged in the arts are empowered to nurture creativity; a Newton where artists creating the art are encouraged to express that creativity, and a Newton where people working, living and learning here have their lives enriched by experiencing that creativity.

In a recent essay on opioids in the Boston Globe, Max Blau highlights “Twelve Lines of Attack” in combating the epidemic. Critical to the success of those “lines of attack” is support from elected officials. That means support from all levels of government since the opioid crisis is an equal opportunity scourge, respecting no economic, social, or geographic boundary.