Newton's Special Election on 3/16
- Arlo Cohen
- Mar 12, 2021
- 5 min read
by Arlo Cohen and Shiv Sawhney
This Tuesday, Newton is holding a special election with two seats up for grabs. The two open seats are Councilor-at-Large, Ward 1, due to the passing of City Councilor Allan “Jay” Ciccone, Jr., and Councilor-at-Large, Ward 2, due to the election of Jake Auchincloss to the House of Representatives.
Two candidates are running to be the Councilor-at-Large, Ward 1: John Oliver and Madeline Jeanne Ranalli. For the Ward 2 race, there are three candidates: Bryan Paul Barash, Tarik J. Lucas, and David Micley. Voters will choose one candidate from each race. Many of the candidates’ positions are vague and similar to each other, but here is a general summary of the candidates and their priorities.
John Oliver has lived in Newton for the past 18 years and is deeply involved in the community. He is a Co-President of the Newton North Parent Teacher Student Organization(PTSO) and coaches youth soccer for both Newton Youth Soccer and Boston Area Youth Soccer. As a result, green spaces in Newton are especially important to him. One of his main priorities is improving parks and recreation spaces around the city. He was vocal in his opposition to the selection of Albemarle field as the site for a new Senior Center due to its importance for youth sports. He also wants to make roadways safe for all to increase biking in the city. Another major priority of his is reopening schools, and keeping them open. He supports Newton’s investment in environmentally-friendly changes. Oliver thinks that the city should work to keep improving its first responder services, including incorporating the suggestions from Newton’s Police Reform Task Force. He also thinks that careful thought should be paid in Newton’s ongoing zoning reform. Oliver believes that the “unique attributes” of each village center should be preserved, and that “teardown projects” that destroy historical architecture should be reduced, in addition to giving the city more power over housing changes. He has been endorsed by the President of RightSize Newton and many current and former city councilors.
Madeline Ranalli is a lifelong Newton resident, and has been deeply involved in the community since a young age. In 2019, she graduated from Newton North High School, and she now studies government and environmental science at Harvard University. She has worked on campaigns and in the offices of politicians such as: Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, and Jay Gonzalez. Additionally, she has worked at the Department of Energy and on the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. As City Councilor, Ranalli wants to invest more money into affordable housing options, and also put more resources towards our parks and green spaces. Ranalli thinks Newton should redesign its zoning laws to support more multi-family housing, especially around village centers and public transit. In addition to providing people with housing, this will also make our city more environmentally friendly, as it would reduce traffic congestion, and increase public transit use. Ranalli also has ambitious climate goals. She believes that we need to reach carbon neutrality before 2050, and thus, need stronger regulations. These extra steps include: reducing Newton’s reliance on fossil fuels, and congestion pricing to reduce the demand for cars. Additionally, she supports the creation of sustainable infrastructure to protect our city from the devastating effects of climate change, such as flooding in wetlands. Furthermore, Ranalli wants to amplify the voices of climate advocacy groups such as Green Newton, Mothers Out Front, and the Newton North Climate Collective, and work with city organizations like the Newton Citizens Committee on Energy to combat climate change. Ranalli believes that we need to reimagine what public safety looks like in Newton. If elected to City Council, she would review and enforce the Police Reform Task Force’s formal recommendations. Additionally, as City Councilor, she would examine the police budget, and look to reallocate resources to underfunded social services. Furthermore, she wants to ensure a racially equitable COVID-19 recovery, as the pandemic has disproportionately affected people of color. As City Councilor, she wants to provide a platform to amplify the voices of our city’s activists, with organizations like Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ) and Newton Overdue. Moreover, she wants to ensure that there is clear protocol to follow when a hate incident occurs in Newton. Ranalli has been endorsed by leaders including Susan Albright, the President of the Newton City Council, as well as organizations including the Newton Teachers Association and the Sunrise Movement.
Bryan Barash began his career in politics working for Barack Obama’s campaign for President. After working for the Obama campaign, he became the Internet Communications Director for New Mexico Senator Tom Udall. Since then, he has been involved with numerous non-profits and civic organizations. Currently, he is the General Counsel for the President of the Massachusetts State Senate. Barash aims to beat Newton’s goal of going carbon neutral by 2050 and wants to require electric heating on all new houses. He strongly supports a full return to schools in person in the fall. In addition, he wants to address racism and mental health issues in Newton Public Schools and is a backer of later high school start times. Barash supports building more housing in Newton, especially affordable housing, and supports more housing in village centers. He wants to resign Newton’s zoning, including “local preference” zoning, which requires that 70% of affordable units have to go to people who live, work, or have students go to school in Newton. To help them survive the pandemic, Barash supports easing restaurants’ taxes. He aims to implement the suggestions of the Newton Police Reform Task Force, and to implement “8 can’t wait”. Additionally, he wants to make villages more pedestrian-friendly and to build a new, larger senior center. A priority of his is treatment and support for people facing mental health and addiction problems. Bryan Barash has been endorsed by many leaders and organizations, including the Newton Teachers Association and Sunrise Movement Boston.
Tarik Lucas grew up in Brookline and has spent the last twelve years living in Newton. He has been active in his community, refereeing youth sports for the last twenty years and serving as a Newtonville Area Councilor starting in 2017. Lucas wants to keep Newton welcoming and affordable, but does not support eliminating single-family zoning, as he says it will make housing more expensive. He supports zoning that helps create more affordable housing, fewer teardowns, and less harm to the environment. He also wants to work with non-profits to build new affordable housing instead of for-profit companies. New zoning, Lucas believes, should ultimately be up to the voters. Another priority for him is making it easier for Newton residents to switch to more environmentally friendly types of heat and power. He also advocates for more green space in the city. In order to fight racism, Lucas proposes that the city hire a more diverse workforce, listen to the recommendations of the Newton Police Reform Task Force, and create an affordable housing lottery. He also wants students back in school as soon as possible. Lucas has been endorsed by many leaders in the community.
David Micley is a fourth-generation Newton resident. One of his top priorities is an increase in students learning in person this Spring, and fully in-person teaching in the fall. He wants to expand housing in Newton while maintaining its suburban feel. Another priority of his is increasing funding for pensions of Newton workers, which is lagging behind neighboring cities. He hopes to encourage startups and other companies to move to Newton, and is a supporter of the Newton Police Department for their work keeping Newton safe. Micley also hopes to encourage more biking in Newton through dedicated bike lanes.
コメント