Julia Flaherty Shifts To District 1 Braintree Town Council Race

BRAINTREE, MA — After originally announcing a run for one of Braintree's three open at-large Town Council seats, Julia Flaherty has decided to focus on her own neighborhood, and run for the District 1 seat. Flaherty has lived in Braintree since 2004 and previously served on the Braintree Integrated Preschool PTO and the School Advisory Board.

Flaherty said she made the decision to focus on her own neighborhood following District 1 Councilor Charles Kokoros' decision to run for mayor.

"I decided to take this opportunity to focus my campaign on the needs of my closest neighbors and immediate surrounding community," Flaherty said in a statement. "Many District 1 voters are parents of children I’ve gotten to know over the years of my community involvement, who share many of the same concerns that I have regarding the path of Braintree’s development."

District 1 stretches from the Blue Hills all the way to Randolph and includes the South Shore Plaza, Sunset Lake, Braintree High School, the town's golf course, and several types of residential housing. Flaherty said District 1 "contains all of the essential diversity of Braintree as a whole."

"With so many diverse features, District One needs a town councilor able to strike the right balance between the needs of transportation, industry, and retail with the quality of life our residents deserve," Flaherty said.

Other issues Flaherty highlighted as important include supporting Braintree Public Schools and assisting in the fight against the proposed compressor station at Fore River.

"As a former teacher, I will make supporting our schools a top priority," Flaherty said. "As a parent of two children currently in school, you can count on me to support action now."

As far as the compressor station is concerned, Flaherty said, "The compressor station should be considered a town-wide issue because it poses a danger far beyond Weymouth, Quincy and East Braintree. The state’s record of indifference to the health and safety of those of us who live on the South Shore is unacceptable and Braintree residents must be firmly united in opposition to this dangerous proposal."