Letter To Editor: Lisa Fiske Heger Makes Case For Braintree Mayor

BRAINTREE, MA — The following letter to the editor comes from School Committee Chair Lisa Fiske Heger. Heger is running to be Braintree's next mayor. The preliminary election is Tuesday, Sept. 17.

As the mayoral primary on September 17 is quickly approaching, I wanted to take a moment to lay out for voters what I am bringing to the table as a candidate and what makes me a unique option. I'm not a polished politician, but you can trust that what you see is what you get. I’m analytical, a critical thinker, and a straight shooter. I understand that this does not historically win elections, however I also think it is what our town needs at this critical juncture.

I have 34 years of experience in the private sector where I have managed projects from inception to completion while balancing stakeholder interests and needs with meeting budgets and timelines. My work experience will allow me to not only lead a team from diverse backgrounds in creating a vision and plan for Braintree, but to then implement that plan and meet milestones while providing a high level of transparency and accountability to residents.

My political experience is comprised of a number of years as a town meeting member and the last eight years as a member of the School Committee where I am the sitting Chair.

As a result of my years on the School Committee, I am the most well-versed in the ins-and-outs of our school system and the most qualified to continue working to ensure that the quality of our school infrastructure is brought up to speed with the quality of the education that our dedicated teachers and staff provide. The school system is incredibly important for Braintree - not just for the students and parents, but to our town as a whole because its positive reputation makes people want to live here and keeps our property values high.

I have also made it a point to become well-educated on the proposed compressor station and will take a strong stance against it as mayor. My first house was in East Braintree on Beechwood Road and I could not feel more deeply that the individuals and families living there now must not have their health and safety put at risk.

Management of growth is another vital issue that we are facing in town. I will stand up for Braintree and the tight-knit community feeling that our residents want to preserve by opposing 40R. 40R development will exacerbate our traffic issues, put additional strain on our school resources, and burden other town infrastructure. Ensuring that any growth and development that occurs is done on our own terms and not on the whims of developers or any other entities is a cornerstone of my campaign. With the idea of growth on our terms in mind, I will work to create 40B affordable housing in town that is friendly to Braintree. We must meet the required threshold for this type of housing development to keep ourselves in the driver's seat; otherwise, the state allows developers to circumvent our zoning regulations. As someone who is 55 myself, I also am very much in favor of creating a 55+ community that will allow our long term residents to continue to live in the town they love while also freeing up housing inventory for the next generation who want to live in Braintree.

My service to the town has enabled me to have enough involvement in local politics to be knowledgeable about the issues at play and understand what matters most to residents yet allows me to offer a unique and fresh perspective on how to lead Braintree forward. The other candidates share many similarities and I am not more of the same.

But beyond just my professional and political experience, I am a person that you can count on. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. I am careful to gather information and various perspectives so that I can make informed decisions and proceed on the best course. I have no special interests which will allow my administration to be centered around the residents. I will be beholden only to the people of Braintree.

I hope you will give me the opportunity to bring my experience, integrity, and belief in our community to Town Hall. I love Braintree and would be honored to serve you. Please vote Heger for Mayor next Tuesday!

If you have any questions about my candidacy and stances on the issues, please contact me directly at hegerformayor@gmail.com or through my Facebook page. You'll get a quick response from me directly! More information is also available at hegerformayor.com