Lt. Gov. Polito Endorses Sean Powers For Braintree Mayor

BRAINTREE, MA — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito endorsed Town Councilor Sean Powers for mayor of Braintree at his campaign kickoff rally on Wednesday. Despite the Boston Bruins playing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, over 100 residents came out to show their support for Powers as he runs to become Braintree's second ever mayor.

Polito started by congratulating the crowd for coming to support Powers right before the Bruins hit the ice.

"There's no question you got some competition tonight," Polito said drawing laughter from the crowd.

Polito took some time to talk about Braintree's sense of community, telling Powers's supporters they have an opportunity to elect someone who cares about Braintree deeply.

"Sean is a great person," she said. "He's honest, he'll stand up for what's right for the people of Braintree ... There's no doubt in my mind that you will make a great mayor."

After Polito's speech, Powers took to the podium and told the voters where he stands on some of Braintree's most important issues, including rezoning, traffic, and making sure Braintree's schools have all they need to be successful.

"It's up to us to make sure growth doesn't affect the suburban character of our community," Powers said, echoing the concerns of hundreds of residents who've objected to a proposed zoning ordinance they fear will fundamentally change Braintree's small town character and allow for overcrowded housing.

Powers also took the time to remind the crowd that although Braintree has a city form of government, it's still a town, and he intends to make sure any rezoning reflects that

Powers said Braintree needs growth, but that growth has to be managed, so that seniors can afford to downsize, and new families can buy those houses, without adding more of a burden on Braintree's public school system.

Powers praised Braintree's public school system, complimenting its teachers, who helped him as a child who struggled with a speech impediment. He said making sure students have what they need to be successful should always be the town's top priority.

The traffic in Braintree has also become one of the biggest issues the town faces, according to Powers. Powers said it's unacceptable for it to take 45 minutes to get from one side of town to the other in the peak of rush hour. He promised creating a traffic management plan, and said it would be one of the first things he does if elected mayor.