Voters for a Vibrant Newton endorses candidates for the November

Newton, MA, October 21, 2019 – Voters for a Vibrant Newton, a Political Action Committee (PAC) formed to promote an inclusive, forward-looking vision for the city today, announced its slate of endorsements for the coming election. The candidates chosen demonstrate a commitment to the PAC’s goals - that Newton remains an open and welcoming city, with vibrant village centers, environmentally sustainable living, and a solid fiscal footing.

“Newton’s character is in its people, and we want Newton to remain an open, welcoming and vibrant city where people from all backgrounds can build a life.” said Allison Sharma, chair of Voters for a Vibrant Newton. “We want walkable village centers and a range of housing options that will allow our older neighbors to downsize in the city they love, and that will also attract the younger generation that is missing from our community. We believe that well-planned, thoughtful development near village centers and transit will help us do our part in the battle against climate change. The candidates we endorse reflect these values.”

When choosing which candidates to support, the members of Voters for a Vibrant Newton looked at several factors including:

• Keeping Newton an open, welcoming city – Newton has long been a city where all kinds of people could build a great life. But how many of us could afford to move here today? Will our kids build their lives here? Can our teachers, firefighters, and police live in the community they serve? Do seniors looking to downsize have options to stay in the city they love? Will companies considering locating here be deterred by lack of workforce housing? To be a truly welcoming city, Newton needs to find ways to provide a range of housing options that people can afford.

• Maintaining vibrant village centers – We want our village centers to be fun and vibrant, with public plazas, better sidewalks, and a safe, inviting environment for people of all ages. Carefully planned mixed-use development near transit and village centers will attract new retail tenants, generate the additional foot traffic our small businesses need to thrive, and provide wonderful options for young people and seniors who’d like to downsize.

• Providing environmentally sustainable living – Climate change is a serious threat and it is critical that we have a comprehensive approach to address it. There is a tremendous amount we can do at the local level to reduce our carbon footprint, including stricter environmental building codes for new construction, more efficient modes of transportation, and smart land use that includes efficient, multi-unit housing near transit and shopping to reduce automobile dependence.

• Putting Newton on solid fiscal footing – Newton is facing serious financial pressures. It is imperative that we maintain our terrific public schools. We need fair, competitive contracts for our teachers and other city workers. Our senior center is inadequate for our growing senior population. Our roads are in disrepair, and we have unfunded pensions and other employee-related liabilities. Expanding revenue through thoughtful growth is essential to meeting our budget challenges.

The full list of candidates includes:

COUNCILORS AT LARGE

Ward 2: Susan Albright, Jake Auchincloss

Ward 3: Andrea Kelley

Ward 5: Deb Crossley, Andreae Downs

Ward 6: Alicia Bowman, Vicki Danberg

WARD COUNCILORS

Ward 1: Maria Scibelli Greenberg

Ward 2: Bryan Barash

Ward 3: Carolina Ventura

Ward 5: Bill Humphrey

Ward 6: Brenda Noel

About Voters for a Vibrant Newton

Voters for a Vibrant Newton is a Political Action Committee formed to keep Newton an open, welcoming city with vibrant village centers that provide environmentally sustainable living and put Newton on a solid fiscal footing. More information can be found at https://www.vibrantnewton.org/.