Candidate Profile: Paul Katz, Ward 7 Waltham City Council

WALTHAM, MA — Paul Katz is running against David Russo for Ward 7 City Council. There are 12 people vying for the nine seats on the Waltham City Council in the Nov. 2 municipal election, as well as contested races for Councilor-At-Large and school committee.

Waltham Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles this week.

Katz has been Marketing and Communications Director for 35 years and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Brandeis University.

Are you running for office in Waltham? Contact Annie Sandoli at annie.sandoli@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Waltham Patch.

Campaign website

KatzWard7.org

Position Sought

Waltham City Council, Ward 7

Party Affiliation

Unaffiliated

Family

Wife, Sharon; Son, Jacob, former student at Stanley Elementary and current student at McDevitt Middle School

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education

BA Economics, Brandeis University

Occupation

Marketing and Communications Director, 35 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Why are you seeking elective office?

I've been following issues facing our city for years and became more actively engaged as a supporter for the high school project. I felt that some of our elected officials weren't listening and relating to their constituents, whether this involved the high school or overall development in the city. Some politicians were putting national issues ahead of local issues. I believe we can and should do better, and put our local resident and community needs first.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Residents want to know they are heard and their concerns are being acted on -- those issues each individual person is dealing with. Ward 7 is a collection of wonderful communities and wonderful people. We all share the same frustrations with traffic, speeding, overdevelopment, etc. Residents need help navigating city departments and government bureaucracy. They want a voice at the table expressing what is important to them. Getting out and building connections with the community is a first step, for example, with in-person and online forums. At the very least, it's a promise to return every email and phone call and engage in respectful discussion.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have a track record, as a Waltham citizen, of standing up for our community and voicing opinions. My opponent does not. I have lived in Waltham for nearly 25 years, been a regular voter in local and national elections, and have followed city issues throughout that time. I have stood up for community causes. If you add to that my years of working and studying in Waltham, I've been involved in the community for over 40 years.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

(The incumbent is not running for reelection.)

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I believe Waltham has responded to the pandemic in a thoughtful, responsible manner, citywide. While I believe that, as in many communities, the academic agenda of our children suffered, it's important to acknowledge that, compared with other communities, Waltham did a far better job of managing the schools during this time and the creation of Waltham Schools Online (WSO), utilizing Waltham faculty and staff, was well-executed and something to be proud of.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

It's time for our collective voices to be heard. My campaign platform isn't about me: it's about time for "OUR VOICES" to be heard. That's the only way we're going to effect change. I experienced this first-hand as a member of Waltham Citizens for Education, a group of concerned, diverse Waltham residents who made our voices heard. Without this group of amazing people, I don't believe we'd have a shovel in the ground to build the new high school. Community can impact change.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I've been a leader in business, building consensus and managing high-performance teams. In doing so, I'm held accountable to stringent metrics and tasked to show results. I bring those same standards to local government. Nearly everything should be tied to measurable results.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Try to do something every day that is a step toward healing the world.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Since coming to Waltham in the 80s as a student, and later becoming a renter and now a homeowner, I've been passionate about making our community better, and I've been doing what I can. The time has come to have a seat at the table and participate actively with the other dedicated men and women who have an impact on our city. I think Waltham is great - I love living here. I want others to feel the same. Talking to people throughout my ward, I believe that many already do. So let's keep building on it!