Waltham Councilor Jonathan Paz To Run For Mayor

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham will have a contested mayoral race in 2023 after Ward 9 City Councilor Jonathan Paz announced his candidacy on Thursday.

Paz, in a statement, said he would run because of a number of issues he believes were created by the current administration, and long-term incumbent Mayor Jeannette McCarthy.

In his statement, he said the current administration has positioned the city with "no vision for our future."

“As City Councilor, I led the fight for stable rents, affordable homeownership and a modernized transit system,” said Paz.

“I championed small businesses and secured funding to improve parks and protect our open spaces. Mayor McCarthy blocked progress every step of the way.”

He continued:

“While I thank Mayor McCarthy for her 19 years of service, the administration has become beholden to special interests, threatens our food pantries and community farms, and is drastically underfunding our schools. With a lack of city planning and overdevelopment of luxury condos, the mayor is selling Waltham to Boston developers, making it unaffordable.”

Paz has served in the city council for two terms after a lifetime spent in Waltham. The son of Bolivian immigrants, Paz attended Waltham schools before graduating from the University of Pennsylvania.

In an August 2022 article, The Waltham Channel reported that McCarthy would seek re-election in 2023. She's served in the role since 2004.