Newton Candidate Profile: Emily Norton Runs For City Council

NEWTON, MA — Newton will have several contested races in this fall's election, including one for City Council seat in Ward 2. Incumbent Emily Norton has a challenger in Bryan Barash this year. Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Norton works full time as the executive director of the Charles River Watershed Association. Prior to that she served as Massachusetts director for the Sierra Club. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Vermont. And she's the mother of three boys, two teens and one pre-teen.

She took some time to answer a few questions. Her answers are her own and have not been changed or edited.

Previously:

• Newton Election Calendar 2019: What To Know About Election

Are you running for office in Newton? Contact Jenna Fisher at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Waltham Patch.

The single most pressing issue facing our city is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

In my 6 years on the City Council I have been a leader when it comes to environmental policy, fiscal responsibility, beautified village centers, and appropriately scaled development with a maximum amount of affordability.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates?

I have sought to represent the residents of Ward 2 who have consistently expressed a preference for village scale development of no more than 3-4 stories, as well as truly affordable housing rather than new luxury housing. That is why I voted against Austin Street and Washington Place, but voted in favor of every nonprofit housing proposal. My opponent supported Austin Street and Washington Place and in the future would support additional massive projects for Ward 2 that I believe are out of scale for the village; he ** supports zoning that would allow ten stories at the Whole Foods site, whereas I do not. We also differ in that I led the effort to retain local representation in the form of the Ward Councilor, whereas my opponent led the effort to eliminate the ward councilor seat - ie he is running for a seat he tried very hard to eliminate. Lastly my opponent has taken campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists, I have not, as I believe corporations have too much sway in our democracy.

[** Editor's Note: Her opponent Bryan Barash said this is a mischaracterization of his position. Patch notes 10 stories is not part of the current proposal.]

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

I have tried to be very focused on constituent services and being responsive in general. I produce a monthly email newsletter that many residents tell me they find helpful. I have monthly office hours at the Senior Center. I have helped residents in a variety of ways over the last 6 years, including: gas leak repaired next to Horace Mann School; hedges trimmed that were blocking sidewalks along Otis St, Prescott St, Central Ave, Commonwealth Ave and more; trash can placed along Commonwealth Ave, Bullough's Park and more; numerous "no parking within 5 feet of driveway" signs placed including on Linwood Ave, Madison Ave; trees replanted along Washington St when MassDOT chopped them down; trash picked up at all 3 commuter rail stops; graffiti removed from the Mass Pike near the Lowell Ave bridge and also the Rice Valley building (repeatedly); snow removed from numerous locations each winter including sidewalks along Court St and Central Ave; parking rules changed on Kirkstall; financial assistance for a resident on Court St whose old broken boiler was sending fumes into the neighborhood; dumpster covered by Beth-El Temple that had been bothering abutters for years; 2 way traffic restored on Fairfield Rd and Ward St; "Don't Block the Box" lines painted at Central and Washington; prevented a parking lot from being carved out of Cabot Park; and many, many more.

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

I have a strong track record of accomplishment. On the environment, I led on banning single-use plastic bags, introduced the concept of Newton Power Choice, got Newton to divest from fossil fuels, and prevented a parking lot from being built on Cabot Park. In terms of democracy and representation, I led the successful effort to retain Ward Councilors when the Charter Commission (including my opponent) sought to eliminate them, and we won in spite of being heavily outspent by developer interests. I also led on updating the title to “City Councilors” from outdated “Alderman”. In terms of inclusion, I helped lead on passage of Newton’s “Welcoming City” ordinance which ensures the protection of all residents, including immigrants and refugees, regardless of legal status. I also led on the accessory apartment ordinance, making it easier for people to build accessory apartments within their homes. In terms of fiscal responsibility I have been a consistent voice for spending taxpayers’ dollars wisely. I stood up for sustainable budgeting to protect future generations by voting against a budget proposal that failed to address Newton’s billion dollars of unfunded liabilities, and I championed accountability and transparency by voting against a $500K no-bid contract for a zoning consultant. In terms of public safety I led the effort to ensure first responders would have access to lifesaving Narcan, when Newton was one of the last communities in our area to make that change.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever gotten?

When I was door knocking during my first run in 2013, I got to a house that was a little run down. The paint was peeling and the entryway smelled of cigarettes. By her appearance the woman who opened the door was not wealthy. She looked at me and said, "I've heard about you. And I'm going to support you. But I'm going to ask you something - don't forget about us." She didn't have to explain what she meant - I knew she meant that I should not forget about those with less power, less money, and less influence in our city. I have tried to follow her advice in everything I do.

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

I have tried not to shy away from the hard decisions, such as our $1B unfunded liabilities. Not a lot of residents clamor for action on it, the way they do about our roads. But it's a big problem that will only get worse, the longer we put it off. So I have tried to be a broken record about it, because it's the right thing to do, rather than the one that will win me the most applause. I also am willing to change my mind when I get new information. For example, I co-docketed an ordinance that would have regulated drones. Then a constituent reached out to me to ask if he could bring some drones over to my house and show them to me. When I saw how excited my 3 sons were watching these drones fly around our yard, I saw the "positive" side of drones. Then as I learned more about how much regulation the federal government already requires of drone operators, I changed my mind and ended up voting against my own ordinance. I seek to be a good listener, and to hear all sides of an argument before making a decision.

More on Newton Elections:

• Newton Election Calendar 2019: What To Know About Election
• Ward 5 Residents To Head To The Polls Sept. 10
• Humphrey, Winters Win Preliminary Election In Newton’s Ward 5
• Newton Candidate Profile: Kathryn Winters For City Council
• Bryan Barash Announces Candidacy For Newton City
• Newton Candidate Profile: Bryan Barash On Why He's Running