Newton Mayor Evokes National Polarization, Hope At Inauguration

NEWTON, MA — It's a new year, and the new City Council has been sworn in. Wednesday, on the first day of the new year, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller addressed a room full of elected officials and evoked the political polarization of the nation, but expressed optimism for Newton's local politics during her remarks commemorating the moment.

"We pass the torch to this newly formed City Council and School Committee at an unsettled time in our country," she said. "I am convinced that, unlike in Washington D.C., we can lead each other out of our separate corners."

The inauguration and swearing in of 12 city councilors marks the first time both our City Council and School Committee are majority female.

Her full remarks:

"President-Elect Albright, Vice President-Elect Lipof, President Emeritus-Elect Baker, City Councilors elect, Chair-Elect Goldman, Vice Chair-Elect Ray-Canada, members elect of the School Committee, Senator Creem, Representative Khan and Representative Lawn, District Attorney Ryan, esteemed clergy, family, friends, and fellow residents of this good City of Newton, Happy New Year.

To each of you who took the solemn oath of office to serve our City, our Commonwealth and our Country, congratulations and, on behalf of our residents, a heartfelt thank you for your service. And, to your loved ones, thank you for sharing them with our good City.

Today, we pass the torch to this newly formed City Council and School Committee at an unsettled time in our country. All too often I have witnessed a lack of civility in our nation’s discourse; far too frequently, I have seen intolerance and disdain online and in person; and with all too much regularity, I have heard sinister motives assigned to people who simply have a different point of view.

In this chamber today, however, I see us united by our love for Newton and a shared passion - as the ancient Greek oath inscribed at Newton North High School says - to transmit our City greater, better and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us. Our shared ambition to tackle the challenging issues facing our city is difficult work and will inevitably lay bare divergent perspectives.

For we do have challenging issues facing us – providing academic excellence in an equitable manner that enhances the wellbeing of all our students; shaping our neighborhoods, thirteen villages, and commercial corridors in a fashion that preserves what we love while allowing Newton to welcome people of all means and all ages, even as we address traffic congestion, climate change and high housing costs.

Yet, I stand here today on the first day of this new year, this new term and this new decade, hopeful. I am convinced that, unlike in Washington D.C., we can lead each other out of our separate corners. We here in Newton – both inside and outside of this chamber – can serve as a model. How? By listening intently, offering alternative ideas respectfully, and valuing those who voice them.

We in Newton’s government can be passionate and speak our minds while choosing words distinguished by their good will and empathy, rather than by vitriol. As representatives, we can lead as exemplars of civility, compassion and compromise.

Our residents have embraced Newton’s core values of diversity, acceptance and respect by electing people with a diversity of opinions, a diversity of life experiences, and who represent a diverse array of races, ethnicities, LGBTQ+ identities, and faith traditions. Our residents have also elected twelve City Councilors who are either new to the Council or have served only one term, thus ensuring new perspectives.

These twelve join another twelve with deep experience, with Councilors Baker and Gentile alone bringing 70 years of perspective to bear. This mix of exuberance and experience will serve us well in the term ahead. Notably, today, for the first time, both our City Council and School Committee are majority female.

It is fitting and proper to celebrate this historic milestone as we mark in 2020 the 100th anniversary of the women’s suffrage movement.

My pledge is to work with President-Elect Albright, Chair-Elect Goldman, and each and every member of the City Council and School Committee and with all of our residents as together we make Newton greater, better and more beautiful.

Happy New Year."