Newton's Biggest Issue, According To City Council Candidates

NEWTON, MA — With days until Newton's municipal election, which features contested races for at-large city council seats and in every ward except for Wards 4, 5 and 8. Patch has been asking incumbents and challengers in contested races for their thoughts on a wide range of issues. And perhaps the most telling answers have been when we asked candidates what they think is the biggest issue facing the city, and what they might do to help solve it.

We've published each candidate's unedited response below to help voters make decisions between the different candidates in each race for those who did participate. Incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*). Clicking on a candidate's name will take you to their previously-published candidate profile on the Newton Patch, where you can read more about their candidacy.

Councilors at large - Citywide Vote.

Ward 2:

• Jake Auchncloss*: Transportation. I will continue to be the lead negotiator with developers on traffic-control measures for new projects and for advocating accelerated road repair, smarter traffic signals, and infrastructure for safer and more reliable walking, cycling, and transit.
• Susan Albright, *: Mitigating the effects of climate change is the single most pressing issue and it must drive the conversation with respect to housing, the budget, zoning, and transportation. With respect to housing, our goal should be to create housing in walkable village centers - good for our villages and good to reduce carbon emissions. If we force all new housing out 1/2 hour to an hour's drive away from jobs we will contribute to increasing greenhouse gas emissions. To keep strong village centers we need "feet on the street" to use village businesses.
  Climate change mitigation must also drive our push to make sure that public transportation works for the citizens of Newton - including the 3 Worcester Line Train Stations and the capacity on the green line. We can't do this ourselves but it is up to us to make the Governor understand that if he wants more housing near transit then he MUST put more money into fixing the trains. Our zoning reform efforts should foster the creation of our housing in village centers and near transportation hubs. The lions share of the greenhouse gas emissions are caused by private homes and businesses in Newton and by the cars, we drive - therefor zoning must guide building sustainable buildings and ask the Land Use Committee to review all projects against sustainable building standards. Our road reconstructions must foster safer pedestrian and bike use. Even a 5% reduction in car use in Newton will reduce congestion and emissions. Finally, with respect to the budget, I hope that we can find ways to incentivize citizens to upgrade homes to renewable energy. I hope we can put a portion of the funds the city saves by upgrading our infrastructure into financial incentives for those who can't afford to upgrade their homes on their own. I also hope that the budget reflects this priority by having in it a Climate Change Coach who will advise citizens on the best way to upgrade their homes to make them use renewable energy.
• Tarik Lucas: Development & Zoning
• Jennifer Bentley: The single most pressing issue facing our City is the speed and scale of development in Newton. Currently the City is determining Zoning and Land Use permitting for Riverside, Northland, Washington Street, etc. independently from each other. If elected, I intend to push the City to develop an updated, holistic plan that will deal with the impacts these mega-developments will have on the city in terms of our overcrowded schools, increase in traffic, and inability of our infrastructure to keep up with the demand these developments are going to place on the system.

Ward 3:

• Pam Wright: Development with the many issues associated with it including traffic, transportation, parking, infrastructure, school space, affordable housing, and Climate Change Resiliency. We need vision plans and a zoning code that will outline what a developer can build. Right now it can take years to receive permits because it's not clear in the zoning code. Presently our vision plans and zoning code are trying to catch up to the proposals. It should be the other way around. I want to help write well written detail plans and zoning code that work for the residents and developers. We should view these developments holistically in the city as a whole. I'm very excited about next year's city-wide new zoning code and how that will shape Newton for the next 50 to 75 years. It has some good intent but needs much more work.
• Andrea Kelley*: Climate change. Environmental sustainability is connected to almost everything else: transportation, housing, traffic, schools, development. I look at every issue with an eye to how to improve the climate impact, from small everyday choices like saying no to a straw, consuming and driving less, to larger ramifications such as adopting the Citizens Climate Action Plan, getting away from fossil fuels to 100% renewables, embracing Passive House standards for new construction, smart growth development, thermal heat pumps, electric vehicles, solar and wind power.
• James Cote *: The Budget is the most pressing issue, and I will work to cut old programs and create new revenue: Everything in the city starts and ends with the budget to address the needs of the residents. Serving on the Finance Committee for the past 2 years, I've learned that revenue shortfalls are coming, and it's my goal to find revenue where we can. Examples are to increase fees on Developers that by nature of their work tie up the City Staff for extended periods, encourage commercial development, and redevelopment by researching locations, and ownership, and then showcasing our benefits, review policy of corporate donors for Parks and Recreation, and the Schools.

Ward 5:

• Andreae Downs *: Climate change—how to adapt, how to mitigate. Cities and towns control land use, and can increase incentives for more durable, more weather proof buildings. By zoning them near destinations, we can reduce the need to drive, and by working on our streets we can make alternatives more viable.
• Paul Coletti
• Deb Crossley *: As a building and environmental professional, I look at the big picture from a systems perspective and see how our planning and our failure to plan directly affects city life now and for generations to come. Right now we face an unprecedented housing crisis, which not only prevents an increasing number of families, including our children, from living in Newton, but I believe will eventually cripple our local economy as well if we allow it to continue without taking action. This is a local, regional and state problem, but to date Newton has not done its part to address the need even within its own boundaries, so that, for example, we don't have housing for seniors looking to downsize and for teachers looking to live and work in Newton.
  A solution working well in communities across the country consists of first identifying key locations that could support a higher intensity of use. Next, they create more smaller housing options clustered in mixed use developments with retail shops and other supportive goods and services. They do this where public transit already exists or where it can be accessed. Newton's unique village structure provides many opportunities that would allow this to happen.

Ward 6:

• Alicia Bowman
• Greg Schwartz*: Climate Change. I will advance policies that promote energy efficiency, renewable energy and reduction in green house gas emissions. These may include: an office to give advice and encouragement offered to residents planning renovations; special permit requirements of larger development projects to meet energy efficiency standards, such as Passive House standards and LEED Gold or Platinum certifications; requirements for commercial and large residential properties to have solar panel-ready roofs; improving and encouraging alternate transit options in the City, including bike lanes, rental bikes, and safer sidewalks.
• Victoria Danberg*: Affordable Housing. The future is coming. We need to plan for it!
  We need zoning that recognizes need for housing near public transit and villages, respects existing residential neighborhoods and encourages energy efficiency and open space. That is a tall order but it can be done. I will continue to work through the Planning Dept. and Zoning and Planning Committee (ZAP) to complete the re-write of our City zoning code, its first major revision in thirty years. Provisions of the new code will encourage housing near transit and amenities and require more energy efficient construction. I worked for and supported recent easing of hurdles to allow for easier creation of accessory apartments in existing homes and an increased inclusionary (affordable) housing requirement for larger projects. The new code will also make it less lucrative to tear down existing homes and instead encourage re-hab. New construction must mirror the size of homes in the neighborhood, unlike today's ability to build mega-homes in modest home neighborhoods.

Ward 7: (no challenge)

• Marc Laredo*: How we handle development and the issues associated with it such as transportation, traffic, parking, improvement of our streets and sidewalks, and commitment to open space.

• Becky Walker Grossman*: Climate change, and I will continue working with my colleagues to take actions on the city level to combat it. I'm hopeful we'll have an agreed-upon Climate Action Plan to guide us.

Ward 8: (no challenge)

• David Kalis*

• Rick Lipof*: Development and Zoning reform and as Vice Chair of Land Use I intend to help shepherd a new zoning code that is easily understood by all parties and work to ensure the most reasonable developments possible as our city continues to evolve.

Ward councilors (voters pick one):

Ward 1:

• Allan Ciccone,
• Maria Greenberg*

Ward 2:

• Emily Norton*: 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.
• Bryan Barash: The single most pressing issue facing our ward, and our city, is preparing for a sustainable future. We must be proactive rather than reactive, putting detailed plans in place for our transportation network, to add much-needed housing distributed fairly across Newton while preserving the city's character, and to improve our environmental sustainability. These issues are interrelated, and I want to work with other elected officials and residents to lead Newton into the future on our terms rather than letting the future happen to us.

Ward 3:

• Carolina Ventura
• Julia Malakie

Ward 4: (No challengers)

• Chris Markiewicz*

Ward 5: (Councilor John Rice is not running for re-election).

• Bill Humphrey: The most frequently mentioned issue for Ward 5 voters is the poor state of our roads, and I would seek to continue strengthening the road maintenance program but also to improve communication with the public about the schedule of road repairs.
• Rena Getz (write in): Transparency and meaningful resident participation in our local government and land use planning. I will promote and advocate for resident-led, community- based village center master planning for the three village centers in Upper Falls, the Highlands and Waban.
• Kathryn Winters: climate change. There are many things we can do at the municipal level to reduce green house gas emissions in Newton. Steps that we take in Newton can have a ripple effect as we influence other cities throughout the commonwealth and the country. The Newton Citizens Commission on Energy has released a Climate Action Plan and the City of Newton is working on its own Climate Action Plan. Both of these plans outline bold but realistic initiatives to reduce our green house gas emissions in the short and the long-term. As a City Councilor I would look to follow the roadmaps laid out in these plans.

Ward 6:

• Lisa Gordon,
• Brenda Noel*: Two years ago I would have said housing supply, and the lack of affordable housing in Newton is the most pressing issue. We are still faced with a significant housing supply shortage, specifically affordable units, so it is disingenuous to say one is more pressing than the other, but today Newton is being confronted daily with the impact of climate change. A thoughtful housing and transportation plan can directly impact climate change, positively impact traffic congestion and increase our housing supply in transit orientated locations.
  The Administration and Green Newton have both released insightful climate action plans, the Citizen's Climate Action plan from Green Newton provides a road map for how to be carbon neutral by 2050. I would support the data driven approach outlined in this plan, using the tools of zoning redesign and policy implementation to move us to increased housing density in transit orientated locations, encourage fewer car trips, and maintaining existing green space with a goal of being carbon neutral by 2050.

Ward 7: (no challengers)

• R. Lisle Baker*

Ward 8: (no challengers)

• Holly Ryan

* indicates incumbent

School Committee profiles (citywide vote, 11 candidates, 8 seats):

• Ruth Goldman - School Committee *
• Kathleen Shields - School Committee
• Bridget Ray-Canada -School Committee*
• Alex Koifman - School Committee
• Galina Rosenblit - School Committee
• Lev Agranovich - School Committee
• Emily Prenner - School Committee

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
• Got A Newton Election Related Letter To The Editor?