Waltham School Committee Member Planning City Council Run

Waltham School Committee member Robert Cincotta will not seek reelection to his seat but instead plans to run for an at-large City Council seat.

Cincotta, who has served on the Committee for 20 years, cited several reasons for departing it, including that he no longer has children in the school district.

“I've always believed that there should be more parents on the School Committee as opposed to professional educators. While I still fall into the parent category, I no longer have children in the school system,” Cincotta told Waltham Patch. “I'm glad that so far, it appears that all the declared candidates are parents of children in the system so it's a good time for me to let someone else take over.” 

Cincotta also said 20 years is “long enough,” and that he was proud of his accomplishments.

Cincotta, who has taken out nomination papers for an at-large council seat, said he is “quite serious” about running but is still weighing the decision.

“I have always entertained the thought of a City Council run mainly at those times when I've been frustrated with their performance. In general, it's when they get too political and let their own egos get in the way of real leadership and progress. This manifests itself in overdevelopment, inconsistent treatment of different interest groups, inappropriate levels of oversight of city departments, fiscal irresponsibility and unnecessary lawsuits against the city,” Cincotta said.

Cincotta said he planned to leave elected office immediately after his last School Committee reelection, but that, “the vacancy in the City Council's at large delegation changed that.”

Cincotta said he hopes to bring several qualities to the Council including “honesty and integrity, a non-political common sense approach,” along with private sector knowledge.

 “Assuming I move forward, I will welcome the campaign and having a dialogue with the other candidates and the citizens of Waltham and serving them for two more years in a different role than they are accustomed to seeing me,” Cincotta said.

Cincotta has until June 27 to submit at least 50 certified signatures to get on the ballot. The primary election is scheduled for Sept. 17 and the general election is scheduled for Nov. 5.