10 Questions For Johanna Hampton-Dance, 2023 Worcester Council Candidate

WORCESTER, MA — For the first time in years, every single city council election in Worcester this year is competitive, meaning every incumbent (or multiple incumbents in the case of the at-large race) is facing a challenger in 2023.

Voters in Worcester will go to the polls Nov. 7 to elect the next slate of councilors for the coming two-year term. To help voters make their decisions, Worcester Patch sent 10 questions to each candidate running for city council this year, including both incumbents and challengers. We'll publish them ahead of Election Day as candidates return them.

At-large candidate Johanna Hampton-Dance is running in her second city council race in 2023. She previously ran for the District 2 seat in 2021, and has since joined the board of the city's new Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Here's how she answered:

What is the main job of a city councilor in Worcester?

The main job of a city councilor is to advocate for the people and the needs that are being expressed across the board. Prioritizing budgetary needs by listening and implementing the will of the people in the most inclusive and sensical manner.

The council in 2022 began a national search for a new city manager, but then stopped to hire Eric Batista. What are your thoughts on the city manager hiring process both recently and in general?

My thoughts on the hiring process for city manager can be very tricky, I feel that we should be looking in our own backyard for talented individuals. We should have enough faith in our educational system to believe that we have an abundance of qualified folks right here in our city to hold an equitable hiring process. As well as the ability to come together as a community to lend support to one another with guidance on how to manage a city that many of us have spent a lifetime growing up in.

If you could pick three goals for Batista to work toward in the coming council term, what would they be?

Three goals I would like to see the City Manager Eric Batista work towards in the coming term would be (1) Housing and finding new innovative, creative ways to not only help the unhoused population, but homeowners, and those middle class blue collar families living paycheck to paycheck. Residential taxes are weighing heavy on many of our residents during an already strained economic time. (2) Safer streets has been a hot button topic over the summer months, I would like to see a plan come to the table for safer bike lanes with the installation of retaining walls or bumpers to protect riders as we move forward into a net zero phase in our city, safer walkable pathways, such as side walks in places that have none will help with walkability in the coming winter months. Increased speed limit signage throughout our city and safety lights for those who are walking. We can't claim to be a walkable city if our streets are not safe to do so. (3) Implementing a new trash program that will require all main city streets and green spaces to be lined with receptacles for recycling, trash, and compost. While looking into and providing a new contract with a waste removal company that will provide effective and efficient services at affordable rates.

This summer, Batista told councilors he was declining to act on an order they voted affirmatively on (crisis pregnancy centers). Do you think that’s an appropriate response, why or why not?

I do feel that Eric Batista not acting on the crisis pregnancy centers deceptive practices and fraudulent languages used for advertisement, is very inappropriate. It sends a message that the women of this city and others that may come here seeking help are not valued. It speaks loudly to profit over people, especially the BIPOC, Immigrant, and disabled communities that often suffer from lack of health care and proper resources. It says we must protect the interest of the business, and not the people. It should never be like that, the best interest and well-being of people must always come first.

Some city council subcommittees meet infrequently, sometimes only a few times a year. Do you think subcommittees should have a fixed schedule so they have a minimum number of meetings per year?

Although I do feel there should be scheduled meetings for subcommittees, it's hard to speak on the frequency it should be held. As a sitting member of the Affordable Board of Housing Trustees, we meet quite often. Sometimes it takes rearranging your personal schedule to be present, and this is on your own time, meaning these positions are not paid. It's a labor of love a lot of times, and really depends on whether there are actual items on the agenda for that committee as well.

Serious allegations about the conduct of the former police chief were recently made public in news reports. Do you think councilors should have an oversight role when serious allegations are made against city employees?

I feel very strongly that councilor's should have an oversight role when it comes to serious allegations made against city employees. We as a city (residents/taxpayers) have paid out millions in litigation due to lack of oversight. To take it one step further I still strongly agree with putting a citizen review board with subpoena powers in place. I still feel that we need top to bottom reform within our police department, as well as a stronger approach with community policing.

Homelessness is on the rise in Worcester. The city has pursued a policy of sweeping camps, and we’re heading into the cold weather season with a shortage of temporary shelter beds. What should Worcester do about this issue in the short and long term?

While the winter season is quickly approaching, the city should be looking into all agencies available to revamp the capacity, as well as speaking to some of the churches to provide more shelter to those in need when the weather is unbearable. In the long term we should be putting ARPA funding to use to build as many supportive housing units as possible. Looking into some of the old buildings not being used, changing zoning, and renovating some of these spaces would put us on a faster track to creating units to house those in need.

Councilors can use personal privilege to hold items before a meeting, delaying action for a week or longer. Do you think councilors should disclose why they’re holding items before doing so, why or why not?

I feel if a Councilor is going to hold an item they should disclose the reason for the ask. Disclosure shows the ability and willingness to be transparent and offers up a logical explanation if one exists to answer the question of why the ask to hold was placed. Keeping the people informed and armed with the knowledge plays a huge role in being a representative of the people and the people deserve to be kept in the loop every step of the way.

There are many large, blighted parcels around Worcester, with the former Big D supermarket perhaps the most recognizable. Would you support a new tax on blighted parcels to ensure property owners don’t let them sit for long periods?

When it comes to blighted parcels in our city, I am in full support of a new tax being implemented on the property owners. I support this idea because not only do most of the owners not reside in our city but they refuse to sell or turn the blighted parcel over to the city. If the structure is going to take up space and become an eyesore then yes you must pay. We can not afford to become a storage for blighted parcel owners, they need to either sell or allow the city to take ownership.

What’s one thing you think you want to achieve as a city councilor if elected?

The one thing I want to achieve when elected to city council would be to move our city forward while keeping our residents here.