Candidate Profile 2021: Emily Heinz, Newtown Borough Councilor

NEWTOWN, PA — Emily Heinz, a production coordinator at Music Together LLC, is a Democrat running for the postion of Newtown Borough Councilor out of Ward 1.

Heinz, a longtime Newtown resident, plans to give back to her community if elected. Changes to borough infrastructure and modernization of the area will be main priorities for Heinz, as she wants to improve the area she knows so well. She is running with fellow Democrat Amy Lustig.

If elected, this would be Heinz's first elected or appointed office.

The general election will take place on Nov. 2.

Here's Heinz's profile, as filled out by the candidate:

Age (as of Election Day)

37

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

Single, 1 canine child (3-year-old Georgia)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

The University of Memphis, B.M., Music Business

Occupation

Production Coordinator, 11 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

https://leadersfornewtownboro....

Why are you seeking elective office?

As someone who grew up in Newtown Borough and graduated from Council Rock (class of 2003), I genuinely want to give back to the community that I grew up in and help ensure the safety of its residents. I'm particularly excited to bring a fresh and different perspective to council, and would like to see the borough modernize while retaining its historic relevance and charm. I also have extensive project coordinator experience, which is sure to be an asset to this project-oriented position.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Newtown Borough is facing unprecedented traffic congestion, and the current infrastructure is not conducive to vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians safely sharing the roadway. We will need to get creative within the limited space we have by making crosswalks more visible, working with the police to curb speeding, and looking for ways to incentivize non-local traffic to use the bypass.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I choose not to comment on my opponents. Early on, my running mate Amy Lustig and I, decided that we wanted to run a positive campaign that focused on what we can and want to do, not what others can't or won't do. We live in a small community, and we're all neighbors and friends, and that elicits respect even in a campaign.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I am running for an open seat.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As new people continue to move into the borough, we need to proactively engage borough residents to get more involved in creating a purposeful community. To do so, we will need to modernize our digital communication efforts and increase the frequency at which they come. We should also look for ways to designate community spaces that serve each demographic of our community equally.

Supporting the growth of our local borough businesses means making sure they're visible to a breadth of people outside of Newtown borough, township, and neighboring towns. In order to do this, the borough website needs to be modernized, and we need to start presenting ourselves via social media and advertising as a destination with great restaurants, unique shops, and welcoming people.