I have spent my entire professional life working in politics and government. In addition, I have had an extensive education in political science, including a masters and PhD. My background has given me both a deep understanding and practical experience in identifying problems, developing solutions, building consensus, and implementing successful policies. I know that one always needs to keep an open mind, so I will always seek the advice of all the members of our community. I understand that decisions made on one issue have wide ranging impacts on other issues, such as how decisions made on public transportation impact the environment and commercial development. Together, we must make decisions both on short-term matters and on what is in the long-term interests of our town. My time at the State House gave me valuable insights and understandings on how state laws impact local communities, especially on budgetary issues, which underlie so much of what we need to do. With that background, I will be an effective voice for Lexington when we make requests of the state and I am well positioned to work with State Representative Ciccolo and State Senators Friedman and Barrett.
If elected, I will serve with integrity and always strive to keep citizens informed. I will always be available to constituents, including by email and phone, and I will always be happy to find times to meet face to face. I want everyone to participate in our community, and I promise to help make your voices heard. Our community is strongest when everyone can be an active part of it. It is important that the Board of Selectmen reflect the wide range of interests in our town. As the parent of two young children, I can bring a voice for young families just starting out in the school system as well as for all those who, like me, have family at all stages of life in town. A great strength of our town is our public services, and I will always strive to ensure the needs of our teachers and our first responders are met, and that is why I am so proud to have earned the endorsement of our local firefighters’ union.
Taxes, Commercial Development, and a Better Town Center
One of the most common concerns I hear is that it is difficult to afford to live in Lexington, particularly for residents on fixed incomes. In my over seven years as a Research and Budget Director at the State House, I learned a great deal about how to build a budget that supports necessary programs while eliminating waste. The budget must respect the hard work taxpayers do to fund programs. Among the first questions I would always ask regarding the budget was if a program was necessary. If so, I would want to know if it was likely to produce the expected benefits, or, if it were seeking renewed funding, if it was producing the desired benefits. And we must always ask if we could achieve what we seek for less. I will not hesitate to support necessary programs, but I will always consider the impact on taxpayers before supporting any program.
I believe that we can relieve some of the tax burden from residents by increasing commercial development in a thoughtful and sustainable manner that reflects the character of our community. Lexington needs strategic economic development that will increase our commercial tax base, with developments in carefully selected locations. This will bring in additional revenue, thus allowing the town to reduce what residents are asked to pay. We additionally need to take tangible steps to improve Lexington Center, with more stores that appeal to the many interests of our residents.
Education
I am a strong supporter of education. Our world class school system is a major reason so many people choose to live in Lexington, and we must do everything we can to maintain quality. The overwhelming majority of the town’s tax dollars go towards funding education (roughly 70-75%). I support this funding priority. I want to work closely with the School Committee to ensure that our schools have everything they need to continue to give our students the world’s best education. We need to continue to support children in our special education system. We are a leader in special education, and I want that to remain the case. As a parent of a child in elementary school (Bowman) and a child in pre-school, I am able to bring a perspective to the Board of Selectman that is missing in the current make-up of the Board. It is important that the town have elected officials who have young children in the school system, and who will thus be engaged in the system for years to come.
Environment
Climate change is an accelerating problem, and every town and all our residents need to do their part in combatting it. Lexington has the resources and capability to be a leader on environmental issues. Sustainability should be at the core of our decision-making process. We can further incentives and require the use of alternative energy in new construction projects and on existing buildings. This includes working with the State to ensure that cost effective options exist for residents. All new buses and all new vehicle purchases the town makes should be 100% electric. Lexington should also offer charging stations and preferential parking spaces for electric vehicles in the town center parking lot, as well as at all town buildings and facilities (including, but not limited to, the library, Town Hall, and DPW).
Lexington should mandate that all new building projects and renovations of existing buildings meet the highest green building standards. At a minimum Lexington needs to require, whenever possible, that new construction meets LEED Gold/Platinum certification. We can even push beyond these standards. Building codes can be enacted to ensure that all buildings are net-zero in terms of energy usage on site (the building produces one unit of renewable energy for every unit of energy it uses, including offsetting any energy lost when it needs to be transmitted from offsite), as well as offsetting any emissions from energy the building uses. Lexington should be encouraging construction to consider the broader environment, as well, including incentives and requirements so that projects protect and restore the surrounding natural habitat. We must encourage water capture technology that will allow buildings to collect and use rain water, rather than drawing from the municipal water supply. The goal should be to have all new construction be not just net-zero, but net-positive to the environment.
Senior Issues
The health and well-being of older, often long-term, residents is a high priority for me. Many of our seniors are concerned about their tax burden and their ability to continue living in Lexington. That is part of why I have stressed shifting the tax burden off residents by increasing the commercial tax base. I strongly support the Senior Tax Deferral program, the Senior Service Program, and the State Senior Circuit Breaker program, which provide qualifying seniors with much needed relief. I discovered when door knocking that many seniors were unaware of these programs. We need to do a better job of making sure residents know when they are eligible for these benefits. Additionally, we must ensure there is local housing appropriate for seniors. Expanding affordable housing and the availability of rental properties to seniors within Lexington could help people who want to downsize their houses continue to live near friends, family, services, and resources with which they are familiar and comfortable. We need to make sure seniors do not become isolated in their homes without a means of transportation. I support programs such as Lexpress and LexConnect and propose expansion of these programs, as discussed above. Services such as these are essential to seniors who desire to continue enjoying active lives but do not wish to drive or cannot drive. I have parents in Lexington, and had grandparents here, and I have seen and helped with issues that affect seniors.
Diversity
The people of Lexington represent many backgrounds and cultures. This is a great strength, and I am proud to have been involved in efforts in the community to support various groups. Discrimination against one group not only harms that group and constricts its liberties, it harms us all. It is my goal to ensure that Lexington provides an environment that is welcoming to all who live here, regardless of their backgrounds. There is no easy way to make sure our LGBTQ+ neighbors and neighbors of different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds are welcome and are treated equally. One important step is for those in government to identify and discuss diversity issues and make sure that when policies are considered we get input from minority communities. I will work hard to make sure many voices are heard and that we seek the input of all of our communities on any policies that impact them, even if the impact is indirect. I will also work to encourage and support more minority candidates for town office.
I am a passionate advocate and supporter of women’s rights. We must end workplace harassment. We need to believe women when they come forward with complaints, and investigate as quickly, and thoroughly, as possible. Lexington needs to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for any employee who has engaged in harassment. In the hiring process for all town jobs we need to ensure we interview women and minority candidates. This has been shown to be an effective tool for ensuring better community representation in our jobs.
In Lexington, there is significant variation in how students of different backgrounds are treated in school, including how they are disciplined for infractions, even minor ones. I am the only candidate who has been working with concerned parents and the Association of Black Citizens of Lexington to determine what steps can be taken immediately and what follow-up is required to end discrimination and enhance opportunities for all students in our schools. The evidence is overwhelmingly clear that students of color, students in special education programs, or those from lower income households are far more likely to face discipline and receive more severe punishments. This sends a powerful message to the students about how society values them and about how society will treat them after they graduate. Evidence shows that this stricter discipline disadvantages the affected students academically, socially, and emotionally. If we are serious about improving race relations, we need to end inappropriate discipline and increase our support of students, now. Lexington has begun to address this issue, but more remains to be done. We already know several initiatives that would help. Teachers and administrators have requested greater training to ensure all students are treated equally. They understand that bias is endemic and often unconscious. There are curricula readily available, and they can be used as is or modified for our schools. Programs like “Dismantling Racism,” being used at Bowman Elementary school, teach children to value people as people, educate children on different cultures and help them celebrate what makes people different. These are advances we can implement more broadly and soon, before more students are harmed by current practices
Public Transportation and Roads
We should improve and expand the public transportation options available to our residents. This issue impacts the environment, economics, congestion, parking, access to employment, and fairness in helping people who cannot drive. Lexington has some mass transit options, including Lexpress, LexConnect (a door-to-door service for seniors and persons with disabilities that can be booked 24 hours in advance), limited MBTA routes, and a shuttle operated by the 128 Business Council. In addition, there are other companies and housing complexes that operate shuttles around town or to Alewife. These options are important, but they only provide a limited network that does not cover large portions of the town, and getting around town is challenging by mass transit.
I suggest Lexington take two steps. One step is for the town to work with private companies that operate these shuttles to create an interconnected transport system. This will be a win for everyone. It will become easier for people to get to work, there will be increased opportunities for residents to get around town and spend money at local businesses, and there will be far greater bus coverage without a large added expense for the town. Relatedly, the MBTA offers no way to get to and from Alewife on Sundays. This harms tourism and our businesses, and also makes it more difficult for all of us to get into Boston for events. We need to create a public transit option to address this problem.
The second step is for Lexington to partner with surrounding communities to develop bus lines that run between neighboring towns. It is clear that Lexington cannot rely on the state and the MBTA to provide us with reliable and extensive public transportation. There is precedent showing that regional, town sponsored, lines can work, including existing connections between neighboring communities to the Lowell Regional Transportation Authority, and the CrossTown Connect program that links Acton, Boxborough, Concord, Littleton, Maynard, Sudbury, & Westford. We could partner with our neighboring communities, such as Woburn, Arlington, Waltham, Concord, Winchester, Belmont, Bedford, and Lincoln.
By working with the private sector and with surrounding communities, we can create a bus network that will greatly expand coverage, create Sunday service, spread the cost of building and maintaining transport systems, and boost economic development. This should greatly increase ridership, which will help offset any additional costs incurred in creating this network. If successful, this network will also be a positive step for the environment.
A related major issue is the state of our roads, sidewalks, and public ways in Lexington. I will work to ensure that we maintain and improve our town infrastructure. This includes building public ways that are safe for all: drivers, bikers, and pedestrians. Lexington has become increasingly congested, and we need to explore what steps can be taken to address this, particularly given increases in development around town. We can redesign roads and intersections, and we need to think of the town roads holistically, as a network, to make sure we do not solve one problem but create another. Improved public transportation should help as well, of course, as increased public ridership will reduce the number of cars on the road.
Communication
A concern among residents is that they receive too little communication from the town government, and that it is very difficult to find information. The town website is in need of improvement and is one way in which we can reach more residents and make information more readily available. I am pleased that a new job has been created in the town government to specifically address the website, but there is more to do. We need a simple system for people to learn about events around town. We need to alert all residents to opportunities and activities in town. It is critical that we make it easier for seniors to learn about tax deferral options and other programs designed to make life easier for them. In addition, when taxes increase, it is important that the town provide citizens with information as part of the bill explaining why the rate has increased.
Comprehensive Planning
Lexington is currently working on a long-term comprehensive plan, but progress has been slow. Having a comprehensive plan is critical to ensuring that we are utilizing resources in a way that is effective, sustainable and responsible. It is difficult to prioritize projects, handle existing debt, or decide which programs need funding without a long-term plan. As a Selectman, I would work hard to get the comprehensive plan complete so that we can make the best planning and funding decisions. Completing this plan will allow the town to save taxpayer money in the near, medium, and long terms though improved allocation of resources, ensuring we gain access to state funding, and obtaining grant money.
Beyond annual expenses, numerous large capital projects are up-coming in town, including improving the police station, high school, and community center. Therefore, we need more than just a general comprehensive plan. We need a comprehensive capital expenditures plan. The Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Planning Board, Town Meeting, and Town Manager’s Office need to work together to develop a strategy for the timing of these projects and for how they will be paid. All new buildings must be built in a cost-effective manner that also ensures the buildings will be viable for the long-term.
Mental Health
My tenure of over 7 years working at the State House, where I served as Research and Budget Director for the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, has given me a unique and important perspective on this issue. The Surgeon General estimates that mental health issues affect over one in five children and a quarter to a third of all of us in a lifetime. It is deeply important to me that we ensure all residents have access to the attention and care they need. I am very pleased our town has taken this issue seriously and dedicated resources to developing assistance. We should carefully monitor how successful the programing offered by our town is, to see where adjustments need to be made. Such assessment is particularly important given that this is new programing that has not yet been evaluated. The subject of mental health in town ties closely with education, as well. Student stress is self-reported, and parent reported, to be very high. Our students deserve easy and comfortable access to counselors and we can take additional steps to relieve stress. Means have been tried elsewhere, and we can use existing programs or modify them to our needs.
I want to hear from you. Should I be selected by the voters on March 4th, I will view my role as Selectman as representing everyone in town. I need your input and thoughts now and in the future to be able to represent you effectively. Please reach out to me with any questions, suggestions, or comments you might have.
