This arrived via email from Marcia Johnson..
Marcia Johnson, Alderman at Large from Ward 2, announced today that she will be running for re-election this November. “Newton needs experienced leadership on the Board of Aldermen if we’re going to meet the serious challenges we face in city finances, housing, zoning and infrastructure,” Johnson said. “Board members need to work together to develop solutions that reflect the Newton community’s shared values,” she added. Making good policy decisions based on sound judgement and practical experience is important, Johnson said, “but it is also critical that we treat each other with respect in the process of doing the city’s business.” Johnson is convinced that the tone and tenor of public discussion is a key element in successful board work.
Johnson stated that one of her primary reasons for running is bringing her unique skills and experience to the Board of Aldermen.. “My professional experience working in the private sector has really helped me be more effective on the Board,” Johnson said. “As a senior director of human resources at a global bio-pharma outsourcing company, I work with people in many different countries across multiple continents. We have to bridge different time zones, cultures, geography and numerous other challenges, but at the end of the day we work together as a team and get the job done,” she said.
Alderman Johnson is currently chair of the Zoning and Planning Committee on the Board. She has been relentlessly driving the process of zoning reform, which she says is critical to the city’s future. “We like to think of Newton as 13 villages, but the reality is we are a major city covering 18 square miles, with 85,000 residents,” she pointed out. “Doing zoning reform in a way that respects the character of the villages is vastly more complicated than it is in some smaller cities nearby,” she added. Johnson said that the first phase of Newton’s zoning reform is almost complete, with Phase 2 set to begin soon.
Community Leaders Voice Their Support for Johnson
Newton resident Steve Grossman, a former gubernatorial candidate and state treasurer who now serves as CEO of the nationally known non-profit Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, said “I offer Marcia my unwavering support because of her unique business experience, sustained Board leadership and her collegial approach to problem-solving to benefit the people of Newton.”
Newton Mayor Setti Warren noted Johnson’s dedication to the community. “I’ve learned to value Marcia as a friend and colleague because she is always totally honest and direct with me, even when what she has to say may not be the answer you think you want to hear. I trust her judgement because her commitment to doing what’s best for the Newton community is uncompromising.”
Kay Khan represents half of Newton in the state legislature, including the villages of Newton Lower Falls, Auburndale, West Newton, Newtonville, Newton Corner, and parts of Newton Center. “As state representative for the 11th Middlesex District, I truly value my relationship with Alderman Marcia Johnson, we have a long history of working collaboratively on a multitude of issues that benefit the City of Newton,” she said. “Marcia is thoughtful, intelligent, hard working, courageous, always accessible and deeply committed to getting the work done that positively impacts our community. Her experience and voice on the Board of Aldermen is extremely valuable,” Khan added.
Scott Lennon, Ward 1 Alderman at Large and President of the Board of Aldermen, said “I am honored to be supporting Marcia in her re-election campaign. She is one of the hardest working members of the Board. During my six years as President, I’ve depended on her steady leadership and guidance on a variety of issues as Chair of the Zoning and Planning Committee. I look forward to Marcia continuing her work on the new City Council,” said Lennon.
Matt Hills, chair of the Newton School Committee, praised Johnson’s work saying, “Marcia has been an invaluable member of the Board of Aldermen, combining a strong business background with an ability to work closely with colleagues to shape key city policies. She has been a strong supporter of our schools, and I am looking forward to Marcia’s continuing leadership of our city,” he added.
Candidates will be taking out nomination papers beginning May 1, and the 2015 municipal elections are scheduled for Tuesday, November 3rd, when all 24 seats on the Board of Aldermen and 8 slots on the School Committee will be decided.
Picking up on the Mayor’s comments, I’ve always valued Marcia’s willingness to speak her mind. While always being professional, and focused on working in a cooperative fashion, she still is able to avoid the “go along to get along” mentality.
Even where i might not agree with Marcia’s stance on a particular issue, she is unfailingly good at thoughtfully explaining what’s behind her decisions.
I’m happy to see she is willing to seek another term of office as alderman/councilor.
However, I’m also encouraged that there are other newcomers showing interest in seeking office. I’d love to see that happening all over the 8 wards.
Nonetheless, in the ward 2 aldermanic race, I fully support Marcia Johnson for another term of office.
So far, Ward 2 can’t lose. Great candidates. It will be interesting.
@Dan
Do you already have enough information on the other candidates that you’re able to support Marcia instead of them based on an informed opinion?
I’m sure most folks have their own approach when it comes to candidates.
My own starts with “am I uncomfortable with or even mixed about an incumbent?” If yes then I’d look quite carefully at newcomers.
In this case, I am quite comfortable with Marcia’s performance as an alderman, as indicated in my prior post.
Believe me, i’ve had plenty of Newton races where that wasn’t true, and where i devoted quite a bit of time doing my due diligence.
That’s just me; you and others may have a different approach, and that’s fine.
That’s a pretty strong incumbent bias, Dan.
That’s quite a juxtaposition with your stated interest in seeing candidates enter other wards. Perhaps having an open mind to all candidates, and others doing the same, would encourage more people to run.
May 1st is this Friday for those incumbents not running, please make your decisions public now so others can run. It will be great to see all seats contested.
Dan, you’re wrong about Marcia Johnson. Marcia Johnson may give lip service to “meeting the serious challenges we face in city finances” but the reality is that her record on fiscal stewardship is that of a go-along-to-get-along left-wing Democrat.
Marcia Johnson has been a reliable rubber stamp for the Mayor’s budget since she was first elected and she has dutifully supported all three overrides in that time period.
But I think that Bill Heck said it best when he said that “Voters without memories breed politicians without shame.” I think I figured out why Greg Reibman doesn’t like it when I point out the voting record of Newton politicians and political activists. He doesn’t like that I try to expose the failures of fiscal stewardship and lack of good governance in this city because it means that I’m pointing out, and calling out the failures of his friends.
@Paul, I see it as having a bias in favor of strong incumbents. I plead guilty to that.
But where i haven’t felt that way about incumbents, and that has many times been the case, I have aggressively supported challengers.
I do think that many voters, particularly for local elections, vote pretty blindly. I don’t, but I save my due diligence for where i think it’s appropriate.
But that’s me; you are entitled to your own approach.
By the way, Newton doesn’t make things easy. With a minimum of 32 incumbents running every two years [33 in mayoral years] , and at least some challengers running each time, that is a lot of due diligence for each and every race. I say “pick one’s spots.”
good thoughts, Dan. Thanks for clarifying.
Dan,
I think what others are asking is if you think we can do better than Marcia. If we can do better, then you’re not giving challengers a chance and you’re weakening city government.
BY the way, this is an at-large bid, so voters get 2 votes.
AND, as far as 32 elected officials, I am sure that charter reform will examine the possibility of staggered elections.
@Tom – …as well as the sheer number of positions, and what those elected officials’ roles and responsibilities are. (Thanks for your efforts to get signatures, by the way)
Tom, regarding your first post “Ward 2 can’t lose. Great candidates. It will be interesting”, so far I haven’t seen anything special out of the four putative candidates for Ward 2 AAL.
I vote based on the incumbent’s voting record, and what they and the challengers, if any, want to do or not do, and where they want to take the city.
I only vote in uncontested races if I affirmatively like the incumbent.
I bullet vote if I really only care if one candidate wins.
I don’t care who endorsed a candidate, and some endorsements, or too many endorsements, may discourage me from voting for a candidate. The School Committee, in particular, seems to have a pattern of endorsing each other, wanting no dissension, and then we end up with consensus on something like violating the Open Meeting Law.
Chris,
Thanks for your appreciation. Truly, the League deserves 90% of the credit for picking the drive up, especially Rhanna Kidwell for leading such a difficult signature drive. Chris, I appreciate that you stayed active after last election. Keep pushin’.
Josh,
Everyone brings something different to the table. You might not like it, but thats why they play the game.
Marcia brings institutional knowledge, according to others she is a hard worker.
Susan also brings institutional knowledge, she seems to care about the environment and aninmals in particular (her drive for dog parks was noted by many).
Jake seems to have government education (including policy) he seems to have discipline being in the armed forces. Probably will bring in new ideas.
Lynne from what people tell me she’s a hard worker, she brings in knowledge regarding the schools, she seems to be s fiscally responsible person.
Just my preliminary take on the candidates, everyone brings something. I’m sure there’s more to each candidate, so please don’t be offended if I didn’t analyze the campaign as well as I should have. For instance, I am sure everyone is going to say they are fiscally responsible and care about the environment, but I am writing this based on what little I see. As many know, I am getting out of the government business:).
Whether these qualities are what you are looking for is another story.
“We like to think of Newton as 13 villages, but the reality is we are a major city covering 18 square miles, with 85,000 residents,”
This is an interesting phrasing. The quote that follows it is :
“Doing zoning reform in a way that respects the character of the villages is vastly more complicated than it is in some smaller cities nearby,”
Both are very well constructed. However, neither appear to prioritize the value of the the 13 villages. The second statement only mentions complexity. It says nothing that would indicate that respecting a village’s character is, in fact, an actual priority.
I look forward to all the candidates providing clarity. The future of this city is too important to hide behind ambiguity.
@Charlie
Bravo. I have been wondering the same thing about ambiguity.
One would expect incumbent aldermen to have a position.
At this stage I think its ok for challengers to be a little ambiguous until they find the lay of the land.
That said I have attended a number of Zoning And Planning meetings, and our planning department project an optimistic approach whereas all the Aldermen expect complexity (especially when it suits them)!
Tom, unfortunately, I haven’t heard anything from these candidates as to how they will address Newton’s $1.12 Billion Borrowing Blob.
http://newton.wickedlocal.com/article/20150425/OPINION/150427572/-1/json