Village14 received the following email this afternoon from City Council candidate Allison Sharma:
Newton, MA, August 15, 2017
My name is Allison Sharma I’m pleased to announce that I’m running as a write-in/sticker candidate for the Ward 4 Ward Councilor seat in Newton.
I’m a 17-year resident of Auburndale and have loved living here and raising my children here. I served on the Burr School PTO board and am an active member in the United Parish of Auburndale, having served on and chaired several boards and the Parish Council. I am currently serving as a collection point for humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees, an activity through which I have engaged with residents from Ward 4 and across the city to help ease the suffering in what is arguably the biggest humanitarian crisis of our time. I care and I get involved.
Professionally, I’m an enterprise systems consultant. In layman’s terms, I’m a listener and a solver of complex problems. I listen to my clients’ issues and concerns, and work with them collaboratively to find solutions within an often complex and interdependent web of systems.
When Jay Harney announced recently that he was unable to run for reelection due to personal reasons, many in the community were concerned about the lack of a robust and transparent campaign to fill that seat. It appeared that Jay’s successor was predestined. I shared those concerns and felt compelled to do something about it. The voters in Ward 4 deserve a choice, and I think I can offer them an excellent one.
I love Newton because it is welcoming, diverse and vibrant. If I’m fortunate enough to be elected as Ward 4 City Councilor, my goal will be to retain and enhance these wonderful qualities in our city.
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For more information: www.facebook.com/allisonforward4/
Wow. I wish I could vote in Ward 4.
Allison is a great candidate. Super involved and engaged. Very glad she is stepping forward to run.
I met Allison the other day at a protest against hate. What a fantastic person!
Eli Katzoff,
Mayoral Candidate
“In theory, any sticker candidate faces steep odds, but this is a ward race, after all, meaning only four precincts will vote. In reality, we could end up with a close contest in Ward 4, albeit one with an uneven starting block.” Harney and Markiewicz, Newton TAB editorial by Andy Levin, 8/16/17.
I’d be interested to know what new charter supporters thought about this opinion, bearing in mind the rules on when a candidate can withdraw from a race will not be changed with the new charter.
Chris Markiewicz is a proven successful leader in Auburndale and has relevant experience as an elected member of Brookline town meeting. He is very smart, presents data clearly and fairly and brings people together to create positive solutions. This is the type of councilor Ward 4 needs and I think he will make an exceptional representative for us at City Hall. He has my enthusiastic vote!
Why not hold a discussion with both candidates, perhaps at the Auburndale Library, so Ward 4 residents can meet them and hear why each thinks they’d be the better candidate?
@Lauren Berman – absolutely, I look forward to being able to participate in something like that this fall.
I love the idea of a Ward 4 candidate forum!