The Newton TAB has endorsed Ruthanne Fuller for Newton’s next mayor. Read the story here.
Ruthanne Fuller endorsed by Newton TAB
by Marti Bowen | Oct 31, 2017 | Mayor's race, Newton TAB, Ruthanne Fuller | 38 comments
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Waiting for the time when I can read about Fuller without having to be reminded that she went to Harvard Business School.
Congrats to Ruthanne Fuller – So many great quotes from the TAB Endorsement but my fav are:
“Fuller was elected to what is now the City Council in 2009. Since that time, she has been a seemingly ever-present force for positive change in the city”
“Most importantly, Ruthanne Fuller is extraordinarily intelligent and thoughtful, a good listener and completely invested in making the Garden City the best it can be for all its residents.”
“She is cerebral and visionary, possesses the analytical skills required to see the whole picture and the strength to assert her will. Sometimes, for a leader, that means being able to say “no.”
“The election of Ruthanne Fuller would obviously be historic, making her the first woman to lead the city of Newton. History aside, however, she’s the best person for the job of mayor. We strongly encourage voters to choose her on Election Day “
For those who doubt that Fuller will cut expenses on the backs of the unions and even more vulnerable citizens such as special education and bilingual students and parents already struggling with high after-school sports fees, just read her own words from the Brookline Financial Advisory Committee 1993-1994 that she co-chaired:
http://www.brooklinema.gov/documentcenter/view/5597
“The Committee is commending a series of immediate and long-term steps toward that end and calls on both own and school management and labor unions to take far more seriously than they have to ate the challenge of cutting costs. Our recommendations are spelled out in full in this report. We provide a sampling here:
Immediate Actions:
– Restrict wage and salary increases to 2%
– Increase fees for after-school sports and recreational activities
– Save money in the schools through changes in physical education and adult education
Actions in One Year:
– Reduce the number of firemen
– Decrease per pupil costs in special and bilingual education
– Reorganize custodial functions, possibly privatizing parts of it
– Eliminate the box alarm system in the Fire Department
– Roll back the maximum allowable annual vacation for Town employees from five weeks to four
– Eliminate the subsidy of the Recreation Department by increasing fees
– Reduce administrative and supervision costs in the schools
I’m frankly surprised by this endorsement. But I think it is a well written summary of the case for Ruthanne as mayor. And I give Andy and his team credit, as he did not mentioned or bring into the analysis the recent debate over the ad/full time work.
I’ll say the same thing I said about the various endorsements from unions/politicians etc. Always nice to have, but doesn’t really move the needle for me.
Maria:
That is very unfair of you. That report is from 24 years ago. 24 YEARS! Completely different town, completely different crisis, and it was a report by an entire committee. You do your candidate no favors in my opinion when you make your case this way.
Lots to say about her views of Newton. Shouldn’t we all stick to that?
Also, I’m impressed you were able to dig that out and the link as well. That’s some mighty fine research. Pointless in my opinion, but impressive none the less.
@Fig, so are we just supposed to overlook a candidates history in government? Sure, the things cited were 24 years ago….but RF is looking to make these same kinds of cuts today. It’s relevant…
Dear Fignewtonville:
Yes, it is a report by an entire committee just as many of Fuller’s supposed Newton achievements are..can’t have it both ways. In addition, that “Welcome” mat so prominently displayed on one of her latest fliers, is a most egregious prevarication after she profited from Libyan dictator Gadhafi’s millions per year paid to the Monitor Group co-founded by her husband and his brother, all contemporaries at Harvard Business School like her main supporter, Steve Grossman. Monitor contracted with Gadhafi to embellish his murderous reputation even though he had eliminated all Jews from his country and finally admitted responsibility for the annihilation of 259 people over Lockerbie.
On a Harvard video, Fuller boasts that a woman can “re-invent herself like a cat with nine lives.” Her resume is certainly a start, as is her claim to be full of “visions and plans” for Newton. Well, so is any cookbook filled with visions of delectable foods and plans / recipes for their creation. But just having a cookbook does not make one a good cook; daily, hands-on managerial experience does, in which she is sorely lacking, as she is in the transparency and accountability she also promises.
Enough with these ad hominem attacks. Scott didn’t deserve them last week, and Ruthanne doesn’t deserve them now. Until recently, this election has been marked by its civility and seriousness of purpose. Let’s maintain that through the finish line.
FWIW, here’s what *voters* were talking about when I was out canvassing last weekend:
* Road quality
* Housing
* World-class schools
OK, let’s focus on the issues. Here’s one: outsourcing custodians. Why is Fuller remaining mum when asked about the issue?
TheWholeTruth:
Read Maria’s next comment. You sure you want to be supporting her position?
So I’m not supposed to vote for Ruthanne because her husband was part of Monitor? Because of Libya? The welcome mat was a provocation? Is Ruthanne’s husband up for election suddenly?
Look, Ruthanne has plenty you can criticize her for. But Libya, her husband’s career, and a 24 year old report from a different town? Are you serious? Is Maria a plant for the Fuller campaign?
Mary, Mary:
I agree with you on the custodians. Completely against the outsourcing.
I can not understand why the Tab feels compelled to endorse either candidate. Both of them support the Charter Commission recommendations which the Tab fails to support. Why doesn’t the Tab list the pros and cons for each candidate and then shut up. Let the voters draw their own conclusions about how to vote. Each voter is smart enough to make their own choice.
Ho hum. On one hand we have a candidate responsible for a shockingly out-of-touch campaign ad. On the other hand is one who donated thousands to GEORGE W. BUSH. Can I write in Bernie??
I find it really odd that they didn’t even mention Scott or share why they thought the scale tipped to Ruthanne. Even if they were going to endorse him they could at least acknowledge life long commitment of service.
– what a Halloween surprise!!
@Colleen Minaker: “Why doesn’t the Tab list the pros and cons for each candidate and then shut up?” Really? The TAB is opposed to the elimination of ward councilors, so we shouldn’t endorse for mayor? I’m trying to wrap my mind around that one. Amy Sangiolo is opposed to the charter reform, yet she is a key endorsement for Scott Lennon. Should she have just “shut up”?
That’s an even better one than when you suggested it was a conflict of interest for Rick Lipof to pose for a photo with Steve Buchbinder at the St. Paddy’s breakfast roast last year.
Fig – There are a several parts of the 1993 report that are being considered right now or may be in the coming year – outsourcing, increased fees for after-school athletics and recreational activities, increasing fees to the recreation department activities. Where does Ruthanne Fuller stand on these issues now, as they tend to hit the neediest families in the city the hardest. Has she changed her stance on the issues that remain relevant today?
As for the family business background, each voter should decide for themselves whether it’s relevant information. If it’s not for you, that’s perfectly fine but it may be for others.
I find it fascinating that RF supporters seem to go so far out of their way to sweep anything negative under the rug as if we should not even think about it.
The past history of a candidate, whether it be RF or SL is relevant. I want to know as much as I can about both of these candidates so I can make an informed decision. I want to know how what they did in the past might influence them now or in the future. A leopard does not change his spots so being able to count them makes me an educated voter.
The Tab can do what they will. All I know is that a consistent, dedicated, and experienced public servant — Scott Lennon — will be getting my support next Tuesday.
I too am surprised but happy that the Tab endorsed Ruthanne Fuller for all the reasons enumerated there. She’s a mayor for the future.
Andy, you are quite agitated about my suggestion to withdraw the Tab endorsement. So much so that you denigrated me by creating false news about my dislike of a picture you printed in the Tab of Steve and Lipof. What a pathetic response to my critique of your RuthAnne support. I simply can not vote for either candidate and believe you have done a poor job of endorsing either candidate as both are so similar in their positions that it doesn’t matter which one is voted in as mayor. Your endorsement proves nothing and I hope voters make an informed choice in spite of your stance.
@Colleen: The TAB endorsed a no vote on the charter. Do you think they should have not done that either?
Colleen,
How does the Tab endorsement keep voters from deciding for their own reasons who to vote for? Makes no sense. It’s just who they believe is best. Take it or leave it.
Endorsements do not generally include a side by side comparison or even mention the other candidate. They’re just about the candidate they are endorsing.
I am disappointed in this endorsement for a number of reasons. The first is that I support Scott, so let’s get that out of the way. The second is that the Tab is supposed to be a community newspaper, and not even mentioning Scott Lennon was not a very gracious gesture — particularly in the midst of what has become a nasty campaign season.
The following reasons are more important: The City is electing a Mayor, not hiring a consultant. Yes, Ruthanne does have some impressive credentials and sure does like to plan. However, that skill does not actually translate that well to the role of Mayor. Nor do mayors manage small teams. They actually oversee hundreds of employees, most who belong to unions. All City unions have endorsed Scott, and there is already an expression of friction between Ruthanne and the unions – this before she even takes the role.
So, while Ruthanne lacks any serious operations, budgetary or personnel management experience, Scott Lennon, in contrast, does manage government employees, sets and manages policies, and actively manages a $70 million budget and operations. You know, the stuff Mayors do.
But none of this gets mentioned. And that is neither fair or helpful to Newton residents who may actually be looking to this endorsement to help them make an informed election decision.
@Bill Brandel
There are different styles of political endorsements. As an editorial writer , I have always favored keeping it about the candidate being endorsed, rather than saying his or her opponent is “not as strong, but a worthy opponent.” I used the same style for the CC and SC endorsements.
Please also note we did not mention the controversy involving Scott’s advertisement and Ruthanne’s response. I also didn’t like the ad, but to be clear, we made the decision before last Wednesday.
I agree: Scott has been a dedicated, strong leader in this community for many years. And he is a fine person. Win or lose next week, the TAB will have quite a bit to say about him. But the endorsement was about Ruthanne Fuller.
‘trick or treat’??
you, the voter intimately gets to decide on the 7th..
Andy Levin: I started my career in journalism, so I get the drill. And as a stickler about facts, I was more bothered by Ruthanne’s press release. Thanks for your response, as I know you are on deadline.
@Andy Levin “But the endorsement was about Ruthanne Fuller.”
and yet other than the assessment that she is “cerebral” and I’ll grant he is not (and that is a good thing to me), and she went to Ivy League schools and he didn’t, it is completely unclear why Ruthanne.
Harry, you certainly are “genuine.”
@Buf, Fuller’s donations don’t stop at Bush. She donated to a PAC that supported the likes of Bachmann and Santorum, two people with ideals I don’t want anywhere near Newton. Why this isn’t bigger news for a so-called staunch Democrat is a bit absurd. Don’t say one thing and then do another – actions speak louder than words
I am not sure what to say. Something good and energizing happened for Ruthanne and her supporters. I can certainly understand that Scott and his supporters are disappointed. However , I think that Scott’s supporters should be making the case for why he should be mayor. Except for a few, that is not what I am reading. What I see is those who do not support Ruthanne whether they support Scott or not are taking this opportunity to tear Ruthanne down.
If the tables were turned, how would Scott’s supporters feel if Ruthanne’s supporters were to take the same approach. As one of her supporters, I would be disappointed if they did and I would spend my time building up my candidate rather than tearing down the opponent . That is what Newtonians do in our welcoming and inclusive community.
As the campaign comes to a close in one week, I will be looking to our new mayor to take a high-profile leadership position and make every effort to unite this community. To that end, I do hope all who are posting and reading V14 will join our new mayor in his/her efforts to bring us together. If we do not do this , it will be very difficult for him/her to achieve what the city needs to do.
Are you all with me on this? I hope so!
What Marcia said. Typically as an election comes to a close, campaigns like to focus on the positives.
I think some chickens are being counted before they are hatched. Endorsements are not votes and no votes have been cast yet. This election will be won, one vote at a time.
Come on, Claire. Marcia said, “ To that end, I do hope all who are posting and reading V14 will join our new mayor in his/her efforts to bring us together. If we do not do this , it will be very difficult for him/her to achieve what the city needs to do.” Hows that “counting chickens?” A week from now, we’ll need to unite or this City will suffer.
Glad to see Ruthanne get the Tab endorsement. She has the vision, intellect and leadership qualities to be a great mayor. I would encourage all of you to read the questionnaires submitted to Progressive Newton. I do believe the depth of her answers make her standout against Scott.
Our city like others will be disrupted by technology, electric vehicles and renewables. I believe Ruthanne understands these trends more deeply and she will better prepare us as a community to leverage these trends.
Scott is a fine public servant, but he is an auditor at heart. Way too catious to be an executive. Additionally, I view it as a negative that he has not lived outside of the city. I think living in different cities gives you new perspectives and demonstrates curiousity.
I am extremely saddened by the lack of judgment with the Newton Tab, thankfully their endorsement pales compared to the Endorsement of SCOTT LENNON by the Newton Teachers Association, The Newton Fire Fighters Association, The Newton Police Association, Newton Municipal Employees Association, Newton Public School Custodians Association, Greater Boston Labor Council, Peter Koutoujian, John Lawn, Cheryl Lappin, Amy Sangiolo, John Rice, Rick Lipof, David Kalis, Jay Harney, Lenny Gentile, Jay Ciccone, etc etc…
How can the Tab endorse Gail Spector when she worked for them. Her credentials for school committee do not even compare to that of Matthew Miller. This is completely shocking.
Let’s talk issues.
There are three critical issues that are in the purview of our next mayor to address in his or her role as mayor and differentiate Ruthanne Fuller from Scott Lennon: outsourcing custodial work, providing employee health insurance, and working with and supporting the people who work for Newton through collaboration with their unions. The NTA trusts Scott on these issues because he takes truly progressive positions on them. And these local issues reverberate on a national scale.
It is morally wrong for a community with the tremendous wealth of Newton to outsource custodial work. How dare we think of ourselves as progressives and then eliminate ninety decent paying middle class jobs right here in Newton? How dare we become indignant at the divisiveness, partisanship, and declining civility in the rest of the nation, and then calmly consider policies that create those same economic conditions right here at home?
And how dare Ruthanne Fuller calmly say she will keep this on the table or study it or whatever evasive nonsense she says when it has been an ongoing battle for four years? That’s right: for four years, ninety men and women have had no contract, no raise, and they have lived with constant fear of job loss.
If she still doesn’t know where she stands on this critical issue, then I would ask her, Ruthanne, what rock have you been hiding under? There is no new information to be had. What we need is leadership.
It is morally wrong for Ruthanne to state in public debate that we need to keep consideration of the Government Insurance Commission health insurance on the table. On one level, her statement is just a distortion of the facts. The GIC has been considered every year by the Warren administration, and every year it has proven itself inferior to our current health insurance plans in just about every way. Scott Lennon said exactly that.
And let’s just be clear about this: the Government Insurance Commission (GIC) is a failing institution, and every year it gets worse. This year, things have gotten so bad that it has had to close its most popular plans to new members. The plans that remain that Newton employees could join are either very expensive plans, or limit provider networks so much that most employees in Newton would be forced to change doctors.
The premiums of these former plans cost more than the plans most Newton employees now use. Oh, that sounds like a good idea. Have Newton join an insurance provider where many if not most of its employees would choose health insurance plans that have higher premiums than the plans we now offer, and out-of-pocket expenses that are triple or quadruple. Sounds like a good option to me!
Come on!
There are multiple advantages to being self-insured, and Ruthanne knows this. Or maybe she doesn’t. If she doesn’t, then she is simply incompetent. I believe she does, so what is really going on here is that she is pretending to be “fiscally serious.” To be “tough.” In other words, she is pandering. We do not need a mayor who demonstrates the same callousness and willingness to play loose and ready with the facts that we see in our national dialogues on health care.
Oh, and, Ted Hess-Mahan, please don’t casually let it drop that you are in the GIC and it works fine for you. First of all, the plan you are in is probably no longer accepting new members. Check your facts. Moreover, even if it were, it may be fine for you, but is it fine for a teacher aide who has three children and earns $25,000 per year? You might be able to take $10,000 out of your pocket for a catastrophic illness, but she can’t. And what about our firefighters, whose risk of cancer is going through the roof? Really? There are times when stating things casually is just plain cavalier.
We trust Scott Lennon. But here’s the thing. I am under no illusion that negotiations with him are going to be easy. He is a smart, conscientious person, and I know he will take very seriously his fiduciary responsibility to this city and its citizens. As a negotiator, I expect that. The Newton Teachers Association is a responsible partner with the School Committee, school administration, and the Mayor’s office. We’re straight shooters. We understand fiscal constraints. We care deeply about this city and its schools. We are proud to work in Newton, and have a vested interest in the schools’ continued excellence.
What we cannot countenance is negotiating with a Republican in Democrat’s clothing. We expect transparency. We expect honesty.
And that is why, when I hear contributors to Village 14 getting themselves tied up in knots about a vote on sending a letter calling for the impeachment of Trump, I am flabbergasted. This is the issue that defines Ruthanne Fuller and Scott Lennon? Really?!
I happen to disagree with Scott Lennon’s position, and agree with Ruthanne’s. But I respect the reasons Scott has given for his position. And I don’t trust Ruthanne’s position because it strikes me–surprise–as political pandering.
I would trust her more if there were a history there. But Ruthanne Fuller donated $15,000 to the Republican National Party and to a Republican PAC just over ten years ago–the party of George Bush and Newt Gingrich. The party of Ronald Reagan. The party of the “southern strategy.” She donated to George Bush. She donated to both Mitt Romney and John McCain against Barack Obama!
She has given real money–money none of my members could afford to give–to a cause and a party that has led us, step by step, to Donald Trump.
I do not want symbolic gestures. I want a mayor who will do what’s right for the city of Newton. Who will be honest and transparent, whose motives I can trust.
The TAB can do what it wants. I’m proud of the Newton Teachers Association endorsement of Scott Lennon. On the scoreboard of honesty and transparency, compassion and care, on progressivism, Ruthanne Fuller strikes out.
Scott Lennon hits a home run. Tuesday, November 7. That’s my forecast.