This press release arrived today….
Holly Ryan, a life-long Oak Hill Park resident and community leader, announced her candidacy today for the Ward 8 City Council seat to replace retiring City Councilor Cheryl Lappin.
Holly is well known for her community leadership in Newton and across Massachusetts. She has been an advocate for neighborhood concerns, human rights, equity, diversity, civic engagement and is a leader in the Democratic party. Holly was appointed as a Newton Human Rights Commissioner and she continues to serve on the Newton 9-11 Commission.
Professionally, Holly is a devoted public servant with experience working in state, county and city governments for over thirty years. Most recently, Holly served as the City of Newton’s LGBTQ+ Liaison for Mayors Ruthanne Fuller and Setti Warren. As Liaison, she worked across the City to ensure that every department and its programs, from schools to police, are accessible, responsive, and treat everyone with dignity and respect. Her previous roles include working for the Middlesex Human Services Agency and the MA Department of Public
Health.
Holly shares Councilor Lappin’s belief that Ward Councilors must be readily accessible not only to Ward 8, but all residents, who need assistance navigating city agencies and help with City issues. “My roots are in Ward 8,” Holly said, “I grew up in this community, raised my children here and we have always loved it. I want to be sure that we remain a diverse community where everyone has a voice, and residents of every age and income can live here and enjoy all that Newton has to offer.”
Holly was educated in the Newton Public Schools as were her daughter and son. Her parents were founding members of the Oak Hill Park Association. Holly officially launched her campaign with family and friends today at 2 pm in front of the Shuman Center in Oak Hill Park. Ward 8 residents Helene Stein and former School Committee Member Margie Ross Decter, have agreed to chair Holly’s campaign. Holly said, “I am overwhelmed with the support I’ve already received from so many in the Ward and the City. I look forward to meeting with as many people as possible in the weeks to come.” Holly would welcome your
reaching out to her at [email protected]
This is wonderful news!! Just made my day!!
This is great news. I have known Holly for many, many years and she is simply one of the very best and most committed public officials in Newton. She’s honest and blunt spoken in a very positive. Her word is her bond. Holly offers a courageous and miraculous life story that gives her public service a unique and compassionate sense of purpose.
This is going to be a hotly contested race. I have heard several names mentioned as possible candidates.
Excellent news! Good luck Holly!
Since zoning vote is after elections, each candidate should make their positions on high density development crystal clear…no ambiguous statements
Ie supporting diversity and all incomes levels does not necessarily mean to green light to several thousand new units mostly north of pike
Who has proposed “several thousand new units” North of the Pike?
I am so happy to hear that Holly Ryan is running, there is no more vociferous advocate for her beliefs and her community than Holly.
She is a fighter for those who need a voice, a great friend, and has an uncanny way of getting to the heart of the issue in a policy debate.
Awesome news. Go Holly! You have my support.
This is awesome news. Holly, if you need help give me a call.
This is wonderful news! Holly’s lifelong commitment to this City, coupled with her sense of duty to social justice, make her an excellent candidate. She will serve the city fairly and intelligently. Best of luck, Holly!
Does Holly support the mayor’s agenda to reform the zoning ordinances? If she does many Northside voters will be disappointed.
@HollyRyan What is your stance on the Solar projects in Newton. How would you have voted? What is your stance on Development – Pro or against Density? Do you believe we should develop around the major MBTA transportation areas of Newton Center, Newton Highlands and Waban?
Jack, I assume your question is rhetorical, as those issues really don’t matter here. We all know exactly why Holly has been anointed to succeed Councilor Lappin, which seems fine and all well and good, but it may have apparently relegated former School Committee Member Margie Ross Decter to Holly’s Campaign Manager instead of Margie running herself.
just sayin’
I don’t know why. Please do explain Jim.
Jim Epstein: since “we all know exactly why Holly has been anointed…”, could you please clearly spell that out to those of us who are not in the “know”? Thank you.
NativeN, I’ll assume your question is rhetorical as well.
Greg, it has to do with diversity and the ranking of credentials, some trump others in importance and in appearance to the community. I assume you would agree in supporting diversity of this nature.
Sorry I’m still not following you Jim.
Greg, I’ll refer you to this Boston Globe article (paragraph 5):
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/west/2017/06/07/newton-mayor-appoints-city-first-lgbtq-liaison/I6Ei0eVSuNXLRYL1kcGzvO/story.html
Hope this helps.
@Jim: Nope. Going right over my head! Perhaps you should tell us in your own words.
Greg, with all due respect, I think you’re being a bit disingenuous since I referred you, with link, to the Boston Globe article.
I’m being disengenous?
You’re the one who’s suggesting there’s an issue here but don’t have the courage to say what it is.
Greg, it’s not a matter of lack of courage. I think I’m being as clear as I can be, with reference, but not in a way to give opportunity for you potentially to ban me from the site, as you seem to be urging.
If I’m wrong on this, can you provide me a guarantee that more specifics here will not thereafter ban me from V14.
First of all Jim, none of the bloggers on Village 14, make a unilateral decision to ban someone. It involves group consensus.
Second, our commenting rules are here. If you follow the rules, you have nothing to worry about.
But if you’re saying you can’t tell us what you’re trying to say without violating the rules, then fear of being prevented from participating on this blog is not your biggest problem.
Greg, per the rules you cite there is provided considerable discretion and “subjective judgment” in V14 decision-making. So while I certainly more than respect diverse populations, as this may relate to the liberal progressive politics predominating in Newton, it may become the desired identity credential which catapults an individual atop the ‘minority’ pyramid, where the identity itself becomes the defining aspect lauded.
Seems like lots of folks on this thread have given good references and excellent reasons to vote for Holly. Jim, you are of course entitled to your own opinion, but it feels like she has a lot going for her as a candidate. As for candidate’s being anointed due to one personal characteristic, I think voters don’t think that way, but folks posting on blogs seem to think they do for some reason.
I know little to nothing about Holly. But I do know and respect the opinions of several of the folks who have posted on this thread. That’s reputation of the person being recommended.
To shrink that down to a particular trait seems unfair and rather limited, whether or not we continue this silly dance about Boston Globe links.
Jim – You make an ambiguous statement, then confuse THAT statement with more ambiguous statements. Then you expect people to know what you’re talking about. All anyone is asking is for you to state your ambiguous statements explicitly. I don’t think it’s asking too much.
Jane, where is the ambiguity since I specifically referenced paragraph 5 of the Boston Globe article, which I’ll again link:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/west/2017/06/07/newton-mayor-appoints-city-first-lgbtq-liaison/I6Ei0eVSuNXLRYL1kcGzvO/story.html
Fignewtonville, I’m not saying Holly is not deserving of your vote. She may be a very fine and able individual. What I am saying IMHO she was anointed candidate over former School Committee Member Margie Ross Decter to Succeed Councilor Lappin, as a diversity first, even trumping other forms of diversity, in the identity politics pyramid of the left.
I must have missed the anointment memo.
Greg, it would seem you should contact Councilor Lappin or Margie Ross Decter.
Let’s celebrate the diversity Holly brings without letting that shade the countless ways Holly has made Newton a better City and the unimaginable hours she dedicates to social justice.
Matthew, could you explain what you mean by “social justice” to which you say Holly has dedicated unimaginable hours?
Do you mean, for instance, retributive justice where groups who historically have enjoyed privileges others did not — say, based upon economic, racial, gender, or sexual differences — that those underprivileged groups are now owed something from the privileged groups?
Or do you mean something else?
The term “social justice” is used quite frequently nowadays, but the precise meaning, at least as intended here, is nebulous (at least to me).
Any clarification would be most appreciated.
@Jim Epstein
Unfortunately you are on a fool’s
errand in seeking a definition or clarity on the term social justice, and that is exactly how people who
bandy the term around want it to stay. Social Justice can mean anything that someone using the word as a cudgel wants it to mean- or not. It’s like chasing a shadow or solving an
unsolvable puzzle. The most effective
“Social Justice warriors” that I have met during the course of my life are the everyday joes who practice “social justice” when no one is looking, not when they are big celebrities or candidates for office. These unsung heroes are the foundation of this country and we should all have hope for the future as there are many of them, they just arent waving flags,
running their mouths or seeking publicity. They are just paying it forward and they aren’t getting college credits, awards or praise from anyone,
because they conduct their lives on private, not public stages. Some of the biggest social justice promoters were
engaged in the abuses of the “metoo”
movement, so let’s be careful about how we are picking our heroes.
The looming issues for newton are
– rezoning
– pension liabilities
– potential of another override to pay wages increases and services
Is it too much to ask how candidates plan to specifically address these issues? I want to vote on the issues and not on identity…Im sure every one who is running is a nice person and…
Paul Green and Jim:
Hmm…while I appreciate a good detour into discussions of societal shorthand phrases as much as the next guy, pretty sure I can make a case for Holly based on her service to the community and her long term residency in Oak Hill.
Even if you don’t want to support the efforts she has made on behalf of the city and her community, clearly she is a good candidate, and I’m sure we will hear a great deal about her views in the coming weeks.
Pretty sure the rest of this detour is just noise. Why don’t you wait and see what her overall views are instead of judging based on one aspect of the whole?
Paul;
You make good points. My question was to commenter Matthew B Miller, who I’m assuming is the individual on the Newton School Committee so I was asking him what he means by “social justice”. My thinking on the term “social justice” (parallel to say “criminal justice”) is a term for retribution between privileged groups and non-privileged groups.
Bugek:
Unfortunately identity politics currently is the rule of the left. Just look at the national level — e.g., the first gay male candidate somewhere for some office, the first gay female candidate somewhere, the first female black candidate somewhere, the first gay black male or female candidate somewhere, the first transgender candidate, etc. etc. In the Democrat world of progressive politics which seeks to divide among groups, those identities frequently trump issues, or, the identifies themselves are the primary issues for the voters. Just look at the focus of mainstream media ‘news’ commentators.
Holly, I’m assuming is a very fine person, but essentially her career has been advocating for “human rights, equity, diversity, etc.” to correct past “wrongs” (in her case focusing on LGBTQ+ rights), and coupled with “social justice” is retributive from the so-called privileged groups to the identified so-called underprivileged or non-privileged groups, essentially, really dividing and identifying the population among groups. Even the Newton Public Schools are now identified under the new slogan and mantra, “Social and Emotional Learning; Equity and Excellence” so that the young impressionable students, too, will become social warriors for equity — which unfortunately in history devolves to government compelled (forced at the end of a gun).
We’re certainly not there yet, but progressives left unrestrained will inevitably lead us there. So IMHO we need to be alert to these new class and group identity divisions in society and politics, both nationally AND locally.
@Bugek-
Tax increases will be a tough sell in
historically tight fisted Ward 8 that
Holly Ryan will be representing.
After overwhelmingly rejecting the last Proposition 2 1/2 override AND
the CPA tax many years ago, Ward 8 residents were rewarded by having their school infrastructure issues addressed BEFORE schools in wards where the tax had passed. In addition,
city politicians approved 5 million dollars in CPA funds for Ward 8 to purchase Angino Farm, and millions more for the purchase of Kessler woods in ward 8, a portion of which was a swatch of swamp land as a buffer. Connected politicians in city politics and ward 8 essentially used our tax dollars to reward wealthy ward 8 residents that had no interest in paying into the system.
Doesnt Social Justice encompass
shared sacrifice?
@fignewtonville-
I’m most interested in hard policy issues and how much the bill will be,
not identity distractions.
Holly looks as capable as anyone and seems like she would do a good job.
Her supporters dont seem to be much interested in the “bread and butter”,
or “kitchen table” issues that Democrats used to care about.
Many people in Newton are quite comfortable, and as such, the dollars and cents issues are boutique issues for them, and the shiny social justice stuff is of paramount importance.
I hope their focus will change
Paul, as I assume from your comments you want to keep City expenses and taxes under control, and you say you are more concerned about that then the social justice stuff, but with Holy, from what I can determine from her ENTIRE past (opening of this thread etc.) she is PRECISELY more concerned about the social justice stuff including retributive taxes that may entail — so I’m puzzled as to why you say or imply you agree with how she would do a good job. Rather, you can count on Holy for more money to schools, more denser rezoning for fairness and housing less affluent, more money for government workers and pensions, and increase property taxes as needed — along with further indoctrination of Newton students to become social warriors.
Holy, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong (here or anywhere on this thread). I’m assuming there are a significant number of readers here.
@ Paul Green – Agreed there is absolutely no appetite in Ward 8 for any kind of Override.
I believe any candidate running in Ward 8 advocating that position will loose. Ward 8 has voted historically against any Overrides. I would like to know Holly’s position on reducing the size of the City Council.
Good luck Peter et al. in getting any answer to your questions or specifics. All you’ll get (at least here) is this or a version of this (as stated above): “[Holly] has been an advocate for neighborhood concerns, human rights, equity, diversity, civic engagement and is a leader in the Democratic party.”
Secondly, good luck in defeating Holly. Her ‘credentials’, per the above, will trump any override concerns (assuming you can pin her down with an answer) — even in Ward 8.
Her ‘credentials’ will immunize her from criticism.
Jim,
I there is no other credible challenger or her voters don’t want to ask any ‘hard’ questions then she certainly deserves to win. If the voters place PC as their top priority… then that’s what they want.
@HollyRyan I’m sorry that we have such closed minded individuals here in Newton. I applaud you for running. Will you please provide your stance on some of the major issues facing our city. How do you feel about density? Especially around the major transportation hubs of the Highlands, Center and Waban
thank you in advance – jack
My definition is quite clear.
noun: social justice, justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.
Jack’s comment, above, PROVES MY POINT! By some criticizing Holly’s positions and/or identity politics as a basis for selection, there is Jack writing, “Holly…sorry that we have such closed minded individual here in Newton.” As I said above, she’s “immunized from criticism” here in Newton.
Mind you, I am more than totally accepting of any sexual orientation or biology, and am not closed minded, unless that is, opposing identity politics as a basis for support is deemed “closed minded”, trumping substantive debate on the issues.
I believe it would be accurate to say that in Newton 2019, most voters in Newton are not rejecting candidates based on color, sexual orientation, gender.
The ones who want to make this an issue and remind ppl are the far left. Voters should be educated to vote on the issues and not identities.
Anyway, look forward to a statement clarify their stances on major issues.. will vote accordingly
@Jim E-
I’m going to give Holly the benefit of the doubt until I see or hear some specifics from her. Her neighbors do not support higher taxes that’s a fact. I did notice Jack’s comment and it won’t deter me from
speaking my piece as I always have with my name attached,
not behind the cloak of anonymity as Jack does, or behind a mask as coward AntiFa members do when they are destroying property and assaulting people.
If Jack would like to come out of the shadows I would be happy to have a public debate with him(or her) about social justice and my own personal history of
supporting it, but I’m not going to hold my breath waiting. Ward 5 where I live already has a declared redistributionist candidate – Bill Humphrey -so I am quite excited to see just how big a share people are willing to cough up when the bill comes due.
@MatthewMiller-
Thank you for the clarification/definition.
As the school committee member from Ward 8, which as I said has historically overwhelmingly rejected higher taxes,
You and Holly Ryan have your work cut out for you if the economic part of your social justice definition is ever going to make the transition from words to reality. Shared sacrifice does a Ward wonders and is one of the foundations of social justice. The southern most part of Newton boasts some of the wealthiest residents in the
entire city. The next election cycle is probably as good a time as any to encourage these economic power houses to pay their fair share
I’d ask Matthew Miller, from his comment, has he considered that redistribution of wealth compelled by the government (ultimately forced at the end of a gun), which wealth was more than not earned through endeavors of talent, hard work, and personal incentive, would destroy or suppress creation of the very wealth he seeks to redistribute.
That wouldn’t expand opportunities for others, that would curtail or destroy opportunities. We don’t live in a “zero sum game” economy!
Holly can be “an advocate for neighborhood concerns, human rights, equity, diversity, civic engagement and is a leader in the Democratic party,” and a candidate for ward councilor who has opinions on local issues such as development, pension funding and tax overrides. Councilor Lappin just announced that she’s not running for reelection. I suggest we give Holly a little time to define her priorities as a candidate.
Gail, as Holly has elected to become a candidate, we should assume she ALREADY has some views on some issues, or some answer to the questions posed her above. What more time, at least for some answer(s).
“Let’s celebrate the diversity Holly brings without letting that shade the countless ways Holly has made Newton a better City and the unimaginable hours she dedicates to social justice.”
This! Glad Holly is running.