We have invited all candidates running for contested seats in the upcoming Newton election to submit a guest post to Village 14. The format and content of the post is entirely up to them.
City Council candidate Bill Humphrey who is running for the ward seat in Ward 5, has submitted this video and also a transcript for those who would rather read it.
Click here for video
I’m Bill Humphrey, and I’m running for the Ward 5 Councilor seat this year because I want to make sure we are a community for everyone, that we have a councilor who represents our entire ward, and that we have a councilor who is serious about the significant policy work our City Council will undertake in the coming years.
As your next Ward Councilor for Upper Falls, Newton Highlands, and Waban, I will be not only the person who picks up your phone call or answers your email to help you solve problems, but also an activist vote on City Council. That’s why I’ve personally knocked on more than 7,000 doors this year, to hear your concerns and outline my vision for our community.
The Newton my great-great-grandmother knew – a Newton of farms, wagons, and streetcars – has long since evolved to the Newton we know today. As Newton continues to evolve as part of our region, we have an opportunity to shape that evolution to fit our values today. As a city councilor, I’ll evaluate proposals with the goal of making growth work for us.
I’m a public policy researcher, a political campaigner for candidates and for civil rights, a community activist, a fifth generation resident of Chestnut Street, and a graduate of the Newton Public Schools, where I’ve remained involved as a volunteer assistant coach for the Speech and Debate team. I understand our ward, and the issues it faces, inside and out.
We have both some of the lowest-income and wealthiest Newton residents in Ward 5. We have an affordable housing shortage that contributes to more than 4,000 Newton households struggling with monthly housing costs. We’re facing a global environmental catastrophe reflected locally in our hundreds of dangerous gas leaks. And we’re all experiencing broken roads and sidewalks that everyone wants fixed as quickly as possible.
We can have a city with safer roads and available alternatives to car travel. A city that protects its shared green spaces and the quality of its air and water. A city with affordable housing for our seniors, young adults, and families. A city that pays its employees fairly to provide high-quality services to all of us.
While there’s much we’re getting right, it’s within our power to do so much more.
The City Council is where I believe I can make a difference on these issues. It’s also where I can help out my neighbors on the day-to-day problems they run into.
I’m endorsed by Progressive Newton, Sunrise Boston, the Mass Sierra Club, the Mass Nurses Association union, Engine 6, and the Bay State Stonewall Democrats.
I’m the progressive candidate on the ballot, the environmentalist candidate, the affordable housing candidate, the union-backed candidate, and the winner of the September preliminary election.
I encourage voters to visit billhumphrey.org to read my detailed policy platform and to learn more about me, as well as to see my full endorsements list.
Many of you have known me since I was in elementary school, and I’m honored by how many of those folks continue to show confidence in my ability to both lead and represent our community. I hope those of you just getting to know me will also entrust me with your Ward 5 vote this November 5th. Together, we can start working to reach our full potential as a leading city and a community for everyone. Thank you.
