Newton City Councilor Alison Leary has announced plans to run for state rep for the 10th Middlesex district seat held by Rep. John Lawn.Only a small sliver of the district is in Newton, most of it is in Watertown and Waltham.

Here’s an email she sent to supporters. 

Dear Friends and supporters,

It is with a great deal of excitement and anticipation that I announce my candidacy for State Representative for the 10th Middlesex district which includes parts of Newton, Waltham and Watertown. I believe that I can be an effective voice on Beacon Hill and I am committed to being part of the solution to some very difficult problems. 

My priorities include:

Address the Climate Crises: At my core, I am an environmentalist and I recognize how important it is that we continue push our goals around climate and sustainability issues. Scientific evidence is overwhelming that the current rates of greenhouse gas emissions are leading to a rapidly warming planet that if not immediately addressed will have profound negative impacts.  The Commonwealth needs to do more to support local communities who have been leading the way. Newton, Watertown and Waltham all have put together climate action plans that set targets over a 30 year time frame in order to become carbon neutral by mid-century. But we need more support from the Commonwealth on transportation, building codes and carbon pricing to ensure success. 

We must hold the utilities accountable for repairing leaky gas pipes to reduce this major source of methane pollution. I oppose efforts to expand gas pipelines and will advocate and support policies that wean us off fossil fuels altogether. I will prioritize State efforts to work with local communities to prepare for and adapt to the effects of climate change. Climate must be considered in everything we do because it is the most pressing issue we face. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to lead on this issue and be successful meeting all milestones.

Improve Public Transportation Services: Our communities are suffering from some of the worst traffic and congestion in the country. We must invest and modernize our public transit system. Without adequate or reliable transit services we force more people into their cars and this has a stranglehold on our ability to grow and thrive. Traffic congestion is choking economic growth, stunting productivity and adding significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and air and water pollution. Yet House leadership has not been able to move forward with a transportation funding plan that was supposed to happen before the end of 2019. I support new revenues dedicated to transportation funding to build a reliable, dependable and affordable public transit system that serves all users.

Meet Our Housing Needs: I support expanding housing opportunities for all.  We desperately need more housing to provide for our more vulnerable residents as well as young families who are being priced out of our neighborhoods and for employees who work in or around our communities and contribute to our region’s economic growth. I put a priority on denser, age friendly housing near transit and amenities and improving safety and walkability as part of the development. I support the Governor’s Housing choice bill which is a collaboration between the Commonwealth and our communities that will enable the adoption of certain zoning best practices related to housing development by a simple majority vote, rather than the current two-thirds supermajority.

Advocate for Accountability and Transparency on Beacon Hill: Massachusetts is unique in that no other state in the nation exempts all three branches of government from the open meeting law.  Recently, a special commission on public records dissolved after unsuccessful attempts to expand public records law. There must be some middle ground that allows more transparency and citizen engagement.  A healthy democracy depends on it.

Your financial help is critical to my success. A contribution in any amount before the end of the year will go a long way to ensuring the success of my campaign.  Please make a contribution via my secure website:

 http://www.alisonleary.com/donate.html

Thank you for your help.

Warm regards and best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year!

Alison Leary