From Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s newsletter Friday…
I will be speaking to our community on Monday night, June 15 at 6 p.m. Join me on your computer, your smart phone or via NewTV cable television.
I will speak to some of the critical issues facing our community: racism, public safety and the role of our police, our priorities as evidenced in our City budget, the pandemic and the economic recession. Together we are facing enormous challenges; together we will move forward.
You can join me by tuning in to NewTV’s Government Channel (Comcast 9, RCN 13, 614 (HD), and Verizon 33) or on your computer or cell phone through Vimeo by clicking on https://vimeo.com/428638008
I will be speaking to our community on Monday night, June 15 at 6 p.m. Join me on your computer, your smart phone or via NewTV cable television.What do you want her to say?
That a citizens review commission be led by a Black Newton resident and be majority minority, as Councilor Krintzman urged.
That the review commission have subpoena power and address policy/protocols; scope of services and budget; and crucially, police sociology and culture (including the code of silence, patriarchy, and tolerance of white nationalism).
Anyone who’s serious about ending systemic racism and ensuring socioeconomic justice should demand the dismantling of local government across the state, or at the very least, the amalgamation of urban and suburban governments (as took place in Toronto and Montreal in the late-1990s and early-2000s).
The argument in favor of “zoning reform” currently bandied about by Newton’s peculiar brand of Starbucks- and Amazon-loving “progressives” is nothing more than feel-good tokenism intended to preserve the suburban status quo and its inherently racist institutions, while allowing a few thousand minorities to come partake of the supposed Edenic suburban lifestyle – i.e. the same old racist savior complex of the last 50 years.
Defund suburban government. Schools, police, public works, parks, and libraries should be funded and administered justly and equitably at the state level.
There’s no morally-justifiable reason why suburban communities like Newton, Needham, Wellesley, and Weston ought to be allowed to continue to fund and administer their own institutions by taxing capital that has been mostly generated in (and/or because of) the economies of Boston and Cambridge.
Moderate use of CORI Checks. People who have finished their sentences need to be able to find work, even volunteer work, if we want them reintegrated back into society.
I’m opposed to it even in the schools – do you want to be the kid whose parent can never go on a field trip? SORIs yes, CORIs no (SORI – Sexual Assault; CORI – Criminal)
Right now, there is a proposal to CORI check dog walkers in the Programs & Services Committee. Prisoners were originally given numbers in hopes that their names would not become widely known and their reputations clean after serving their time so they could start again.
Independent review of police efficiency and complaints.
If newton is found to be have instances of police brutality then recommendations needed to address and prevent.
Review incidents which do not need police presence (leaf blowers, snow sidewalk, lost pets, traffic details for construction work etc)
If they are doing an excellent job overall then they should be publically congratulated and commended.
Leaf blowers, especially gas leaf blowers, are even more hazardous for users and others during this pandemic. There’s plenty about this on the web — see https://www.quietcommunities.org, for example. If the police won’t protect us, who will?
@Nathan Phillips-
Suggest you take a look at Mass. General Laws chapter 233, section 8 regarding entities that may summons witnesses. I do not believe the panel as you have proposed would fall within the authorizing statute, but the City Council would. Perhaps you might tweak that.
I would like to hear the Mayor primarily address Newton’s fiscal health in light of the pandemic, enormous unemployment and how we are going to ensure that children receive excellent educational services in the Fall. I would like to know what contingencies there are for drastic cut backs on state aid to municipalities and how the city will address that.
And as the executive of Newton , I agree that the Mayor needs to address many of the issues highlighted by others here.
Lisap, thank you for clarifying the law on this point. The council should, through its subpoena authority, issue subpoenas for hearings sought by the commission or explain why not, if/when it chooses not to.
@Nathan – there you go. ;)
What Nathan said. Review commission led by people of color.
I would add to what Nathan said, and add that there be no increase or additional capital expenditure in F21 except to replace equipment that has failed. If the school budget, library budget, senior center budget etc. are to be cut across the board, that the Police budget also be cut across the board at the same rate. If there are targeted cuts for these other budgets, that the chief provide targeted cuts for the police at the same percentage. In addition the review commission must make initial draft recommendations to the council and public after 6-9 months for initial thoughts and a final list within 12 months. This list of actionable items must be broken down individually, to the council for debate and a vote on each item and not as a whole (which was a big issue with the charter commission recommendations I felt.
The cries of black voices and their allies have brought us to this point in history.
However, I believe that if we undertake the once in a generation (at least) process of police reform and assessment of responsibilities, that conversation needs to be as inclusive as possible. Voice for all the voiceless. Without that inclusive conversation, our work will be incomplete.
We don’t have to look far to find reasons for inclusivity. For the LGBTQ community, this June marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall riots in response to police raids. Trans people today in particular face increased rates of police violence and loss of legal protections nationally (see: https://www.lambdalegal.org/know-your-rights/article/trans-violence ).
Advocates for the homeless should be in the room. Homelessness significantly increases the likelihood of interactions with police. Police actions can have direct and immediate impact on homeless people living in our and neighboring communities.
Members of the disability and mental health communities and their advocates should be part of the discussion. Earlier this year, for instance, Justin Root was involved in a shooting with police behind Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and was later shot to death in Chestnut Hill after a vehicle chase.
I can come up with a list of other constituencies that bring their own important perspectives to the discussion: domestic violence victims, substance abuse/drug recovery experts, advocates previously incarcerated, etc. All of these individuals and viewpoints can contribute to what we want the police and our larger civil services to become. All are at risk if the police or the city fail to perform their responsibilities.
This conversation is different and separate to what can be addressed by a police review board. It will help us figure out what we’re currently doing well and where we must do better. It will give us the motivation and direction to plan restructuring and reform. As I’ve said before, in many cases this needn’t be an adversarial relationship and the police can be partner in explaining current practices.
The results of this discussion will allow us to move forward with specific implementation decisions with the hope that we have finally not left any members of our community behind.
Will the Mayor make efforts to hire more POC throughout the city? Even her inclusion director is white.
Beyond the relative low-hanging fruit of criminal justice reform and modifying police practice, how much discomfort and change will the Mayor *really*ask of Newton? And how much real change will Newton’s citizens be willing to accept?
Under Mayor Warren, we used to have an LGBTQ Liaison for the City – Holly Ryan – now – Councilor Ryan, but when she left, the position was never filled.
@Amy,
Do we know why? Is this a case of the job being left vacant on purpose? Was the job posted? Did anyone apply? In all fairness, these are the questions that should be asked. Your post, however unintentional, makes it look like this position was not filled on purpose.
@TheWholeTruth: I have no idea why. I made an email inquiry to a few Councilors because I noticed in reviewing the City’s most recent Five-Year Forecast, the following statement: ” The Fuller Administration is committed to full staffing and will not
hold back on filling open positions in order to increase the amount of Free Cash,” and I knew that particular position, seemed to disappear.
Will the mayor wear her mask at the event?
Ted, speaking for me and me only, “discomfort and change” will need to be explained thoroughly with ample evidence and discussion of tradeoffs.