I found the election results really interesting. My very unscientific analysis showed Barash and Ranalli winning the “sign war”, yet the actual results went the other way.
But what does it all mean?
Will there be any shift in the City Council and does this suggest another change in the City Council Presidency at year end after November’s election? Will the addition of Lucas and Oliver alter the balance on Development issues, things like that?
What does it mean for the Mayoral election? Does this result make it more or less likely that Mayor Fuller may get an opponent?
Many of our V14 readers are closer to all of this than I am. My personal sense is that this isn’t the result our Mayor would have hoped for, and that it enhances the likelihood of someone seeing that and sensing an opportunity to challenge her.
What do our V14 pundits think?
I hope this election is a sign of a sea change to come in November. Here’s why:
I was blissfully ignorant about what was happening in the city council until I started attending city council meetings a few years ago. I did not like what I saw. My theory is that because of the pandemic, more residents are now watching city council and school committee meetings on Zoom and they don’t like what they see either.
I think it clearly shows that the voters of Newton want moderation in their elected officials.
It also highlights that Mayor Fuller if challenged for re-election by a strong opponent will face a competitive race.
Both Lucas and Oliver had strong wins running as pragmatic moderates.
Perhaps the pandemic made families realize how much their single family home helped them get through the pandemic (yard, rooms for kids zoom, parents working at home) and the relatively low density (they could still enjoy quiet walk around the neighborhood)
Yes, many people enjoy the suburban single family home lifestyle and…. are not racist.
The election showed that there are more voices wanting to be heard that are far more moderate than the extreme left that has done nothing but follow their own agenda, and ignored the voices of their constituents. You all thought this was the “final flourish” of the Save Nonantum PAC? Think again. We are not going away and will.make our voices heard many more times.
Another question:
What will it mean to Susan Albright’s position as president of the City Council? She probably just lost a vote. November elections will be interesting on so many levels.
Less than eight months until the next municipal election. Things could turn around in a New York minute.
Yesterday’s margins and the chatter leading up to it, shows that Newton is ripe for a change in leadership – both in composition and voices – across the board.
The initial comments above support that as well.
Should be an interesting Summer and Fall. #Change4Newton
Nominating papers come out May 3rd and will be due in July with signatures.
(as far as I can tell)
I think we should be cautious about reading too much into a special election in which only 23% of eligible voters voted. I found myself wondering how things could have gone differently if these races had played out in November.
In addition to Tarik Lucas and John Oliver, other clear winners in this election were Marc Laredo and Emily Norton who were very actively and publicly involved in both of these elections and the candidates they supported came out on top with sizeable margins.
It will be very interesting to see whether this coalition (Laredo, Norton, Lucas, Oliver, Save Nonantum, Right-Size Newton …) fields a mayoral candidate in the coming election.
Let’s not ignore that Bryan has alienated many people over the years. I think there are many people who are not in agreement with the Nonantum PAC and were voting against Bryan more than they were for the other candidates.
I’m hesitant to read too much into November based on yesterday’s results, although they were certainly unexpected both in turnout and the margins. Barash and Ranalli were polarizing candidates compared to Lucas and Oliver, and given that it was a special election I feel the turnout was skewed towards the base that felt like they had the most to loose. Think this was more about the individual candidates than a shift in broader ideology.
A few observations: Amy Sangiolo would be a strong candidate for Mayor if she gets in. I believe Mayor Fuller will move toward the center after reviewing yesterday’s election results. Governing from the center is a winning formula (think Charlie Baker). I think there will be many competitive races for the City Council and School Committee this fall. Change is in the air.
@ Peter Karg – how do you mean that Fuller will move towards the center? Where do you see her now? How would you define left, center and right in Newton?
I agree with Jerry Reilly’s comment about Marc Laredo and Emily Norton being winners. Their candidates won with their proactive help.
I’m always cautious about extrapolating my own situation to others, but I think Bruce is onto something. Pre-pandemic, I rarely paid attention to School Committee meetings. Then schools closed. And the SC meetings became accessible on zoom. So I tuned in, and oh boy, was I underwhelmed. Still can’t believe the mismanagement I’ve witnessed over the past year or so. Really drove home a simple message – elections matter.
So when this municipal election came around, I did my research. I figured out who was strong on school re-opening, and who wasn’t. I voted accordingly. So did a bunch of my friends. And we look forward to doing it again in November.
Am I representative of a broader shift in opinion? Who knows. I don’t have a poll. But I can tell you I’m not alone!
Thinking about it a bit more – besides Mayor Fuller it will be interesting to see if Alicia Bowman is challenged in ward 6. Alicia ran on a similar platform as Bryan albeit without the controversy, if this special election was really indicative of a broader shift in opinion then that would put her in a tough spot if she’s challenged in November.
I think the lack of controversy will certainly work in Alicia’s favor. Bryan had a lot of baggage from the Charter Commission and his previous run. Last summer he was firmly against reopening schools. I think his penchant for getting involved in drama didn’t help. I think Alicia may have an easier time.
This is such a rich question. Tons of interacting possibilities: (1) Frustration over the bad job the city has done reopening the schools helps the candidates who seemed more vocal about reopening now. (2) Push-back on private development after several big projects are approved. (3) Fear of elimination of single-family-only zoning motivates the Right-Size camp. (4) Having the elections based in Ward 2 and especially Ward 1 may have increased relative turnout among development skeptics. (5) Save Nonantum. Populism works! (6) Bryan and Maddie speak openly about critical race theory, which to me seems obviously true but leads lots of folks to believe they are being called racist. This allows Tarik and John the central ground in the culture wars. (7) Tarik Lucas is a strong candidate who has name recognition. (8) Representation of people of color matters. (9) People don’t trust 20-year-olds with power, and John Oliver manages not to get damaged by accusations that he was a registered Republican during the Trump era.
I have no idea. I think some of these potential reasons are wrong-headed and some I agree with. We can safely say that the fall elections will be hard-fought over the same issues and that turnout will be high.
@Michael Slater – The issues hurting Mayor Fuller in running for re-election:
1) Lack of a plan to re-open the Schools.
2) Changing zoning laws to allow multi-family housing in residential districts.
3) Perception that she has not been supportive of the Police Department.
I believe she will find a middle ground.
@Peter Karg I would add to that list failure to lead and promptly act to help local restaurants imagine and realize outdoor dining venues. Jersey barriers in parking spots and picnic tables in parking lots showed a complete lack of imagination especially when you compare it to Waltham where they shut down a whole street.
BTW Picnic tables are VERY unfriendly to Seniors as they can be extremely difficult ti climb in and out of
It is now mid March and indoor dining still has restricted capacity and many of us are in no rush to dine inside yet. And yet, I see no hint or indication that the city is going to do anything innovative on this front. Langley adjacent to the Newton Center Triangle Parking lot or Union Street are obvious places to shut down the street to traffic and set up an attractive and fun outdoor dining space
The hastily thrown together picnic tables were a pitiful solution. Other communities even did a better job with picnic tables. The last thing I wanted to do was bring my takeout to a dirty picnic table in a municipal parking lot in the dead of a hot summer day, with no shade. Totally unappealing.
Alicia Bowman and Bryan Barash ran on very different issues. Alicia has always been consistent and outspoken on transportation, which is a major day-to-day quality of life issue in Newton. Traffic is picking up again, and even without additional development, it was a pain.
Newton needs to find a better way to reduce vehicular traffic, especially cut-through traffic that provides no benefit to the City. Alicia’s knowledge of transit is vitally important on the City Council.
Agree with almost all the comments above. Just adding a few observations and suggestions.
(1) I hope we can drop all the political labels (progressive, conservative, moderate, socialist, radical, reactionary etc.) that are used to define candidates in national and statewide campaigns, but which are most often irrelevant in this City.
(2) Bryan was commended and criticized for being the most “progressive” candidate, but it was Tarik who supported Ed Markey and components of a Green New Deal when Markey was the decided underdog.
(3) John Oliver may have been a registered Republican, but he had the best activist vision of any candidate about how the nuts and bolts of city government and the great plans the city and citizens have drafted and debated can be meshed into coherent policies and programs.
(4) .I make it a point not to involve myself with political campaigns in other municipalities, but two years ago I supported my longtime friend and political soulmate Liz Breadon who ran for the Allston Brighton seat on the Boston City Council. Liz was labelled the “progressive” candidate in that race, but she ran as the champion of small homeowners, renters and elderly against the power of developers and the Democratic Party establishment. And she won in a landslide. Somewhat different circumstances than Newton, but more similarities with John and Tarik.
(5) John and Tarik performed flawlessly and selflessly as candidates Their messages were strong and they meshed nicely with each other. It was clear that they genuinely liked and respected each other. People I ran into genuinely liked both candidates. The campaign organization itself. started as a pickup team and evolved into a well oiled, well tempered and almost friction free operation. Nothing was taken for granted. A genuine pleasure to work with both the candidates and other supporters.
(6) I dropped leaflets, knocked on doors, made telephone calls, emailed and even texted more folks for John and Tarik in Ward 5 Precinct 2 than I have for any other candidate in recent memory. Still, this was Bryan and Maddy’s best precinct in the City so the myth of an overpowering “Burke Machine” in this precinct has been laid to rest.
@Lucia re: “Newton needs to find a better way to reduce vehicular traffic, especially cut-through traffic that provides no benefit to the City.”
I am announcing my mayoral campaign as I have the perfect solution. In fact, it will be my signature campaign promise: a big beautiful Brookline border wall. We will even get Brookline to pay for it!
I was going to pitch it as a way to keep their “Everybody’s Angry in Brookline” (TnR FM 98.5!) energy away from us, but this seems more compelling.
@Jonah – I think we should be cautious about reading too much into a special election in which only 23% of eligible voters voted. I found myself wondering how things could have gone differently if these races had played out in November.”
Historical non-mayoral turnout:
Mar2021 23%
Nov2019 25%
Nov2015 20%
Nov2013 24%
Nov2011 18%
In general the people who turn out in non-mayoral years turned out this week, even with only two sets of candidates working to turn them out rather than dozens. The sides can debate if they were misinformed, but they were not uninformed. A mayoral race could turn out an additional, less engaged 15%.
@PeterKarg
Perception is reality….
The Council has turned over 14 of 24 seats in the past 3 years, so to hear comments that the Council is out of touch, may mean that that Council just lacks seasoning and learning a very difficult job. Special election results are a reflection of who was able to get their voters out and, which candidates couldn’t, and that’s it.
Tarik and John are great professionals and have a big learning curve and an exciting road ahead. My take is that some of the expectations of the voters, focussed on one issue, may not come to fruition as each Councilor is their own person. Once immersed in the job, and hearing all sides to an issue, often outcomes are different than expected. I didn’t read either of these winners as “rubber stamps” to others already on the Council. Best wishes to Tarik and John, and see you all in November!!
But Bruce – the wall won’t stop cut through from Needham or the Pike’s toll-free exit. Can we have a circular moat around Newton, preferably with drawbridges and alligators? We could install license plate scanners at the drawbridges.
Jack, yes and no. What we really don’t know if these were new voters, occasional voters, folks who are angry due to Covid, etc. But I agree that historically this was an incredible turnout for a special election, and comparable to more major elections in Newton.
I really hesitate to draw much of a long term conclusion from this. It certainly could be the sign of a real movement in Newton. Or it could be a flash in the pan. I remember some folks claiming the same thing after the Charter Commission proposal was voted down. The next election, the results for city council and Mayor didn’t seem to reflect that result in the way folks predicted the week after the charter commission vote.
A few points:
1) In talking to other parents, I’m amazed at how many voted because of the schools. I’ve had a lot of conversations like Tim posts above over the past 24 hours. Considering the lack of power the city council has, I don’t understand the position, but since Bryan and Maddie were clearly aligned with the unions (especially Bryan), I think even if the city councilors have zero power to change schools, it does send a message, and I think I didn’t appreciate that aspect enough. But will that anger be there when schools are 100% open in the fall?
2) Folks predicting the mayor’s race or races in November in general have no idea where the city and the country will be in 8 months. If Covid is much less of an issue, if the economy is roaring, if schools are open and restaurants are full, I have no idea how folks will vote. But I do know that voters have VERY short memories. Ask any pollster. And for the mayor, that will make her very difficult to beat if folks are in a better place. And I say this as someone who would consider other options for that position.
3) As for the city councilors, I think it depends on who runs. Not having an incumbent made these races very different. most of the city councilor races will be against an already established name. And many of the city councilors are very popular based on prior races. So I wouldn’t predict a sea change, but the more “liberal” side of the city council is more likely to face a challenging time, if the same coalition shows up. We’ll see on all fronts.
Besides that, who knows? For the next 8 months I don’t think it changes all that much in terms of legislation or projects. The next election, more to follow once we know who is running. It would certainly encourage me to run if I was a candidate similar to Tarik or John. But also hard to trap lightning in a bottle.
Also, I agree with what James Cote just posted. And I didn’t realize the turnover so that was useful to know.
@Lucia The N3 Wall could finally settle whether that Panera is the Newton Panera (as they call it) or the Needham Panera (as we call it). Given that we sadly lost the Centre Panera, I say we build the N3 Wall at 128 rather than the Charles so we have our own Panera. Yeah yeah Tatte is an upgrade. Por que no los dos?
+1 on Lucia’s observation – take it from a Needhamite, Newton’s cut-through traffic is mostly generated by points southwest (Needham, Dover, Medfield) so it would be far more effective to demolish the bridges over the Charles. For a wicked good time, take a walk down Needham Street, Elliot Street, or Nahanton Street at any time of day and count the number of Needham dump stickers in the windshields.
Good luck to you Newtonites if you genuinely want to do something about cut-through traffic, though – in the age of Waze, no sooner would you remove one car from from any of those streets than another one would hop off Route 9 to fill its place. Issues like Transportation, together with public safety, housing, economic development, expansion of the commercial tax base, and equitable education, can only be solved holistically and collaboratively at the regional level. Anyone truly interested in long-term sustainability, economic justice, and progress should support the abolition of suburban governments in favor of a unified metropolitan one.
Otherwise we Needhamites, who probably generate about 15,000 daily car trips through Newton, are allowed to get away with blocking even the simplest Newton-friendly traffic mitigation initiative (e.g. expansion of the Upper Falls Greenway across the river), at the same time as we pick your pockets by using TIFs to lure your commercial tax base across the river (e.g. TripAdvisor).
And it’ll be fun to watch how the MBTA service cuts introduced by Charlie Baker (and approved by the likes of Monica Tibbits-Nutt and Brian Lang will put Needham’s MBTA monthly passholders right back behind the steering wheels of our gas-guzzling Land Rovers zipping up and down Newton’s roadways, searching for new cut-throughs.
Cut-thru traffic can be eliminated using strategic 1-way streets. That’s why you can’t cut through Beacon Hill. And I’ll bet the locals there wouldn’t have it any other way.
There are places this would work in Newton – an Auburndale Ave/Lexington St/Walcott-Webster st /Elm st superblock, for example.
@ James Cote – Your comment seems to imply that you are running for City Council this fall.
The water is warm please jump in!
@fig – I am not surprised at all. The push to reopen schools has been strong, and parents who wanted the schools reopened were very motivated to act and angry. It was clear that people were looking for leadership at the local government on this issue, and they were going to get it anywhere they could (if the Mayor or the SC could not provide it, it was going to be the next best thing – the city councilors). The endorsement from the NTA in this election probably hurt more than it helped. I think the push for schools will be motivating to parents in November, as well. Many parents feel that our schools deteriorated and they are looking for candidates that will bring up the standards back up to where the parents feel they should be.
Many people saw the school issue as the most important one in this election, fair or not (development was another big one). When Maddie called me to introduce herself, she did not state schools as one of the most important issues to her, and when she asked me what I cared most about, I said – schools. She then talked about schools, but it was clear that this issue was not high on her list.
@James Cote…
Run Jim Run!!!!
@Irene is spot on. More and more people now realize that Newton schools under perform and has been living off the fumes of its past glory from the distant past. We have the ~15th highest household income in the Commonwealth yet the schools have been coming in around 40-50th. Say what you will about the testing, every other community’s performance tracks household income. We are in a death spiral where more and more families send their kids to private schools as the performance keeps declining. This is unfortunate because public schools are the bedrock of any thriving community. That we failed to open the schools like our peer communities was the final straw. Any incumbent candidate, or one affiliated with the current regime and the Newton Democrats Machine will face a hostile audience.
Do you mean allowing multi-family housing in single-family districts? Multi-family does not equal non-residential.
Even if life is close to normal in November voters will have many many lagging reminders of the Mayor’s and School Committee’s poor performance with respect to the schools during the Pandemic. We’ve still not seen any plan at all to deal with the learning gap we’ve created. Worse, we’ve yet to fully comprehend the toll on our children’s mental health. I think that when the collateral damage is fully appreciated we’ll all be appalled. There will need to be accountability. The buck stops with the Mayor.
Taking a brief time out for politics. So instead….
1) Disappointed in Monica Tibbits-Nutt supporting the MBTA cuts…but not surprised about another Northland “gotcha”
2) Would LOVE to see the Needham Street bridge closed – even if temporarily, to confirm if Needham Street traffic is true cut thru and as two middle fingers to Trip Advisor for leaving. Newton owes them nothing!
This election was not a fluke. These voters were not lashing out at the mayor or schools or covid or some other angst. These were educated voters who have spent the last four years getting used to the fact that their vote counts at every level of government. Zoom City Council meetings have made it possible for them to get to know their city councilors. Is that a good thing? For Newton it is but not for all the city councilors. A light has been shined down on them and this includes the school committee and the mayor. The voters got to know the candidates and made their choice clear. Bryan Barash and Maddy Ranalli are not who they want representing them when it comes to decisions like budget allocations for schools, police, and making decisions on zoning.
But it goes further than that. Tarik and John didn’t squeak by. They won decisively. And that means that voters are also unhappy with many of those that endorsed Bryan and Maddy. We have a similar situation in Newton where, just like the republicans in the senate, the minority rules the majority. Students in school in the fall will not change what happened here on Tuesday. Newton citizens are aware of what their representatives have been up to for the past few years and they voiced their opinion at the polls. If the 14 City Councilors (and the mayor) want to try to bring Bryan back for round three, they’ll be risking more than just Bryan’s career in Newton politics.
My experience with this election was a little different than others here. There seemed to be very little interest to my eyes. There are a couple people close to me who are very aware and engaged in national and state level politics but didn’t even vote in this one. They would pay attention to the mayoral but they are not interested in following Village14. If this was a regular election they would Google the CC’s the day before the election. It is hard for me to guess where things are going without input from that group because there are many of them out there.
@Michael Slater – I believe a whole new School Committee will be voted in this November.
Wherever I go I hear the disappointment voiced. Regarding the upcoming Mayoral race, I understand several potentials are being approached to mount a challenge. More to follow.
Irene: I was only surprised because the city council can’t really do anything with the schools. I’m as angry as anyone (it has been the worst year of my adult life, and the schools have been a huge part of that) and I’m fully going to be involved in school committee change. But that letter from the city councilors was a joke. I realize it made some folks feel better, but it was circular filed almost immediately. But I was wrong on the value of sending a message I think. If I was the school committee and the mayor, I’d start making sure summer school was real and next fall was a return to 2019.
The frustrating part of our elections is how much time we spend on zoning and development wars. Those aren’t even in my top 3 issues for the city! I mean our schools are on the downward trend, the streets are a mess, the parks are in dire straits after the covid year, we don’t have great public facilities (gath pool, senior center, etc), we have major long term liabilities, we still need to reinvest in infrastructure, etc.
Casey, entirely possible you are right. In my experiences voters have very short memories. And it really depends on who runs. Bryan and Maddie, if nothing else, were very much left of center. The mayor is not. And many folks end up voting slates for city council.
The school committee could certainly see major turnover. But again, depends on who runs. And I think November is a long way away. I remember how angry many Cabot families were about what occurred with the elementary school delays (very angry). By the time the election rolled around, the anger had faded, and folks voted on other issues. It is just the way it is.
As for the mayor challenge, the mayor won a close race last time. But I think by November folks will end up giving her credit for navigating the crisis. And again, it really depends on who runs against her. It takes a lot for an incumbent to not get reelected.
Key message for any future CC or Mayoral candidates!
“The frustrating part of our elections is how much time we spend on zoning and development wars. Those aren’t even in my top 3 issues for the city! I mean our schools are on the downward trend, the streets are a mess, the parks are in dire straits after the covid year, we don’t have great public facilities (gath pool, senior center, etc), we have major long term liabilities, we still need to reinvest in infrastructure, etc.” – Fignewtonville
Important message to any future CC and Mayoral candidates
I am not surprised at all that the school issue was front and center for voters. Anyone running for a seat in Nov. that has not spoken up for the return of students to school will be remembered. This does not only pertain to Newton, it is nation wide. Any future candidate should start speaking up now, although I’m concerned the damage is already done. The silence has been deafening.
@Fig the City Councilors who wrote that letter were the only ones listening. They were the only ones that expressed urgency. You and I are going to have to agree to disagree on the importance of this letter. The School Committee showed disregard for this letter. So they may have said that it had no impact on them but it did have impact on how the SC is viewed, They showed their tone deafness, arrogance throughout this whole issue. They deferred to the Superintendent and didn’t question his plans in the summer/fall. What a lost opportunity. If the road blocks had been addressed then we would have been at a much better place. What this crisis revealed is a poor planning and thought process by the SC (especially the Mayor) and NPS. It would make a great case study in what not to do. There was no accountability and no transparency. HHS, Fleishman, and the Mayor saying someone else is responsible. The SC/NPS continues their arrogant attitude that they know better. I fully expect the kids to be back in school in September but I also feel that it only the tip of the iceberg on this issue. The loss of education that has occurred has to be made up. The decision making and thought processes were so flawed throughout the crisis so regardless of if the kids return to school the foundation of the problem still exists. There is a strong group of parents out there and returning the kids to school is not going to make them forget what has occurred.
Newton Highlands Mom:
We may disagree on the letter, but we agree on everything else. I’m just not sure folks will vote on this issue in November, as voters have short memories. But I’m furious about the lack of movement on schools. I just thought making that the main issue for the city council vote didn’t make sense, at least to me.
As for future candidates speaking up now, anyone running for office is going to say they wanted to have the schools open as soon as possible. I’m not sure having the endorsement of the NTA will be seen as a net positive for a candidate though. That’s not fair, but I do think it is true.
Lisa, I’ve been saying that for YEARS. You’d be surprised how many people don’t listen to a person who posts under the moniker of a delicious cookie.
I will say this: Look at my list. Much of what is on that list requires an override to accomplish. Hopefully the 65 million we are getting will help. We should certainly finish the sewer/water upgrades with that money. I wonder if that could also be used for the gas leaks? But an override is coming. At least in my view.
I believe that NPS and the SC are still fumbling the ball. The CDC is set to change its guidelines to 3 ft. social distancing for schools. In all this time, has anyone heard of NPS planning for a return with a 3ft. distancing rule? Many of us have been advocating for that change since last fall. Even with 3 ft. distancing, NPS will still complain that they cannot fit all students into the classrooms.
The SC has yet to develop or inform the public of its thinking on how NPS will address learning loss. We are already approaching April. Each step along the way, the superintendent has been reactive and has not shown any ability to be proactive in his approach.
Keep in mind, that school starts very late next year (September 7 or 8), after labor day. It should have been a no-brainer for the SC to negotiate with the NTA to start earlier. At the HS level, next September, education will still be far from normal. From what I hear, scheduling will be different with electives being only a half year instead of a full year. If you are a music student or have interest in the arts, it’s a terrible decision.
I think the elections for SC are so important. I agree with Fig that the CC is powerless, but the letters put added pressure on the Mayor and SC to do something. You can see it by how defensive Ruth Goldman became. Before the pandemic, I never really thought the SC did not have much power beyond dealing with the superintendent and school policy issues. Covid-19 has exposed, in Newton and many other school districts across the country, the power that school boards wield and the lack of checks and balances for this elected body.
@fignewtonville
I couldn’t disagree with you more. You must live in an alternate reality!
Newton Highlands Mom is right. The CC letters forced attention and added urgency. The SC finally took action as a result. Their inertia was awful, the letters got attention and broke the logjam.
I doubt the Mayor will get credit for navigating the Pandemic. Her actions were (and remain) cautious, conservative and incremental…with the schools and in other areas, too. There were several key moments over the past year where she could have been bold and made a huge difference. She has the skills and talent but chose for whatever reasons not to. People will remember, even in November. Newton could have been a leader, but the path we took always seemed to lag. Yes, it’s hard for an incumbent to lose, but with a good opponent she could. If there’s no opponent I’ll blank that part of my ballot.
Fig, I agree with you about broadening the issues. You and I know that the fields are wrecked and that our neighboring towns have much nicer fields. You and I know that the school committee is tone deaf and out of touch with what our children need and deserve. Most of the city counselors are out of touch with what the citizens of the town prioritize. They’re busy squabbling over development and zoning. They’ve clearly forgotten about the people who are already living here. They’ve been doing it for years but the pandemic brought it front and center. I believe that our neighbors realized through a combination of the schools crisis and the accessibility of zoom meetings (school committee and city council) that we have tone deaf representatives. However, the power of the vote has become fashionable again.
This local election drew a lot of attention to the four main people who were running, the amount of money that was spent, to the large number of endorsements to unpopular candidates and to the history of the charter. (Sorry to harp on it Fig because you are not Sean, but the ones that lost were unpopular – look at the numbers. If they hadn’t had so many endorsements, they would have had even fewer votes)
Eight months is not that far off. In fact, people here were only recently saying it’s a short time to run a mayoral campaign! Newton will be dealing with the fallout from the pandemic for years. Newton politics are changing. The politicians need to change or get out of the way.
Mayor Fuller’s lengthy weekly letter (dated yesterday) makes no mention of Tuesday’s election. I don’t want to read too much into this, but even if she’s not personally happy with the results, congrats to the winners and thanks to all candidates, to the voters, to the election workers–to someone or something–would have been normal and minimally gracious.
@Amanda Heller – there was a mayor’s newsletter on Tuesday night that did just that.
I just emailed my favorite potential mayoral candidate asking them to run. Perhaps a little citizen pressure will sway their decision?
Lisa,
Me, too. Would love to know who.
Any school committee candidate with the endorsement of Ruth Goldman will lose.
Whether any candidate with Susan Albright’s endorsement will lose in November is more of a question mark.
Okay Lisa. I will bite. Who is that? 🙂
@Jerry: Noticeably absent from that newsletter re: Special election, were the words, “Congratulations”.
@amysangiolo – You are correct as usual. Here’s Tuesday evening’s email ….
Mayor’s Update
John Oliver (Ward 1) and Tarik Lucas (Ward 2) were elected to the City Council tonight in a Special Election to fill two open seats, according to unofficial results.
Oliver defeated Madeline Ranalli in Ward 1. Lucas defeated Bryan Barash and David Micley in Ward 2.
An unofficial total of 14,535 of the City’s 63,152 registered voters, or 23% of the registered voters, cast ballots in this Special Election. Ballots that arrived by mail today and those deposited in the ballot boxes at City Hall by 8:00 p.m. this evening are included in tonight’s unofficial total.
Provisional ballots and overseas ballots that are postmarked today but arrive Wednesday through Saturday will be included in the official results.
The official tally, which will include all the votes cast by mail, in person early, in person today, and overseas ballots will be finalized when the Election Commissioners meet to certify the results by noon on Saturday.
My deep appreciation goes to our Election and IT staff, police officers, poll workers, and volunteers. This team worked not just today, but over the course of many weeks to make sure the ballot applications and mail-in ballots were processed and tabulated and that polling locations adhered to COVID-19 safety protocols.
Tonight’s unofficial Special Election Results are:
Councilor at Large Ward 1
√ John Oliver: 7,812
Madeline Ranalli: 6,436
Councilor at Large Ward 2
Brian Barash: 6,346
David Micley: 611
√ Tarik Lucas: 7,503
Find precinct results here.
Warmly,
Ruthanne
It’s odd that the mayor didn’t thank all the candidates and congratulate the winners. I hope she did it publicly elsewhere.
Amy Sangiolo would be a very formidable candidate for Mayor.
You all are reading too much into things. The Mayor didn’t thank or congratulate the candidates in her election-night email on November 5, 2019 either.
Mayor Fuller didn’t congratulate anyone but took the time to pose for a photo op like she was analyzing the results.
Folks, the results aren’t technically final. That happens on Saturday. I realize everything is political and Amy is thinking of running for mayor, but could it just simply be that she is waiting to congratulate them once the final tally is declared. Or it just isn’t something she does in these emails, as Jeremy points out.
Lots to criticize the mayor for, this isn’t one of those things.
Bruce, regarding Susan Albright, I would imagine she is quite popular. She certainly is in Ward 2. There is a lot of history there, and I think she’s done a good job with the city council presidency. I think you are reading too much into a special election.
I get the temptation to call this election a sea change in Newton politics, and perhaps it is. My money is that it will be the usual muddle, with much of it really dependent on the candidates themselves. And my money is on the voters having a very short memory regarding Covid. But I’ll save my predictions in full until I see who is running for what.
Someone asked why Development was such a big issue…
1. We just went thru a lot of large project approvals from Austin St to Riverside and everything in between
2. A number of CCs see development, rezoning and affordable housing as their path to progressive heaven and ticket into Club AOC
Someone else commented about voters’ historically short memory.
Combine the two and what we have is a potential for massive change come November. Newton now has many more pressing issues puts development on the back burner…
> Failing schools
> Helping struggling businesses
> Much needed infrastructure upgrades
> How to beat spend the $65m in Fed assistance
> Reduced MBTA services
> Etc.
Many seats in the SC, CC as well as the Mayor’s are vulnerable. Time for some new blood!
Keeping the schools closed was an enormous public health mistake and nothing short of mass child abuse sanctioned by Mayor Fuller, David Fleishman, Deborah Youngblood and the School Committee. The Mayor should take note of the voters’ message and fully reopen the schools now. The evidence and data in favor are overwhelming.
I typically avoid commenting on school’s issues as I don’t have kids. But I have been watching this with interest.
The pandemic has been an extraordinary catastrophic event where many people have lost their jobs because they didn’t feel safe carrying on.
My mom gave up her job as a home health aide out of fear of covid due to her age. She has since experienced severe depression and mental decline being isolated at home alone this past year.
It seems to me at some point someone needed to have the guts to say to teachers ‘We’ve done everything we can to make things as safe as we can and you need to go back to work.
If you don’t feel safe we understand but we need to focus on the welfare of our kids, and need to replace your job.
Whoever is responsible, The MTA, The teachers, The mayor or superintendent have put the welfare of the teachers ahead of the welfare of the students.
There was a MA teacher interviewed yesterday on WBUR. Her school has been full-time since last April and she said they made it work.
It feels a little arrogant to me for teachers refuse to go back to work full-time at this point.
If It’s the mayor who is responsible maybe parents should start dropping their kids off at City Hall every day.
Great comments Mike and Stefanos. This is the number one issue for me in the next election. Newton’s first priority should have been the health and education of our children. The excuse, “things are tough all over,” does not work. Our peers cities did much better.
Our elected official not only failed miserably, they created opacity to cover up their bad decisions.
I agree, Mike. I work in person, with the public and I have since July. I never had the luxury of refusing to come in person. I would have lost my job.
As I said 50 or so posts ago:
“Worse, we’ve yet to fully comprehend the toll on our children’s mental health. I think that when the collateral damage is fully appreciated we’ll all be appalled. There will need to be accountability. The buck stops with the Mayor.”
This has been a great thread with many great comments. It’s said that V14 is narrow and extreme, but we’ve had many commenters and likely far more readers. I hope that our elected officials are paying attention. Nothing here will be forgotten or blow over by November.
Worse, there’s no sign of any actions being planned to address any of this and right the ship. The summer could be offered for HS classes on a volunteer basis. There’s an absence of vision, and few remaining excuses.
Yesterday the CDC issued new national guidance to schools to assist in reopening. I find it so ironic that we had the benefit of Dr. Walensky’s advice and ignored it, and now it’s the guidance to the entire nation.
I hope someone will create a website listing all candidates positions on schools… so candidates cannot to revise history
Voting is the only power we have, more than tweets, posts, blogs. Use your vote.
@Bob
Regarding the dropping labels…
I think those who subscribe to and promoted the progressive brand here in Newton overplayed their hand and are responsible.
In his final campaign email to supporters, Bryan says; “It has been an honor to be part of this progressive movement.”
I agree 100% that using these labels is not useful at the local level. Newton progressives have used the progressive label to shame and alienate others who may not bleed as deeply as they do.
The results of this strategy is they have lost in the past few elections.
I just had an interesting exchange with Fran Yeradi on Facebook.
I posted this to the Nonantum group, “Ok Nonantum, We hear you making a lot of noise over there. What is your vision for your neighborhood, and for Newton? What should change and what should stay the same? Tell me what you want, what you really really want.
Fran replied: “hi mike. Thanks for reaching out … Save Nonantum will be working with the community on “vision” over the next month or so.
Lots of folks who have been disenfranchised need to be given the opportunity to have input in that vision – so it will take a little time.”
l posted because I’m really curious to hear what they want. I don’t believe No development, nimby or Columbus Day is the essence of their message.
It seems to me that Newton-brand progressives at some point decided they needed to legislate change even if that meant re-engineering the playing field to their advantage.
Progressive candidates and foot soldiers on V14 have used the label to bully and shame anyone who challenges their thoughts.
There’s been a lot of bluster on v14 about the tone and tactics of this election, and the tone of politics overall in Newton.
The truth is communication can be messy – even ugly, but often what’s important is the message behind the words and tactics.
As ugly as the Ciccone ad was, I believe there was a sincere message behind it.
However, the most important we gained in this election was the acknowledgment that there is room and support for middle ground.
Especially now in the aftermath of COVID, we need to go into our very diverse villages and see what people need … What people want.
If you want a more unified city you need to acknowledge and celebrate people’s lives as they are.
If progressive values are your thing you need to show people why these are important through example.
We all just have been through one of the most life-altering times of our lives, and the question of where do we go from here is a great question for us all to be asking.
Enjoy the weekend!
@Mike Ciolino – Great comment, thanks
@ Mike Ciolini, I am going to venture that high on the list of what the Save Nonantum group wants is to be heard and represented. It is what we all want.
@Jeff, Mike and Stefanos. I agree. I will campaign for anyone who runs against this Mayor and most school Committee members. Absolutely. They abandoned students and working parents and then at meetings patted themselves on the back. Newton is far behind peer districts in offering in person education. Most parents won’t forget in November our elected officials and their inaction on this issue. Painful year for students.
@Jeff, Mike and Stefanos. I agree. I will campaign for anyone who runs against this Mayor. Absolutely. The SC abandoned students and working parents and then at meetings patted themselves on the back. Newton is far behind peer districts in offering in person education. Most parents won’t forget in November our elected officials and their inaction on this issue. It was a painful year for students. How is the disparity in learning and inequality not a progressive issue?
Mike I agree with your overall message, but not the path you took to get there. I’m all for the middle ground, and finding consensus. I understand the need for folks in Nonantum to be heard and feel valued. I would be happy to have that discussion and validate that need for folks living in Nonantum. But I refuse to gloss over the tactics or the ethical breaches that occurred in the election. You say the message is all that matters? So folks can just lie and smear, but if the “message” is important, all is forgiven?
Mike, you mention you talked to Fran to get his feedback. Is this is same Fran who got mad at Greg and posted a letter filled with falsehoods about the IRS coming after the Chamber and Greg, based on posting here? That Fran? I fully acknowledge that Save Nonantum folks can feel ignored and I’m glad that they are engaging in community organizing, but I also believe in truth telling. And that was awful. (And also easily disproven factually.) I get upset when folks threaten people’s jobs and also threaten to use the power of the federal govt to influence free speech. Which is what Fran did. I understand he was upset and angry and felt his community was under threat, and I’m sympathetic to that. Really. I get the elections produced some strong feelings, but I hope we don’t see a repeat of those types of threats again in Newton. We can advocate for Nonantum to feel heard, without endorsing tactics that will lead to less community and more bad acts.
Also, I don’t consider myself a progressive, so I personally found the focus on who was a “progressive” in that race to be frustrating. But I’m curious Mike, who do you consider the “progressive foot soldiers” on Village14. Sean? Who else? Bully and shame? Really? In this election?
I find it ironic that the supporters of Tarik and John posted as much if not more than Bryan’s supporters (and definitely more than Maddie’s) and yet continue to complain about Village14 bullying them and shaming them. That was not how I remembered the last few months on this forum. And I certainly remember in the wider community some pretty difficult to accept actions by folks opposing Bryan and Maddie, including emails mocking Bryan’s sexuality, death threats to Maddie, etc.
Finally, I’ll say again, it isn’t bullying to call someone out on their bull on this forum. And confronting someone who lies might cause them to have shame, but it isn’t shaming them, they did that themselves by lying! And if you want a free exchange of ideas, some degree of friction and debate is part of that. But constantly complaining (not just you) that the open forum in which you are complaining isn’t letting you speak your mind freely is ironic to say the least.
I’m very glad Save Nonantum exists. I recognize, through conversation with folks who gave money to it and friends in Nonantum, that the community in Nonantum feels marginalized and ignored. I believe they will be a voice in Newton politics in November, and they will influence the political debate. But that doesn’t prevent me from remembering the actions taken in the last election, and it doesn’t stop me from hoping that the next election will focus less on anger and more on change.
The middle ground isn’t found by ignoring the bad actions on either side, it is found by calling them out, and then going forward without those bad acts. If we just ignore those bad acts, if we ignore the lies and the threats, the next election they will just multiply. It is possible to have a voice and still use that voice responsibly!
I hope you enjoy the weekend as well. And I don’t personally consider this post bullying, but it is wordy. Very wordy. That isn’t bullying though. Just annoying.
Bugek, remember the list of schools supporters, I don’t actually recall anyone stating publicly they didn’t want the schools open. I think the most you will find is folks that signed the letter, and folks that didn’t. At least at the city council level.
I think the school committee is likely to face a reckoning. City council and the Mayor, I really don’t think so. Although again, it depends on who is running.
But the mayor is going to have a lot of positive events over the next 7 months. Businesses reopening, summer activities, schools reopening in the fall. As MMQC would say, lots of photo ops for the Mayor (sorry to steal your line MMQC!). If the election was now, all of the politicians would be in trouble. Folks are angry! But anger fades, and there is a ton of data regarding public opinion not holding on negative events, and that leading through a crisis, voters remember the end result and not the missteps along the way.
If things are better in the fall, I’d say the mayor is a favorite to win election.
@Fig “I’d say the mayor is a favorite to win election.”
But you also predicted that Barash and Ranalli would win. 🙂
I don’t think that Mayor will get credit for businesses reopening, summer activities and schools reopening up IF that happens. Parents who have already pulled their children out of NPS ( and I know quite a few) and are paying for expensive private schools won’t forget. Many businesses, specifically restaurants are gone. They won’t be reopening. And they won’t be quickly replaced. And diners will still be reluctant to dine indoors and will expect appealing al fresco options. I’m still not seeing a plan from the Mayor. My guess is people will continue to patronize restaurants in Waltham and each time they do they will ask “Why can’t Newton have this”
Claire:
LOL! I did! Boy was I wrong there. But I did say special elections are very hard to predict.
Look, it depends on who runs. It really really does. I just said she was a favorite. The incumbent should always be the favorite. They come with huge advantages, the bully pulpit, the ability to influence debate, easier to raise funds, etc.
If Amy S. runs, or a city councilor runs, they certainly have a chance. And I might vote for them. I’m not a donor to the mayor and I’m not trying to carry her political water so to speak. I’m just commenting on the horse race aspect, which I find interesting.
@Claire:
You say “schools reopening up IF that happens.”
It is my understanding that NPS elementary schools are going to fully reopen April 5th, the Middle Schools on April 28th, and the High Schools to follow. I don’t get why you are still saying “if”, disagree all you want with the timeline to get here, but they have given the direct process for full reopening.
I would also commend the Mayor for her efforts on getting educator only vaccination clinics with the Holtzman Medical Group (kudos to them as well). This will not only ensure our students will be back full time, but that the teachers will feel safe doing so — a win, win for all in my opinion 🙂
Friends, please recall that Tarik’s slogan was “Progressive values, pragmatic approach.” That philosophy gained popularity as the race progressed.
We all should stop denigrating others as being “extreme left,” “radical,” “anti-development,” “progressive,” and so forth because most of us hold a variety of views on a variety of issues. I align with most city councilors on some issues and disagree with each of them on others…so what? That’s the nature of politics local and national. Though thrilled with the steady, calm approach of President Biden thus far, undoubtedly I will find some policy of his to object to soon enough. But he will continue to sustain my overall support, at least for now.
Let’s work together where we can, disagree when we will, but respect each other when we should.
@fig
I didn’t talk to Fran, I messaged the Nonantum group on Facebook and Fran is who responded.
After the election, I was left with the question, if I were to take a walk through Nonantum (or any of or villages) with a group of residents, what would they say about Nonantum? All you say about Fran specifically has nothing to do with my post.
I’m pretty sure you and I would denounce all the same bad acts from the same people. However, it seems you have some spillover effect happening. Just because one or more people associated with a group commits a bad act, you can’t assume the entire group supports that.
I also support truth-telling, I also denounce threats and ethical breaches. My point is I can’t say that I know what’s important to people that live in Nonantum or Newton Corner, etc.
In terms of bullying and shaming, yes, I was referring to Sean and others who over the past few years have levied harsh words – even questioning the morality of those who don’t fall in line with their so-called progressive views on everything from bike riding to housing to racism.
This is different however than calling someone out on bad behaviors. My criticism of Sean isn’t a complaint, my point is that his views do not necessarily define progressivism.
I go back to the Mayor’s poll showing 70% approval. That was done to discourage candidates from entering the race. She knows that if a major councilor or other figure runs she’s in trouble. I disagree that people will forget and forgive. The errors of the past year were far more than rookie mistakes. They were unforgivable. As I mentioned above if no one steps forward I’ll blank my ballot for the Mayor position. The City deserves a spirited campaign for Mayor. There’s a lot needing debate.
Yes, all candidates said they want students to return to school, but talk is cheap. The winners were willing to stick their necks out.
School should be open in the fall, but the failure of NPS will continue. Will NPS have free summer school for kids that need remediation? Will they let parents elect to have their kids repeat a year to make up for NPS’ failure? Probably not. Rather, I predict that NPS will propose an equity-focused school year that jettisons academic content to get everyone “up to speed.” So, the kids will lose another half a year.
If I were the Mayor I would use a school committee meeting to say that giving all of our children the same strong education as our peers is our number one priority, and the school committee must re-focus toward this priority. She should ask the superintendent publicly if he is up to the job. Unless we admit that there is work to do, we won’t improve.
Mike C.: As Fran is a leader in Save Nonantum, I don’t entirely agree, but I understand your point. I’ll also say that the actual attempt to bully Greg to stop talking is way worse than any perceived bullying of folks not agreeing with a group on a public forum. Save Nonantum in their recent letter to the city even calls out Village14 as being cyberbullies, mostly because folks here didn’t agree with them and called them out on their tactics. It seems like that is a common strategy lately for quite a few groups in the city. They punch hard (whether it be city councilors/mayor being “corrupted” by developers, accusations of cancelling treasured community events and culture, etc) and when questioned on these accusations, the groups cry about how unfair it is that they are being questioned, how unfair Village14 is to them, and how they are being bullied because of the mean posters on facebook.
I’m sure Save Nonantum is actually filled with hundreds of folks who don’t really care about any of the above. They just want to be heard, have their village respected, have the traditions they’ve come to cherish stand the test of time. That’s all fine by me. I think it is a great idea for them to form a PAC actually. Nothing like community organizing to get the attention of folks in power. I just think they don’t need to resort to the political tactics they used in the last election, and in the long run it will be defeating. Just my view. As Claire points out, I’ve been wrong before. Hopefully Save Nonantum will mature a bit as a political movement and be more than just a collection of grievances. Decrying faceless bullies and the “political elite” only gets you noticed. It doesn’t get you meaningful change, because no one is sure what you are asking for.
Michael/Jeffrey, I would welcome a contested mayor’s race. And I share your anger on the school year and the mistakes made. But I’ve yet to see it translate to a movement to oust the mayor. Far from it.
Just a few quick comments: Yes, people who live north of the Pike have felt disenfranchised for decades. As a Burr School teacher, I heard the sentiment and resentment, and know these sentiments to be true, and know the truth to the specific concerns. As an example, just last year the school system established a new equity policy and it was very controversial. People in wealthier parts of the city didn’t want to forego the privilege of spending more money on their children’s schools in order to ensure that students in all school communities receive the same financial resources. Just one example. Unfortunately, during the past few months, the community missed out on a robust discussion of the more substantive concerns that go well beyond Nonantum.
That being said about the reality of disenfranchisement, Fran Yerardi crossed a line with the SN ads and campaign tactics. If he uses these tactics again in the fall, the community will only become more divided than it is now. I encourage him to hone his message and tell people what his specific concerns are. Only then will systemic change be possible.
@Mike C – Thanks for your comments. One thing this election has taught me is how folks respond to the marketing / language used to describe policy. For example, some talk about targeted permitting of more multifamily housing by-right as necessarily producing more 4K+ square foot, $$$ homes… I don’t think that is a goal for anyone seeking zoning reform, nor a possible outcome if the rules around by-right unit sizes were to change. But, that does describe what folks see today with the current ordinance, so I get it. I suspect if we started talking about a path to more smaller and/or starter homes instead of the (in my opinion, unfairly maligned) broad term “zoning reform” … some changes would have appeal across more voters. I go here, because it is a less common “progressive” view to defend keeping a built out city zoned 70% single family. (To be clear, that is not the same sentence as declaring a candidate is “not progressive.”)
I am eager to see the new Councilors in action now that this election is behind us.
Jason,
If you survey residents, the top issues are likely schools, traffic, crime, road quality, looming pension liability
Reducing the price of housing is likely not one of the issues until the above are in good standing
I’m referring to the average resident
@bugek – Thanks! I think we can chew gum and walk, and agree schools is an important, urgent topic with large impacts to residents. I was just responding to a great point Mike C was making with an example.
@Amy Sangiolo & Mary MaryQC: Thank you so much for pointing out the lack of a “Congratulations” in Ruthanne’s Tuesday night message, as well as the photo of her with an anonymous hard-working election worker. It was a shocking lack of decorum.
@Jeremy & Fig: Ruthanne states specifically in her 1st sentence that Tarik Lucas & John Oliver were elected to the City Council. They won. Congratulations to them and the other candidates were in order.
Jason – We’re in the midst of a once in a century pandemic. In order to get to other priorities, we first need to dig out of this crisis, and that’s going to require a level of focus Newton’s not known for or particularly good at.
With the schools level-funded for the next year, more pressure will be on the current staff to address the fallout for children, Seniors, vulnerable residents, and those who’ve suffered from a full year of isolation will most likely require assistance to get back to normal life. Small businesses will need help to survive this beast. Perhaps most importantly, we need to make sure everyone is fed and housed.
This has been a brutal year, and for the time being. perhaps the city – at all levels – needs to prioritize pandemic relief and recovery.
Barbara:
Was the mayor even that involved in the election? Did she even endorse? I don’t see this as a political message. It’s a newsletter, she said they won. She thanked a bunch of folks. If you are offended by the lack of an official congratulations, that’s certainly your right, but to me it is just a big ol’ shrug, especially since she didn’t follow your sense of decorum for the last election either.
I will note that folks keep mentioning Amy as running against Mayor Fuller again, so her posts might be a little bit political at this point. 😉
Jane: Why would the schools be level funded now? We just got many millions dedicated to the schools in the Covid relief act. We can start using that money quickly. What am I missing? (not snarky, really want to focus on the city’s use of extra funds).
Hi @Jane – I don’t want to turn this thread into a housing convo. Your point is well taken, and there are other forums to continue the housing discussion. I raised it as an example related to a comment Mike C made, not to distract from a focus on needed services bc of the pandemic. Thanks
Fig-I really don’t know. It’s budget season so we should know in the coming weeks..
Thanks, Jason. My comment wasn’t really directed at you, We typically do our civic duty in silos, which works quite well in normal times. There’s nothing normal about the last year and IMO, we should expect fallout that will require everyone to work together, and put aside their pet.projects and issues – at a time when emotions are raw with no productive outlet for expressing a lot of pain.
(Written on my phone)
Casey’s point well above deserves reprinting:
“Zoom City Council meetings have made it possible for them to get to know their city councilors. Is that a good thing? For Newton it is but not for all the city councilors. A light has been shined down on them and this includes the school committee and the mayor.”
The use of Zoom for governmental meetings is the largest single change in city government over the last several decades. Citizens are now easily able to see their elected officials in action, leading to more accountability at the polls. And it is now possible for those who are concerned about one or another issue to quickly garner hundreds of people to watch our CC and SC members in action and apply gentle or not-so-gentle pressure when things are up for debate.
Paul,
Not only live zoom, but that its recorded with historical access. Ie full transparency for any resident to see
Most meetings are long and boring, but now if a councilor tries to hide positions during election season they can be called out on it.
I just wish each meeting had an index, so it would be possible to go easily to find those portions that might be of interest. It shouldn’t be hard to do that: All it would take is for the person taking minutes to note the time each item begins and ends and then add that summary as a slide to the front end of the recorded meeting.
I’d also like city officials to “rename” themselves by adding their titles so we can all know who they are. And CC and SC members could indicate their wards next to their names.
Maybe, someday, we can have chyrons on the screens so people can be identified fully in real time. And then, too, the specific agenda item can likewise be shown as the discussion proceeds. CSPAN has been doing that for decades . . .
For some things along these lines, check out how Cambridge presents its City Council meetings: https://cambridgema.iqm2.com/Citizens/SplitView.aspx?Mode=Video&MeetingID=2797&Format=Minutes
You can follow the meeting agenda on the same screen as the meeting progresses and click through to the documents that support each agenda item. As the split-screen site notes: “To see the details on any agenda item click on the outline on the left hand side and the item will appear on this side of the screen. So now in one place you can watch or listen to your public meetings, follow along with the agenda and see what they are talking about. You can even download the entire minutes and agenda if they are available.”
Fig – A correction: There is a spending freeze for the rest of the school year, not a cap for next year. My mistake.