All candidates running for contested seats in the upcoming election were invited to submit a post in support of their candidacy to Village14. This is Alicia Bowman’s
My name is Alicia Bowman and I am running for re-election as a Ward 6 At-Large City Councilor. I ran for City Council in 2019 because we needed more councilors willing and able to lead on the increasingly complex issues facing Newton, especially housing, transportation and climate change. With an MBA, management consultant experience, and years as a community advocate in Newton working with city staff and elected officials, I knew I could provide that leadership. After two years on the Council, I have seen firsthand how important it is to have strong leadership skills to get things done in this very difficult role.
I have pushed for better development projects, created safer streets for all users, supported local businesses during COVID, and worked on climate action.
I am amplifying the voices of critical populations by regularly attending meetings with the Commission on Disability, Fair Housing Committee, Newton Housing Partnership, Safe Routes to School (an organization I co-founded 13 years ago), Transportation Advisory Group (which I have been a member since it began 10 years ago) and Bike Newton (where I was formerly the President and co-founder of the popular Tour de Newton).
I am running for re-election because I am just getting started and there is very important work ahead. My priorities for this coming term are:
Climate Change: We are already experiencing the climate crisis, including extreme weather events that will become more extreme and more frequent. Climate Change needs to be a key driver of all decisions. Increasing efforts to decrease GHG associated with buildings and transportation is key. This year President Albright appointed me as the City Council representative to the Climate Action Plan Implementation Group.
Village Centers: Our villages are a source of pride, provide important services and are an economic engine for Newton. But most villages are not living up to their potential. We should be enabling investments in buildings, public space, infrastructure, a better mix of businesses, and housing that supports seniors, young people and others and includes affordable housing. I am proud of the work I did during the pandemic to support our restaurants and to expand outdoor dining and improve those spaces with flowers. I joined Councilor Noel in building accessible platforms for some restaurants.
Transportation:  More than 25% of CO2 in Newton is from personal transportation. We have the opportunity to lay out a bold vision for transforming our car clogged streets to healthier streets, that make people safer and help Newton meet its goal to reduce vehicle miles traveled by supporting more walking, biking and use of transit. I have been a leader on important transformational projects like the re-imagining of Hammond Pond Parkway and Riverside Greenway including bringing back the carriage lane in Auburndale by Lyons Field, both of which will provide much need space for walking and biking. This coming year the city will be undertaking an important planning effort, creating a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. This is the result of a budget resolution proposed by me and supported by all 24 councilors. It will establish standards for sidewalks and bike lanes, identify key projects and prioritize them. This is a huge step forward in the effort to make Newton more walkable and bikeable and reduce driving, which is necessary to meet our climate goals.
As voters we need to elect LEADERS who share our priorities but also have the skills to move our city forward. Â
As voters, it’s not enough for us to elect people who say they share our priorities and vision. We also have to elect those with the skills and leadership to move our city in the right direction.Â
I am a leader with a proven track record for making positive change and many years as a community advocate helping people solve problems.Â
In my two years on the council, I have built strong relationships with my colleagues and city officials. I am endorsed by
- 25 current and former elected officials,
- by the Sierra Club,
- Newton Gun Violence Prevention Collaborative,
- Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus,
- Greater Boston Young Democrats,
- Voters for a Vibrant Newton,
- Engine 6,Â
and many other community leaders because of my hard work and the ability to get things done. Â I have the energy and experience for this job and will continue to do it well with your help.
I ask for your vote on or before November 2nd.
Alicia, I believe what was done to West Newton and Newtonville are atrocious and will only cause businesses to fail,if you in any way contributed to ruining these Centers you should be held accountable and be voted out!!!!
Jamie – Do you have any evidence to support your beliefs? Because all research I know of shows the changes to Newtonville support businesses. Caffe Nero always seems to be hopping!
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2019/07/12/the-economic-power-of-walkability-in-metro-areas/
https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2021/08/18/ten-economic-benefits-walkable-places
I’m not currently planning to vote for Alicia, but think Newtonville right now is pretty great. A vast improvement. As for West Newton – it’s not so great. But it’s a trickier stretch of road than Walnut.
To amplify Lucia’s point, maybe you should ask all the people enjoying eating, drinking, and having a great time hanging out on Walnut St if the improvements are atrocious. Or those with physical limitations who can actually enjoy a universally accessible West Newton Square.
Regardless, Councilor Bowman was elected after the planning for both projects was almost completed. She has, however, been instrumental in making our streets safer for everyone, including our kids on their way to their neighborhood schools.
Thank you for pushing for the bike lanes on Parker Street! This is a true game changer.
I am a big fan of Alicia Bowman. She is a strong and persuasive advocate for walkability, biking, transit, and healthy villages.
No one works harder than Alicia to make our streets and sidewalks safe and accessible to all users, especially the most vulnerable road users, like our students. I’m proud to support Alicia and vote for her Tuesday.
There remains a current traffic safety crisis in Newton Centre since a pedestrian was killed near the bridge span of the Green Line T stop in 2018. How that has gone ignored three years is troubling. The Commission On Disability would have acted swiftly — had we become aware of the crosswalk/street situation that year — and attained rightful results as we have historically shown with large, high-traffic intersections, crosswalks, streets and sidewalks.
A tragedy involving a 32-year-old pediatrician driving her bike to Boston Medical on Massachusetts Avenue slammed into a tractor trailer near Beacon Street. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh shut down that busy intersection. I know it well for years traveling the same route and went to the intersection to see the work done in 48 hours. The entire intersection was reconfigured with striping/painted crosswalks, new varying colored warning signs on each corner next to crosswalks along with new traffic signals (with cameras). Bike Lanes also brought a safer Massachusetts Ave. through to Cambridge across the Harvard Bridge and south to BMC through the Albany Street intersection.
Citizens in Newton should expect no less! Time to get busy.
Please vote for change!!!!! Paul Levy…Pontiff,Kevin Riffe ,Alan Ciccone,John Oliver,,,Pam Wright…Lisa Gordon…. Barry Bergman,Malakie etc…..
Time to go Danberg,Scibelli,Leary,Humphrey,Bowman.Lipoff
Julia, How is Cook restaraunt doing??? How is Rox Diner ???How is City Pizza doing???? Let’s see what closes in 2022!!! Not all is well in Newtonville like you want people to believe… Look at the constant turnover in West Newton Square ,it is awful to own a business in this City…The taxes,water,rent and lack of parking is killing businesses!!!
Jaime, don’t forget Rena Getz!
Jamie, don’t you think the worldwide pandemic might have had something to do with those closings?
The extra business in Newtonville must be a lifeline for those businesses. And remember, the area council and businesses fought for that plan with the widest possible sidewalks. Seems like it is working pretty well to me.
If you want to see single family eliminated vote for Alicia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_jPKoHJ4zU&t=2550s
Jamie, always so negative (and so much punctuation!!!)
Everyone can post who they will be supporting, but l disagree with you completely on Newtonville. It is so much better than it was before, and it has lost very little parking from the improvements. I’m in Newtonville multiple times a day for the past two years. It is far more active and lively than it ever was before the improvements. Far more family friendly. Lots more folks meeting at the plaza between Cafe Nero and Starbucks. My kids love Clover and Cafe Nero. Los Amigos is moving into the Rox Diner space soon. MIDA is awesome. Chipotle is opening soon. De La Posta is opening in place of Cook in a week or two. CVS now has parking and a redone store.
I hope nothing closes in 2022. But to blame the closures of 2021 and not mention the pandemic, and to fail to mention that each of the restaurants you mentioned is being replaced with a new restaurant concept (we are suddenly swimming in pizza places, which might explain City Pizza as well ending its run). Newtonville is doing great. And hopefully, Newtonville will get a redone Senior Center as potentially a new building for the New Art Center in the years to come.
Sometimes you just have to admit things turned out ok. The world didn’t end with Austin Street and Trio. The pandemic was tough, but I’m glad they moved forward with the changes to Newtonville during a time of lower traffic and use, and I think it looks great. From what I can tell, lots of folks agree with me.
Have a great night!!!!!
Fig,we are all welcome to our opinions,I have lived in Newtonville for the last 58 years,I think these squares are awful!!!! I think Mike Halle had something to do with this and shame on him if he did!!!!!!
Have a great night all…
I lived in N’ville for 25 years and always lamented that awful parking lot as a lost opportunity. Once the ice cream store and Debbie’s Petland left, all that was left of N’ville was banks and nails.
I’ll freely admit that I thought turning the space that was previously Bramway into some kind of destination was kind of silly – who’d go there and why? Well, as it turns out, I do – and quite often. It’s my latest, favorite place to meet a friend.
How did a thread about Alicia turn into a conversation about N’ville?! None of this has anything to do with Alicia, except to say one person’s idea of great addition/change is another’s idea of awful. Such is life.