The League of Woman Voters has just launched its Municipal Transparency and Accountability Initiative. They’d like to solicit your input with this brief survey.
LWVN’s Municipal Transparency and Accountability Initiative is an effort to evaluate the transparency and accountability of Newton’s city government and to advocate for specific improvements, as necessary. Over the next 12 months, LWVN will assess Newton’s municipal transparency and accountability, with reference to the needs in our community as well as examples and best practices implemented in other communities, in the following key areas:
- General information about municipal services, processes, and events (e.g., a comprehensive city government calendar; departmental websites; information about city services like trash pickup and road repairs; information about the budget process, special permit process, elections; a feedback mechanism for praise or criticism; functionality of 311 system; etc.);
- Fiscal, operational, and demographic data (e.g., budget and finance data; utilization or bottom-line data for initiatives like NewMo, Blue Bikes; Newton’s progress toward carbon neutrality; public safety data such as NFD response times or number of monthly 911 calls by category; information about Newton’s affordable housing stock, including locations and availability; demographic trends, etc.)
- Information about City Council activity (e.g., status of docket items, councilor voting history and attendance at Council and committee meetings, minutes, agendas, audio and video recordings, etc.);
- Information that tracks mayor’s initiatives and priorities (e.g. ARPA spending, implementation of task force recommendations, follow-up to initiatives like the Community Needs Assessment, etc.);
- Consistent Information about Boards and Commissions (e.g., minutes, agendas, audio recordings, meeting materials, annual reports, correspondence, etc.)
The “nonpartisan” League Of Democrat Women Voters is
launching a municipal transparency and accountability initiative.
Cant wait to see the outcome.
Talk about the fox guarding the hen house….
We are blessed to have someone protecting our “Fragile Democracy”.
What’s the point of an all Democrat
organization evaluating the work of an all Democrat city council elected by Democrats in a city mostly populated and run by Democrats?
Is anyone really expecting transparency and accountability as
the outcomes from this charade?
This initiative will make assessments and recommendations partially based on the
“Best practices” and “examples”implemented in other all Democrat run cities and towns?
What could possibly go wrong?
Why do you presume that all and only Democrats are members of the League of Women Voters Newton?
Why aren’t you a paying member?
Join in, do work, bask in the glory of intentionally having made things better for self, fellow citizens and those who follow. Surely that beats crying in online comment sections while thinking that someone else is responsible for the hard work of Perfecting Our Democracy … “voting” is hardly heavy lifting.
The first initiative that the League should carry out is one of transparency and honesty in its own bailiwick.
Let them first publish a survey of LWV Newton members with an attached, self-reported label for each member that indicates their own biases from extreme right-wing to right-wing to somewhat right-wing to centrist-right to independent to centrist-left to somewhat left-wing to left-wing to extreme left-wing.
After I see who the League members believe it represents, I might answer their survey.
Headline should read: LWH makes new push to make Newton progressive utopia at the expense of its citizens”.
Honestly, whats next, sean roche coming back talking about banning single family zoning again?
Stop trying to jam this bullsh!t down our throats. If it aint broken dont fix it. Newton aint broken people.
@Frank D
I couldn’t disagree more with your sentiment that “Newton aint broken.” In my opinion, Newton is broken, and broken in a big way.
We have 24 City Councilors who operate with very little accountability. Some of them have zero respect for their constituents. All of them appear helpless in dealing with the invasion of rats plaguing our city. Most of them are clueless about how to negotiate with large developers. I could go on and on about the Mayor and our underperforming school system, but I won’t.
My point is, I’m thankful to the League of Women Voters for soliciting feedback from Newton residents about the lack of transparency and accountability in Newton’s governing structure. I don’t know if anything will come of the effort. But at least they care enough to listen.
@Mike, I’m kind of with you. There’s always room for improvement so let the LWV take their shot at it.
Lack of accountability and the power of the political machine is something else that can be discussed too but Frank(ly) there may not be a solution to that
As is typically the case, neither Mr. D. nor Mr. Striar have any sort of nuanced understanding of the issues.
Newton is like most other cities: trying to manage in an increasingly complex (and litigious) world that requires far more of city government (including the schools) now than was the case 40, 50 or 100 years ago. Perhaps one can anecdotally point to places that do this thing or that thing better than Newton, but basically government at all levels and localities is failing to provide expected and required services at anything event remotely resembling a rating of “excellent.” Certainly, prop 2.5 is a self inflicted wound here in MA making things only worse, but municipal mediocrity is hardly limited to Our Fair City or Commonwealth.
So no, Mr. D., Newton ain’t not broken. And no Mr. Striar, Newton is not falling to pieces. Certainly, your “if only Newton would listen to my brilliant advice” approach would fix little.
You’re so cynical, Elmo. Almost every problem has a solution. Good government ain’t rocket science. The whole world has gotten more complicated, not just local government. A stronger Mayor and smaller City Council would go a long way to fixing Newton’s problems.
Strong mayor sure. Just not this mayor.
Should we reduce the number of City Councillors, yes.
Should we hold them more accountable, yes.
But to say the quality of life in newton is bad would be a lie. Lack of affordable housing is not a negative on quality of life. Politically you may want this, and many other things, but life is good. Sometimes I wish all you people would take a step back and see how much better we have it than most people in and out of this country. we are damn lucky people.
And if you think I am wrong you are free to move somewhere else, likely somewhere more affordable!
Strong mayor sure. Just not this mayor.
Should we reduce the number of City Councillors, yes.
Should we hold them more accountable, yes.
But to say the quality of life in newton is bad would be a lie. Lack of affordable housing is not a negative on quality of life. Politically you may want this, and many other things, but life is good. Sometimes I wish all you people would take a step back and see how much better we have it than most people in and out of this country. we are damn lucky people.
And if you think I am wrong you are free to move somewhere else, likely somewhere more affordable!
Elmo may be cynical, but he’s not wrong. Newton residents and by extension their elected officials are no longer immune from the dysfunction that has consumed the rest of the country (if we ever did). There’s a detachment and cynicism that didn’t always exist. There is a growing disconnect between what people want from their government and what it can actually do, especially when there’s a lack of trust. A smaller council and stronger mayor may help, but recent elections (as some need to be reminded) have shown we can’t even agree on that. Remember the 2017 charter reform that failed? I hope something actually comes from the LWV effort, but it will take much more to actually make anything happen.
I agree with FWG that there’s a “disconnect” between the public’s expectation of local government, and what local government has delivered. But I strongly disagree that the public’s expectations cannot be met. The truth is, Newton can do much better. We can have better schools and city services. I’m not saying those particular things are horrible right now. I’m just saying we can do much better
I agree with Elmo about the effects of Prop 2 1/2. But we have to think beyond that specific constraint, and identify alternative ways to generate revenue for the city. There are numerous ways for a municipality to raise revenue. Not just property taxes. This is where an entire generation of elected Newton officials have dropped the ball. For example, instead of thinking outside the box to solve real problems, they charge their constituents for grocery bags.
@ mike – best way to raise revenue is to zone for more commercial and corporate space. low income housing leads to more use of resources and less revenue. More businesses and commerce leads to more commercial taxes to do things like improve roads, add bike lanes, and make the schools good again.
Disagree about Prop 2 1/2. Many of our older residents are living in pricey homes, but are otherwise not wealthy. They could be hurt if the limits of 2 1/2 were not in place.
I do think the paper bags at the supermarket are a nuisance — especially the ones at Stop & Shop (which I otherwise think is a decent little market). It’s a good example of misplaced priorities.
The City Council indeed has too many members, however the charter reform proposal was so divisive it couldn’t build majority support.
I don’t think our city government is without faults, but its not a complete disaster either. My instinct is that many of our residents, especially the newer ones, aren’t very tuned in to the state of the city. Until they are, there won’t be an energetic push for reforms and more efficient government.
I do not believe that our city councilors are cynical operators at all. Quite the contrary- for modest salaries they work long hours and serve on numerous committees and subcommittees. Indeed, the city is so large and has so many operations to oversee that we need all 24 of our councilors, who are not full-time employees, to accomplish the work. Without full-time, professionally staffed legislators, we will have to make do with the number we have if we want to cover all our areas.
Even when I disagree with councilors on various policies, I never doubt that they are sincere in their beliefs. Many of them are policy wonks who can cite chapter and verse about codes and regulations to a remarkable degree. You may criticize their positions or the policies they advocate, but never doubt their dedication.
I don’t see anyone doubting the “dedication” of any City Councilor. I have no doubt about the sincerity of any of the Councilors. They are all well intentioned people, who work long hours at little compensation on behalf of Newton. I don’t take that lightly.
But every City Councilor understood the game before they decided to run. Every one of them knows they are subject to scrutiny by the public, fair or unfair. So when Newton is failing to meet the public’s expectations, I think it’s important that people speak out. Preferably with solutions to go along with the complaints. But either way, it’s a public duty to speak out.
As far as the size of the City Council, it’s ridiculous. If the Charter reform initiative had just reduced the Council to 8 at-Large and 8 Ward councilors, it would have passed handily. I’m not faulting the Charter Commission. I think they did a good job. But I think this issue needs to be readdressed in the future. I also believe we need more creative thinkers to run for office in Newton, rather than “policy wonks.”
I totally agree with the comments made. It is time to think about reducing the number of City Councilors. The Charter Commission overreached and as a result any effort to reduce the size of the City Council failed. The LWV should renew their efforts to lead the charge for a smaller and more workable Council.
Peter-
You should become a paying member of the League of Women Voters Newton and dedicate yourself to working that issue which you feel so strongly about. You will need to organize a team of volunteers to formulate a winning solution and to collect the signatures needed to get a question onto the ballot. (do take care to not miss any filing deadlines, because you would have to start over again from the beginning, if you are to follow the rules ..)
If not you, who? Maybe you can come-up with enough insight, hard work, and persuasion to win-over a majority of voters, as has not happened on multiple attempts, over decades and generations, to change the size of Newton’s council.
Let’s see what you are made of:
“Fame, like a two-edg’d Sword, does cut both ways,
And equally, doth praise Men, and dispraise,
Cæsar and Pompey were surnamed Great,
By Sycophants, and in their own Gazett,
Being great Butchers, they great Fame did get.”
Priest-Craft, its Character and Consequences; by Edmund Hickeringill
Maybe readers have already come to their opinion on that matter.
Mary P– If I recall correctly, a non-binding referendum that would have reduced the Council [then Board of Aldermen] did win handily at the ballot box. It was years before the more recent Charter vote though.
I have little doubt that voters today would support a 16 member Council comprised of 8 at-Large and 8 Ward Councilors. But there’s a waiting period before another Charter Commission can form and take up that issue. I have every confidence that will eventually happen.
Mike: Didn’t the City Council at the time, vote to reduce the Council to 16 – (8 at-large and 8) Ward-only by 17 – 7, but the then-Mayor and the future incoming Mayor said they would not approve it?
Yes, I believe you’re 100% correct. But I can understand the future Mayor’s reluctance because of the timing. If I recall correctly, the Charter changes had recently been defeated by voters. So the future Mayor would have been contradicting the failed Charter revision vote that retained the Council at 24.
I think the solution is to wait the requisite number of years to reform a Charter Commission, and take another crack at reducing the Council to 16. I don’t see the the Council taking the initiative [again] to downsize itself.
Mike – I totally agree the City Council will never support reducing the size of the body.
We can form a Committee of Newton Citizens dedicated to the mission of a City Council reduction and actively gather signatures and we can elect new Councilors committed to reducing the Council size.
I remain unconvinced. Having worked to oppose the recommendations of the Charter Commission to reduce the number of city councilors, I haven’t changed my mind. Until being a councilor is full-time job with staff and commensurate salary, Newton needs 24 part-time councilors to fulfill the City Council’s mission. I suspect that most of those who opposed the recommendations feel the same.