Newton, MA, October 21, 2019 – Voters for a Vibrant Newton, a Political Action Committee (PAC) formed to promote an inclusive, forward-looking vision for the city today, announced its slate of endorsements for the coming election. The candidates chosen demonstrate a commitment to the PAC’s goals - that Newton remains an open and welcoming city, with vibrant village centers, environmentally sustainable living, and a solid fiscal footing.
 
“Newton’s character is in its people, and we want Newton to remain an open, welcoming and vibrant city where people from all backgrounds can build a life.” said Allison Sharma, chair of Voters for a Vibrant Newton. “We want walkable village centers and a range of housing options that will allow our older neighbors to downsize in the city they love, and that will also attract the younger generation that is missing from our community. We believe that well-planned, thoughtful development near village centers and transit will help us do our part in the battle against climate change. The candidates we endorse reflect these values.”
 
When choosing which candidates to support, the members of Voters for a Vibrant Newton looked at several factors including:

• Keeping Newton an open, welcoming city – Newton has long been a city where all kinds of people could build a great life. But how many of us could afford to move here today? Will our kids build their lives here? Can our teachers, firefighters, and police live in the community they serve? Do seniors looking to downsize have options to stay in the city they love? Will companies considering locating here be deterred by lack of workforce housing? To be a truly welcoming city, Newton needs to find ways to provide a range of housing options that people can afford.

 

• Maintaining vibrant village centers – We want our village centers to be fun and vibrant, with public plazas, better sidewalks, and a safe, inviting environment for people of all ages. Carefully planned mixed-use development near transit and village centers will attract new retail tenants, generate the additional foot traffic our small businesses need to thrive, and provide wonderful options for young people and seniors who’d like to downsize. 

 

• Providing environmentally sustainable living – Climate change is a serious threat and it is critical that we have a comprehensive approach to address it. There is a tremendous amount we can do at the local level to reduce our carbon footprint, including stricter environmental building codes for new construction, more efficient modes of transportation, and smart land use that includes efficient, housing near transit and shopping to reduce automobile dependence.

 

• Putting Newton on solid fiscal footing – Newton is facing serious financial pressures. It is imperative that we maintain our terrific public schools. We need fair, competitive contracts for our teachers and other city workers. Our senior center is inadequate for our growing senior population.  Our roads are in disrepair, and we have unfunded pensions and other employee-related liabilities. Expanding revenue through thoughtful growth is essential to meeting our budget challenges.

 
The full list of candidates includes:
 
Councilors At Large
Ward 2: Susan Albright, Jake Auchincloss
Ward 3: Andrea Kelley
Ward 5: Deb Crossley, Andreae Downs
Ward 6: Alicia Bowman, Vicki Danberg
 
Ward Councilors
Ward 1: Maria Scibelli Greenberg
Ward 2: Bryan Barash
Ward 3: Carolina Ventura
Ward 5: Bill Humphrey
Ward 6: Brenda Noel
 
About Voters for a Vibrant Newton
Voters for a Vibrant Newton is a Political Action Committee formed to keep Newton an open, welcoming city with vibrant village centers that provide environmentally sustainable living and put Newton on a solid fiscal footing. More information can be found online at https://www.vibrantnewton.org/.
 
 
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​The Voters for a Vibrant Newton PAC contribution policy is as follows:

• All donations shall comply with the rules, regulations and limits set for Political Action Committees by the Office of Campaign & Political Finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These rules include but are not limited to:
  • $500 maximum contribution from an individual.
  • $50 maximum cash contribution, $100 maximum money order contribution.
  • The PAC may not accept contributions from businesses (corp., LLC, LLP)
  • All contributions must include the name and address of the contributor.
  • Contributions of $200 or more must report the occupation and employer of the contributor.
  • $200 maximum contribution from a registered lobbyist.
• Donations will not be accepted from developers/builders with projects, current or pending, before the City Council.
• Donations will not be accepted from land use/ zoning attorneys working in Newton.
• Donations will not be accepted from people who have business pending before the City Council.