To All Our Members:
We’d like to take this opportunity to wish all our members Happy Holidays and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
LWVN has been busy this fall. If you would like to help out and have a little time or a lot, we would love to see you and would welcome your help. Please send us an email at League@lwvnewton.org if you’d like to lend a hand. If you don’t have time to volunteer, continue to keep abreast of what we are doing and please make your voice heard when you can.
The upcoming year will be bringing many new things – a new presidential administration, two new state representatives from Newton in our state legislature, and by next year, a new mayor. During all this change, we continue to work toward the goals set forth in our positions and established as priorities during last year’s Annual Meeting. We want to point out a few things that you should be especially aware of in the coming year:
- Municipal elections are happening in 2025. In 2023 Newton municipal elections, there were only six contested city council elections and no contested School Committee races. Our democracy works better when our elected officials have to outline their policy positions and defend their ideals. We don’t get to know who our elected officials are and how they might vote if they don’t have to prove themselves during an election season. LWVN is developing materials to help anyone looking to learn about running a candidate race and will be posting a list of resources on our website very shortly.
- You don’t have to run for mayor, city council or school committee to get involved. Residents can also participate in our municipal government by serving on city commissions and committees. There are over 80 boards, commissions, committees, and advisory councils that serve our community.
- The municipal budget process will be starting soon. Everything about your local government depends on what gets approved or doesn’t get approved in the budget. LWVN will be hosting a topic meeting on how to understand municipal finance, so that you can learn how to better engage on issues like the school budget, road and building construction, and
- This spring, at the State Convention, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts will be considering whether to take a position on reparations for Black Americans. Local leagues throughout Massachusetts will be participating in this decision by holding consensus meetings early in 2025. LWVN will be sharing background information and preparation materials with you by way of special newsletters over the next month or so. We welcome you to join this consensus process and share your good thinking as we work through complex questions.
Again, we wish you a very happy and healthy 2025! We’re so glad you’re with us.
Frieda Dweck & Jane Harper
Co-Presidents, League of Women Voters of Newton