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Newsletter

LWVN Newsletter, Winter 2020-21

February 6, 2021

LWVN Newsletter, Vol 26 Issue 3


Table of Contents

  • President’s letter
  • What’s Happening on the Board…
  • Advocacy
  • Voter Service/Elections
  • Citizen Education – The League Presents
  • Citizen Education – Topic Meetings
  • Membership
  • CONGRATULATIONS, BONNIE!!!!
  • Zoning Redesign
  • Mayoral Commendation for David Olson and the Newton Election Staff

President’s letter, Feb. 2021

Dear LWVN Members,

Here I sit on a dreary rainy day in January and think it is hard to believe that almost one year ago, we began on the pandemic journey.  I do not think that any of us expected, at this point in time in 2020, to still be on this insufferable and sometimes chaotic journey in 2021.  But here we are, and I have to say my work with the LWVN Board of Directors has really kept me going.  I hope that you have enjoyed the events and the information on our website and Facebook  page that we enjoy bringing to you.

Graphic urging "Every vote must be counted"Voter Service directly serves the major aim of the League of Women Voters to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation in government.  We provided information on How to Vote by Mail, Planning Your Vote, and Emergency Absentee Ballots. During the sometimes-contentious vote counting process, we took a very public position that every eligible voter should have their voice heard and their vote counted. When we take the time to count and verify every ballot, it is a sign that our democracy is working. Democracy is worth waiting for!

Photo of Jake AuchinclossAfter the November general election, we partnered with other Leagues from Congressional District 4 to have a virtual meet and greet with Congressman-elect Jake Auchincloss.  We hope to continue our dialogue with Jake by offering additional opportunities to meet with Congressman Auchincloss to express our issues and priorities and to hear his.

As part of our ongoing advocacy for affordable housing and the environment, we joined….

The Newton Free Library and Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ) presented a virtual session with Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law, A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.  This session is part of our ongoing effort to explore issues of racial inequality and racial justice.  More information about this session can be found below under our topic meetings update.

We joined with other civic organizations to sign on to Transitisessential.org, which is urging the MBTA to make the following commitments:

  1. Make no permanent or long-term decisions regarding service, especially potential cuts, before the legislature concludes its current session.
  2. Advance affordability for all transit riders.
  3. Ensure critical transformative capital investments, climate justice, and air quality improvements move forward in 2020 and 2021.
  4. Sustainably fund transit in the short-term and long-term.

Lastly, but no less importantly:

  • In November, following the leads of LWVUS and LWVMA, the LWVN Board updated and adopted a new Diversity Policy.
  • On December 13, 2020,  the LWV of Massachusetts celebrated its 100th birthday with a gala attended by over 250 people. At that celebration, LWVMA honored the “formidable women” from local leagues.  LWVN’s very own Bonnie Carter was recognized as one such “formidable woman” for her over 50 years of work with the League.
  • On a special note, I want to highlight the letter from LWVUS Board President Deborah Ann Turner on impeachment and removal of President Trump.

What to look forward to …

  • Scholarship applications (see our update on the scholarship program below) due March 1st
  • An incredibly special and interesting Topic Meeting on March 9: Representing the 4th: A Conversation with Barney Frank, Joe Kennedy III, and Jake Auchincloss.
  • Candidate forums for the Ward 1 and Ward 2 Councilor at-Large positions, and special election voter information
  • A special League Presents with retiring City Clerk, David Olson

Sincerely,

Marcia Johnson
President, LWVN


What’s Happening on the Board…

LWVN Scholarship Program

by the Scholarship Committee Team:  Nikki Dawes, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Ellen Grody, Andrea Kozinetz, and Josephine McNeil 

The Scholarship Committee is very excited to announce the launch of the inaugural LWVN scholarship program.  The LWVN will be awarding  two scholarships of $1000 to graduating seniors who have plans to continue their education after graduation (college, vocational education, etc.).  Criteria, being considered, are as follows:

  • The student lives in/goes to school in Newton.  This would include public and private school students, METCO students, and students who are home-schooled
  • In his/her life and school work, holds core values that are in alignment with those of the League
  • The student has been actively involved in Newton’s civic life.

The application process opened on January 1, 2021.  The timeline, as currently planned is:

  • Applications are due on March 1, 2021
  • During March and April, evaluation teams will review applications and make a final decision
  • Awards will be made on May 1, 2021.

The program is being publicized through the high schools, PTO Council, NTA, and other recommended community groups.

LWVN Board Policies

by the Policy Committee Team:  Frieda Dweck, Judy Jaffe, Marcia Johnson, and Andrea Kozinetz 

On November 11, 2020, the Board of Directors approved the following policies that govern the operations of the Board:  Board Approval Policy (the process for approving actions that need to be taken in between board meetings); Coalitions Policy (outlining the requirements under which LWVN will join with other organizations in a coalition for a particular purpose); Distribution of Literature Policy; Diversity Policy; Donations and Sponsorships Policy; Expenses Policy; Membership Dues Policy; Membership List Privacy Policy; Nominations Policy; Speak-with-One-Voice Policy (who is authorized to speak on behalf of LWVN); and Write-In Candidates Policy (the criteria under which write-in candidates will be permitted to participate in candidate forums).

A Non-Partisan Policy was previously approved by the Board at its September 9, 2020 board meeting.

The development and adoption of these policies follows the work that the LWVN completed last year with the revision to its bylaws.  In the course of discussing the bylaws, it was determined that certain operational policies that did not belong in the bylaws nevertheless needed to be flushed out and deliberated, so that the Board had a clear set of standards with which to guide certain of its actions and decisions.

A policy subcommittee was established to review any existing policies of the LWVN and to discuss any additional policies we believed should be adopted.  Over the course of approximately three months, the subcommittee reviewed existing policies of the LWVN, policies adopted by the LWVUS and LWVMA, and asked for input from other Massachusetts leagues.  The subcommittee is especially grateful to the Amherst LWV and the Needham LWV for sharing their thoughts and work on policies used by them.

The subcommittee presented its recommendations to the Board at a special meeting of the Board held on October 29, 2020, and followed up with a subsequent discussion at its regular meeting on November 11.  A robust discussion was held on each of the proposed policies, and suggestions of the board members were incorporated into the text of the policies, as needed.

The Board unanimously adopted the policies listed at its November 11 board meeting.

The Board is committed to periodically evaluating its policies to ensure that it is acting in the best interests of its members and is adhering to the standards set forth by the national LWV.


Advocacy

Observer Corps

The LWVN has had a long history of having Observers of Newton City Government.   We are always in need of observers for all aspects of the City’s activities.  Please contact us if you are interested in becoming a part of our Observer Corps

Currently, we have regular Observers at Newton’s Community Preservation Committee (CPC).  This year our CPC committee is being led by Linda Morrison, and includes members Judy Jaffe, Jack Lovett, and alternate member Marcia Johnson.  Though we continue to observe the CPC meetings, we have taken no positions during this period.  As the City Council begins its deliberations on the establishment of a Housing Trust Fund, there will be much for the League to learn and consider during 2021.

Local Action

We sent a letter to State Representative John Lawn, Chair of the Joint Committee on Election Laws, in support of Governor Baker’s request (House Bill H511), on the City’s behalf, to allow Newton to use mail-in and early in-person voting for Newton’s upcoming special election on March 16, 2021 to fill the empty seats for Wards 1 and 2 City Councilors-at-Large.


Voter Service/Elections

by the Voters Service Team:  Jen Abbott, Bonnie Carter, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Marcia Johnson, Karen Manning, and Sharyn Roberts

We have reason to celebrate this past November 3, 2020’s election with the following stats:

  • 50,571 Newton voters cast ballots representing 80% of Newton’s registered voters, which is a 10% increase from 2016;
  • of those 50,000 approximately 35,000 were vote-by-mail and 10,000 ballots were cast by early in-person voting at the library, and the rest of the ballots were cast in-person on Election Day;
  • despite the large number of ballots cast with the majority being vote-by-mail, Newton was able to report results in a timely way.

Newton successfully managed three major voting streams: early voting, vote-by-mail and in-person voting.  All this happened in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.   This could not have happened without the many dedicated Newton poll workers who labored tirelessly in the months leading up to November 3rd.  We thank Newton’s poll workers for their professionalism and dedication and stepping up to help when they were most needed.

Since we could not thank the poll workers in person at our usual thank you supper at City Hall, we partnered with City Counselors Alicia Bowman, Deb Crossley, Andreae Downs, Andrea Kelley, and Alison Leary and created a Letter of Commendation for Newton Poll Workers, which was read out loud at a full session of the Newton City Council on Monday, December 7, 2020, with the blessing of City Council President Susan Albright.

City Clerk David Olson
City Clerk David Olson

We also partnered with Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s office assisting in creating a proclamation from the Mayor’s Office thanking David Olson, our City Clerk, and his election staff for their outstanding work in overcoming all kinds of obstacles to give us a fair and free election.  This was presented to David by the Mayor and read out to his whole staff on Wednesday, December 16, 2020.  This date was important to the League because we wanted it to be close to the time when the Electoral College would certify the national vote on December 14th.

 

Photo of LWV mask "Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy."A big thank you to the LWVN Marketing Committee of Jen Abbott, Frieda Dweck, Theresa Fitzpatrick,  and Karen Manning who have created a second LWV mask fundraiser before the Special Election on Tuesday, March 16, 2021.  The design of this mask really “pops” and was the hands-down favorite from the other options created.   Purchase your mask now!   The ordering deadline is Friday, February 19th.

And speaking of the Special Election on March 16th, Newton must hold this election to fill two Councilor-at-Large vacancies; from Ward 1, left open by the sudden death of Allan (Jay) Ciccone, Jr; and from Ward 2 with the resignation of Jake Auchincloss, who is now our Congressman from District Four.  The League is working with NewTV to present two candidates forums, held remotely, that will be recorded and broadcast frequently on the NewTV Government Channel  until March 16th.  We are confirming candidate forum dates as this newsletter “goes to press.”

Our President, Marcia Johnson, sent a letter to Representative John Lawn, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Election Laws, to support House Bill H5111 that would extend the mail-in and early in-person voting for our Special Election.  This would ensure that Newton voters would feel safe voting in this upcoming election and possibly increase our voter turnout.

We have been asked by several of our city councilors to endorse City Council docket item #494-20 which requests a Home Rule petition providing legal voting rights in municipal elections to 16 and 17 year old residents under the EMPOWER Bill HD1132/SD1949.  Our Board is discussing whether to support this action.


Citizen Education – The League Presents

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, we have been able to work with LWVN member, Maureen Reilly Meagher, and New TV to produce five League Presents  shows on topics important to Newton residents:

  • Vote 16 Newton, a discussion with Newton North High School junior Olivia Pozen and Newton North High School senior Coral Lin, co-chairs of Vote16 Newton, a non-partisan, student run campaign dedicated to lowering the voting age in Newton to 16 years.
  • Fun and Entertainment During the Pandemic, with Newton’s “Instigator of Fun”, Jerry Reilly
  • Voting in Newton During the Pandemic – a conversation with David Olson, Newton’s City Clerk
  • A Conversation with City Council President, Susan Albright
  • Ranked Choice Voting, with Susan Millinger, LWVMA Board Member

We also continue to provide information interesting to our members on our website and Facebook.

Citizen Education – Topic Meetings

Despite the difficulties of our current pandemic lives, the LWVN has continued to provide exciting, albeit virtual, topic meetings for our members.  We have held 4 topic meetings to date, with two more exciting topic meetings coming up:

February 22 at 7:00pm

Crystal LakeA Roundtable Discussion on the Use and Preservation of Crystal Lake

March 9 at 7:00pm

Map of the Massachusetts Fourth Congressional DistrrictRepresenting the 4th: A Conversation with Barney Frank, Joe Kennedy III and Jake Auchincloss

We hope to see you there!

Here is a brief description of the topic meetings we have held so far, and where to get more information on those topics.

Voting is Voice: Women’s Suffrage and Beyond

October 20, 2020 (Tuesday, 7:00-8:30pm). Together with Project Citizenship, The Philanthropy Connection, The Wellesley Centers for Women, and League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVMA), LWVN co-sponsored this virtual forum. A panel of accomplished women reflected on why elections, voting and civic engagement matter so much, considering both the success and shortcomings of the suffrage movement; the empowerment of new voters today; and what future work remains to ensure all citizens can and do exercise their voting rights.

The Color of Law, A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

Cover: The Color of LawNovember 17, 2020 (Tuesday, 6:30-8:00pm). LWVN joined with the Newton Free Library and Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ) for a presentation by author Richard Rothstein who argued with exacting precision and fascinating insight how segregation in America is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state and federal levels, and offered several concrete suggestions for how to address the housing and economic inequities caused by these policies.

Attendees also heard a conversation between library director, Ellen Meyers, and community activist, Richard Evans, who told his family’s story of encountering discrimination in the 1960’s during the state’s eminent domain taking of land for the construction of the Mass Pike bypass through Newton.

To wrap up the session, Newton City Councilor Deb Crossley introduced attendees to the efforts being made by the City Council to address housing inequities in Newton by engaging in a comprehensive review of Newton’s zoning codes.

View the recording of the session.

Newton’s Zoning Reform

November 19, 2020 (Thursday, 7:30-9:00pm). Newton resident and experienced local architect, Jay Walter, delivered an informed and comprehensive presentation on how the City Council is proposing to change Newton’s Zoning Ordinance, how those changes differ from current zoning, and what effect those changes will have on our community.

View the recording of the presentation.

Community Book Group Discussion of the book Factfulness

Cover: FactfulnessJanuary 10, 2021 (Sunday, 3:00-4:30pm). An intimate group of LWVN members and members of the community participated in an interesting and lively discussion of the book Factfulness.  Factfulness explains how our worldview has been distorted with the rise of new media, how ten common human instincts can prevent us from seeing the world factfully, and how we can learn to overcome these innate biases to help separate fact from fiction when forming our opinions and to see the world more positively.

If you are interested in the topic, here are some additional resources to explore.


Membership

Welcome, new members!

We welcome new members to the LWV!

  • Kara Brewton
  • Nora Lester Murad

CONGRATULATIONS, BONNIE!!!!

Bonnie Carter, Formidable Woman
Linda Morrison and Bonnie Carter celebrate 100 years of woman suffrage

On December 13, 2020, the LWV of Massachusetts celebrated its 100th birthday with a birthday gala attended by over 250 people.

At that celebration, LWVMA honored the “formidable women” from local leagues.  LWVN’s very own Bonnie Carter was recognized as one such “formidable woman” for her over 50 years of work with the League.

We are so proud of you, Bonnie!!


Zoning Redesign

by Linda Morrison and Marcia Johnson

Newton zoning mapAs part of its 2020-2021 program planning, LWVN members identified Newton’s Zoning Redesign project as a critical issue for us to follow.   Zoning ordinance (laws) govern the size and shape of buildings, additions and renovations, and the types of activities that can take place in which buildings.  The City of Newton has been engaged in the redesign/reform of the Zoning Ordinances for several years, and that process has been escalating more recently.

The League has not taken a position on any of the changes being discussed by the City Council.  However, the primary goals of the redesign project – creating a zoning code that is more responsive to a demand for housing that serves a range of incomes, promoting environmentally sustainable development patterns, and preserving and protecting community and neighborhoods – are considered important enough by the LWVN to provide educational opportunities for our members and the community at large.

Zoning redesign/reform is an ongoing effort going back to the early 2010s and has had multiple phases.

  • Phase I – was the establishment of the Zoning Reform Group (ZRG) which produced its final report in 2012. This phase also included the re-draft of Chapter 30 Zoning Ordinances to make the document easier to read and comprehend.
  • Phase II – involves the effort to comprehensively rewrite the Zoning Ordinance and revise the Zoning Map to address the themes within the ZRG report and to better implement the Comprehensive Plan. To stay in touch with the work being done, you can use this community engagement link.
  • Phase III – will require the review the new Zoning Ordinance after one year to consider how well it has worked and make coordinated adjustments leading to an ongoing process of regularly scheduled zoning maintenance.

To learn the basics about the city’s zoning redesign project, we suggest you review the following materials available on the LWVN website:

  1. Read our issue statement on Newton’s Zoning Redesign project
  2. Watch The League Presents, a conversation with City Council Deb Crossley, on the Zoning Redesign Project
  3. Watch Newton resident and experienced architect, Jay Walter, presenting a Newton Zoning Redesign Primer at our November topic meeting and read the Questions & Answers resulting from that presentation.

If you have any questions, you can contact the city at Newton’s Zoning Redesign project or send an email to info@lwvnewton.org.


Commendation:

David Olson

City of Newton Election Staff

In recognition of and with deep gratitude for Newton City Clerk David Olson and the City of Newton Election Staff for your innovative, tireless and effective efforts in creating and implementing new processes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic for accessible, safe and secure voting during the September 2020 State Primary election and the November 2020 General Election.

All of you reinvented the way our elections were held with your associated workload increasing dramatically. On Election Day in November 2016, 63% of Newton voters voted in person.  Fast forward to four years later in November 2020, 66% of Newton voted by mail. An additional 20% voted early and 14% voted on Election Day. A staggering 33, 571 voters chose to utilize mail-in ballots, some to stay healthy and others with a keen eye on ballot security and ensuring their vote would be counted.

The Newton City Clerk and Election staff spent thousands of hours fulfilling the requests for mail-in ballots, answered countless questions about the process by phone and in person, assured ballot security, reassured voters, and tracked down potentially missing ballots.  David Olson and Newton’s Election staff were calm and responsive, even when voter temperatures ran high.

Moreover, with COVID-19 exposure concerns impacting every human interaction, David Olson and the Election staff ensured the health and safety of City staff, workers and voters at the polls with vigilant physical distancing, mask wearing, barriers and other mitigating protocols.

For their grit, creativity and excellence in preserving the American ideal of one person, one vote and for providing safe, secure access to all Newton voters, it is only fitting and proper that I, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, on behalf of the residents of Newton, express my deep gratitude to and respect for City Clerk David Olson and the Election staff of the City of Newton for their dedication and professionalism in providing fair and free elections.

December 15, 2020

Ruthanne Fuller
Mayor

Categories: Newsletter, no-front-page

LWVN Newsletter, Fall 2020

October 25, 2020

LWVN Newsletter, Vol 26 Issue 2


Table of Contents

  • President’s letter
  • What’s Happening on the Board…
  • Advocacy
  • Voter Service/Elections
  • Citizen Education (Topic Meetings/League Presents)
  • Membership
  • Climate Change, COVID-19, and Zero Emission Vehicles
  • 2020 LWVUS Convention Report

President’s letter, Oct. 2020

Dear LWVN Members,

In August, the Board of Directors met, virtually, for our annual planning meeting. At this time, we welcomed our new Board Members Judy Jaffe and Rhanna Kidwell.  We then thought it was extremely important to reaffirm our Leadership Standards, which guide how we work as a Board with each other and the LWVN membership:

LWVN Leadership Standards

The Board of Directors:

  • Is non-partisan
  • Maintains high ethical standards
  • Ensures that we have consensus and speak with one voice
  • Maintains transparency as a Board and local LWV

 

Each member of the Board of Directors:

  • Stays responsive to Board members, and to all LWVN members
  • Strives to bring forward different views in order to present a well-thought-out position
  • Honors our individual and Board responsibilities
  • Remains honest about our own opinions while respecting those of others

Then using the  “Direction to the Board” which we received from you in  June and our Approved Program we confirmed our priorities, actions and identified Board and LWVN members who will take the lead for each priority area (see Program Priorities, 2020-21).  If you are interested in participating in an effort, we ask that you please volunteer for any/all priorities that are of interest to you by contacting the Board Leads at info@lwvnewton.org.

Though we got a bit of a late start this year, we have continued to function within the safety guidelines from the CDC and the City.  Given these limitations, I am pleased to summarize our significant accomplishments during the first quarter (July-September):

  • Validated our Non-Partisan Policy
  • Voter Service: Co-sponsored Congressional District 4 & Middlesex District 10 State Representative candidate forums, Provided voter information the LWVN website, co-sponsored Newton Free Library’s Ranked Choice Voting educational forum and promoted voting through the LWVN masks fundraiser
  • Advocacy: Letters supporting CPA applications and advocating for increased transparency within our government
  • League Presents: Zoning Redesign and Voting in Newton during the Pandemic
  • Newton Reflects on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  • Participation in the LWVUS convention

What to look forward to in the second quarter:

  • Distribution of LWVN VOTE Signs to remind people to vote
  • Improve our governance with more efficient processes and clear policies
  • Continuing to observe the Community Preservation Committee and Newton Police Reform Task Force
  • Working with City Leaders to increase transparency in government
  • The League Presents: Ranked Choice Voting
  • Topic Meeting on Zoning Redesign
  • Implementation of the LWVN Scholarship Program
  • Enhanced LWVN Brochure

Sincerely,

Marcia Johnson

President, LWVN


What’s Happening on the Board…

LWVN Scholarship Program

Our Scholarship Committee (Nicki Dawes, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Ellen Grody, Andrea Kozinetz, and Josephine McNeil)  has been working diligently to establish a program that would enable the LWVN to award two scholarships of $1000 to graduating seniors who have plans to continue their education after graduation (College, Vocational Education etc.).  Criteria, being considered, are as follows:

  • The student lives in/goes to school in Newton.  This would include public & private school students, METCO students, and students who are home-schooled
  • In his/her life and school work, holds core values that are in alignment with those of the League
  • The student has been actively involved in Newton’s civic life.
  • There is a financial need

The timeline, as currently planned is:

  • Application process will open on January 1, 2021 and will be due on March 1,2021
  • During March & April, evaluation teams will review applications and make a final decision
  • Awards will be made on May 1, 2021.

The program will be publicized through the high schools, PTO Council, NTA, and other recommended community groups.

Member Handbook

The LWVN Handbook is in the process of being updated for 2020.  Following the election in November, the updated Handbook will be available for download and printing on the LWVN website.  For privacy reasons, the digital version will not feature the Member Roster.  Instead, the Member Roster will be made available separately to members.  In addition, a printed booklet version of the 2020 Handbook will be made available to members upon request.  Please stay tuned for further details.

Mask Fundraiser

LWVN VOTE! maskIn September, we held a “show your LWVN spirit” with this colorful face mask that promoted active engagement in our democracy while helping to protect good health practices. We sold 35 masks and raised $139 for our work, especially in the Voter Service space.  We hope to continue to offer a version of these LWVN masks, as we all will be wearing masks for the foreseeable future. Thank you to Jen Abbott for her creative thinking and initiative with this project.


Advocacy

The LWVN has had a long history of having Observers of Newton City Government.  Though we are in need of observers for all aspects of the City’s activities, we do have regular Observers at Newton’s Community Preservation Committee.  This year our committee, led by Linda Morrison, with members Lucia Dolan, Judy Jaffe, Jack Lovett and alternate member Marcia Johnson made recommendations to support the following projects, with approval from the LWVN Board:

  • The LWVMA has been a long-time supporter of programs, policies and regulations to address the housing needs of low- and moderate-income families and individuals.  Click here and see section on “Affordable Housing.” Therefore, the LWVN observers with the approval of the Board of Directors submitted letters of support for the Golda Meir project and the COVID-19 Emergency Housing Relief
  • In addition, we endorsed the Commonwealth Avenue Carriageway Project as it fits our positions of improving infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, and will increase greenspace in that edge of the City.
  • In support of the LWVMA mission and vision and the LWVN membership’s direction to the Board, we provided our observations and recommendation, to the Newton Police Reform Task Force, for increased transparency and a more effective means to gather and communicate personal experiences.  We will continue to observe the Task Force’s meetings and have input where we think it may be valuable and helpful.

Voter Service/Elections

by Karen Manning and Sharyn Roberts

Since March, with the COVID-19 pandemic constantly affecting most of our activities, Voters Service has been set back on its heels.  Our usual, very physical presence at Village Days, Farmers Markets, voter forums, and other community events has greatly been curtailed.

So we are learning to pivot.  We have strengthened our collaborations with other groups, reached out to the public with our extensive use of modern day electronic methods, and continued to be visible without being physically there.

We were lucky this summer to have two newly graduated students from Newton South High School “womaning” a table at the reconstituted Farmers Market.  They were part of the youth coalition Students of MA-04 concentrating their efforts on the 4th Congressional District Primary with fact sheets on how to vote, and information on each of the candidates highlighting their qualifications with QR codes directly linking voters to each of those candidates’ campaign websites.

We collaborated with Leagues from Brookline, Needham, Sharon-Stoughton, and Wellesley to co-sponsor the 4th Congressional District Candidate Forum; and with Waltham and Watertown for the 10th Middlesex District Candidate Forum before the Primary Election.  We are grateful to Marcia Johnson, our LWVN President, for her effective leadership ensuring we fulfilled our Voters Service obligations.  We are thankful to BIG (Brookline Interactive Group} and NewTV for hosting these candidate forums and allowing us via Zoom, YouTube, and Vimeo to record and then electronically share these forums with the public by distributing and sharing with other television stations in the respective districts until the Primary.

Thank you to our very busy LWVN Marketing Committee (Jen Abbott, Frieda Dweck, Theresa Fitzpatrick, and Karen Manning), who with Lisa Mirabile and Marcia Johnson have prepared an updated trifold for voters, oversaw a LWVN “Vote” face mask fundraiser, designed and now are distributing our own LWV VOTE lawn signs.  Our MARCOM Team has also been instrumental in making sure that our Voters Service activities are covered by news media (i.e. Boston Globe Metrowest, Newton Patch, and Newton TAB), and social media in press releases, on FaceBook, our LWVN website, and other community websites (Newton Needham Chamber of Commerce, Village 14, etc.).

We encourage community members to access the lwvnewton.org website for excellent voting information as you make your plan to vote.  Also included are Candidates Forums for contested races.  Thank you to Lisa and Marcia.

The LWVUS website vote411.org is a further option to find out exactly what will be on your ballot.  It includes a Voters Guide showing you the races on which you will be voting, the candidate’s biographical information, campaign websites, and responses to questions asked by the League showing where the candidates stand on issues.

We have been advising Boston College on registering their students to vote as is pertinent in their home state or using their college address, applying for absentee ballots, differing states’ deadlines, what constitutes appropriate voter identification, and concern about retaining their grants or scholarships.

We are currently attending virtual sessions being held on different facets of Voters Service by LWVMA, LWVUS, the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, NPR, PBS, American Promise, Senator Cynthia Creem, Yes on 2 Ranked Choice Voting, Newton Needham Chamber of Commerce, Zoom.US, National Voter Registration, Common Cause, non-partisan GOTV, Safe Elections Network, Nonprofit Vote, and other nonpartisan, collaborative groups.

We welcome offers from people willing to drive voters to vote at the polls either on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd, or during early voting.  Please leave your contact information (name, phone number, and email address) at info@lwvnewton.org or call 617-383-4598.


Citizen Education (Topic Meetings/The League Presents)

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we have been limited in what we have been able to do outside of the information provided on our website.   We have been able, working with LWVN member Maureen Reilly Meagher and New TV to produce two  The League Presents shows on two very important topics to Newton residents:

  • A Conversation with Councilor Deb Crossley, Ward 5, on Zoning Redesign
  • Voting in Newton during a Pandemic with City Clerk David Olson

Membership

Welcome, new members!

We welcome new members to the LWV!

  • Mary Bradley
  • Heather Amsden
  • Marcia Karp
  • Ilene and Daniel Pincus
  • Madeline Ranalli
  • Srividya Subramanian
  • Arline Egyud-Moritz

Climate Change, COVID-19, and Zero Emission Vehicles

by Lucia Dolan

“People with COVID-19 who live in US Regions with high levels of air pollution are more likely to die from the disease than people who live in less polluted areas,” according to a recent Harvard Study.  Middlesex County has the second highest level of air pollution particulate matter in Massachusetts, much of it concentrated along the Mass Pike and 128 (A Clean Transportation System for my Patients).

The Massachusetts Zero Emission Vehicle Coalition and partners, including the Newton EV Task Force and League of Women Voters Massachusetts, sent the Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Protection a letter urging action beginning with asking the State “Set a goal and create an action plan for all vehicles to be electric by 2040.  Commit to all electric transit and school bus fleets by 2035.  Commit to complete electrification of state and municipal fleets by 2035.  Establish goals and incentive programs for the conversion of private vehicle fleets.”

School buses call for special priority, most, including those in Newton, are diesel and emit more particulate matter than gasoline.  Young lungs are more susceptible to damage from air pollution.

On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2020, Governor Baker committed the Commonwealth to an ambitious, aggressive, science-based net zero emissions limit of GreenHouse Gases at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.  Transportation is Massachusetts largest source of Green House Gas emissions, setting a goal and creating an action plan for electrification of vehicles is an important step toward achieving the State’s ambitious net zero emissions limit.

Moving in the right direction to lower GreenHouse Gases in Newton, NewMo, the City’s transportation service for seniors, uses hybrid vehicles.


2020 LWVUS Convention Report

by LWV Newton delegates Lucia Dolan and Bonnie Carter

Deborah Turner, President of the LWVOver 1,100 delegates across America joined the virtual convention and stayed through the inevitable Zoom challenges to discuss, debate, and vote.  We welcomed in a new board, led by incoming president, Dr. Deborah Turner, of the Des Moines Metropolitan League.  Dr. Turner has served on the Finance committee, Governance Committee, and chaired the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, in addition to chairing the Board of Trustees of the League of Women Voters Education Fund.  The new LWVUS Board.

 

Finances:  the LWVUS is in good shape with 6 months of operating expenses in reserves.  Per Member Payments was held at $32.  There was a lengthy discussion on whether or not to admit students for free, what the definition of a student should be and whether this discriminates against young people who go straight into the workforce or an apprenticeship.  They retained the definition of student, full time or part time at an accredited institution, which could be a trade school.  The local League does not pay PMP for students, but the local League can set dues at any level.

 

Program Motions Adopted:

  1. A non-recommended item, the abolition of the electoral college by Constitutional amendment as a LWVUS action focus for the 2020-2022 biennium. The motion PASSED on 681 yay, 458 nay votes (There was a debate that this undermined current LWVUS action for the National Popular Vote.)
  2. Concurrence on the Transfer of Federal Public Land. The motion PASSED on 885 yay, 207 nay votes (There was debate that LWVUS should focus on voting issues) Federal lands should benefit all Americans; should be transferred only after assessments including health and environmental impacts; the LWV opposes sale of federal lands to private entities.
  3. Voter Representation/Electoral Systems Concurrence to support electoral systems at each level of government that encourage participation, are verifiable and auditable and enhance representation for all voters be adopted. The motion PASSED on 1064 yay, 79 nay votes
  4. To retain all current LWVUS positions in the areas of representative government, international relations, natural resources and social policy.  The motion PASSED on 1157 yay, 25 nay votes
  5. The proposed LWVUS program for 2020-2022 Campaign for Making Democracy Work®: ensuring a free, fair and accessible electoral system for all eligible voters by focusing on Voting Rights, Improving Elections and advocacy for the National Popular Vote Compact, Campaign Finance/Money in Politics and Redistricting and to continue to work on urgent issues: Climate Change, the Equal Rights Amendment, Health Care, Gun Safety, Abolition of the Electoral College and Immigration. The motion PASSED on 1139 yay, 30 nay votes

Resolutions adopted

  1. We resolve that the LWVUS reaffirms our commitment to Immigration reform, for efficient, expeditious immigrant entry into the United States. The League stands in solidarity with immigrants and our immigrant rights community partners. Congress must take immediate action to pass common sense, fair immigration policies that end the crisis at our borders, end the separation of families, ensure their health and safety, and provide a clear path to citizenship, including DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) young people. The motion PASSED on 1,092 yay, 12 nay votes
  2. We Resolve First, That the League advocates against systemic racism in the justice system and, at a minimum, for preventing excessive force and brutality by law enforcement. We also call for prompt actions by all League members to advocate within every level of government to eradicate systemic racism, and the harm that it causes; We Resolve Second, That the League help our elected officials and all Americans recognize these truths to be self-evident; that Black, Indigenous and all people of color (BIPOC) deserve equal protection under the law; and that we demand solutions for the terrible wrongs done, so that regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, disability, and gender identity or sexual orientation we may truly become a nation “indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”.  The motion PASSED on 1094 yay, 32 nay votes
  3. Resolved, that the LWVUS calls for an immediate, wide-scale, mobilization by the United States, to restore, protect and fund an ecologically sustainable environment and climate, based on an interrelated approach that is environmentally sound, science based, just and equitable, dedicated to adequately addressing the scale and speed of the global climate change emergency. The motion PASSED on 1,091 yay, 21 nay votes

Resolutions Committee Report The resolutions committee was presented with five resolutions.  They ruled that two of them did not fit the criteria for resolutions.  We passed the other three – see above.

Categories: Newsletter

LWVN Newsletter, Spring 2020

June 20, 2020

LWVN Newsletter, Vol 26 Issue 1


Please note: This issue of the newsletter was prepared in late April and should have been distributed in early May. Despite the delay in publication, we’ve chosen to include all the original submissions, as well as some updates from the Annual Meeting held June 14.

Annual Meeting 2020

LWVN held its first virtual annual meeting on Sunday, June 14. Thirty-one members attended via Zoom and held multiple votes by Zoom poll, approving the program recommended by the board; a set of revisions to update the bylaws; and a budget and slate of officers and directors for 2020-21.

For those who were unable to attend, we include the Presidents Message below. We also recommend reviewing the annual workbook, emailed to all members several weeks before the meeting, which is full of information about the work of the LWVN over the past year as well as our plans for the coming year.

 

President’s Letter, May 1

Dear LWVN Members,

One of the highlights of the 2019-2020 term has been the tremendous amount of work completed by our Marketing & Communications (MARCOM) team of Jennifer Abbott, Frieda Dweck, Karen Manning, and Lisa Mirabile. It is through their energy, enthusiasm and talent that the LWVN has been proactive and innovative in our outreach to local leagues, LWVN members and the community at-large for participation in our events. They have leveraged direct email, Facebook, our website and weekly updates to generate interest and ultimately increased participation in our topic meetings and special events, to be highlighted within this newsletter. Below are a few of our new and unique events that benefited from the capabilities and planning of this team:

Saturday Night at the RacesStarting with the November Municipal elections for City Council and School Committee. With the leadership of Sue Flicop , Sharyn Roberts, and Lucia Dolan, the LWVN was able to hold its first, and hopefully not last, Saturday Night at the Races where residents were able to interface directly with all candidates (challenged & unchallenged) for the 2020-2021 City Council. Of course, this was in addition to organizing candidate forums for challenged city council races and the Voters’ Guide.

 

Of course we cannot forget that 2020 is the 100th anniversary of the League of Women Voters where we celebrated our birthday on February 14 with LWVN members, neighbors, and friends.

Civics ChallengeThe LWVN had another inaugural event this year and it was the Civics Challenge. This was a fantastic event led by Frieda Dweck and her team of Jennifer Abbot and Karen Manning. The LWVN was well represented by the “Crew” with the team of Bonnie Carter, Maureen Reilly Meagher, and Lisa Mirabile.

Please look further into the newsletter for Frieda Dweck’s article describing this event along with all our other fantastic topic meetings.

So, what is happening between now and the end of the 2019-2020 term:

We need to finalize our plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary (August 26th) of the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1920, prohibiting the federal and state governments from denying citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex. I invite those with an interest in history, are excited about this important achievement for women, have time and energy to plan event(s) to please send an email to info@lwvnewton.org and let us know how you would like to be involved.

As we are coming to the end of the 2019-2020 term, please watch for the invitation to our Annual Meeting to be held in June. As we plan this important meeting and social event, we will be mindful of the coronavirus situation and the safety of our members. Therefore, we may need to hold the work- part of our meeting virtually with a delay in the social time until a bit later in the year.

Please stay safe!

Sincerely,

Marcia Johnson
President, League of Women of Voters of Newton

LWVN Signs Letter to Support Housing Choices

The LWVN board voted to join a group of local organizations who wrote to our state delegation to support H.4263: An Act to Promote Housing Choices, sponsored by the Governor.

Civics Challenge – Inaugural Event for the LWVN

by Frieda Dweck

In line with the League’s main objectives of educating citizens about their civic responsibilities and to increase participation in government, LWVN held its inaugural Civics Challenge on March 1st at the Cabot School.  We had 9 teams consisting of family & community groups, middle school, high school, and college students, teachers from NSHS, and a group from the Newton TAB.

City Councilor Josh Krintzman and former Alderman Brooke Lipsitt were our informative and entertaining masters of ceremony. Our judges for the evening were Linda Morrison, Courtney Rau Rogers, and Sue Flicop.

Please join the LWVN in congratulating the three winning teams:

  1. The Newton South History Department:  Tucker Ahlers, Ashley Chapman, John Greiner & Lillian Robinson
  2. The Grads:  Michel Costello and John Lovett
  3. The Proud Lions:  Cathy Borgesen, Kevin Cheng, Dylan Dincer, & James Farmer

We want to thank the Village Bank for its support of the event; Congressman Joe Kennedy for the donation of the pocket constitutions which were given to all participants; State Senator Cynthia Creem and Representatives Ruth Balser & Kay Khan for donating a tour of the State House as our first place prize.  In addition, our first place winners received signed copies of E is for Election Day by Gloria Gavris.

Last but by no means least, we want to thank the LWVN Civics Challenge planning & organizing team: Jennifer Abbott, Karen Manning, and their extraordinary leader Frieda Dweck!

Civics Challenge 1st place winner - NSHS History Department
1st place winner – NSHS History Department
Civics Challenge 2nd place winner - The Grads
2nd place winner – The Grads
Civics Challenge 3rd place winner - Proud Lions
3rd place winner – Proud Lions
Civics Challenge MCs and Judges
Civics Challenge Emcees and Judges

Northland Project

by Marcia Johnson

The citizens of Newton voted, on March 3rd, to uphold the City Council’s approval of the Northland Project in Upper Falls.  The City Council had spent approximately two years working with the developer to arrive at a project that will provide the city with important benefits relative to housing, the environment, and open space, as well as a transportation demand management plan.

In September 2019, the Board sent a letter of support to the City Council, as we thought that this project was in line with so many of the LWVN’s programs & positions.  At the time of the referendum signature gathering process by the Committee for Responsible Development (CRD), we re-sent our September letter of support for the project to you.  At the time of the referendum, we held an educational forum on the project.  Unfortunately, the CRD  declined to participate.  However, Councilor Deb Crossley, Councilor-at-Large, Ward 5 did participate and presented on behalf of Yes for Newton’s Future.  Councilor Crossley was able to respond to some of the questions that evening, but not all.  Therefore she provided  responses, in writing.  We hope that you found the forum and detailed Q&A helpful in your decision-making process.

Lastly and most importantly the Board carefully examined our position along with citizens’ questions and concerns and made a determination to re-affirm our support for the project and all of the benefits we believe it will bring to those who currently are in Newton and those who wish to live, work, and play in Newton.

Women’s Right-to-Vote Coalition 100th Anniversary

by Marcia Johnson

In August 2019 after having been to the Women’s Equality Day sponsored by Suffrage 100 MA, I reached out to Ellen Grody to see what she thought about connecting with Mayor Fuller about doing something to commemorate woman’s achievement of prohibiting the federal and state governments from denying citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex.  As a result of this meeting, a coalition was created consisting of LWVN, Dana Hanson, Director of Community Engagement & Inclusion, Ellen Myers, Newton Free Library, and Lisa Dady, Historic Newton.  At our city-wide kickoff meeting in September, a number of other civic organizations including Newton Cultural Development, Mass Historic, Newton North High School, Citizens for Housing Affordability in Newton, Capella Clausura, and the Human Rights Commission joined the coalition.  We have created a mission statement, tag line, logo, and a growing integrated calendar of events which can all be found on the Mayor’s website.

LWVN has actively been participating with the Coalition to educate and celebrate:

  • A book group with Barbara Berenson, author of Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement
  • The League Presents with Fredie Kay from Suffrage 10 MA
  • Our inaugural Civics Challenge
  • Co-sponsored the Newton Free Library’s talk with Manisha Sinha, on The Abolitionist Origins of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. She is the author of The Slaves Cause: A History of Abolition

Remembering the Suffrage Movement

Barbara Berenson recounts successful campaign to defeat U.S. Senator John Weeks, former Mayor of Newton

In October, 2018, Barbara Berenson, author of Massachusetts and the Woman Suffrage Movement (2018) published a short piece in the Washington Post entitled “Politicians beware: Crossing Women Comes at a High Price.” She recounts the massive campaign here in the Bay State aimed at unseating one of our two anti-suffrage US Senators.  John Weeks was a former mayor of Newton and served in the House of Representatives for many years.  He had been elected by the state legislature, but since the 17th amendment authorizing popular votes for US Senators took effect while he was in office, it was the popular vote he needed to win re-election in 1918. Senator Weeks was defeated thanks to the tireless research and organizing by women who could not vote.

Legislation at the State House

by Alice Donesi-Feehan

Among the bills LWV MA is supporting at the state house, these three have advanced:  Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem’s bill S.900, An Act relative to the expungement, sealing and criminal records provision. This bill allows for expungement of misdemeanors after 3 years and felonies after 5 years as long as there are no other convictions at that time for those up to age 21. The bill has been sent to study so it will not be acted on in this session.

The reporting deadline on H.3573, Safe Community Act sponsored by Rep. Ruth Balser is An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents and ensure fair treatment of undocumented people and public safety, has been extended to May 1st. Rep. Balser is working closely with Chair Naughton and others including police chiefs to try to move the bill forward.

H.1948, a bill sponsored by Rep. Khan, is An Act Relative to Out-of-Hospital Birth Access and Safety. Currently, home birth is limited to those who have the means to pay out of pocket. This legislation creates a process for licensure of certified professional midwifes (CPMS) overseen by a Board of Midwifery under the Department of Public Health. About 40% of births in Massachusetts are currently covered by Medicaid Mass Health, and this bill would make midwives available to those women who want a home birth. The bill received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Public Health and is now before the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.

Keep a lookout for these bills!

Welcome New Members!

We welcome all the members who are new to the League since October 2019!

  • Anne Reenstierna
  • Kendra Abbott
  • Kathleen Franklin
  • Emily Shumsky
  • Janice Lipof
  • Archana Szpak
  • Jack Lovett
  • Nickki Dawes

Categories: Newsletter

LWVN Newsletter, Fall 2019

November 30, 2019

LWVN Newsletter, Vol 25 Issue 3


President’s Letter, Nov. 2019

Dear LWVN Members,

As I mentioned in my July letter, the Board of Directors scheduled a planning session in August.  As a Board, we met on Friday, August 2, and spent the better part of that day and multiple additional meetings, thinking about who we are as a Board and the LWVN priorities.  Thank you to the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club for allowing us to meet at their lovely facility on Watertown Street.

As a result of our meetings and discussions,  I am pleased to share our Leadership Standards:

The Board of Directors:

  • is non-partisan
  • maintains high ethical standards
  • ensures that we have consensus and speak with one voice
  • maintains transparency as a Board and local LWV

Each member of the Board of Directors:

  • stays responsive to Board members and to all LWVN members
  • strives to bring forward different views in order to present a well-thought-out position
  • honors our individual and Board responsibilities
  • remains honest about our own opinions while respecting those of others

Next we decided to introduce, or in some cases re-introduce, ourselves to current and future members.  So please visit our enhanced  Board of Directors page  on our website where we have posted short bios and pictures of each Board  member so that you can get to know us better.

In order to set our priorities we first looked at what we do well and where we could do things differently and better.    Coming out of our deliberative  process are the following priorities, actions and Board Leads, Exhibit A.

 In light of these priorities, the LWVN has accomplished, Exhibit B a great deal since I last wrote, …so I am pleased to share all and hope that you will volunteer as we move forward in the new year.

In League,

Marcia Johnson, President

October  2019


Topic Discussion Notes: Is our Constitution Holding up to the Test of Time?

By Frieda Dweck

On September 15, 2019, Jed Shugerman, a Newton resident, former Bowen PTO co-chair, and law professor and legal historian at Fordham University in New York, lead a discussion on “Is the Constitution Holding up to the Test of Time”.

We first discussed the methods of interpreting the constitution and whether it matters what was “intended” when the constitution was written.    The two most common methods of interpreting the constitution are “originalism” and a ”living constitution”.   Originalists are usually associated with a more conservative approach to the constitution and to politics, while the ”living constitution” approach is usually associated with more progressive values and politics.  Jed presented his case for interpreting the constitution as a “progressive originalist”.

Originalism is built on the idea of the “rule of law”.    The constitution is intended to put limits on partisanship and politicians.  If we allow the rule of law to evolve all the time, then anyone can interpret it any way they want depending on who is in power.  Rather, the constitution should be interpreted the way we interpret any statute or legislation – look at what Congress intended when they passed the legislation, look at the text and the context.   That includes not only what was intended by the Founding Fathers and the words in the constitution, but all texts, ideas, thoughts and values, that went into the deliberation of those words, as well as history.

If we are going to embrace the originalist concept for interpreting the constitution, then should we have a longer constitution?  No – a more detailed constitution is apt to become outdated and less useful.  A shorter constitution sets up the framework of how decisions will be made, but does not get into the minutiae of details that will change over time.  So, while the Founding Fathers could not have anticipated the constitutional questions regarding, for example, school desegregation, reproductive rights, gay rights, the essential values behind those questions can be discerned in the constitution.

We then discussed the Supreme Court and whether it is still acting in a non-partisan fashion as the constitutional framers envisioned, or should we try and “fix” the Supreme Court by increasing the number of justices or limiting the term each justice serves?   Even though the Supreme Court is currently lined up more conservatively, the justices still make decisions based on their interpretation of the law, and sometimes that interpretation goes against how you would think they are politically aligned.  (Chief Justice Roberts’ decisions on the ACA and on the census questions are examples – but there have been examples like that throughout our judicial history.)  If we allowed presidents to increase the number of justices on the court, each president would want to appoint enough justices to overcome what they believe is a political minority on the court, but then where would it stop? Having life tenure insures the independence of the judiciary.  If Supreme Court justices knew they would have to leave the court after a certain number of years, they might position themselves for their next “gig” while still on the court, which could sway their rulings and affect their independence.

Finally, we tackled the question: are we currently experiencing a “Constitutional Crisis”?   It is not a constitutional crisis to have disputes over the meaning of the constitution.  We are meant to always be debating the values of the constitution.   It is when our political disputes are settled with violence, such as the Civil War, Reconstruction, the race riots in the 1920s, and bringing in the National Guard to enforce desegregation, that we experience a constitutional crisis.

There were many great questions raised by the audience, and stimulating discussions were engaged in, after Jed’s formal presentation.


Voter Service Update for the Fall 2019 Municipal Election

by Sue Flicop

LWVN held 10 Candidates’ Forums this election season, including two for Ward 5 Ward Councilor, both before and after the preliminary election.  All were produced with NewTV, our long-time partner, recorded at NewTV, and made available through the NewTV and LWVN websites.  These were for contested seats on the City Council only.  Although there were also three contested School Committee races, one candidate in each race declined to participate.  Because LWV does not hold ‘empty chair’ debates, we had to cancel the School Committee Candidate Forums.

The LWVN Online Voters Guide did include all candidates for City Council and School Committee, including those in uncontested races and those whose opponents chose not to participate.  This was made available to the public approximately three weeks before the election.  City Council candidates were asked four questions, and the School Committee members were asked five.

LWVN also created ‘Saturday Night at the Races,’ a ‘candidating’ type event for City Council candidates, which was co-sponsored with 7 other Newton organizations.  The event was held at the War Memorial at City Hall, and involved groups of citizens conversing with the City Council candidates by ward.  Every 15 minutes, voters were asked to move to a new table to meet a new set of candidates.  This was quite well-received, both by the candidates and by the voters, who enjoyed an opportunity for face-to-face discussions on issues raised directly by the voters.  Many especially appreciated being able to meet with candidates who did not have challengers, but who nevertheless made the effort to meet voters and discuss important topics.  We expect to continue this event in the next election, but will work to address some issues raised (mainly the noise level and timing).

In an effort to learn more about a new incoming City Councilor, LWVN did also host Ward 8 Ward Council candidate Holly Ryan on our monthly NewTV program, ‘The League Presents’.  Because Holly did not have a challenger, either on the ballot or as a write-in, we felt it was acceptable to meet with her individually and talk about some of the same issues discussed in our Candidates’ Forums. 

LWVN thanks our Voter Service team of co-chairs Bonnie Carter, Sharyn Roberts and Sue Flicop, as well as Lucia Dolan, Lois Levin, Karen Manning, Lisa Mirabile, dozens of LWVN volunteers for the Candidates’ Forums and Saturday Night at the Races, the wonderful NewTV staff, and our co-sponsors for Saturday Night at the Races:  Green Newton,  Mothers Out Front, 350 Mass for a Better Future, Newton Needham Regional Chamber, Newton Conservators, Newton Council on Aging!


Community Discussion with Peter Koutoujian

The League of Women Voters was pleased to host a community discussion led by Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian in November 12, 7 p.m. at the Angier School.  Sheriff Koutoujian talked about the work of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, partnerships with local law enforcement and efforts to address the needs of justice-involved individuals with substance use and mental health disorders.  He also discussed innovative programs for incarcerated military veterans and young adult offenders.

This event was co-sponsored with the League of Women Voters of Arlington, Norwood, Sudbury, Wayland and Weston.

You can learn more about Sheriff Koutoujian at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office website, at middlesexsheriff.org/sheriffs-executive-office/pages/sheriff-koutoujian-biography.


After Suffrage: A 20/20 Perspective on Women’s Rights, 1920 – 2020

by Karen Manning

On Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 7:00pm, the League of Women Voters of Newton (LWVN) co-sponsored a Newton Free Library event, together with Historic Newton and the Newton Human Rights Commission, hosted by author and guest Barbara Berenson.  The event, “After Suffrage: A 20/20 Perspective on Women’s Rights, 1920 – 2020”  was a talk that explored how women have fared politically and legally over the past century; considered how women activists have built alliances and shaped laws in an effort to combat stereotypes, discrimination and gender-based violence at home, at work and in the public sphere; reviewed some of the key developments over the past century including a discussion of the long and ongoing campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment; and discussed the historical connections between women who opposed suffrage and those who oppose women’s rights today. Barbara Berenson is the author of Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement: Revolutionary Reformers (2018), Boston in the Civil War: Hub of the Second Revolution (2014) and Walking Tours of Civil War Boston: Hub of Abolitionism (2011, 2d ed. 2014). She is the co-editor of Breaking Barriers: The Unfinished Story of Women Lawyers and Judges in Massachusetts (2012).

Please consider joining LWVN for a discussion of Barbara’s book (Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement: Revolutionary Reformers (2018)) with the author on Sunday, December 1 from 3 pm to 4:30 pm at the Waban Library Center.  Please RSVP at info@lwvnewton.org.


New Members, Fall 2019

We welcome the following new members:  enjoy the LWV Newton!

  • Kathleen Franklin
  • Kim Smith
  • Martha Bixby
  • Stephanie Gilman
  • Joana Canedo
  • Irene Margolin-Katz
  • Ruth and William Dane

Recent LWVN Losses

We have lost two members of the LWV Newton:

  • Rhona Shoul, who was a very long standing member, died age 93
  • Beth Lowd, a more recent member, kept up her membership even though she had moved out of Newton.

Our sympathies to their families.

Categories: Newsletter

LWVN Newsletter, Summer 2019

August 21, 2019

LWVN Newsletter, Vol 25 Issue 2

Table of contents

  • New President’s Message
  • Outgoing President’s Message, Annual Meeting May 2019
  • New Officers and Board of Directors, 2019-20
  • LWVN Feedback to City Council on their process to adopt an increase in compensation
  • Welcome, New Members!
  • City of Newton Meetings Schedule
  • Current LWV MA Legislative priorities
  • LWVMA Climate Emergency Action Resolution and Plan

New President’s Message

Dear LWVN Members,

On behalf of Ellen Grody and myself, I want to thank you for having the trust and confidence in our ability and commitment to lead the League of Women Voters of Newton.  We also want to thank Sue Flicop and Lisa Mirabile for their leadership and commitment to League over the past years.  Ellen and I have very big shoes to fill and we are pleased that both Sue and Lisa are remaining on the Board of Directors.

We have a big year ahead:

  • Most notably, the 19th Amendment Centennial. The League will be partnering with the Mayor’s office, Historic Newton, and the Newton Free Library to celebrate this important milestone.  Please watch for more information on our website as we ramp up our planning and activities.   If you have any ideas that you would like to share, please send them to president@lwvnewton.org.
  • Newton has city-wide Elections for Councilor-at-Large, Ward Councilor, and School Committee positions. Once again, the League will be co-sponsoring candidate forums with NewTV. The forums are held for competitive races, at this time, and are the best and most objective way for citizens to learn about the candidates.
  • We ask that all league members Submit Questions for the candidates, by using the link.

As a Board we will be meeting in August to set our priorities for the 2019-2020 year.  I encourage you to send your thoughts, feedback and questions  to president@lwvnewton.org as we go forward with our planning and ultimately implementation process.

As a new president, I want to hear from you.  So please send to me your thoughts, anytime!

Sincerely,

Marcia Johnson
LWVN President


Outgoing President’s Message, Annual Meeting May 2019

by Sue Flicop

This annual meeting marks a special moment for me as part of the League of Women Voters of Newton.  This has been my eighth year as either President, Co-President or a Steering Committee member of the League, and next year I return to a regular Board member.  I’ve loved many of the moments representing the League all these years, but have felt for quite a while that it is better for the organization to have new leadership with new ideas and new ways of doing things.  Those of you who have been frustrated with me at any point—it’s time to rejoice because we will have a new leader next year!

Eight years is a long time, and one naturally starts thinking about what was different 8 years ago, what feels exactly the same, and what’s been accomplished in between.

So for what’s different:  we no longer have a strong newspaper in Newton, making it much, much harder to get our information and message out to the community.  I remember one of my first Annual Meetings, Jane Leighton gave direction to the Board about how important it was to be in the TAB as much as possible.  Things are substantially different now.  The slow demise of the TAB has led to a fracturing of ways to get messages out, requiring a multi-pronged approach that sometimes misses many of our older citizens.

With the fallout of the 2016 national election, we have a more engaged citizenry—a good thing, but one that has led to a number of groups with overlapping goals and membership.  Where the League is a more general volunteer group, working on a wide variety of issues, many engaged people choose to focus on one area and look for groups that work exclusively on certain topics.  While this is a net positive for our community, it makes it harder for the League, as a group with perhaps more moderate sensibilities and a long-established—and long—process, to appeal to many of the highly engaged and focused volunteers.

A very welcome change for the League during my time as a leader is the change of some of our most dedicated and hard-working members to be some of our most dedicated and hard-working elected officials.  This, of course, has nothing to do with me (so I’m not taking any credit), but came as a result of the members’ many, many years of engagement with the community and the knowledge and skills that come from being a part of an organization dedicated to good governance and educated decision-making.  We continue to be a training ground for women who are interested in running for office and who are willing to make tough decisions important to our community.

As a result, the League itself has changed.  Reliant as we are on the interest and engagement of our members, we have a number of committees that are no longer active, as we search for new leadership.  We also have some new and refreshed committees working very hard to achieve their goals. So while our positions are essentially the same, the organization has shifted focus to match different interests.

What’s stayed the same in all this time?  We continue to be a respected voice on issues of local municipal government and a sought-out group for support on a variety of initiatives.  We continue our work to both increase the number of voters and to help them become more informed and make the decision that best reflects their perspectives.  We keep true to our core values.

What also seems to have stayed the same, but is disheartening, is that there are two different visions for Newton, with Newton residents dividing up into two camps for seemingly everything.  It’s become quite obvious and predictable, and I’m not sure how it can be fixed.

And what has been accomplished in eight years?  To be really quite honest, I’ve struggled with this question.  I know what we didn’t accomplish, and that was charter reform.  But we tried—we collected signatures, worked to educate the public, followed the whole process, but came up just a little short.  And the repercussions are all around us.  Battle lines were drawn over the charter and they still remain.  What I think we had all hoped would be a general agreement on how our city government should best be structured seem to have devolved into the divisions we see at every land use committee meeting.  As you can imagine, this is my deepest disappointment.

But…it couldn’t all have been bad, right?  Of course not.  We’ve been weathering the changes both in our membership,  and in the world at large.  In the past 8 years we have set some new procedures in place for communicating with members by using email regularly and dropping the use of paper as much as possible.  We’re trying different media to communicate our ideas and inform the public.  We’ve tried to be faster in response to events in the community—we haven’t got that down, yet, and it’s still a work in progress.  We’re open to partnering with groups more closely and advertising events that dovetail with League positions, especially for those groups interested in environmental issues.  Also a work in progress is how to plan topic meetings that are well-attended.  Our topic meetings are always interesting—but given the busy lives of our members, we are trying to find a regular time that appeals to the most people.  We’ve also been addressing more national-level issues, like immigration and voting rights. And I know that there will be more changes to come with a new leader in place.

I’ve been proud to represent the League for so many years—it’s been a great honor that I’ve enjoyed and learned from.  I’ve gained some patience, a dedication to process, a thicker skin, and a deep appreciation for all of you who have been so kind and helpful to me over the years as I’ve made mistakes.  But it’s also time for a change, and I’m happy that our new president is someone who has had many years of experience as a proven leader in our community.  Thank you.


Photo of Incoming Vice President Ellen Grody, incoming President Marcia Johnson, outgoing President Sue Flicop and outgoing Vice President Lisa Mirabile at LWVN Annual Meeting 2019
Incoming Vice President Ellen Grody, incoming President Marcia Johnson, outgoing President Sue Flicop and outgoing Vice President Lisa Mirabile at LWVN Annual Meeting 2019

New Officers and Board of Directors, 2019-20

At the LWV Newton Annual Meeting on May 30, we elected the following Officers and members of the Board of Directors:

President: Marcia Johnson

Vice President: Ellen Grody

Treasurer: Andrea Kozinetz

Clerk: Theresa Fitzpatrick

Board Members:

Jen Abbott
Bonnie Carter
Alice Donisi-Feehan
Frieda Dweck
Sue Flicop
Lois Levin
Karen Manning
Lisa Mirabile
Linda Morrison
Sharyn Roberts

2020 Nominating Committee: Linda Green (Chair), Sue Rosenbaum, Chris Steele

Thank you, and congratulations to all who have agreed to serve!


LWVN Feedback to City Council on their process to adopt an increase in compensation


Welcome, New Members!

The LWVN is pleased to welcome the following new members:

  • Melissa Chaikof
  • Sandra Davidow
  • Michele Shin
  • Janet Holly
  • Tricia (Patricia) Foster
  • Holly Ryan
  • Ellen Gordon

City of Newton Meetings Schedule

Lucia Dolan is performing a valuable service that other members may wish to subscribe to.  She posts the City Hall meetings for the following week every Friday. That list is posted on the LWVN website (see City Council Meetings in the sidebar of the home page. To join the email list, send a request to “Join the weekly Docket Digest email list” to  dolanlucia@gmail.com

Thank you , Lucia!


Current LWV MA Legislative priorities

by Alice Donisi Feehan

These are the bills in the MA House of Representatives that LWV MA is lobbying in favor of.  Add your voice!

 

H3573  “Support the Communities Act” about immigration status:

“To restore community trust in police by avoiding entanglement in immigration matters and protect due process for all.”

 

H.1700 An Act Ensuring access to Addiction Services

Will require that people with SUD [substance use disorder] be treated as patients rather than criminals.

 

H732 Public Lands Preservation Act (PLPA)

Refers to Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution:  Would codify current state policy that there be no net loss of lands or easements protected under Article 97.


LWVMA Climate Emergency Action Resolution and Plan

From LWVMA:

See below both the Climate Emergency Resolution, submitted as testimony  to the Joint Committee on Telecommunications and Utilities and passed at the 2019 LWVMA Convention unanimously, and the Climate Emergency Plan, approved by the Board of the LWVMA on July 26, 2019.

In his keynote speech at the convention, Bill McKibben made it clear that global societies have an urgent “action deficit” in terms of the response to date on the climate crisis. He also pointed out that the League has a unique and special role to play as a highly-regarded and respected organization with a 100-year history of championing policies for the public good and strengthening our democracy.

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Climate Emergency Resolution

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Climate Emergency Action Plan

Categories: Newsletter

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Watch “The League Presents…”

The League Presents... is a monthly program on NewTV produced and directed by LWVN members about issues important to our community.

  • The League Presents: Zoning Redesign Part III; Village Center Overlay District Ordinance
  • The League Presents: Pride Month Edition – A Conversation with Newton Youth
  • The League Presents: Mental Health – A Community Conversation, Part 1

All past programs

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Newton Municipal Election - Tuesday, November 7, 2023

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  • Support Modernizing Firearms Laws
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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

The League registers voters and educates them about the important issues and challenges facing Newto

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

3 days ago

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA
National Voter Registration Day is Sept 19!Make sure you're #VoteReady in 2023 by checking your voter registration status on MA's online voter registration site, especially if you haven't voted in awhile or your life has included any of the following:🚚 a move💍 name change🇺🇸 new US citizenship🎂 an 18th birthdayAnd, this is a good day to remind your family, friends, and neighbors to register & vote in the upcoming local elections! ... See MoreSee Less
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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

1 week ago

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA
In this month's episode of The League Presents, learn about the Village Center Overlay District Ordinance from Jennifer Caira – Deputy Director, Planning & Development Department and Councilor Deb Crossley – Chair Zoning & Planning Committee. ... See MoreSee Less

The League Presents - Zoning Redesign 111

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Marcia Johnson, Jennifer Cairo and Deb Crossley discuss the Newton Zoning Redesign.

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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

3 weeks ago

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA
The preliminary election for Ward 2 and 6 is September 12. Mark your calendar and make your voting plan. Learn about the candidates and get voting information here: lwvnewton.org/2023/08/newton-preliminary-election-tuesday-september-12-2023/ ... See MoreSee Less

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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

3 months ago

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA
In the last few days of Pride Month, check out these two informative programs by the League of Women Voters of Newton, MA1) The League Presents... Pride Month Edition - A Conversation with Newton Youth: lwvnewton.org/2023/06/the-league-presents-pride-month-edition-a-conversation-with-newton-youth/ 2) LGBTQ+ Backlash: What you can do to push back. View the recoding here: lwvnewton.org/2023/06/video-presentation-anti-lgbtqia-backlash-what-can-you-do-to-push-back/ ... See MoreSee Less

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League of Women Voters of Newton, MA

4 months ago

League of Women Voters of Newton, MA
Anti-LGBTQIA+ initiatives are taking root throughout the country and Newton is not immune. Hear from the ACLU’s Ruth Bourquin about the context, consequences, and responses to the anti-LBGTQIA+ backlash at this month’s virtual topic meeting. This meeting is free and open to the community. Register in advance: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lfuyhrzwtGNTYlmG-GpCBxTa1Z5MS81Ga#/registration ... See MoreSee Less

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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.

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