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Voters Guide: Newton Preliminary Election, September 14, 2021

To help voters learn more about the candidates for mayor in the preliminary election on September 14, the LWVN invited all the candidates to submit a brief biographical statement and answers to the three questions below. Submissions were strictly limited to 300 characters (bio), and 650 characters (answers).

  • Q1: How would you balance the commercial need for stronger village centers with the concerns voiced by some residents for increased density, and how would you accomplish that?
  • Q2: What is your vision for the Newton Police Department and how would/does your budget support your vision?
  • Q3: What policies would you put in place to reduce residential and city solid waste and carbon emissions?

Click each candidate’s name below to read their answers.

For more information on the preliminary election for Mayor, visit the Newton Elections Department.

Candidates for Mayor

Albert Cecchinelli

Ruthanne Fuller

Amy Sangiolo

See What LWVN Has Been Up to

LWVMA invited local leagues to submit a video highlighting their activities over the past two years, to present at this year’s state convention. To see a snippet of what LWVN has been up to in the last few years, view this video, put together by Board member Jen Abbott.

Watch the video now! Read more →

Non-Profit Support for Arts & Culture in Newton

Adrienne Hartzell Knudsen
Gloria Gavris

In this episode of The League Presents, Marcia Johnson speaks with Gloria Gavris, Board Chair, Newton Community Pride, and Adrienne Hartzell Knudsen Executive Director, Newton Cultural Alliance (NCA), about how the NCA and Newton Community Pride work to raise the value of arts & culture in the minds of our community in order to develop the political will and financial sustainability of the creative sector of our local economy. The conversation also helped to sort out their individual and distinct missions and how they collaborate together to support our local artists and non-profits of all ages and levels of creativity and ability.  Topics included…

  1. An overview of the Newton Cultural Alliance & Newton Community Pride organizations.
  2. Examples of how these two umbrella organizations work with organizations like the New Art Center, Newton’s Office of Cultural Development, and Newton’s Cultural Council.
  3. What can residents and business owners do to support the arts in Newton?

Watch the video now!

Read more →

Voices of the Next Generation

On May 25, 2021, we had a riveting and thought provoking conversation with Newton’s younger generation exploring the issues surrounding youth engagement in civic action.

Thank you to our wonderful panelists Rachel Alpert-Wisnia, Emma Applbaum, Ethan Dhadly, Elianna Kruskal, Edie Pike, and Laila Polk-Thomas.

Thank you to Nickki Dawes, PhD (Director of Center for Community-Based Learning & Associate Professor of Psychology, Lasell University) for expertly facilitating this engaging conversation.

Listen to the Conversation.

 

The League Presents: Newton’s Municipal Budget

Newton City Councilor Becky Grossman, Ward 7
Newton City Councilor Becky Grossman, Ward 7
Newton COO Jonathan Yeo
Newton COO Jonathan Yeo

Given that it is budget season at the local and state level, Marcia Johnson was able to have a conversation about Newton’s Municipal Budget with Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Yeo and Councilor-at-Large, Ward 7, Becky Grossman, Finance Committee Chair.  For many, the city’s budgeting processes seem to be somewhat of an enigma, so the League has taken this opportunity to provide more insight into the process and ways in which citizens can be engaged.  They talked about the following:

  • The process that the Mayor, her executive team, and department heads follow to prepare the budget document and how they contribute to the City Council’s deliberations.
  • Important fiscal-year milestones, most importantly mayoral budget presentations.
  • The steps that the City Council, its Standing Committees, and the Finance Committee follow to have input into the process, review, amend, and approve the budget document.
  • The timing of various meetings, which will be held via Zoom and where community members can find important documents.
  • How best for community members to be engaged.

Watch the video now!

Read more →