Dan Gaynor has always wanted to give back to the Newton community, and it’s the driving force behind his current run for Ward 2 Councilor. (That seat, which is elected by the voters of Ward 2, is currently held by Emily Norton, who is not running for reelection. The Preliminary Election will be on September 12.)
Dan Gaynor is a third-generation Newtonian and second-generation candidate for Newton City Council. His father, Robert, served on the Newton Board of Aldermen, from 1972-1982. In this campaign, Dan has knocked on over 1,000 doors, with more to go before the Preliminary election.
Dan is committed to a variety of housing options for a wider array of income levels. As a City Councilor, he would push for transparency and communication, believing that the community should still have a voice even with “by right” development and that the current Village Center Zoning Redesign proposal will likely allow for more community feedback. “The voice of the community should be most persuasive,” he says.
Regarding the inclusion of parking in residential development, Mr. Gaynor asks, “why mandate parking spaces that are not being used?” He believes that parking space should be negotiated with developers, depending on the property’s location.
In his view, village centers should support more independent, small businesses. Streets in village centers should be safe for walkers and bikers, and people shouldn’t always have to use their cars to get to village centers. One of his top priorities is fostering walkability.
More Newton public transportation includes expansion of NewMo, Newton’s recently curtailed, on-demand shared ride service. He is committed to increasing the frequency of the commuter rail for people who work in Boston. Before Covid, Mr. Gaynor was a daily user of the Newtonville commuter rail.
In addition to affordability and walkability, Mr. Gaynor advocates sustainability, pledging to work to make Newton 100% free of reliance on fossil fuels, including the installation of more electric car chargers. Among his targets is enhancing the energy efficiency of Newton’s older buildings. Pointing to the recent Newton Library parking lot flood caused by this summer’s heavy rainfall, Mr. Gaynor is also interested in ways to mitigate the impact of climate change on public and private property.
Mr. Gaynor is equally committed to preserving the Garden City’s green spaces and trees. A member of Friends of Edmands Park and Green Newton he describes himself as “wildly passionate” about saving Newton’s parklands and recreation areas and wants to ensure that they are all protected.
Mr. Gaynor emphasized his commitment to “data-driven decision-making.” He served in President Obama’s administration, helping to develop policy for the United States Agency for International Development, where he worked on a wide range of critical issues like the Ebola epidemic and climate change. He later served Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley in a similar capacity. His private-sector experience includes founding his own AI company – Kelp – “[a] corporate reputation platform that helps executives optimize strategy, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and mitigate rising risks.” Kelp has since been acquired by Signal AI, and Mr. Gaynor now works for that company. Drawing on his work experience, he believes the most effective approach is data-based decision making, rather than ideologically driven conclusions.
Dan, his wife, and daughter live on Cabot Street, where he grew up and where he still works when he is not traveling to company meetings.
His campaign website is gaynorforma.com.
