On February 29, two days after Kay Khan said she would not seek reelection as State Representative for the 11th Middlesex District, Amy Sangiolo announced her candidacy for the seat. Sangiolo, a veteran Newton politician, served twenty years on the Board of Alderman and City Council, from 1998 to 2017, before mounting an unsuccessful run for mayor in 2021. She subsequently co-founded Fig City News and served on its Board as President, before very recently stepping down.
The 11th Middlesex District is entirely in Newton and consists of Wards 2, 3 and 4, and portions of Wards 1 and 7. The primary election for the Massachusetts State Representative seat will be held September 3, with the general election on November 5.
Sangiolo said that entering the race “is a culmination of my entire career as a City Councilor and as a consumer advocate, and as a voice for transparency in government.” She said, ”I was surprised at Kay’s announcement, given how active she is currently, with so many bills in this session.” Further, she said, “I am awestruck and grateful for her dedication and effective representation of her constituents.”
Sangiolo said that constituent service would be a major part of her job as State Representative. She said she would be responsive to constituents and would connect them with appropriate local, state, and federal agencies and help them resolve issues. She has years of experience in this work, both as a City Councilor and in her current job in the Massachusetts Attorney General Office’s Consumer Advocacy Response Division.
Sangiolo acknowledged that given the size of the House of Representatives (160 members), it will take collaboration, cooperation, and time to work with State Representatives to help them understand the needs of the Newton community. She said climate change is a crucial legislative priority. She believes that the State needs to subsidize residents’ efforts to move away from the use of fossil fuels. Also, she seeks State actions on eliminating natural gas leaks, which contribute to climate change and also kill trees, and she will work on stronger legislation regarding PFAS “forever chemicals.”
When asked about legislative committee assignments, Sangiolo said that if elected, she would seek positions on housing, climate, and human services committees.
Sangiolo grew up in Weehawken, New Jersey, and graduated from Barnard College and Rutgers Law School. She and her husband moved to Auburndale in 1995, buying a house which she called “a fixer upper,” where her family continues to reside. She said she moved to Newton mainly because of the strength of the schools and said that her three grown children all attended Newton public schools and received “fabulous educations.” She is a lifelong Democrat and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Newton Democratic City Committee.
She is the child of a Chinese-American father and a Japanese immigrant mother and was the first in her family to graduate college. She believes it is important to address issues that face Asian-Americans, which she described as a diverse group, with varying interests and needs.
Regarding her time as a Newton elected official, she said one of her proudest achievements was helping save the branch libraries in Waban and Auburndale, which remain open, are gathering places for their communities, and are run by local volunteers. She said she considers her lead sponsorship of the tree preservation ordinance another of her most important actions.
When asked about the contentious zoning debate in Newton, she said that because Newton voted to comply with the State policy, it is important that the State fulfill its “side of the bargain,” aiding Newton by way of grants and funding for public transit, roads, and affordable housing.
Sangiolo addressed the importance of significantly improving public transit in Massachusetts, saying that she is hopeful that recent changes in MBTA leadership will lead to service improvements. She said that the clear focus on repairs has been important, and that she is optimistic about the abilities of the new CEO for the MBTA, Phillip Eng.
To learn more about Amy Sangiolo and her campaign, go to her web site at: sangioloforstaterep.org
Ed. Note: Amy Sangiolo had been a co-founder, president, and board member of Fig City News before stepping down prior to entering the race for State Representative.
