Mayor Fuller’s Final State of the City Address

On February 3, at her eighth and final State of the City Address, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller reflected on her tenure and the current state of the City. After 2,590 days in office, Mayor Fuller declared that the state of Newton remains strong.

Entering the City Council chamber, Mayor Fuller was accompanied by Massachusetts’ Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, State Representatives Amy Sangiolo, Greg Schwartz, and Tommy Vitolo, and City Councilors Susan Albright, Lisle Baker, and Rick Lipof.  

Council President Marc Laredo introduced Lieutenant Governor and former Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who thanked Mayor Fuller, discussed the many years that she has collaborated effectively with Mayor Fuller, and highlighted the crucial role that city government plays in peoples’ lives every day.

Mayor Fuller began her address by highlighting Newton’s financial health, citing its recent Aaa credit rating from Moody’s, which she described as a testament to the City’s attention to its fiscal responsibility. She credited strong leadership across municipal departments for maintaining high-quality services, from education to emergency response to the Newton Free Library. 

The Mayor praised Newton’s democratic institutions, such as the City Council and School Committee, for their role in airing, debating, and resolving complex issues. She thanked the many volunteers serving on boards, commissions, and PTOs, and the robust engagement from neighborhoods, businesses, non-profits, and community groups.

Mayor Fuller claimed major accomplishments during her tenure including:

• Education: The Mayor discussed significant school renovations and construction projects, including new elementary schools at Lincoln-Eliot, Countryside, and Franklin, and the City’s first dedicated preschool facility. 
• Older Adults: The Mayor said that this fall, the Ccity will open the Cooper Center for Active Living, focusing on Newton’s fastest growing demographic. 
• Housing: She described City actions to increase affordable housing, such as creating an Affordable Housing Trust, which approved funding of 112 affordable units on North Street, and the reconstruction of the West Newton Armory for affordable family housing. 
• Sustainability Initiatives: Mayor Fuller stated that Newton is a leader in climate action, implementing renewable energy programs, expanding solar panel use, and launching Version 2.0 of its Climate Action Plan. 
• Preservation: The Mayor praised Councilor Baker and others for leadership in preserving Webster Woods for future generations. 
• Transportation: Mayor Fuller said the City successfully advocated for the reconstruction of the Newtonville Commuter Rail Station.

Then Mayor Fuller turned to some of the challenges facing Newton. 

• Development: She highlighted complex decisions ahead about large-scale projects such as Northland and Riverside, where, she said, community expectations must align with feasibility. Debates over how to best use land – such as at the former Walker Center in Auburndale – will seek to balance competing interests in historic preservation, housing, and recreation.
• Education: The Mayor addressed dilemmas related to aging school facilities, declining enrollment, and tight financial constraints. She described increasing student needs, and education costs growing faster than City revenues.
• Neighborhoods: On the Newton Highlands Village Enhancement Project, the Mayor said that the City could not afford the undergrounding of overhead wires (a key goal of the Neighborhood Council) while improving other elements of the infrastructure. For Newton Centre, she advocated new gathering spaces in the current parking lot, while keeping sufficient parking.

Mayor Fuller said that looming changes in federal government priorities add to the financial pressures. With potential reductions in funding for housing, education, and transportation, she said Newton must prepare for shifts in financial resources while staying true to its values.

In closing, Mayor Fuller cited outgoing U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s focus on the importance of relationships, service, and purpose in building a strong community. She said that for the city to remain strong, these values must guide Newton forward.

NewTV has video of the entire event, including speeches by Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. See also the prepared text of the Mayor’s speech.