Interview: Garry Miller, candidate for Ward Councilor, Ward 5

Garry Miller is a first-time candidate running for Ward Councilor in Ward 5. He and his husband have lived in Upper Falls for nearly twenty-seven years, where he has been a volunteer with Newton Serves and the Newton Conservators and is a member of the Northland Neighborhood Liaison Committee. He was born and raised in Concord, and comes from a family that traces itself to the earliest Massachusetts settlers and includes Paul Revere among his forbears.

No stranger to political activism, Mr. Miller has been involved in a number of campaigns for marriage equality and LGBTQ rights. But with the re-election of Donald Trump and the ongoing fallout, he felt the need to do something, and running for City Council seemed to be the right choice.

Aware that dramatic cuts in a wide range of federal programs will mean that “Newton will be left to its own devices,” Mr. Miller says that building coalitions with Beacon Hill is essential in working for state dollars. “Newton is seen as a wealthy community, but knocking on doors, I see people having economic issues,” he said, noting that public transportation is an ongoing concern for many residents. He has high praise for Phillip Eng, MBTA general manager, about whom he believes, “the vision is there but the backlog is huge.” Locally, he thinks it should be easier and cheaper for people in Upper Falls to take the T at Eliot Station. Mr. Miller speaks from his own experience as a Green Line passenger.

A supporter of the at times controversial 822-unit Northland project on Needham Street, Mr. Miller noted that 145 units will be “affordable.” In addition, although the project first promised, then reneged, and now is committed to a weekday shuttle as part of its special permit, the shuttle “will turn Needham Street into a transportation corridor rather than a car corridor.” He lives two blocks from the site and believes traffic is already improving.

On the other hand, he says there is wide-spread complaint about the condition of smaller local streets. Although he is not a member, he attends meetings of the Upper Falls Area Council and walks around his neighborhood, where he is well aware of the poor condition of sidewalks and roadways. Moreover, he has been frustrated by the delays in the repair funding schedule, and he reports having “heard an earful” from local residents who complain about the unsynchronized traffic lights at intersections. 

Among the other voter concerns, Mr. Miller reported that many Newton Highlands and Waban residents expressed “still simmering” anger about the Newton School Department’s Covid response, in closing down in-person teaching, as well as the teachers’ strike and the budget crisis. “Parents think their kids were done wrong,” he told Fig City News.

A software engineer, he believes in greater communication with voters and is critical of the difficulty in navigating the city’s website. “Communication is hugely important,“ he said, noting that ”facts help credibility.” In addition, he believes that understanding the history of a problem provides a path to a solution. He plans to address issues by working with people and staff, and while ”the mayor has the megaphone,” he plans to produce a regular issues-based newsletter and hold regular office hours. 

As a member of the Newton Conservators, he observed that non-native vegetation was overtaking Cold Spring Park and Newton’s Parks and Recreation Department did not have the money to address the problem. He said the City Council will need to be involved, and a greater overall emphasis on public/private partnerships will be needed to relieve funding shortages.

On his to-do list of issues, Mr. Miller includes full-school funding, upgrades to school facilities, and affordable housing for seniors, young families, teachers, and other City employees. To learn more about Garry Miller, read his endorsements, and sign on to his updates, visit miller4newton.org .