Mayor Fuller’s address introducing the City’s Long-Range Financial Plan to the City Council on October 6 (also transmitted in her newsletter) contained the same contradiction that we hear from this Mayor in every fiscal address: The City’s financial health is very strong and yet doomed at the same time. Setting…
Posts published in “Guest Columns (Op-Eds)”
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This year, Newton voters will finally have the opportunity to repeal Newton’s Overnight Parking Ban, which prohibits overnight parking on every street in Newton from December through March. Dating back to 1936, this outdated and nonsensical law is a burden to many Newton residents. Despite decades of concerns from residents,…
I am writing as a long-time Newton resident, not as a Newtonville Area Councilor. Initially, I was ready to support the repeal of the winter overnight parking ban. I even signed the petition outside the Star Market, believing that asking the people was the best way to handle City policy.…
Trying to beat the heat, on Wednesday, June 24, I took my four-year-old grandson to the newly opened Upper Falls Greenway Water Park. The air temperature was well into the 90s and we were ready to play. I was surprised to see that the part of the park that is a…
Ed. Note: The author is the Ward 8 representative on the School Committee. Fig City News previously reported that he will not be seeking re-election in this November’s election. Background All too often when a doctor sees a patient with high cholesterol or blood pressure, the result is prescribing something…
In her budget address to the City, Mayor Fuller outlined nine levers the City can pull to address our budget challenges, especially those related to funding schools. Of her nine points, only two were truly long-term solutions aimed at increasing revenue: a tax increase for everyone in the form of…
The School Committee has statutory authority for determining the allocation of funds provided to it. Given the recent public consternation about the FY26 Newton Public Schools (“NPS“) budget (for year ended June 30, 2026), with a $3.4 million unfunded balance, you might have sighed relief at Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s announcement…
The adoption by the City Council of BERDO, Mayor Fuller’s landmark sustainability legacy, is a major step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Newton. It also changes how we think about energy use in buildings. It is more than an unavoidable expense; rather, long-term energy planning is now an integral…
We are a group of teachers at Newton South High School whose experience in teaching multilevel classes in the humanities ranges from two to twenty years, and we’d like to take a moment to explain how multilevel courses – at their best – can provide an education for students’ brains…
I’m Bill Humphrey, and I’m asking for your vote by September 3rd in the Democratic State Primary for the 12th Middlesex House district of Newton & Brookline. I’m running because I want Massachusetts to be a Commonwealth for everyone and a beacon for the nation. This race is about what…
I was born and raised in Newton and after 22 years serving as your City Councilor at-Large, I’m running because I am uniquely qualified to forward our district’s values and needs. I will look to bring as much local funding as possible to our district for education, infrastructure, seniors, mental…
I’m running to bring a unique perspective to the State House to fight for you. Like the other two candidates, I have served on the Newton City Council and have experience with local City issues. Unlike the others, I bring my professional training as a doctor and a lawyer to…