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VOTE411 Voter Guide

Brookline Town Meeting - Pct 16 - Three Years {_getChooseLabel(this.selections.length)}

Town Meeting is Brookline s Legislative arm of government. It consists of 255 elected Town Meeting Members plus the members of the Select Board, and any state representative or state senator who resides in Brookline. In addition, the Town Moderator, who presides over Town Meeting, and the elected Town Clerk, who acts as secretary, are voting members. The 255 membersare elected by precinct, with 15 members elected from each of the Town s seventeen precincts. The members are elected for staggered, 3-year terms so that 5 members are elected from each precinct each year in the May annual town election. Depending on vacancies some precincts will have more members to be elected.Town Meeting is responsible for passing a balanced annual town budget and enacts all town by-laws. An Annual Town Meeting is held in the spring to enact the following year s budget, plus whatever other matters are placed on the Town Meeting Warrant, either by the Select Board or by citizen petition. The Annual Town Meeting is usually held the last week in May or the first week in June. A Special Town Meeting is held each fall, usually in November, to deal with any budget changes, zoning by-law amendments or other matters placed on the warrant. (No salary; no health insurance.)‘*’ following a candidate name indicates an Incumbent.For Incumbent Town Meeting Candidates, Attendance Record for the last three years is shown.(NPE) is the party for all candidates. The Brookline Municipal Election is a Non-Partisan Election.

Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.

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    Deborah Moore Abner*
    (NPE)

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    David S. Day*
    (NPE)

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    Michael Harrington*
    (NPE)

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    Judith Leichtner*
    (NPE)

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    Nick Fetzer
    (NPE)

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    A. Joseph Ross
    (NPE)

Biographical Information

Biographical Data

Which of these issues is/are important to your constituents, and how would you address their concerns and provide feedback to them? (Subjects such as housing, ICE in Brookline, senior services, or something else.)

Campaign Mailing Address 265 Russett Rd
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Attendance 21 of 21
I have been a Brookline homeowner for 34 years in South Brookline with my husband. I am a resident of Russett Road and our street has been transformed since the completion of the addition to Hancock Village. Traffic is heavy and stop signs are ignored. I am also an educator in the Brookline Public Schools.
I believe that more affordable housing is necessary and needed but I am not happy with the current model of using developers to build and ignore zoning. We only get a small amount of housing and it is not even affordable. I am also concerned about our inadequate tax base which is resulting in a deficit for the town. Health care costs are 1/3 and I wonder if we need to consider increasing premiums to decrease costs. And while we should consider an override I am concerned about the third of our population who are over 65 and on limited incomes. I also think we need to think creatively to provide more transportation for senior citizens. South Brookline has limited public transportation options so this neighborhood might benefit.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Campaign Mailing Address 135 Beverly Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Attendance 21 of 21
I am a twelve-year Brookline resident. For one of those years, I lived in Hancock Village, so I am well aware of what a vibrant and diverse neighborhood it is and how the many families living there contribute to our wider community. I am the son of a public school teacher and a graduate of public schools, so I know how important Brookline's schools are. My husband and I have two boys who are in the Brookline Public Schools system. Prior to becoming a stay-at-home dad in 2017, I was an in-house attorney at State Street Bank. B.A. Williams College, J.D. Boston College Law School.
South Brookline residents are concerned about the profusion of development in town. Although the region suffers from a lack of housing – and Brookline has a role in helping alleviate that shortage – we need to be sure that development is done in a planned, reasonable, smart way considering the impact on surrounding neighborhoods. As a Town Meeting member, I would resist any rush to re-zone areas in a way that benefits developers over residents and smart growth. My constituents are also concerned about the numerous tax overrides that the Town has been placing in front of voters, and I want to make sure that we are fiscally responsible in a way that benefits Brookline as a whole.
Campaign Mailing Address 121 Beverly Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Attendance 19 of 21
President Baker PTO. Chair Baker School Council, Town Meeting Member, BHS PTO executive Committee, resident since 1973, Husband Alan, 2 children-graduates of Baker and BHS, 2 grandchildren-Driscoll and BHS
my priorities -preserving neighborhoods while increasing housing options, I support the Comprehensive Plan so that the above values are incorporated -supporting our schools and police, fire, and DPW services -preventing companies like Flock from recording data about our residents -preventing masked ICE agents from operating in Brookline Brookline is a special community and I will do everything I can to ensure it continues to be a great place to live.

Campaign Mailing Address 19 Conant Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Attendance Not Incumbent Town Meeting Candidate
Out 13-Mar
I was born at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. My father was a career Marine Corps helicopter pilot, and as a result, I moved quite a bit during my childhood. Between Washington, DC, Okinawa, Japan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia, I’ve had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of communities. It’s that experience which makes me confident when I say that Brookline truly stands out.

My family—my partner Jen and our sons Ethan and Miles—recently moved to Brookline from Richmond, VA in August 2025. We chose Brookline as our desired destination for its diversity, beauty, and the reputation of the Brookline Public Schools. I’m reminded every day what a great decision that was.
Housing affordability, the availabiltiy of public parks, town budget issues, ICE in Brookline, and data collection issues (i.e. flock) are all important to me. I hope to bring my public finance experience to help address each.

The first thing I must to is listen! I have so much to learn. Through listening, I hope to be a conduit for feedback in both directions as we seek out solutions that serve us all.
Campaign Website http://www.attorneyross.com
Attendance Not Incumbent Town Meeting Candidate
Out 4-Mar
UMass Amherst 1967, BU Law 1970. Admitted to Mass Bar 1970. Staff Attorney, Brookline Rent Control Board, 1972-74, private law practice since 1975, now semi-retired. §Town Meeting Member 1979-88, 1989-94, 1999-2004, 2005-12, 2015-2017; Moderator's Committee on Parking, 2011-2012; Board Member, Town Meeting Members Association, Co-chair, 2001-2003. President, Brookline Tenant Union 1979-83; 20-year Member, Brookline Democratic Town Committee; Brookline Cable Monitoring Committee, 1985-89; Housing Code Subcommittee, Brookline Public Health Advisory Council, 1979-88; Past Board Member, Brookline PAX. I was caucused back into Town Meeting in May 2025 and have attended all four sessions since then.
The two biggest issues facing the Town now are housing and revenue. Unfortunately, housing development can hurt the Town's revenue picture and commercial development can take up space that could be used for housing. But we need to do both and must do so carefully.