Brookline Town Meeting - Pct 03 - Three Years Choose 5
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.
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
303-941-7434
Attendance
30 of 30
Biographical Data:
I grew up near Detroit and put down roots in Brookline almost 20 years ago. I have two children currently at Lawrence, a third-grader and a sixth-grader. I work as a science writer, and spent seven years as editorial researcher with the NOVA documentary series. At WGBH I also served as steward and secretary of AEEF-CWA Local 1300.
What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?
Housing affordability: Through thoughtful planning, we can foster development that will make our community more affordable, inclusive, and sustainable while preserving the qualities we value. Town and school budget: To preserve and grow our town and school programs and services, we will need to increase revenue through new commercial and residential development and consider future overrides in combination with tax assistance/deferral for those who need it. Federal volatility: In the face of national policies that challenge our values, we must engage residents in crafting and defending policies that make Brookline safe, welcoming, and equitable for all.
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
617-566-3556
Attendance
29 of 30
Biographical Data:
Married to Anne Turner. Both our children, Katharine and Nathaniel, went through the Brookline Public Schools. I have served as a TMM, member and Chair of the Advisory Committee (AC) [Brookline's standing Finance Committee], The Committee of Town Organization and Structure (CTOS). Former Board Member of the Brookline Community Foundation (BCF), Brookline Greenspace Alliance (BGSA), Community Development Block Grant Committee (CDBG). Member of the Financial Policy Review Committee FPRC), where I advocated for an Affordable Housing Trust. In my professional life I'm At Boston Medical Center, Radiation Oncology/Physics. My aspiration is to be a "ski bum", but reality, good sense, and a back back prevent that.
What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?
The Town's budget pressure affects everything - taxes, schools, housing, roads, parks, etc. Like every other community in the rea, Brookline has become more expensive. The trick is maintaining Brookline's character, its texture, greenery and walkability; while finding creative ways to increase less expensive housing stock. I have supported the new Brookline Housing Authority Village-Project, expanding opportunities for additional units within existing housing stock; funding and leveraging the Affordable Housing Trust, partnering with developers in creating more affordable units. We must be creative with opportunities for commercial development; and be prepared to address and support our schools in the new financial landscape.
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
617-739-7266
Attendance
29 of 30
Biographical Data:
38 year resident of Brookline. MIT graduate. Chair of Advisory Committee. Children attended Brookline Public Schools (Lawrence, BHS). Technology professional. Active participant in several appointed committees. Active in Lawrence School PTO.
What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?
My Precinct 3 constituents care a great deal about responsible development. I was active in the creation of our Neighborhood Conservation District and remain committed to its principles. My constituents care about the structural budget deficit; my efforts on the Advisory Committee have been largely focused on improving budgetary oversight and analysis. My constituents care a great deal about the budget of the PSB; I advocated for and continue to support the efforts to perform a comprehensive audit of PSB finances.
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
617-504-8758
Attendance
30 of 30
Biographical Data:
Brookline resident for 25 years; parent of two Lawrence and BHS graduates. Nonprofit executive and consultant focusing on social services and opportunities for youth. Former roles include Board Chair and Interim Executive Director of the Brookline Community Foundation, Lawrence School Extended Day Board, and the Community Development Block Grant Advisory Board. BA Wesleyan, MBA Yale. Endorsed by PAX and Brookline for Everyone.
What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?
With a longtime commitment to supporting civil society and progressive policy in Brookline, I want to continue promoting housing access/affordability, reduction of fossil fuel use, and thoughtful economic development policy that will help address the town’s structural deficit. These issues are paramount in Precinct 3, particularly where teardowns have been replaced by even more expensive housing with excessive massing and poor design. I support form-based zoning in our precinct to discourage big-box condos and would encourage development of smaller multifamily units to create more affordable (and more energy efficient) housing options.
Biographical Information
Campaign Instagram URL
http://https://www.instagram.com/leighfortmm/
Campaign Facebook URL
http://https://www.facebook.com/leighfortmm
Attendance
Not Incumbent Town Meeting Member
Biographical Data:
I was born and raised in Newton and have been a BPS parent and Brookline resident since 2017. Before moving back to the area, I spent four years at the White House as a technology director and policy advisor in the Obama Administration. I have spent much of my career helping elect Democratic candidates, and working on progressive social issues most recently focused on supporting first time and first generation home owners, and current work for a startup tackling fair pay.
I am proud to be endorsed by Brookline for Everyone and the Brookline Equity Coalition.
What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?
1. Like most BPS parents I have become deeply frustrated by the budget issues eroding the quality of our schools. If elected, I would push for more transparency and oversight in the budgeting process, and seek all means for funding the schools as best we can.
2. It is clear to me Brookline needs more housing across all levels of the market. For that reason I strongly support increasing multifamily and affordable housing and relaxing height and parking requirements, which artificially suppress inventory.
3. Finally, safe and accessible means of transportation are inextricably linked with education and housing policy. I will work towards Brookline's Vision Zero projects to make our roads safer for cars, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.
Biographical Information
Attendance
Not Incumbent Town Meeting Member
Biographical Data:
Sean Leckey is a parent and member of Lawrence School
Council. An electrical engineer focused on
connecting solar, wind and batteries to the grid, he is also a member of both Brookline For Everyone and the Brookline Equity Coalition.
What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?
Housing, Climate and Schools. The high cost of housing in Brookline creates immense challenges for young professionals and for families of all ages. For seniors living on a fixed income, persistent upward pressure on real estate taxes creates serious financial strain. I hope to build on the MBTA Communities Act to respond to the Housing Crisis, our changing climate and strive to become a more equitable community. Developers actively pressure our Town to maximize profits and not grow what makes Brookline beautiful. I want to push back and preserve old Brookline by actively tackling the housing crisis, segregation by design and challenges brought by climate change so that seniors and the next generation can have access to the same opportunit
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
617-651-0643
Campaign Facebook URL
http://https://www.facebook.com/MargaretPct3/
Attendance
Not Incumbent Town Meeting Member
Biographical Data:
I’m running for Town Meeting in Precinct 3 to better represent the diversity of our precinct, specifically renters and people under 40. I’m a product strategist in health data and analytics, and my professional experience is focused on vetting investments, building cost-benefit analyses, and getting feedback from my customers and colleagues, skills that I’m excited to bring to local government and solve problems in our community. Proud public school k-12 graduate, alumna of Barnard College, Columbia University, and Master’s in Public Health (MPH) grad in health policy and management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Endorsed by Brookline for Everyone, Brookline Equity Coalition, and Brookline PAX.
What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?
With all the changes at the national level, now is a critical time to strengthen our local community and address key challenges. It is critical that we meet the pressing needs of our schools and Town services, the rising cost of living in Brookline, and protect the financial health of the Town. To address these challenges, I will support the creation of multi-family housing near transit to address our affordability and climate crises, and generate commercial tax revenue to support our public schools.