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Brookline Town Meeting - Pct 08 - 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.

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    Tracie Burns*
    (NPE)

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    Anita Johnson*
    (NPE)

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    Michael W. Toffel*
    (NPE)

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    Yukiko Ueno Egozy
    (NPE)

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    Amitai Handler
    (NPE)

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    Avner Ingerman
    (NPE)

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    Mary Sievers
    (NPE)

Biographical Information

Biographical Data:

What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?

Campaign Phone 617-879-3399
Attendance 26 of 30
I am semi-retired and focus a lot of my energy on local initiatives. For the past 5 years, I have been the co-coordinator of the Brookline chapter of Mothers Out Front, focusing on Climate mitigation. I am on the Board of Directors of Biking Brookline working toward improving the safety of our streets for all users. Most recently, I am part of a team working to support the Town in building a Community Outdoor Swimming Pool. I have lived and rented here since 2008, and my two children graduated from FRR and BHS. As a renter, I am sensitive to the region’s housing prices and crises. I focus on these issues mentioned, as well as Brookline's many topical issues as they arise.
1) Climate initiatives. There are 2 WAs in the May Warrant that would reduce plastic waste in our restaurants. I will continue to advocate for climate initiatives, both within Town Meeting and in our community at large. 2) Diversify the tax base. In order to ease tax overrides and personal property taxes, the Town needs to find logical solutions to diversity our tax base. Whether that be by encouraging light-manufacturing or additional commercial industries to locate here, Brookline needs to explore ideas. 3) Roadway safety. I will continue to advocate for safe streets. Right now, the Commonwealth does not permit traffic cameras. Cameras would enable unsafe road-users to get fined, hopefully making our streets safer.
Campaign Phone 617-734-0711
Attendance 29 of 30
Assistant United States Attorney, recently retired. Previously, trial attorney, U.S. Dept. of Justice Office of Consumer Litigation; lawyer at the Environmental Defense Fund and at Ralph Nader's Public Citizen. Peace Corps Volunteer, Tanzania Precinct 8 Town Meeting Member since 2009. Member, Brookline Open Space Committee and Brookline Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Member, Board of Brookline Greenspace Alliance. Member, Board of WalkMassachusetts.
Safety of our streets/sidewalks for all users, with special attention to pedestrians and bicyclists. Increased attention needed to safety of pedestrian crossings (traffic light timings, stop signs, cross paths, etc.); and to automobile violations of red lights, speed limits, etc. Maintenance of and increase to protection and expansion of our tree cover, for reasons of air purity, noise abeyance, and lowered summer temperature. Closer attention to our Town budgets, including school expenditures and other Town expenditures, and including Town support of commercial enterprises to provide tax income to the Town and lessen individual property taxes.
Campaign Phone 617-999-9318
Attendance 27 of 30
I am a Harvard Business School professor of environmental management and operations management. My sons went through the Brookline school system. I served on Brookline Fiscal Advisory Committee (BFAC) to analyze the town’s financial planning processes and issue recommendations for improvement. I have been a Town Meeting Member since 2021, and have led the passage of several good-government bylaws and resolutions to improve the Town’s fiscal management, transparency, efficiency, and accountability -- and to increase public access to Town deliberations. Education includes PhD @ University of California Berkeley. Master’s of Environmental Management + MBA @ Yale.
I am working with Town Meeting, the Select Board, and Town staff to (1) Promote better strategic planning and more economic development so that the Town can afford competitive wages, more neighborhood-scale affordable housing, better-maintained streets/buildings/ libraries/parks, make our streets safer for pedestrians/bicyclists/drivers, and lead to address our climate crisis; (2) Reform zoning to ease the building of mixed-use housing and other economic development to increase the Town’s vitality and tax base, and to do our part to address to the region’s housing crisis; and (3) Make it easier for the public to learn what Town government is doing so they can more easily provide feedback and input.
I am a piano teacher and teach private piano lessons in Brookline. I have lived in Brookline for 17 years, and I am a parent of two children: one college-age, and one attending Brookline High School. I was part of the Florida Ruffin Ridley School’s PTO when my children attended the school, and I serve on the board of the Brookline Music School. I have been endorsed by Brookline PAX and Brookline for Everyone.
1. Housing affordability. Brookline is a great town. Everyone who wants to live here should be able to rent here, buy a house here, and stay here. We can continue to explore ways to encourage more housing production, including affordable housing. 2. Education. My family moved to Brookline for its public schools, and I imagine many residents have done the same. We should maintain the excellence of our schools by finding a way to properly fund our educators and staff and the programs that help our students learn and thrive. 3. Environmental sustainability. We want Brookline to remain a great place for our children’s generation and beyond. We should continue to support measures that protect our environment.
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Campaign Phone 781-987-4250
Attendance Not Incumbent Town Meeting Member
I’m a PhD student studying microbiology at Harvard Medical School. I am passionate about science communication, and I currently serve as president of the Science Policy Group at Harvard, where I focus on bridging science and policy.

I grew up in the Boston area, so I’ve always felt at home here. I’ve lived in Precinct 8 as a renter for the past four and a half years, and I’ve come to deeply appreciate Brookline’s unique combination of close-knit neighborhoods and urban accessibility. As a graduate student and renter, I offer a perspective that’s underrepresented in town government, and I’m committed to serving the needs of our diverse community. I am endorsed by Brookline for Everyone, Brookline Equity Coalition, and Brookline by Design.
As I see it, the major issues important to my precinct are improving housing affordability, supporting the public schools, and tackling climate change. I will advocate for policies that strengthen Brookline’s public services in order to address these challenges and keep our community diverse and welcoming; our town thrives when people of all backgrounds can live and prosper here. Specifically, I support zoning reform and increased funding for affordable housing, stable school funding, and policies that cut emissions while promoting equity. As a scientist and advocate, I plan to take a thoughtful, evidence-informed approach, and I am committed to listening to and engaging with residents across our community.