Jon Janik
Craig Kelley
Kevin Moore
Kathy Podgers
Larry Ward
I am pleased to announce that I will be a candidate for re-election to the Cambridge City Council.
It’s an important time in
Energy & Environment:
I’ve been working to make
Aging in Place: As
people get older, it’s harder and harder for them to stay at home and be
supported by services, such as transportation. It’s my goal to see
Wireless
At every opportunity I advocate making
It is because of these and other issues that I am seeking
re-election, to again serve you and the city of
a. The most important thing we must do is to keep our CPA money 80% directed to affordable housing. That has produced $25 million of state money since enacted and we need to be sure the formula is not changed on a state or local level in a way that undermines our affordable housing development. To date these funds have been used to assist in creating 550 units of housing.
b. I’ve been advocating for more affordable housing for families with children, promoting more family housing when funds are being used by the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
c. We need to negotiate with developers with a goal of creating additional affordable housing and retaining that which now exists. We also need to begin some new incentive programs.
A perfect example of
a building that needs this kind of treatment is
a. I favor extending the voting franchise to more voters who care about city issues. That would be parents of school children, even if they are not citizens, and also16 and 17 year olds. People will vote when they care about the issues and these two groups of people have much more of a vested interest in local affairs than many others who are here for only a short time and are very difficult to motivate to vote.
b. We have an antiquated approach to when and where ballots
need to be cast. We need to extend the
rules for absentee ballots to include anyone who would prefer to vote early or
by mail. I believe once the ballots are
printed anyone should be able to vote at the Election Commission or some other
voting site. In some states voters are able to mail in their ballots in some
time frame prior to the election. Expecting people to vote only on Election Day
between
I am a progressive leader because I believe that the most important things that we can do as City Councillors is to advocate for all our citizens, and take special care that those who are disadvantaged share fully in our society. Health care and education are two prime examples where there are unconscionable inequities. But, inequities apply across the board in our society where wealth so often determines access and quality of life.
As an example of what I do as a councillor, I’m working now with a committee on a project to close the digital divide which exists between those who have computer and Internet access and those who do not. I believe that not having access to the Internet is a strong disadvantage for anyone these days and particularly for students. I’m working to eliminate that divide by supporting a programmatic solution: low cost computers for all who qualify and training and tech support.
I am a full-time councilor.
No.
As city councilor, I will work
Toward creating more opportunities
for homeownership.
For when someone becomes a property owner,
They invest, not only in their home, but in their community
They become more active
They become more involved civically
And that is good for the entire community
To get there, we need greater supply.
We need flexible zoning
That allows developers to build in our economic centers.
Where mass transit exists
And where smart growth initiatives can flourish
We need creative development
That does not reduce
the few backyards that still exist in
Generally, I am against infill development
Because I love backyards and I want to preserve them.
I favor development
that matches the character of our neighborhoods
and I favor offering a carrot to developers,
To encourage them to build units affordable
to both Low and medium income households.
As city councilor, I will work to better assist home buyers
with down payments and creative, competitive loans programs
The recent voter turnout in
because people feel disconnected with the political process and local government.
I believe we can do more
To connect people with the political process
and its elected officials.
We need to show them
That what happens in City Hall
Is important and relevant to their life.
We can increase voter turnout by taking action.
With fresh ideas
new thinking
And good old fashion, people skills
We can increase civic participation.
We need to talk face to face with those voters who are staying home.
Let’s learn why they are disinterested in civic affairs
And the reasons why they choose to ignore local elections.
If we reach out to those who are not voting
We will learn more about what methods the city can employ
To encourage and entice more civic involvement.
As city councilor, there is a significant role that I will play
To encourage greater participation among young people.
Because of my spirit and enthusiasm for public policy
My interest in public service,
And because of my age, I am twenty-nine,
I will serve as an example that civic participation is important.
I will better relate to young people better than any other candidate.
I will serve as a liaison to young people
And I will foster greater participation in the community
I am a progressive because I believe in taking action. Progressive leaders are those who seek to advance innovative ideas and improve a state for the betterment of the community.
I believe I am a progressive due to the social positions
that I stand for and support. Also, I am
progressive minded because of the action that I wish to implement in
As city councilor, I will not seek additional employment. I take this office seriously and will treat it with the commitment that you deserve.
I will not be seeking any other elective office during the 2008-09 council term. I am committed and dedicated to serving out this term.
This is the wrong question.
other city agencies should be doing to boost voter turnout? Again, this is the wrong question. The Election Commission and other City Departments are not responsible for boosting voter turnout. Politicians are responsible for engaging people in political dialogue and making them feel that it is worthwhile to go to the polls. City agencies, such as the BZA or the Planning Board, are responsible for making sure that people feel that they were heard and their views considered, even if not adopted, when the City makes its decisions. If people feel that their voices are being listened to by their government, they'll show up to vote. If they think they're being ignored, they'll stay at home, no matter how many people the Election Commission registers.
A progressive leader is someone who is willing to challenge the status quo in order to bring about positive change. I am such a leader in many ways. By example, I bike everywhere I go and send my kids to public schools. I'm not asking for anyone to do things I'm not willing to do in order to preserve our environment and make the world a more equalitarian place. I'm willing to throw the budget back to the City Manager because it is not adequately protecting our environment or serving our most vulnerable people. I write numerous letters to the local newspaper because a leader is supposed to let people know what he or she thinks on important subjects, rather than stay in the background until the issues are decided.
I will remain an environmental consultant for the Army Reserves. As it has for the past 20 months, my City Council duties will come first, but there will be some meetings I miss. My consulting job takes up roughly 15 -20 hours a week, depending on how much I travel.
I will only be seeking election to my boys' school's School Advisory Council (SAC). Being involved in my children's education is too important a part of my life for me to give up. Additionally, I learn a lot not just about our school, but about our educational system in general. What I have learned has helped influence my thoughts on how to give all of our kids the best education we can.
The city needs to purchase more land and look into taking land by
eminent domain for non-payment of taxes.
More out-reach to voters by mailing, signs in the communities and more
registration drives.
My definition of a “progressive leader” is one that is accountable,
responsible and truthful. Although this is my first campaign for the
Cambridge City Counsel, I have been actively involved with our city’s youth
for over twenty-three years.
Such activities included being the freshmen and junior varsity coach
for Cambridge Rindge and Latin basketball team and the head coach for the
varsity basketball team for three years. Notable achievement was that
ninety-five percent of my players went on to higher education.
I have two children, one who will be attending college in two years.
Due to the cost of an higher education, and the cost of living in
the Massachusetts State Auditor’s Office, which is a Monday to Friday
37.5-hour full time position.
No
1. It is impossible to solve the affordable housing crisis for middle
and lower income people in
make meaningful progress on
this issue, we need to use a number of approaches.
I strongly support the city’s inclusionary zoning and linkage policies
to require that developers who
benefit from building in
responsible for the building of
hundreds of units of affordable housing throughout the city. We may be
able to be more aggressive
with our linkage policy. The data used to measure the impact of
increase the linkage fees.
I also strongly support using the maximum 80 percent of funds from the
Community Preservation
Act to increase the city’s stock of affordable housing. This program
has been a tremendous benefit
for the city, adding millions of dollars to the Cambridge Affordable
Housing Trust and allowing us to
build hundreds of units of affordable housing. While some have chosen
to criticize
our aggressive use of these funds, I think it is our duty to maximize
our opportunities to provide
affordable housing. Much of the blame for our nation’s affordable
housing crisis can be found with
the federal and state government’s retreat from housing funding for
more than a generation; if this
program allows us to get back some of those funds, so be it.
To get housing built in
proud to have brought
together city agencies, the Garment District and CASCAP to save the
Garment District and allow
CASCAP to build approximately 32 units of affordable housing at 125
co-chair of the Ordinance committee, I negotiated with Harvard to
require them to go beyond the
requirements of the inclusionarty zoning ordinance and to build and
turn over to the city 33 new
affordable housing units at the former NStar switch house. These are
two examples of my finding
creative ways to get housing built in
Efforts like these, while not solving the city’s housing crisis, do
provide solutions for
families one unit at a time.
2. Declining voter turnout is a disturbing comment on people’s
feelings of disillusionment with and
disenfranchisement from the political process. While some of the blame
and cure can be placed on
city government, some must go to the candidates as well – we need to
find ways to convince people
that voting matters and that an individual vote can make a difference.
The election commission can
do a better job of aggressively registering people to vote and
informing people that an election is
coming. For example, the Deval Patrick campaign in
successful in registering
voters by going to where potential voters are, such as MBTA stations,
and engaging with people to
convince them to get involved.
An additional challenge at the local level is that some people,
especially younger voters, may think
that they are in
invested enough in the
community to vote. Others forget the “act locally” part of the well
known adage, and while well
informed on national and international issues, say, “Sorry, I Don’t
Vote In Local Elections (Sidviles).
The challenge for all of us is to convince these voters that local
government has a direct impact on
their daily lives, and that very few votes can make a dramatic
difference in policy. City publications
and websites need to remind people how city government impacts them,
and candidates need to
reach out to and engage with potential voters.
I also support local voting rights for 16 year olds as well as for
non-citizen immigrants, but I fear
those proposals still have uphill fights for approval at the state
level.
3. A progressive leader is someone who afflicts the comfortable and
comforts the afflicted. It’s
someone who believes in the potential for positive change and works
diligently to steadily move
towards that positive change. It is someone who speaks and acts
consistently to advance
progressive values. A progressive leader actively seeks out ways to
advance the conditions of our
society, not only waiting to react to situations.
While it is hard to precisely define a progressive leader, a review of
my words and actions show that I
am such a leader.
I have stood up for the rights of working people, whether updating the
city’s living wage law or
standing at rallies with security guards and janitors. I have worked
to improve our environment,
initiating a pending city requirement to require large new developments
to meet LEED green building
standards. I have worked to provide more affordable housing in
on the council for using the maximum amount of CPA funds and finding
creative ways to get more
housing built. I have fought for civil rights, helping to organize a
rally against the Patriot Act, and
defending
Factor. I am proud to have
worked for marriage equality, and to have cosponsored the order to have
community to celebrate same sex marriages. I have campaigned for other
progressive candidates,
volunteering hundreds of hours as
Governor Patrick’s
Ultimately, determining whether an individual is a progressive leader
requires examining his or her
words, choices and actions. I am confident that my record as a city
councillor for the past six years
meets that test.
4. In addition to being a city councillor, I am also a political and
media consultant. This work is
done on a project-by-project basis, and I am careful to not take on
more paid work than I can handle
with my council duties. I chose to work as a volunteer for the Deval
Patrick campaign, coordinating
Cambridge primary election day and Cambridge and Somerville from the
primary through the
general. Although I worked hundreds of hours for the campaign, because
I was a volunteer I was
able to ensure that my council work did not suffer. I have not done
any consulting this year and any
clients that I do take on will need to understand that my council work
is my first priority.
5. I have no intention of seeking any other elective office during
the 2008-2009 council term.
In too many communities low-income families are priced out of the housing market. Across the country, between 1993 and 2003, the number of units affordable to low-income households fell by 1.2 million! Here in Cambridge our neighborhoods are being destabilized, and our schools are suffering, because working families, middle class, and those with low and fixed incomes are being driven from the City due to our City being a high cost area. This is especially true for the cost of housing.
To remedy this I will support the affordable housing efforts already in place in the City.
In addition I would support preventing folks already in housing from losing their housing, and to that end I support Aging In Place programs.
I will work to bring federal programs to meet our needs for affordable housing, and will fully support the implementation of the USSC Olmstead decision and all Fair Housing Laws. Some specific areas I support are reform of Section 811 housing opportunities, expansion of section 8, flexibility of housing loans, both extending terms to 50 years, and insuring mortgages are available to low income families in high cost areas like Cambridge.
I was disappointed that the State of Mass failed to apply for federal funding available for the Money Follows the People program. As a result more than 8900 institutionalized people are waiting to move back into communities around the state, including Cambridge. I will work to get the State of Mass to move forward with implementing this program, and to apply for these federal funds.
My advocacy for Progressive Issues and my testimony In City Council service as the best evidence that I am a Progressive Leader, in actions and not just words.
I have serious concerns about campaign finance, and believe that the media covers how much the candidate raises rather than asking the hard questions that reveal to the voters where the candidates stand on the issues. This can contribute to low voter turnout as the voters can perceive that there is no real choice as they do not see any real difference between the choices offered to them.
That being said, perhaps coffee could be offered at the polls, before noon , or a program that rewards folks who vote, such as a fridge magnet, with a handsome photo of Cambridge with the date. Folks could collect them the way they collect parking permit stickers. Perhaps a friendly competition could generate more voter interest, such as a program that would match dollar for vote at each precinct to donate funds to the City’s scholarship fund.
I would support efforts to better inform the public what the issues are so we have an informed electorate.
A progressive leader understands the representative system of government we have, and does not degenerate into a lobbyist for any special interest group. A progressive leader speaks up for the disenfranchised, and the unpopular but wise positions that make it possible for a diverse community to be self governing.
A progressive leader is inclusive and gives more than lip service to concepts like Social Justice, civic participation and transparency in Government.
A progressive leader understands that Property Taxes are not progressive and seeks to ameliorate the unfair disparate burden imposed by this system of financing local government activities.
I will not have any other employment or professional activity at any time during the time I serve as City Councillor. If I am elected to serve as City Councillor, I will devote my full attention and energy to representing Cambridge residents In City Council.
I will not seek and other elective office during the 2008-2009 council term. I am 64 years old, and I am not looking for a political career. I am running to be a voice for residents In City Council.
As I said during the PDC forum, I do believe that the change
in housing prices in
There are two basic points here: we need to come to terms with this new reality in the city, in large measure because these changes will define our city for the next two decades (at least). I do believe a large and important conversation we need to have is how we maintain our sense of ourselves as a “progressive community” in light of the dramatic increases in housing costs and the economic shifts that have gone along with that. I also believe we should not give up the struggle to create more affordable units in the city.
As can be seen from the data from the CPA, I do think that
the rental market still is the most flexible part of the housing market and
offers the best place to keep units affordable is large enough numbers to help
alleviate the pressure on the housing market. I have talked about a program
that would offer landlords incentives to keep units at an affordable rent
levels. The program would be completely optional, and would be available on an
“opt-in” basis from the owner, with the terms of the agreement spelled out
clearly. The incentive could be based on cash, or for example on repair work
once the tenant has moved out. I do not believe this program alone will create
enough units, but it is a first step to create a “first rung on the ladder” to
affordability and livability in
While any person
seeking elective office should decry low voter turnouts, it is especially
challenging in a city like
I believe it is a primary responsibility of political people to try to understand the ways in which our community has changed and what new topics need our concern. I also believe it is a responsibility of political people not simply to represent the electorate, but also to challenge them to constantly be a part of defining and redefining community under changing circumstances.
In a more specific vein, I do think that university students
really are the first and most obvious group of
I came to self-identify as a “progressive” because I
believed (and still believe) that party openness is a key ingredient to party
success in the 21st century. I believe, and I think the data supports, that
most voters these days do not behave as party loyalists (even in the very
Democratic state of
I have come to believe that there is another definition of “progressive” that is equally important in our world today, and that is the one of economic progressive, which seeks to give people a fair chance at laying their claim to the American dream – to equity and opportunity and hope. These values may go back to the New Deal or before, but they are as relevant today as they were then. Someone said to me recently that there is an economic divide in this country, and one half is trending upward, and the other half is trending downward, and there is very little in between. We all would like to trend upward, but we must be very aware of the possibility of trending downward, for two reasons – those trending downward are facing a harrowing ride, and the supports that keep afloat the rest of society are themselves becoming increasingly tenuous.
If elected, my first and primary responsibility will be to the Council. It is an honor to be asked to serve and that responsibility must be taken seriously.
As a general principle, I do support the concept of “citizen legislator” where the legislator is not a full-time political person, but also deals with the daily challenges of life as an everyday person. In that sense, I do not disparage those who seek to maintain outside employment.
No.
My number 1 priority is to keep Cambridge affordable for lower and middle income residents. Providing affordable housing is the key to ensure that we maintain the diversity that makes Cambridge a vibrant place to live.
I was a leader in the effort to implement the Community Preservation Act in Cambridge and I will continue to support allocating the majority of CPA funds to affordable housing which has allowed us to produce 508 units of affordable housing in the last 5 years, far more than any other similar community.
Of course, it's easy to say you're in favor of affordable housing, but much harder to put your words into action. For example, I actively supported a Shelter Inc housing development for the previously homeless on Lopez Ave despite the fierce opposition by some of my neighbors. Taking a stand on affordable housing when constituents are vehemently opposed is the sign of leadership on this issue.
However, it is imperative that we equally distribute affordable housing through out ALL of Cambridge and not just in one or two neighborhoods which will lead to increased density.
Although I support same day registration, community outreach by the Election Commission on a year round basis, rather than during election season, is the most important way to make residents aware of the level of involvement that they can play in municipal and State government. In this process, we need to engage young people and make them truly understand the importance of their vote and the changes that it can make.
And while I am a fiercely partisan Democrat, we must explore ways to ensure that we select Election Commissioners for their commitment to opening up and enlivening the electoral process rather than just being enrolled as a Democrat or Republican, opening the process to those enrolled in the Green and Libertarian parties as well as those unenrolled.
A progressive leader believes that a primary function of government is to promote the well being of all citizens, not just that of one group over another.
A progressive leader believes that government should work for people not against them , helping them improve their lives and that of their children and their communities.
A progressive leader belives this must be done by improving health care, education, public safety and the environment; furthering economic and social justice, and promoting fair and equitable treatment of all people regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or financial status.
It's easy to call yourself a 'progressive' in Cambridge but the proof is in your actions, and my actions prove I am a progressive leader -- actively working to make Cambridge a 'laboratory for democracy' by, among other things,
I serve the residents of Cambridge and Somerville as State Representative for the 26th Middlesex District. There is a significant benefit to a community to have a local elected official serve as a State Representative as witnessed by elected officials in other cities and towns who serve as State Representative. For example, my ability to get the homeowner's exemption passed over the Governor Romney's veto was a result of my grasp of the issue from both the local and State perspective. Currently, another example is fighting the Governor's proposed 91A bill and tying the issue into local development and open space issues at Northpoint and the Lechmere Station relocation and the Green Line extension. And the fact that I represent cities who share a long common border with common issues makes serving in both positions doable and effective.
If the voters of
I am Larry Ward, and I am asking for your number one vote on
November 6th, for city council (www.larryward.org).
Regarding the discussion on “Affordable housing” I continue
to ask the question: Affordable to whom?
First, politicians need to be inspiring enough for voters to want to vote! I believe voter turnout is strongly related to voter interest in the candidate and the issue(s). With both Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama in the presidential race, some are predicting the largest voter turnout in presidential voting history. The recent election of Governor Patrick proved people will vote. The Boston Globe reported it was the largest turnout since 1990, with William Weld versus John Silber. What election departments and other city agencies should be doing is focusing on making voting more accessible to residents. For example, many of us go online to shop, pay bills, and register for a host of things. With existing technology, we could use a PIN (similar to using ATM cards) to vote on-line. Of course not all people would use this system, but I believe it would increase the number of voters. In addition, no one would get turned away from the polls as they did in FL!!!!! For instance when you vote on line, your vote would go to the election commission and a watchdog group to insure all votes are counted. Similar to interested parties who work out bugs in other on-line submissions, the same would happen with voting. To increase voting in our own community, in June I worked with the high school to register 150 young voters, and as we all know, registration is t he first step.
A progressive leader is one who is skilled and effective at
helping residents make the government work for them. A progressive leader is accessible to those
they serve and is willing to take the time necessary to educate, lead and
sometimes, follow the will of the people.
I do believe I am a progressive leader because I have educated, led, and
support residents in challenging the negative effects excessive amounts of
standardized testing has on students, parents, and teachers and district
resources. As a progressive leader, my
role is to understand the complexities of the city and to work with the
residents to ensure that
No, I will not have any other full time employment. I however will continue to serve as the Cambridge Youth Soccer Referee Coordinator (8 years) which runs two 10 week seasons per year and requires approximately 2 hours per week (during the season), and I spend time on Saturdays observing and helping both young adults and adult referees hone their skills.
No, I will not seek any other elected office. In addition, I
will complete my two-year term. When politician leave office before their term
is completed, it potentially negates who the voter voted for and creates a
resource drain by having to re-count and/or hold a special election.