Issues
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Our residents deserve a safe, modern, well-functioning transportation system, and that includes roads and bridges, as well as our public transportation system - buses, subways, and trains. If we are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, we must provide an alternative to single-occupancy vehicles powered by gasoline. I will be a champion for more public electric vehicle charging, and for investing in the MBTA which has been allowed to languish for far too long. It is unacceptable that the MBTA has reduced Newton’s bus service, and continues to let our commuter rail stops be inaccessible and decrepit. It is great news that the MBTA announced recently that they plan to fund the Newtonville stop, but I will not stop until all three stops are upgraded. The Green Line has had numerous days of partial or full shut-downs, and even a derailment in March 2024. All will benefit from an upgraded public transit system - even those who must drive a car benefit from fewer cars on the road when our public transit system is working.
CLIMATE
CHANGE
Climate change is an existential threat facing all of humanity. Massachusetts is considered a leader in climate action thanks to the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act and the 2021 Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy but there is much more to do. Did you know that it is the Commonwealth, not the federal government, that dictates energy policy? Newton is a climate leader, but we could be doing so much more if the state would partner with us with generous incentives for heat pumps, geothermal, electric school buses, and more. The state can also be doing much more to help protect our community from the impacts of climate change that are already here: flooding, heat, and drought. From tree canopy to land conservation to restoring wetlands, there are many ways to work with nature to keep our residents and properties safe. I will be a leader on all things green so that we leave our children and grandchildren a livable planet.
LOCAL
FUNDING
Rep. Kay Khan has done an outstanding job obtaining funding for important projects in our district, and I look forward to hearing what you see as our pressing needs. I have already heard requests for investments in arts and culture, parks, reducing invasive plants in the Charles River, and helping our small businesses thrive.
Education
Newton prides itself on the quality of education we provide our students but we know that the needs of students have grown exponentially in the wake of the pandemic. As your State Rep. I will work to direct more resources toward social and emotional learning, mental health support, and funding to pay our teachers and aides competitive wages. We need to ensure that we meet every child where they are so that they can master the skills they need to succeed in whatever they choose to do when they leave our educational system.
Housing
It is the responsibility of the Commonwealth to ensure that everyone has access to safe, habitable, and inclusive housing. I will work collaboratively with federal, state, and local agencies and organizations to support programs that preserve existing housing and provide incentives to create new affordable housing opportunities, and provide wraparound services to help keep individuals and families housed.