Dear Friends and Fellow Newtonians,
It’s hard to believe that nearly 7 years have gone by since I first announced my candidacy for Newton City Council! I love working together with you as your Councilor and chair of the Finance Committee, and I’d be honored to have your support as I campaign for re-election in 2023 as a Ward 7 City Councilor-at-Large.
My family and I love this city and I’m running to ensure Newton remains the best place to live, work, raise a family, educate children, and retire. We’re deeply invested in the Newton community. My husband grew up here and we moved back to Newton in 2010 to start our family. Our children, Madeleine, 12, Jack, 9, and Eliza, 1, are fourth-generation Newtonians. Madeleine is in sixth grade at Bigelow Middle School and Jack is in third grade at Ward Elementary School this year.
I currently serve as the chair of the Finance Committee, and as a member of the Public Safety & Transportation Committee. I’m also proud to have served as the Council’s representative on the Lincoln Eliot and Newton Early Childhood Program Working Group, partnering with Mayor Fuller’s administration to bring renovated, first-class schools to our preschool and Lincoln Eliot Elementary students. I’m also about to begin work on the Ward/Underwood Working Group, and I’m excited to help shape the educational future for these two communities.
In my work as a Councilor, I bring my combined background in public service, law, and business. I worked in law enforcement as an Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County, where I advocated for fairness in the criminal justice system. I also played a leadership role on my father-in-law Steve Grossman’s successful campaign for State Treasurer. I’m proud to have advocated for financial literacy as well as easier access to capital for business owners who traditionally have the toughest time getting it – women, immigrants, minorities and veterans. After graduating from Cornell with a degree in economics, I received my JD and MBA with honors from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. From all these experiences, I learned how to solve complex problems and use data to streamline government and inform responsible decision-making.
We’ve made a lot of progress in my years on the Council, but Newton still has much to do to meet the needs of its citizens and remain the high-quality and diverse city we want to leave to future generations. As your City Councilor, I will continue to focus on:
Public Schools: As a parent of a Ward School third grader and Bigelow Middle School sixth grader, I will fight to make sure our public schools continue to meet the highest standards and remain the very best in Massachusetts, providing future generations, regardless of their socioeconomic status, with endless opportunities for advancement and success.
Responsible Growth: I will advocate for responsible development to ensure that Newton remains a diverse, inclusive and accessible community for people of all ages, backgrounds, and economic means.
Infrastructure: A strong community and economy requires strong infrastructure – safe roads, beautiful parks, and properly maintained sewer, water and stormwater infrastructure. These require consistent and sustained investment, and I will do everything I can to support continued progress in this area.
Prudent Financial Management: As a former investment banker, I know how to dig into the numbers and achieve results in a way that benefits Newton taxpayers.
Public Safety: Having served as an Assistant District Attorney, I remain strongly committed to keeping our community a safe and fair place to live. Through my work, I have seen first-hand the tremendous damage the opioid epidemic can have on families and communities. One of the best measures of the quality of a community is how it treats those who need help the most. I will work tirelessly to ensure that those impacted have strong treatment and recovery options, and their families have compassionate support resources.
I would be honored to continue to serve as your City Councilor, and I hope you will reach out to me with your hopes and concerns for our city. I look forward to continuing our work together on the important issues that challenge our city and will shape its future.
Thank you for your consideration,
Becky