“My mission isn’t to push my agenda. It’s to take everyone’s opinions into consideration to make fair, informed decisions.”

Q: Why are you running for office?

A: Passion and frustration. We have had many outstanding, hard-working women and men on the Waltham City Council, but I’ve become frustrated. I’ve observed councilors who didn’t do their homework before making important decisions. Other times, I faced resistance by councilors who pushed back on discussing the issues or considering constituents’ opinions. A city councilor cannot be an advocate for themselves, nor can they act without listening and taking into consideration the concerns of the voters. 

This passion to do better is what lead me to be first at City Hall on May 3, 2021, to pull nomination papers. I’m not in this for myself. I want to make our community a better place for all of us.

Q: What is your mission?

A: My mission, or agenda, is to do what is right for Ward 7 and Waltham residents. That means evaluating each issue individually. I have no personal agendas, nor agendas of former city councilors, developers, or special interest groups to advocate. I am advocating for us citizens and taking one issue at a time.

Q: Are you a Conservative? Liberal? Progressive?

A: All of the above and none of the above. OK, sounds wishy-washy, and I’m sure some people are going to have a field day with this one, but I bet those are people who label themselves in one of these groups. I refuse to put a label on myself. In fact, let’s just say that it’s wrong to label anyone, whether it’s about race, skin color, religion, or gender. It indicates a lack of desire or ability to listen, and evaluate, and consider the issues. I was taught how to think for myself, make rational decisions based on facts, and include others in the process. I evaluate every issue in front of me by merit, what I believe is most ethical, and most of all, what the community needs and wants. 

Q: What do you think are the most pressing issues facing Ward 7?

A: The most pressing issues in Ward 7 are the issues that someone is dealing with at that moment. I hear passionate pleas that range from speeding, neighbors parking in front of other neighbor’s homes, dangerous sidewalks, traffic, houses converted to boarding and “frat” houses, fear of development, climate issues, trash and recycling, sewer infiltration, racism, underground gas leaks, affordable housing, and schools. This isn’t even an exhaustive list! Ward 7 residents want to know that they are being heard and their issues are being addressed.

Many Ward 7 communities, for example, Cedarwood, Bobby Connors, Roberts, and Ravenswood areas, are isolated, mostly self-enclosed, havens within the city. Even so, these neighborhoods, but especially the West End and our main roads – Weston, Main, and South Streets – are burdened by traffic which is only getting worse. There’s congestion, speeding, confusing traffic direction, and difficulty navigating. Traffic is impacted by development across the city and the algorithms of navigation apps. (For more details, see the ‘Platform’ section.)

The other overarching issue is to do everything possible to make Waltham a more desirable and comfortable place to live for everyone. It’s our home. We deserve a home that is clean, safe, and supportive. 

Q: What is your pet-peeve in politics?

A: People who won’t engage in civil discussion. Social media is a powerful means to share information, but unfortunately, it is not an effective tool for civil discussion. I will use Social Media to inform, never to debate. Social media is based on quick reactions, one-liners and rage. It craves confirmation and resents contradiction. The capacity for rational discourse between people who disagree rots. As a society we are constantly being pulled in the direction of impersonal disconnect, but I refuse to lose sight of who we are at heart, and this does not come across in a Facebook comment. It’s amazing how productive a conversation is.

Q: What is your position on defunding the police? 

A: No. I shudder at the mention of “defunding.” It implies punishment, and Waltham’s police force doesn’t deserve this implication. The Waltham police do great work to keep us safe. They go to great effort to build connections in our schools and communities. Like other police forces, they are also asked to deal with social issues that go beyond the traditional roles of law enforcement. They need our support.

Can we do better? Are there struggles that people don’t talk about? We can always do better. One quality of a great leader is to support and ask how we can help those who report to us to do their job better. As a city councilor, rather than make accusations or implications, my first question is, “What do you need to be more successful?”