Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about me.  I’m running for Town Meeting for the same reason I joined the Finance Committee: concern for Winchester’s financial stability. As a FinCom member, I’ve become better informed and more directly involved in the critical decisions that affect town finances and tax rates. 

As a voting Town Meeting member, I could more directly influence those decisions on your behalf. As a 38-year resident and business owner, I love our town and want to help it thrive for generations to come. I’d be honored to represent you at Town Meeting –a uniquely American institution that has served as our collective voice for 400 years.

My responses to the League of Women Voters follow.

What Winchester issues do you think are most important?

• Assuring the long-term financial stability of the town

• Preserving the quality, standards, and rankings of our schools 

• Supporting employees with the resources they need to maintain high levels of service to the community

• Helping local businesses thrive and grow

Of those important issues, which one do you feel most passionate about, and what is your position on that issue?

Achieving sound, long-term financial stability is the most important challenge facing our town as it underpins our ability to maintain the quality of life we enjoy (excellent schools, municipal services, physical plant, recreational resources, and business community).

With a small commercial tax base, Winchester relies primarily on residential taxes and fees to generate revenue. Increases to taxes and fees may force seniors and others unable to absorb ongoing increases to leave. At the same time, we have a long list of major projects ahead with Lynch and Muraco school developments pending and a long list of capital projects.  

We must make difficult choices in order to balance the community’s short and long-term needs, and maximize the value of all town resources at our disposal. 

What does Winchester do well and what might be improved?

Winchester offers an outstanding quality of life. We are gifted with natural resources, transportation, and proximity to Boston. Beyond that we owe a debt of gratitude to our town employees- Fire and Police staff, Public Works team, teachers and administrators, and Town Hall staff, who work hard every day to deliver exceptional services our community.

The Town Meeting Communications Study Committee has recommended that a written communications plan be prepared and a town communications manager be appointed by FY2025 (https://www.winchester.us/DocumentCenter/View/9219/Communications-Study-Commiteee_Final-Report_Recommendations). Do you support both recommendations, even if they would involve adding a new full-time position (salary and benefits) to the town budget? If not, what alternative ideas do you suggest?  

As a member of Fincom, I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment, since the proposal would likely come before Fincom for review. I respectfully withhold comment in advance of that discussion.