Tell us a little about yourself. You can include your personal background, family, outside interests that are important to who you are as a person and a candidate.
I’ve spent my professional career in print and web publications and marketing for environmental nonprofits and pharma companies. I moved to Lexington in 2004 with my husband and three sons, and I was first introduced to Lexington politics when I helped establish LexFarm back in the 2009. I’ve served on Town Meeting since 2017, and I was a member of the Appropriation Committee for three years. I’ve also been an election worker for three elections: March 2 will be my fourth time at the polls.
When I’m not at Town Meeting. I volunteer at the Follen Church, the Lexington Lyceum Advocates, the Mystic River Watershed Association, and the Appalachian Mountain Club. I also serve as a marshal/peacekeeper at anti-ICE protests.
Why are you running for Town Meeting?
I am running because I care about our town. I love Lexington’s vibrant international community, verdant open spaces, and our residents’ passion for local governance.
At the same time, I worry about town decisions based on vibes. It’s easy to assume that Lexington’s current state is “the best of all possible worlds,” as Dr. Pangloss would say, and that any change would make things worse. But Lexington’s infrastructure and layout wasn’t necessarily planned to suit the needs of today’s families, today’s work, or today’s climate.
I’m running for Town Meeting because I want the town to make decisions based on logic and evidence, not fear. I want to work for a healthy environment, better support for low-income seniors who struggle with property taxes, and zoning that gives more people more options for living in Lexington.
Finally, I am running because I enjoy striving with my Town Meeting members to make local democracy work. Town Meeting may not always be scintillating, but it’s always inspiring.
How has your past experience — whether in your professional life, elected office, or as a community leader — prepared you for a role in Town Meeting?
I’ve been a Town Meeting Member since 2017, so I hope I’m prepared for the role by now.
I learned a lot about local zoning and traffic issues as editor of the Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter, published by a local nonprofit concerned about quality of life just over Lexington’s border. The debates over development and school enrollment are similar across Greater Boston, and it’s informative to watch how a different community deals with these issues.
Volunteering at Follen has helped me think through how to act on my values, and to stay in right relations with people I disagree with — that the rewards of staying in community are greater than the fast-fading thrill of righteousness.
I work from home, so a lot of my engagement with people with opposing views tends to be across my keyboard. I have engaged in many, many debates online, this year primarily about the recent Lexington High School debt exclusion vote.
When I write, I try to document everything I say, I spend a lot of time looking up citations and statistics. I also try to remember that every person who is arguing is writing because they care about the town. If someone’s position seems nonsensical or obviously wrong, it’s usually because you don’t understand their priorities. People in Lexington are pretty smart, but different people have very different views of the needs of high school students, the needs of the elderly, and Lexington’s current property tax rates.
What is the most important issue in this election to you personally, and what ideas do you have about how to address this issue?
Lexington has a big challenge ahead: can we create a property tax program that isn’t an excessive burden for low-income seniors and can also support the services Lexington residents expect? I’m looking forward to supporting Article 24, establishing a dedicated Elderly and Disabled Taxation Aid Fund for elderly and disabled residents of low income who struggle with their real estate taxes.
In the longer run, I’m concerned about the budget deficit at Lexington Public Schools — largely due to skyrocketing health insurance costs — and the planned layoffs. We Lexingtonians pride ourselves on our schools; how are we going to make sure that we can continue to support our teachers, staff, and students? We’re going to have to have open, honest conversations about our community’s values.