Letter to the editor: We, the People get what we vote for

A request to our fellow Lexingtonians to please make informed decisions before you vote, by attending/viewing the candidates’ events and reading LexObserver’s Election Guide. Equally important, please examine the voting records of current candidates who are already elected officials. It is wonderful that candidates of all profiles, ages, and experiences are running for various positions.

With respect to the contested Planning Board race, last spring, there was a vote on Article 2 that is profoundly consequential for our town’s future. It sought to scale back the by-right access (for real estate companies etc.) in town from 220+ acres to ~ 90 acres (still well above the required ~ 50 acres).

• Article 2 passed with an overwhelming majority (164 /178 = 92%) that reflected the will of the majority of We, The People of Lexington. 
• Every member of the Select Board and all four Planning Board members elected to Town Meeting (TM) voted Yes on Article 2, to scale back. 
• Only 9 /178, or 5% of TM members voted in favor of maintaining by-right access on 220+ acres of Lexington to real estate companies (there were 5 abstentions). 
• The candidates’ voting records on this important issue are here:  https://lexingtonma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14119/2025-03-17-STM1-Vote-Results 
• Two of the candidates running for Planning Board, Mr. Creech and Ms. Jensen, voted Yes on Article 2, to scale back
• One of the candidates, Mr. Botla, was one of only 9 who voted against scaling back and for potentially doubling the number of households in town

Does voting in the overwhelming minority square with advocating for community-driven plans? Voting against scaling back, even to prevent zoning freezes, while in effect rolling out the red carpet down Mass. Ave and across Lexington to real estate companies whose business interests are understandably paramount to them, misses the point.

To us, the choice is clear and simple: 

• If we want Planning Board members who are judicious in balancing desperately needed additional units of truly affordable housing in deliberate, commonsense ways, vote for the candidates who voted Yes on Article 2. 
• If we want members whose actions, whether intentional or not, favor real estate companies over Lexington, vote for the candidates that voted No on Article 2.

We came to America with 3 suitcases and we greatly appreciate the importance of opening up our Lexington to those unable to afford the current market prices of homes here. We learned through neighborhood experience that real estate companies often use “affordable housing” as a carrot to get their projects approved because they know that most of us are inclusive, open and welcoming. If we are to be truly affordable, our police, firefighters, teachers and town employees should be able to afford to live in town, if they wish. The current situation does not seem to consider such families.

Formal training in Planning does not substitute for experience, institutional memory and knowledge. The most influential Planning Board member in the last two decades does not seem to have had formal education in planning, but put in a great amount of effort to promote their vision, whether one agrees with that vision or not. Also, if needed, our Planning office staff has the required training.

To all the candidates, well done and thank you for stepping up! To the winners, we hope you will truly listen to and consider the will of We, the People!