Priorities

My highest priority is to listen, to understand and to act on the concerns and viewpoints of Newton residents.

Over the last eight years I have served on my local Neighborhood Area Council in a position of continuous leadership, and I believe I am a proven community leader and resident advocate. As your City Councilor, I pledge to be your representative and support your priorities.

MY VALUES ARE TO PRIORITIZE CIVILITY, ACKNOWLEDGE DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS, AND SUPPORT OUTCOMES BASED ON RESPECTFUL COMPROMISES.

My highest priority is to listen, to understand and to act on the concerns and viewpoints of Newton residents.

MY VALUES ARE TO PRIORITIZE CIVILITY, ACKNOWLEDGE DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS, AND SUPPORT OUTCOMES BASED ON RESPECTFUL COMPROMISES.

A Voice of Diversity

As a Latina woman, I have lived experiences that inform my opinions and perspectives. I wish to broaden the perspectives of legislative decision-makers and to give voice to my Hispanic heritage and community. If we, as a community, espouse inclusivity, then it requires supporting a goal of diversifying the representation within our elected bodies.

Constituent Services and Community Voice

I look forward to helping residents navigate city hall and facilitate the resolution of any issues or concerns through the knowledge I have gained in my many years of civic engagement. I consider this work as one of my primary responsibilities as a City Councilor.

I will promote transparency by engaging and informing residents about issues directly affecting them, early in the legislative process.

I will improve access to our legislative processes in real time for all of Newton’s citizens.

Advocate for Zoning that Serves the Residents

I will continue to advocate for zoning that values our human-scaled villages, existing neighborhood fabric, historic resources and disincentivizes environmentally wasteful tear-downs.

As the “Garden City” it is vital that we value and act to preserve our existing tree canopy through zoning. It is also as important to respect our existing topography and to better regulate and enforce allowable grade changes in new development.

Housing Affordability

As a city in the Metro Boston region, the cost of housing is escalating rapidly. I will work with my fellow Councilors to find viable long-term solutions for providing and supporting home ownership opportunities as well as rentals at reasonable market rates. I will work on the retention and expansion of our existing affordable housing.

A healthy community is one that values people at various income levels living throughout the community. We want to support and increase the economic diversity of our community.

Sustainability & Stewardship

I will act in support of the broad consensus to protect, maintain, and add to our open space, parks, playing fields and tree canopy. I will insist on “green” standards in all new development and promote adaptive re-use of existing buildings. I will advocate for revisions to our zoning code that support municipal Climate Change Resiliency. As a scientist I value data and scientific assessments. I will support recent innovations to be implemented in Newton.

Protection of Open Spaces and Habitats

The city of Newton is blessed with glorious open spaces and the recent acquisition of Webster Woods. We have DCR Reservations (Charles River and Hemlock Gorge) and Park Lands (Quinobequin Road). As this generation’s stewards of the “Garden City”, we need to value these treasures and habitats, and prioritize their preservation and betterment, as well as increase accessibility for all to enjoy.

Good Governance

The primary responsibility of our elected officials is to ensure good governance in the city of Newton. I will support our schools and families, especially those most impacted by the pandemic and a year of interrupted learning. I will advocate for regaining our stature of academic and sports excellence in the Newton Public Schools.

I believe we are to honor our senior citizens and to expedite the building a new Senior Center. I will continue to advocate for more opportunities for our seniors to engage in the community and to have a choice of housing options.

I will advocate for the wise investments of our City’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and prioritize the disbursement of these funds to help the citizens of Newton most impacted by the pandemic.

Fiscal Management & Community Engagement

Any long-term municipal policy, large development proposal, or significant zoning code revision would benefit from a requirement of a citywide fiscal impact analysis and a certifiable plan of robust resident engagement, before its final approval or enactment. I will work hard to ensure that this becomes the norm, not the exception.