Building a Stronger Northampton - Together

Budget

It’s time to get back to basics. I believe our city should focus on the essential services that keep our community running, like maintaining roads and sidewalks, funding public safety, supporting our schools, and making sure residents’ everyday needs are met. That’s why I will prioritize the operational budget – the part of the city budget that covers these essential services – over the capital budget, which often goes towards special projects. When our community’s basic needs are met, we will have the strong foundation we need to ensure our community thrives.

One of my first priorities as mayor will be to conduct an internal financial audit. I will go through the operating and capital budgets line-by-line to get an accurate tally of what is being spent. I will also evaluate if there are places to find cost savings so that money can be freed up to be directed to currently underfunded operations, like our public schools.

Fiscal Stability Plan

Fiscal Stability achieved. It’s time to move forward. When I take office, I will conduct an internal financial audit to determine whether the 12 year old Fiscal Stability Plan is still meeting our needs, and how it should be changed so that we can better fund our operational budget to meet the most basic and pressing needs of the people of Northampton. For example, I will work to strategically reprogram and optimize existing funds by vigorously pursuing and expanding initiatives that free up general operating budget funds. This includes continued efforts to shift capital expenses to free cash, utilize enterprise funds for IT and HR payroll, and expand the use of CPA funds for planning department payroll.

Northampton is financially strong. As your mayor, I will make sure we maintain fiscal responsibility while also upholding our shared responsibility to invest in the essential services that make our city thrive.

Education

Strong schools build strong communities. For too long, chronic underfunding of our public schools has hurt students, especially the most vulnerable: students with special needs, English learners, low income students, and students of color. The consequences are unacceptable: frequent violations of the civil rights of disabled students, rationing of reading and math supports for students who are behind, overcrowded classes, insufficient course offerings for high school students to meet graduation requirements and maintain a competitive transcript for colleges, and many cuts to programs spanning from libraries and gardening to arts, electives, and foreign language courses. Cutting staff and programs at our schools is cruel and unnecessary to children who still suffer the social, emotional, and academic effects of the pandemic. Northampton must do better. I will work to change our city’s budget practices to free up more operating funds for our schools. This shift will align our budget with our community values and begin the crucial work of revitalizing our schools. Please click here for more about my proposed education policies.

We also need to take a closer look at how school budget decisions are made. Currently, the mayor serves as chair of the school committee, which creates a difficult situation when it’s time to vote on the school budget. As mayor, I would serve as a voting member of the school committee, but I will recuse myself from budget votes to avoid the inherent conflict of interest in that decision-making process.

Strategic Planning

The community sets the course. Northampton has not completed a full strategic plan with community involvement since 2008. In my first 100 days, I will launch a new planning process that engages the entire community, bringing residents, businesses, and local organizations together to shape our city’s future.

Housing

Housing must be within reach. We need to take a thoughtful approach to housing development, one that places homes near where people work and connect with their community. Our housing policies must ensure a full range of options, supporting residents at all income levels and meeting the diverse needs of Northampton’s families, workers, and seniors. In my first 100 days, I will work closely with the Community Development Planner to assess the needs of our community and chart a path forward that aligns with our values.

Climate Action

We can be smarter about climate action. We can do more for the climate by balancing community needs with our environmental goals and finding practical ways to reduce Northampton’s carbon footprint. Our climate plan should focus on making it easier for residents to make lower-carbon choices though improving existing transportation, infrastructure and employment opportunities within the city. While the current mayor’s ambitious climate goals are commendable, they are too narrow in scope. For example, many families have to pay hundreds of dollars for their children to ride the school bus. Making school buses free would cut down on single car usage and significantly reduce our carbon footprint.

Resilience Hub

Resilience through collaboration and transparency. Now that the city owns the former First Baptist Church on Main Street, we have an important opportunity– and responsibility – to decide how it can best serve our community. To decide on the best path forward, my first step will be to hold conversations with residents, including members of the unhoused community and local service organizations. After careful consideration and discussion, if using the space to meet our community's needs - whether it be as a resilience hub or another tangible purpose - is not feasible, I will explore the possibility of selling the building. Community voice and a commitment to meeting the most pressing needs of our residents should guide the decision-making process regarding this important issue.

Picture Main Street

Test to ensure we trust. We need to take a close look at the plans for Picture Main Street and its funding sources to make sure it is the right path forward for Northampton, especially since the plans were conceived pre-covid.

Once the community is clear on all aspects of the project and its cost to taxpayers, I will reach out directly to downtown residents, business owners, and the broader community to ensure everyone is informed and has a chance to weigh in on whether or not the project should move forward. If so, I will launch a trial run and invite community feedback throughout the process to ensure all aspects of the plan will work and update the plan if necessary based on the outcomes of the trial.

Coca-Cola

Residents should not pay the price. We need to plan ahead for the day Coca-Cola leaves Northampton while also making sure residents aren’t overcharged if the company stays longer. Any excess revenue should be returned to the community, whether through infrastructure investments, discounts, or credits that directly benefit our residents.