Dear Editor,
I received in the mail today a card from Massachusetts Teachers Association Independent Expenditure PAC supporting a slate of Five Watertown Candidates vying for our two highest elected offices; the City Council and School Committee. A Super PAC being involved in a small, local community such ours should be a major concern.
It is uncertain where this leads us in terms of the sphere of influence – local or state? The concern is who will have their ear. A common complaint is that the city is turning a deaf ear to local concerns. Whether this perception is real or not does not matter since perception is difficult to overcome. However, put any of the candidates in a favorable light.
I know my concern is age related. But, having been in office you can be torn in two different directions. When I first ran for School Committee in the early 1970’s support was local. On the national level we see what these Super PACs can do. Hopefully, all future elections in Watertown will be locally funded and supported. The positions in question is certainly not akin to running for State Representative or for a Senate Position.
Monies from a source represented here is only for influence. Developers are already in the drivers seat in Watertown.
The candidates know that word on the street is that a certain group, rather than broad constituencies’ concerns are listened to in Watertown. In addition, citizens speak of a rapid cultural shift being thrust upon them by proponents of Cambridge’s characteristics. It appears acculturation does not matter to some. I found there were some very good happenings in Watertown when I arrived. We were able to transition into this form of governmental management without any problems.
I say that Watertown should have a unique character. We don’t have to look or behave like large cities.
I am combining the two committees because I have heard a few say the school district was poor until they came into town. And, I differ with this point of view. I am also proud of those who built the many elementary schools required in years past. I knew they had no greater revenue sources than we had but made the necessary sacrifice.
We were able to manage the affairs of the town for 40 years or so and even had a Post Office in the Town Hall/Civic Center. It appears our leaders are content with density, higher vertical buildings and trust in some future date that public transportation will meet the city’s transit needs.
Clyde L. Younger
Watertown Resident
Send letters to the editor to watertownmanews@gmail.com. The deadline for election letters is Nov. 1 at 5 p.m.
With only one exception, I find myself in broad agreement with Mr. Younger. Watertown should have a unique character; it should not merely copy the behavior of large cities. Indeed, we are unique in that we have the area of a small town and the density of a large city.
My only departure from his reasoned arguments is that I believe political advocacy is free speech. I may not agree with an organization or its views (I rarely do), but it does represent the opinions of its members. Their opinion counts just as much as mine. And it is election time, when political advocacy is in season.
I fully agree with the second half of your post, with total respect for Clyde Younger and his 5+ decades of service to Watertown!
Yes, these outside groups’ mailers is free speech. But so is Mr. Younger’s letter, criticizing the outside groups! I don’t see anywhere he is calling to ban them. Criticizing other people’s mailers is just as much free speech as the original mailers.
I don’t see anyone on this thread advocating banning outside mailers. People should get a lot of information before making decisions about who to support in politics. Some discretion is essential given how much false information and misinformation abounds.
Hopefully, that mailing will just serve as informative free speech, and that most Watertown residents will employ some critical thinking and research before they vote.
The mailer is from the Watertown Educators Association. The endorsed candidates were interviewed by members of the WEA and the board voted to give the selected candidates our endorsement based on our shared values and goals for the future of Watertown students and educators.
Thanks for replying. I just went to your website and to the board page, https://watertown.massteacher.org/executive-board/
It is great that people who are in the schools every day seeing how children develop, succeed, struggle, learn, and play have put this out. I am sure your questions were carefully crafted in the best interest of children.
Personally, for this local elections, the first place I looked was to see who the Watertown Educators Association endorsed. According to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19y8vdzWiF/, that’s City Council: Theo Offei, Tony Palomba and John Gannon; School Committee: Sheila Krishnan, Amy Donohue, and Jessica Middlebrook.
Yes please note Theo has indeed been endorsed by the Watertown Educators Association but was unfortunately left of the MTA mailing that went out to every household in Watertown.
Thank you for clearing this up. I got both mailer cards thinking they were the same organization, and then was confused by the WEA mailer because there was a box there but no photo. So MTA and WEA has endorsed Theo. Great! He will be an exceptional city councilor and work very well with the future school committee on many levels – as a councilor, Millennial parent, business person, inclusivity supporter, newer US Citizen