Yesterday I received a second postcard from the MTA. They appear to have a lot of money to burn on their candidate endorsements. For those who are unfamiliar with the MTA’s agenda, please review the 2025 Watertown Educators Association Candidate Questionnaire and the support materials at:
https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/e/1FAIpQLSf30p8erVdxVlgShgKeq2ljGBj8GVqvHyCm4lvmMY6Q78J5tQ/viewform?usp=preview&urp=gmail_link&pli=1
I am curious – How many MTA members work in our schools, and how many of them live in Watertown? Could someone from the MTA or WEA provide an answer to this question? IMO, there is an information gap regarding the support for our public schools in Watertown.
1. Do voters (and teachers) realize that the City Council does not set school policy nor negotiate teacher contracts? These responsibilities fall to the School Administration and the School Committee. The City Manager and his team develop the annual city budget in line with the goals and priorities set forth by the Budget and Fiscal Oversight Committee of the City Council, with input from all Councilors. The entire City Council vets and then approves the final budget, funded by the taxpayers of Watertown.
2. Watertown has already recently negotiated and settled a 3-year school contract. Is there some other issue that I and others may have missed? If so, please clarify.
3. According to the MTA, “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.”
I have attended numerous school meetings for over 10 years and actively campaigned for Schools First in 2016, though my husband and I do not have children. Are you aware that Watertown has built two new elementary schools and completely renovated a third? Additionally, we are in the process of building a net Zero LEED Platinum 4.0 high school, the first in the country, which is set to open in the spring of 2026. These accomplishments took place through the strong fiscal management of our City Manager Mike Driscoll (now deceased) and Tom Tracy, former Auditor/Assistant City Manager for Finance and interim City Manager, who is now running for City Councilor at-Large and is member of the School Building Committee (SBC) and the vision and leadership of Mark Sideris, Council President and Chair of the SBC – all done without a tax override and with no cuts to essential services through throughout our city.
I find it appalling that the MTA would endorse certain council candidates based on the answers to the questions, given the extreme and obvious bias of the questions and the complete lack of understanding of the contributions made by the candidates you’ve endorsed and those you haven’t endorsed.
Shame, Shame, Shame.
Elodia Thomas
Watertown Resident
Send letters to the editor to watertownmanews@gmail.com. The deadline for election letters is Nov. 1 at 5 p.m.
Ahh the MTA what a group. Jon Kellar just wrote about them earlier in the week about their failed policies and dismal scores. I would suggest looking it up and reading it, may open your eyes. I read the questionnaire they put out to Watertown candidates and others. I myself would not have responded to their questions as a candidate. Let me say this, as a retired Teamster living on my earned pension from having to show up for work to achieve the defined hours worked pension plan I enjoy now. The MTA has some wild ideas going on and I’m glad someone brought up other nearby cities and towns for thought. Watertown has over the years paid thru our taxes to pay down the unfunded liability of pensions for our employees, this is a huge benefit to the City and a big deal that employees may not appreciate now but you will later. Councilor Picciarelli was a big influence in this over the years, see his picture on the mailers, of course not. The MTA is looking for more money more pension benefit, so why do we care about the MTA and its wants, I’d say we shouldn’t. Being a Union person still and always in case you have doubts, I feel the unsung aides, assistants and anyone else on the lower pay scale should be kept getting increases for what they do. If I offended anyone talk to your MTA. The residents of Watertown are paying these benefits that some or most may not receive themselves and I believe that every person should receive health and pension, the solution is simple, just tell our elected leaders add our names to the list their on, problem solved. So back to the point, Watertown Schools along with the Council leadership has provided very well for you over the years. When you sign up, the same as I did, you know the deal take it or leave it. The MTA has proven out of touch with how well we are with our schools and why. I will gladly vote for fiscal stability and any one candidate that proves that, It’s what got us to where we are and the road ahead is going to need more of that! I don’t feel the MTA understands us!
It’s funny to think Jon Keller is being held up as a source of wisdom on any issue.
As has been said often, groups have a right to advocate for their candidates. We still have free speech in this country, despite the efforts of MAGA to shut it down. Voters need to educate themselves with real information…this info source is a piece of that puzzle.
He changes affect and questioning style depending on which channel he is on. On WBZ he is sensational and his skepticism is a cynical attempt to create dichotomy where not exists. On WGBH, his effect is toned down and there is more nuance in his talking points. And he doesn’t pull out the”healthy does of skepticism.”
Well WBZ just fired him, so I guess that isn’t working anymore. Of course CBS is turning into a nightmare since they sold their soul to Trump and MAGA to get their merger agreement approved.
“We still have free speech in this country, despite the efforts of MAGA to shut it down.”
This blatant agitprop contradicts itself: it renders me speechless. Out of breathless laughter, but still speechless. Love it!
I was happy about the speechless part but sadly it didn’t end there. My statement stands, whether it amuses you or not, as fact. One of many supporting examples follows:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/stephen-miller-s-wife-threatens-political-commentator-with-deportation-during-debate/ar-AA1Pwj3Q?ocid=BingNewsVerp
Dear Watertown Community,
FYI – The link to the MTA Questionnaire and support materials has deactivated. Sorry that you cannot get the full picture.
Elodia,
Thanks for sharing this information. It’s an eye opener. I hope that interviews were not the only criteria for endorsement,,,talk is (very) cheap. I also hope that thoughtful examination of what councilors have done in the past was used as a barometer of what they could (would?) do in the future.
It’s my opinion that in the case of folks who are running for office for the first time, they should have concrete accomplishments in the City to point to as proof of their prior commitment to Watertown. I know that Tom Tracy has a long track record of excellence and going above and beyond in this community. That certainly counts for a lot. I’m grateful that he’s willing to step up, yet again, for his community.
Tom Tracy is great and will be a solid Councilor. But your criteria for elected service, particularly excluding new faces and voices without “concrete accomplishments in the City” is disturbing to say the least. It may be your criteria, but thankfully it isn’t a universal one.
To answer some questions that were asked:
There are 496 WEA (Watertown Educators Association) members who are also MTA members that work in Watertown Public Schools. There are 646 total MTA members who live in Watertown and may be educators in other districts.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association’s endorsements reflect the voices of educators who live and work in Watertown. These decisions were not made externally or arbitrarily — they came directly from the educators who know our schools, students, and community best.
The MTA is an organization composed of educators. It is both appropriate and expected that it would stand behind the candidates educators themselves believe will best support public education, classroom conditions, and student outcomes.
This process represents local educators participating in civic life — not outside influence, but the very essence of community engagement.
Every candidate was given the opportunity to seek an endorsement from the WEA. NOT every candidate asked for that endorsement. Those that did took the time open up a line of communication with the educators who work in the schools that the author of this letter claims to support.
City councilors allocate the budget for the schools each year. The budget for schools is used for more than just creating beautiful buildings. A budget that will allow WPS to recruit and retain the best educators for our deserving students is also needed. Therefore, the educators in the WEA have a huge responsibility to do what we can to ensure that elected officials share our goals and vision and are willing to work with us to make our schools the place to be!
Please vote on November 4th!