Last week I announced my intention to run for mayor in the 2025 municipal elections.

I didn't arrive at this decision lightly or impulsively. Up until this summer I'd been planning on running for a third term as your councilor-at-large. But starting in late summer and continuing into the fall, I had a succession of people ask me to consider changing course and running for mayor. And these weren't just the usual friends and supporters saying this. Many were acquaintances or folks I had never previously met -- and in some cases they helped the current mayor get elected.

After exploring a potential run this fall and talking to community members and current and former fellow electeds, I came to a clear conclusion that right now I can best serve my city by running for mayor.

The City of Somerville is facing some very real challenges at the moment:

• a depleted and demoralized workforce as a result of our failure to adequately recruit and retain employees in a tight labor market
• the development pipeline that funded dramatic growth in our revenues grinding to a near halt, negatively impacting our municipal budget
• the closure of one school building (Winter Hill Community Innovation School) and another (Benjamin G. Brown School) in perilous condition
• a sizable recent court judgment against us in the 90 Washington eminent domain legal case
• a pile-up of major renovation and new construction capital projects necessary to give us the 21st century municipal buildings this city needs
• a lack of coordination between departments that has turned into outright conflict at times and impacts facilities, programs, and services
• national and regional housing, substance use disorder, and homelessness issues that are being felt acutely here
• the loss of naturally-occuring affordable residential, commercial, and arts space
• public safety and quality of life issues exacerbated by a lack of enforcement of ordinances and laws

To be clear, these are challenges that would've faced any mayor over the past three years, so I am not going to blame our current mayor for the existence of these issues. But how a mayor leads and how an administration responds to challenges can make all the difference both in how a problem is addressed and how the public feels about the response. And I believe my accessible, collaborative, and decisive approach to leadership is what Somerville needs to take this city forward.

So I took the plunge with a press release announcing my mayoral campaign on December 16, with the Cambridge Day, Boston Globe, WBUR, and other media outlets and social media platforms picking up on the news. This led to an outpouring of texts, emails, and folks filling out the contact form on my website with well wishes and questions. I'm still working on answering everyone who reached out, so if you haven't heard back from me yet, I promise a response is coming!

As your mayor, I'll continue my commitment to being available to constituents by email, text, and phone -- as well as regular office hours. My door will always be open, and I'll hold regular Thursday evening office hours at City Hall for you -- my bosses -- to come talk about whatever's on your minds. I never forget who I work for and I really value hearing from my constituents. It's not an act. It's how I keep my ear to the ground and know what's happening around the city. I don't need to schedule listening sessions or tours. I'm always engaged with and listening to my community.

Our City's motto is "Municipal Freedom Gives National Strength," and Somervillians will be looking to their mayor to lead in the face of a new federal government coming into power next month that we expect will be openly hostile to our community's values -- and a state government often paralyzed by inaction. I will be that leader.

If you know me, you know I'm a relentless problem-solver. I'll aggressively pursue a policy agenda that creatively addresses the problems and concerns of our community, while constantly looking to innovate to improve our delivery of programs and services, and totally rethinking how we're engaging with the public to ensure strong two-way communication.

I announced my mayoral campaign in 2024 to give myself more time to talk to voters and get my message out. I plan on having a conversation with every single person who ends up voting in next year's election -- and I want to inspire people who typically don't vote in municipal elections to get out and cast a ballot. I particularly love meeting with groups, so if you're interested in hosting a gathering of 10 to 25 friends and neighbors over the winter, please let me know.

Running for mayor is expensive, and I'm bringing on top-quality, experienced campaign staff to help ensure I get my message out to voters effectively. Campaigns and candidates often are judged by their fundraising and campaign account balances, so it's important to get cash on hand early on. If you support my run for mayor, please consider investing in the future of our city and making a financial contribution before the end of the year. There is a $1,000 per person per year limit on campaign contributions, but anything you are able to give is hugely appreciated.

We're hosting a Campaign Kickoff event on Saturday, January 11, from 2 to 4 PM at my favorite spot in all of Somerville: Highland Kitchen. Come join us for some food, drinks, and conversation as we celebrate a big year for the campaign and the city. Donations to the campaign are appreciated but by no means required to attend! You can RSVP here for that.

And as always, I'm here for you -- whether you have feedback or questions for me. Call or text me at 617.468.8969, email me at [email protected], or grab a time to meet with me via my Calendly.