Newton Councilor-at-Large Leary to run for state representative

Longtime City Councilor-at-Large Alison Leary is taking the next step in her political career after announcing her decision to run for the 10th Middlesex seat, currently held by state Rep. John Lawn.

She is the third city councilor to announce intention to run for another office shortly after being re-elected. The other two councilors-at-large, Jake Auchincloss and Rebecca Walker Grossman, are both running for U.S. representative from the 4th Congressional District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III.

Leary began as a city councilor at large after a special election in November 2013. Aside from her work in government, she is a program manager at Pathways to Possible (previously NWW Committee for Community Living), a nonprofit providing housing, support, and advocacy for people with cognitive and developmental disabilities.

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Newton Officials Share Their New Year Resolutions For The City

Alison Leary, Ward 1
My top priority is to vote a pass zoning reform before the end of 2020! I think this is the top priority due to all the development pressures we are experiencing, all the tear-downs and the very large SFH that are getting built. But it also allows tremendous opportunities for improving the built environment, mimicking nature, reducing impervious surfaces and the heat island effect and providing green-spaces and wildlife habitat. We also need to get rid of parking minimums and require parking maximums and require solar on larger buildings.

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