Accomplishments

Environment

Clean Energy

      • Introduced the concept of Newton Power Choice, which was approved unanimously by the Newton City Council in March 2017. Thanks to Newton Power Choice, Newton is powered by more clean energy than any municipality in the Commonwealth! 
      • Led on bringing Electric Vehicles into the municipal fleet, and expanded public EV charging. 
      • Ensured that Washington Place development (now called “Trio”) offered EV charging as well as reduced cost public transit passes for new residents.
      • Led on getting solar installed at numerous municipal sites – soon half of Newton’s [municipal] electricity will be provided by solar power.
      • Led on passage of ordinance divesting Newton from fossil fuel stocks
      • Filed legislation committing Newton to 100% Renewable Energy by 2050.
      • Led on resolutions in favor of carbon pricing to curb climate change; shutting the Pilgrim Nuclear Plant, and divesting state pension funds from fossil fuel stocks.

Statewide Leadership

      • On Earth Day 2021 I organized 127 local elected officials from 44 communities across Massachusetts to send a letter to the Mass. School Building Authority urging them to require new school buildings to be net zero and climate resilient. 
      • In December 2018 I organized a meeting with U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy to urge his support for a Green New Deal. Also in attendance were Newton residents representing Communities Without Borders, Newton Coalition for Climate Action, Better Future Project / 350Mass, Green Newton, as well as a young person from Sunrise Boston. Within days of our meeting, Rep. Kennedy announced his support.
      • I serve on the Environmental Policy Committee of the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA). The MMA is a powerful lobbying group on Beacon Hill, representing cities and towns. Historically the MMA has not been a leader on environmental issues. As a result of my involvement the MMA has taken a more leadership role supporting action on climate change and renewable energy.
      • I have led trainings for dozens of municipal officials all over Massachusetts about clean energy and what actions they can take in their own communities to reduce their carbon footprint.

Plastic Pollution

      • Filed legislation in 2021 to ban nip bottles
      • Led on banning single-use plastic bags in Newton
      • Supported ban on polystyrene (“Styrofoam”)

Excellent Schools

  • Strong supporter of restoring in-person instruction throughout the pandemic. Co-signed City Council letters to the School Committee and Mayor urging faster restoration of in-person instruction  (10/27/20 and 1/10/21) 
  • Co-founder NewtonSTEM.org
  • Frequent guest speaker for Generation Citizen for Newton 8th graders
  • Tireless advocate for Full Day Kindergarten (finally rolled out in September 2019)
  • Member Cabot School Building Committee

The schools were the reason I first started to get involved in Newton issues. In 2008 my kindergartner told me he could not wash his hands after going to the bathroom at the Horace Mann school because all of the faucets in the boys room were broken. So I reached out to the NPS Facilities Director to let him know. He responded that I must be mistaken. Well I knew my 5 year old would not make this up, so I took a tour of every faucet in Horace Mann school, accompanied by the school custodian, and noted the condition of each faucet, and indeed many of them were broken. Long story short, the faucets got fixed. 

The role of the City Council is limited when it comes to the schools. It is mostly related to the school budget, and voting it up or down. However as a mom of 3 (Horace Mann, FA Day, Newton North), I have seen at close hand how excellent our teachers and staff are, and how hard they work. But our system is not perfect. For example, I was dismayed to learn Newton was one of the few school districts not to offer Full Day Kindergarten. I advocated for FDK for over a decade. I am thrilled it was finally implemented in September 2019.

Another area of concern is that I think we charge too much for families to attend the Newton schools, especially when it comes to activity fees and school trips. Some of these trips are exorbitant. We say that families who cannot afford it don’t have to pay, but it is embarrassing for a parent or a child to say they can’t afford something, especially when so many of our families are so affluent. There are kids who do not take part in activities or school trips because they can’t afford it and they are not willing to ask for help.

Democracy and Social Responsibility

Fiscal Responsibility

I am a consistent voice for spending taxpayers’ dollars wisely.

      • Stood up for sustainable budgeting to protect future generations by voting against a budget proposal that failed to address Newton’s billion dollars of unfunded liabilities.
      • Worked for accountability and transparency by voting against a $500K no-bid contract for “Hello Washington Street” zoning consultant.

“I feel strongly that we should not be balancing the budget on the backs of families,” she said. “For too long we have been treating families like a piggy bank, setting new fees and then increasing them when we have a budget gap.”

- Emily Norton

Public Safety

  • Gun Safety: Led on prohibiting guns from public buildings, parks and crowds in Newton. Supported zoning change to prohibit proposed gun store at 709 Washington Street in Newtonville. Filed legislation to ban the sale or manufacture of guns in Newton entirely. 
  • Public Safety: Expedited availability of Narcan to first responders treating opioid overdoses.
  • Gas Leaks: Successfully pressured National Grid to repair gas leak next to Horace Mann School; co-signed letter to National Grid urging end of employee lockout; lobbied Newton state delegation to pass legislation forcing gas utilities to repair leaks.

Constituent Services

  • Transportation: Persuaded MassDOT to clean up trash at the three Newton commuter rail stops, and replace trees they removed along Washington Street; working with State Rep. Kay Khan to get MassDOT to make the three Newton commuter rail stops handicap accessible.
  • Quality of Life Improvements Across Ward 2: Sidewalks repaired, stop signs installed, no-parking signs installed, illegally parked cars removed, and more.

Communication

  • Each month I hold office hours, and distribute an email newsletter providing news of “Newtonville and beyond.”

     

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