Cambridge InsideOut - October 10, 2017

Robert and Judy

 

Guest at 5:30pm: Jake Crutchfield, candidate for Cambridge School Committee

A sampler of some things people may want to hear about might include:

a) Background - personal and professional

b) Why on Earth are you running for School Committee?

c) What distinguishes you from other candidates?

d) Besides everybody, are there any particular constituencies that you feel should consider voting for you? [issues, neighborhoods, age, etc.]

e) Your pitch - basically a sample of what you might have said at your kickoff event

f) Who is supporting you? Event announcements? Anything else?

g) Any comments on current issues before the School Committee or issues that may be anticipated.

1. Priorities if elected

2. Voter Data and My Approach to Canvassing

3. School Committee Meetings/ Sub Committee Meetings (getting more people involved)

4. School Committee and City Council Collaboration (Early Childhood, Afterschool programs, etc)

5. Background working as a Cambridge Teacher


Guest at 6:00pm: Josh Burgin, candidate for Cambridge City Council

A sampler of some things people may want to hear about might include:

a) Background - personal and professional

b) Why on Earth are you running for City Council?

c) What distinguishes you from other candidates?

d) Besides everybody, are there any particular constituencies that you feel should consider voting for you? [issues, neighborhoods, age, etc.]

e) Your pitch - basically a sample of what you might say at your kickoff event

f) Who is supporting you? Event announcements? Anything else?

g) Any comments on current issues before the City Council or issues that may be anticipated.


Additional topics:

1) Experiments with limiting number of rankings (2015 City Council election data) and history of voter satisfaction

2) Civic and Political Updates

3) Oct 2 City Council meeting

4) Cambridge Candidate Pages     CCTV Recordings of Candidate Forums

Topics for Candidates for Cambridge City Council – 2017

Topics for Candidates for Cambridge School Committee – 2017

List of Candidates for City Council & School Committee - with sortable tables

Questionnaires and Endorsing Organizations - Who are they, WHAT are they, and what are they asking?

2017 Cambridge City Council Campaign Bank Reports

2017 City Council Campaign Receipts and Expenses

Index of all Cambridge City Council and School Committee candidates: 1941 to 2017
plain text version    PDF version

5) Civic Calendar


A CCJ Milestone

The idea of the Cambridge Civic Journal was conceived in the early morning hours of September 20, 1997 - 20 years ago (6:00am, in fact). The original planned name was "Central Square News", though that quickly changed to Cambridge Civic Journal by the time the first issue was written and distributed on November 17, 1997. There was no website then - just printed copies, a PDF version, and email (and a lot of word of mouth). After a short while the great folks at the Porter Square Neighbors Association (PSNA) voluntarily began posting each issue on their website (yes, there were issues back then). Eventually I taught myself the basics of how to do a website and began posting the issues myself on my Harvard Math Department account. By 1999 the CCJ site was moved to the domain where it currently resides. The reason for the rather personal sounding URL http://rwinters.com is that I was also a candidate in those days, and when I decided to no longer be a candidate I simply repurposed the candidate site as the new home of the Cambridge Civic Journal. - Robert Winters


Oct 8 - I just ran some experiments with the 2015 City Council ballot data to see what the effect of limiting the number of rankings would have been. I had previously truncated the rankings to 15 and there was not a single change. I had also limited the rankings to 9 and found only minor changes in the round-by-round results. Tonight I limited the rankings to 7, then 5, then just 3 to see what would happen. In all cases the same 9 candidates are elected, though in the most severely limited case of allowing just 3 rankings only 6 candidates reach the election quota (but are still elected, of course, since all other candidates have been defeated). The interesting observation from the experiments is that some candidates are consistently more greatly impacted by the loss of deeper rankings. - RW

I also (upon request) just updated my record of voter success. The table below indicates the percentage of ballots for which the #1 ranked candidate was elected; the percentage of ballots for which the #1 or #2 ranked candidate was elected; and the percentage of ballots for which the #1, #2, or #3 ranked candidate was elected.

Voter Success in Cambridge Elections
Election elect candidates valid invalid total ballots Pct #1 elected Pct #1 or #2 elected Pct #1, #2, or #3 elected Pct none elected Pct blank
1997 Council 9 19 16879 350 17229 88.7 96.2 97.6 1.6 0.3
1999 Council 9 24 18777 384 19161 76.5 92.5 95.5 3.0 0.5
2001 Council 9 19 17126 562 17688 83.8 94.0 96.2 2.8 1.1
2003 Council 9 20 20080 878 20958 72.7 87.0 91.0 6.7 2.0
2005 Council 9 18 16070 132 16202 78.7 93.4 96.1 2.6 0.5
2007 Council 9 16 13633 88 13721 79.3 93.2 96.0 2.9 0.4
2009 Council 9 21 15995 118 16073 75.1 90.9 94.1 4.3 0.6
2011 Council 9 18 15845 126 15971 77.8 92.6 95.5 3.3 0.5
2013 Council 9 25 17743 103 17846 68.6 87.8 93.0 4.9 0.4
2015 Council 9 23 17854 105 17959 71.7 90.4 94.8 3.3 0.3
1997 School 6 8 16386 285 16671 83.3 96.4 97.6 2.4 0.1
1999 School 6 13 17961 307 18268 76.0 91.1 94.4 4.7 0.1
2001 School 6 10 16489 1160 17649 76.2 90.5 92.6 7.1 4.8
2003 School 6 8 18698 2210 20908 81.9 89.7 90.0 10.0 8.8
2005 School 6 8 15470 719 16189 77.4 90.6 93.1 6.9 4.2
2007 School 6 9 13276 433 13709 77.0 91.2 92.7 7.1 3.0
2009 School 6 9 15423 549 15972 72.6 90.1 91.6 8.4 3.3
2011 School 6 11 15290 614 15904 77.6 90.3 92.2 6.9 3.6
2013 School 6 9 16592 1128 17720 80.9 90.0 91.2 8.5 6.2
2015 School 6 11 16797 1062 17859 69.2 84.7 88.0 11.1 5.7

Note: Almost all of the invalid ballots were blank ballots. It's common that some voters will vote only the City Council ballot and cast a blank School Committee ballot.


Civic & Political Updates: [Election Day is Tuesday, November 7]

City Council Candidates School Committee Candidates
Ronald Benjamin, 172 Cushing Street, 02138
Josh M. Burgin, 812 Memorial Drive #1411, 02139
Dennis J. Carlone, 9 Washington Avenue #6, 02140
Olivia D'Ambrosio, 270 3rd Street #305, 02142
Jan Devereux, 255 Lakeview Avenue, 02138
Samuel Gebru, 812 Memorial Drive #614A, 02139
Richard Harding, Jr., 189 Windsor Street #1, 02139
Craig A. Kelley, 6 Saint Gerard Terrace #2, 02140
Dan Lenke, 148 Richdale Avenue, 02140
Ilan Levy, 148 Spring Street, 02141
Alanna M. Mallon, 3 Maple Avenue, 02139
Marc C. McGovern, 15 Pleasant Street, 02139
Gregg J. Moree, 25 Fairfield Street #4, 02140
Adriane B. Musgrave, 5 Newport Road #1, 02140
Nadya T. Okamoto, 220 Banks Street #5, 02138
Hari I. Pillai, 165 Cambridgepark Drive #234, 02140
Jeff Santos, 350 3rd Street #809, 02142
Sumbul Siddiqui, 530 Windsor Street, 02141
E. Denise Simmons, 188 Harvard Street #4B, 02139
Vatsady Sivongxay, 59 Kirkland Street #2, 02138
Bryan Sutton, 764 Cambridge Street #6, 02141
Sean Tierney, 12 Prince Street, 02139
Paul F. Toner, 24 Newman Street, 02140
Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., 88 6th Street, 02141
Gwen Thomas Volmar, 13 Ware Street #4, 02138
Quinton Y. Zondervan, 235 Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, 02141
Manikka L. Bowman, 134 Reed Street, 02140
Fran A. Cronin, 1 Kimball Lane, 02140
Jake W. Crutchfield, 281 River Street #1, 01239
Emily R. Dexter, 9 Fenno Street, 02138
Alfred B. Fantini, 4 Canal Park #203, 02141
Elechi M. Kadete, 10 Laurel Street #4, 02139
Kathleen M. Kelly, 17 Marie Avenue #1, 02139
Laurance V. Kimbrough, 24 Aberdeen Avenue, 02138
William MacArthur, 18 Shea Road, 02140
Piotr Flawiusz Mitros, 9 Michael Way, 02141
Patricia M. Nolan, 184 Huron Avenue, 02138
David J. Weinstein, 45 S. Normandy Avenue, 02138

2017 Cambridge Candidate Pages

2017 Campaign Event Listings and Candidate Forums
[Note: Only events open to the general public (with or without RSVP) will be listed.]

2017 Cambridge City Council Campaign Bank Reports (with sortable tables)

Campaign Finance Reports - 2017 City Council (PDF with links to detailed reports)

Campaign Contributions (2017) - Total Receipts and Cambridge Receipts


Preview of Oct 2, 2017 Cambridge City Council meeting

City HallHere are the choice items on this week's menu:

Manager's Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the votes necessary to seek approval from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue of the tax rate for FY2018. [Tax Rate Letter]

Highlights: The FY18 property tax levy is $389,080,359, an increase of $16,406,272 or 4.4% from FY17. The 4.4% property tax levy increase is below the FY17 increase of 5.1%, and slightly above the fiveyear annual average (FY14-FY18) increase of 4.19%. With approval of the recommendations, the ten-year annual average (FY09-FY18) increase will be 4.85%. The FY18 residential tax rate will be $6.29 per thousand dollars of value, subject to Department of Revenue approval. This is a decrease of $0.20, or -3.1% from FY17. The commercial tax rate will be $14.81, which is a decrease of $1.31, or -8.1% from FY17. In FY18, commercial property owners will pay 65.4% of the property tax levy, the same share as in FY17. Consequently, residential property owners’ share of the FY18 tax levy is 34.6%, also the same as in FY17.

Based on the FY18 property assessment, total residential property values increased by 7.87%. Total commercial property values increased by 14.36%. The median percentage tax increases for residential properties will be 2.8% for single-family homes, 5.2% for condominiums, 0.7% for two-family properties, and 1.1% for three-family properties. For FY18, the total assessed value of taxable property in the City equals $43,619,137,030 a 10.1% increase over FY17 values.

Manager's Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 17-66, regarding additional information requested on a Grand Junction Overlay District.

This responds to a City Council request last week for additional information. We first suggested the use of this RR corridor as a bicycle/pedestrian connection in 1999 when I served on the Green Ribbon Open Space Committee. Back then I saw it primarily as a way of providing direct access to the open space and fields of Magazine Beach for the people of East Cambridge. My view now is that this would also make housing options in East Somerville and Allston more attractive for MIT students and staff and for people who work in Kendall Square and along the corridor. I really hope this becomes a reality within the next few years.

Manager's Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to a Planning Board recommendation to adopt the MIT Volpe PUD-7 Zoning Petition with suggested changes. [Letter][Revised Petition][Redlined Petition]

Committee Report #1. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Councillor Leland Cheung, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on Sept 13, 2017 to continue discussion on a zoning petition by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to create a new Planned Unit Development Overlay District (PUD-7) over the area known as the Volpe National Transportation Center site in Kendall Square.

I am cautiously optimistic that we may see ordination of some amended form of this zoning proposal before the expiration date at the end of October. Much depends on what commitments MIT is willing to make in the weeks before ordination (independent of the disproportionate demands of the Smith, et al. petition re: graduate student housing). This really could become a great space, and I hope the planners can find room for some fun attractions, e.g. a batting cage where people can take a few swings.

Applications & Petitions #2. A Zoning Petition has been received from Peter Kroon, et al., transmitting a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance that would amend the Harvard Square Overlay District.

Read the petition and draw your own conclusions, but my read of this petition is that it wants to bring some of the best features of the recently ordained Central Square Restoration Petition up to Harvard Square, e.g. the transition from regulating "fast food" to instead regulating "formula businesses". It also prioritizes housing in the upper floors of any taller new buildings. (Don't worry, there's no towers expected anytime soon.)

Resolution #11. Congratulations to the Central Square Business Association for a successful Dumpling Fest and Central Flea.   Mayor Simmons

Special thanks go to Michael Monastime, the new Wizard of Central Square, for pulling off one of the biggest daytime attractions Central Square has seen in years.

Resolution #12. Congratulations on Bill Cavellini, Bernard LaCasse and the Cambridge Arts Council on a successful restoration of the "Beat the Belt" Mural.   Mayor Simmons

I wish I could have attended the dedication. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who helped.

Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to confer with appropriate City departments with the view in mind of implementing systems in Harvard Square.   Mayor Simmons, Councillor Cheung

The order contains a generally good list of suggestions for transportation and public amenities in the Harvard Square area. I hope that the inclusion of more bicycle lanes doesn't translate into additional mistakes like the Brattle Street Lanes of Confusion.

Order #5. That the City Manager is requested, in as timely manner as possible, to determine if Cambridge can legally assist DACA beneficiaries by collecting donations from individuals and organizations. Managing and dispersing such raised donations on a reimbursement basis to Cambridge DACA beneficiaries.   Vice Mayor McGovern, Mayor Simmons

Cambridge works with plenty of nonprofits and religious entities that can provide the suggested services without running afoul of any state laws.

Order #8. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department to create a volunteer bike registry program that can accept donations that will go to fund environmentally friendly projects in the City.   Councillor Toomey

I would register my bike in a heartbeat and agree to adhere to any and all traffic laws. (I already do.) That said, I don't know that we would see much tangible benefit from such a voluntary program. If it could convince more cyclists to take more seriously their responsibilities as road users perhaps there might be some marginal benefit.

Order #10. That the City Manager is requested to consult with the appropriate City departments to determine the feasibility of subsidizing the rate of the “100% Green” option in the Cambridge Community Electricity Program to ease any financial burden that residents who want to use entirely renewable energy may feel when purchasing, using existing income thresholds such as the Fuel Assistance Program.   Councillor Devereux, Councillor Carlone, Vice Mayor McGovern

This is a very slippery slope. Relatively few residents opted into the more expensive “100% Green” option because people generally make rational economic choices. Just because City officials feel that choosing this option is a worthy goal doesn't mean that taxpayers should be subsidizing it. Buying groceries from the local market may be a worthy goal in support of local businesses, but many of us will still do much of our shopping at Costco and Market Basket. Should taxpayers pick up the difference if we do all our shopping locally? I don't think so. - Robert Winters

Comments?


CIVIC CALENDAR

Tues, Oct 10

10:00am   The City Council's Transportation and Public Utilities Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss implementing a program that would provide instant notification via e-mail to individuals that their vehicle has been towed and the location of where the vehicle has been towed.  (Sullivan Chamber)

4:00pm   The City Council's Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss and receive feedback on bike safety related issues, and to plan for future bike safety measures in the City of Cambridge.  (Sullivan Chamber)

6:30pm   Joint Roundtable Meeting between the City Council and the School Committee to discuss Early Childhood Education. This hearing to be televised.  (Sullivan Chamber)

6:30pm   Planning Board meeting  (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)

General Business

1. Update from the Community Development Department

2. Adoption of Planning Board meeting transcripts

3. Discussion of urban design guidelines associated with the Planned Unit Development 7 (PUD-7) Zoning District proposed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the area known as the Volpe Transportation site in Kendall Square

Wed, Oct 11

5:00pm   Cambridge Election Commission meeting  (Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave.)

8:00am-9:30am   Recycling Advisory Committee  (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)

7:00-9:00pm   Mid-Cambridge Nbhd. Assn. (MCNA) City Council Candidates Night  (CRLS Main Cafeteria)

Thurs, Oct 12

2:30pm   The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on a Zoning Petition by Christopher D. Smith, et al., to create a new Section 13.913 Graduate Student Housing Production Requirement. This would require new graduate housing be built in conjunction with the development of commercial uses in the proposed Planned Unit Development 7 District as well as a phasing plan to implement graduate housing development. This hearing to be televised.  (Sullivan Chamber)

6:30pm   Cambridge Concerned Clergy Candidates Forum  (St. Paul AME Church's Christian Life Center, 85 Bishop Allen Drive)

Mon, Oct 16

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Oct 18

5:30pm   The City Council's Public Safety Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss the City’s recommendation on a surveillance ordinance broadly, and to evaluate a proposed surveillance ordinance first submitted in November 2016, as well as decisions passed in other cities since the time.  (Sullivan Chamber)

6:30pm-9:00pm   PSNA City Council Candidate Forum (Lesley University)

6:30pm-8:30pm   School Committee Candidates Forum with a focus on the High School (Lecture Hall of the Cambridge Public Library)

Mon, Oct 23

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, Oct 24

6:00pm-8:00pm  CEOCs City Council Candidates' Forum  (Central Square Senior Center)

Wed, Oct 25

6:00-8:00pm   Envision Cambridge Advisory Committee meeting  (Location TBD)

Central Flea

Mon, Oct 30

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)


Mon, Nov 6

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Tues, Nov 7

Municipal Election. Polls are open 7:00am until 8:00pm. The Preliminary Election Count will follow at the Cambridge Senior Center in Central Square.

The Preliminary PR Count will take place at the Senior Center after the polls close.

9:00pm   Cambridge Election Commission meeting.  (Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave.)

Wed, Nov 8

The PR Election Count continues at the Cambridge Senior Center as auxiliary ballots are tabulated and Unofficial Results are determined.

9:00am   Cambridge Election Commission meeting.  (Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave.)

Wed, Nov 8

8:00am-9:30am   Recycling Advisory Committee  (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)

Mon, Nov 13

5:30pm   City Council meeting  (Sullivan Chamber)

Wed, Nov 15

3:30pm   The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss a Zoning Petition by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., to create a new Section 13.59.11 Floor Area Ratio and Gross Floor Area Exemption for Up to 10,000 SF of Innovation Office Space and would apply to the PUD-3A and PUD-4C Districts only. This hearing to be televised.  (Sullivan Chamber)

Fri, Nov 17

4:30pm   The Cambridge Election Commission will meet to finalize the 2017 Cambridge Municipal Election results, including any provisional ballots and overseas absentee ballots (if any).  (1st Floor Meeting Room, 51 Inman St.)

4:30pm   COUNTING OF PROVISIONAL BALLOTS

5:00pm   COUNTING OF OVERSEAS BALLOTS

The Official 2017 Election Results will be tabulated, certified, and announced after these ballots are included.

Mon, Nov 20

5:30pm   City Council Roundtable/Working Meeting to receive an update on Envision Cambridge. No public comment. No votes will be taken. This meeting to be televised.  (Sullivan Chamber)