A message from Mayor Setti D. Warren:
We live in a fantastic place and according to a 2014 survey from Wall Street 24/7 Newton is the #1 city in which to live in the United States. Our education system, public safety, city services and fiscal health are excellent, but we know that our city's greatness goes beyond these factors. it is Newton's values and commitment to opportunity for all that makes us unique.
From the first day I took office and was sworn in, we have worked together to make tough decisions to ensure the current generation of residents has the same opportunity many of us have had.
Thanks to our work with The Dukakis Center at Northeastern University, we have detailed data of our city's demographics now as well as a projection over the next 25 years. We are using these data in all areas of government to drive our decision making, including Newton Leads 2040.
Newton Leads 2040 codifies the work we have done since 2010 and the work we need to do together to address the needs of residents through 2040.
Newton Leads 2040 is a call to action for all in our community to partner with us and with one another to continue to make our education system, public safety, infrastructure, environment and city services the best they can be. Newton Leads 2040 will also promote partnership and engagement of residents and civic leaders to ensure we have affordable housing, diverse housing, multimodal transportation, robust entrepreneurship and growth in the innovation economy that will meet the needs of our citizens over the next 25 years. In the coming months we will seek input from residents to complete Newton's first data-driven housing and transportation strategies. These studies and action plans are already underway.
If we want Newton to continue to be one of the best places to live in the next 25 years, each of us must lead by example - reaching out to those with whom we agree and, just as importantly, to those with whom we differ. We must do the hard work of finding common ground and have the courage to make difficult decisions for our community as a whole. We must also have the courage to question old assumptions. We should not always apply a 20th century solution to a 21st century challenge. Newton Leads 2040 promotes the idea that if each of us plays a leadership role, we can set Newton on the right course for the next 25 years together.
To learn more about Newton Leads 2014 click here.