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Natick Issues
As
an effective member of the Board of Selectmen, I work on everything
that comes before the board in collaboration with other Board members,
the administration and other staff and volunteers. I have
also
made a difference in advocating for responsible planning,
improved
transportation and mobility, civic engagement and state funding for
local projects.
This
will summarize many of the issues on which I and the Board
have
worked. If there's something you would like to have included
or
explained, please get in touch using the contact form on this web site.
Financial
Natick
is a well-managed community that provides excellent value to taxpayers.
To be affordable and preserve the services we provide will
require continued discipline, cost control, new revenue sources, and
fair and predictable state aid.
- Our
Financial Management Principles provide stability in our
finances
and budgets. Our resulting approach to building reserves
helps to
support our AAA bond rating, which in turn provides low interest rates
and debt costs.
- Our Health Insurance
costs were rising at double digit rates. Successful
negotiations
have lowered the rate of increase, and my advocacy at the state level
has helped to arrest the insurance cost spiral by providing Natick and
every other community in the state with new tools to control insurance
costs while preserving vital services and employee rights.
Transportation and Mobility
Improving
traffic and safety is a priority for me. Mobility is key to
everyone: commuters, students, parents, people with disabilities and
people who bike, walk and run for exercise. Parking is also a
key
issue for business owners, customers and others who visit Natick Center.
- Worked with town and
state officials to get the Route 9/Oak Street project funded
- Wrote the town's
successful grant application to improve pedestrian conditions across
town
- Led efforts to
create parking solutions in Natick Center
- Advocated for toll freeze
and removal on the Mass Pike
Development
Natick
must attract and retain businesses to keep residential taxes
affordable, to provide employment, and to ensure that the region and
the state participate in economic recovery. That's why I
support
a single tax rate, why I frequently work with businesses to navigate
their approach to permitting, and why I helped start the Economic
Development Advisory Committee.
Affordability
Natick
is home to people from all walks and stations of life. Taxes
and
fees are necessary, but still a burden for many. I created
the
Financial Assistance Summary to centralize outreach for the programs
and services that can make a difference for people struggling to stay
in Natick. But government can't do it tall. I
encourage
everyone to support organizations such as A Place To Turn, the Natick
Service Council and other helping organizations however you can.
Public Safety
Our
police and fire departments are challenged to protect our lives and
property. In the coming years we must find ways to enhance
the
staffing and resources available to the men and women in the Police and
Fire Departments. As a member of the West Natick Fire Station
Study Committee I know that a new Station 4 is in our future.
We
need to investigate dispatch alternatives, keep response times down and
provide the training and support necessary for our first responders.
Education
Public
education is a vital role of local government. I am honored
to
represent a community that values education. I want to help
educate the next generation of leaders for our country, just as we have
done in Natick for generations. That will require us to pull
together and demand the best of ourselves, our students, our teachers,
our schools, and the state. We in Natick
have high expectations for our students, and they should have high
expectations of us. We must educate children of all abilities
to
achieve their potential and thrive in a globalized economy, while
advocating for fairness in state and federal funding and charter school
reimbursement. Excellent schools must complement, not compete
with the services, programs and people that make
Natick a complete community.
Citizen involvement and
communication
Natick's
government is powered and directed by its citizens, with a high caliber
of volunteers who help to set policy and shape and enact local budgets
and laws. Our past and future success as a community is
traceable
to the people who step forward; they must be encouraged and welcomed.
We must continually strive for open, accessible and inclusive
government to live up to our potential. I have always worked
to
get people involved. I also initiated and chaired the
reprecincting committee, and testified at the state legislature to
centralize state and federal legislative districts in MetroWest.
Issues and the Board of Selectmen
The
role of a Selectman is not just to take a side on an issue.
We
must all ensure that issues are fully and fairly
decided, considering a range of views and voices before a
public
vote. There are many issues that come before the Board. Some
affect the entire town; others are important to a neighborhood or a
single household.
Whatever
the
issue, I will continue to provide thoughtful and effective leadership
on the issues of importance to you as a citizen, and to all of us as a
community. Please see the achievements
page for some examples of what I have helped to accomplish in Natick.
If you want more information, or have a question, idea or concern about
any issue, I would be grateful to hear from you at joshua@ostroff.net
or 508 654-3330.
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