The Reading Post accepts press releases and letters to the editor from candidates, campaigns, and ballot committees related to the 2019 local election. All letters must be signed. The Reading Post reserves the right to edit or not publish any letters received. Letters do not represent the views or opinions of the Post. editor@thereadingpost.com
Dear fellow Reading residents,
I’m seeking a seat on the Select Board and am looking forward to connecting with as many of you as possible in the two months that remain until our April 2nd local election. I pledge to listen to all members of the Reading community – a promise that begins with this campaign and will continue throughout my service on the Board.
By way of background, I have served since 2014 as a Finance Committee Member and a Town Meeting Member. Professionally, I’m an attorney and have worked for the past seven years as legal counsel to State Senator Brownsberger, where I have had the opportunity to work across political lines and collaborate with Republican and Democratic colleagues alike in drafting and negotiating legislation. Employing the collegiality I have learned in more than a decade in public service, I will bring a collaborative, coalition-building, problem-solving approach to my service on the Select Board.
I am committed to efficient, effective, and user-friendly town government for both our residents and businesses. Reading residents should find their local government and its leaders to be accessible and responsive. Like many of you, I want to be sure that our tax dollars are spent wisely. I was a supporter of the override, but I understand the burden it places on residents, especially those on a fixed income or who are facing financial challenges. I was proud to support senior tax relief as a Town Meeting Member, and I will encourage the Select Board to explore additional opportunities for property tax relief for low-income residents.
As a Select Board member, I will be proactive in supporting small businesses. I will also make clear that Reading should enforce the agreements developers make with the Town.
I am committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive community in Reading. Many community organizations, partners, and stakeholders have come together in advancing the work of embracing diversity and supporting human rights in our community. This is particularly important in the wake of the anti-Semitic, homophobic, and racist vandalism we have experienced in town. The Select Board should play a leadership role in setting the right tone and supporting the work of ensuring that Reading is a welcoming community for all.
Reading faces a range of challenges from planning appropriately for important public buildings and other capital projects to managing development in town. We need to be creative in our thinking about how to generate revenue for the Town, while ensuring that Reading remains a great place to live for everyone, from children to senior citizens. I would like us to explore opportunities for innovation, like solar power to generate savings for residents, and community broadband to generate revenue for the Town.
I am invested in this community, which I love. I have chosen to raise my family here and I am eager to play an active role in ensuring it will be a great place to live for many years to come – for all its residents.
In going door to door during my campaign for state representative last summer, I heard from many of you about your concerns for our community – and so many of them were concerns that could not be addressed by state government, but rather have to be addressed by our Select Board.
My decision to run for the Select Board was driven by the fact that serving on the Board will allow me to work on these issues of great concern to and impact on Reading residents. I am committed to ensuring that Reading is the best possible place to live for all of us. I look forward to our next conversation about how to move in that direction.
I would appreciate your vote for me for the Select Board on April 2, so I can lead this work on your behalf.
Sincerely,
Anne Landry
