Section One BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

Name: Joe Murphy
Age: 42
Street Address: 18 Macy St.

Occupation: Assistant Director for Administration, MIT Center for Bits and Atoms Education: Berklee College of Music, Bachelor of Arts

Municipal/Government/Relevant Experience: Member of Atherton Hough PTO, Quincy Climate Action Network, Former board member of a local community council.

Section Two: Written response to the following question (up to 400 words):
If elected, my top priorities will be:

Restoring communication and dialogue: Ward One is a politically active and knowledgeable constituency and they not only deserve a responsive councilor, they demand it. Far too many residents have told me that they do not hear back from the current councilor. I will also prioritize community meetings and office hours that allow for citizen-input before decisions are made on projects. Presently, meetings are called only to inform the citizens about the decisions that are being inflicted on them.

A renewed focus on infrastructure and the basics of local government: The current administration has been focused on vane and luxurious development while neglecting our 400 year old city’s foundation. Get outside Quincy center and you’ll find our streets are pocked with potholes that cost drivers a hidden car repair tax. Our sidewalks are often untraversable for our disabled, elderly, or strollers. Eighteen months after the March 2018 flood there still has not been any significant coastal resiliency projects done to our seawalls or tide gates. After years of rehabilitating our coastline, our storm drain systems have been left to rot and we are being sued by the federal government for failing to protect our own waters.

I would also call for the creation of a green-zoning task force. This would be a collaboration between some of the talented, experienced builders we have in Quincy and environmental experts to modernize and innovate our zoning codes. With all of the revitalization and building Quincy is undertaking, we should transform ourselves into a leader in energy-efficient building practices. Construction practices have a significant impact on greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions as well as the affordability of residential housing. Modifying current practices can do much to lower GHG emissions and the cost of housing.

To help mitigate the current practice of inflicting decisions on our residents with little or no input, I’m also proposing Quincy begin a participatory budget program. This is a democratic process in which residents decide how to spend part of a public budget. It would give Quincy’s people a real say over real money.

Finally, due to the past, present, and future plans to amass monstrous debt and unfunded pension liabilities, the city needs an independent, outside financial review of our current fiscal situation as well as our forecast and plans. We can not let lofty designs leave our children and retirees in a financial mess.

Section Three: Written response to the following question (up to 400 words): Voters should elect me to the office I seek because . . . .

I understand that the job of Ward One Councilor is to be our representative at City Hall, not the Mayor’s deputy in our community.

The current councilor’s special relationship with the Mayor has not rendered adequate attention or service here in our ward. And while the current councilor was not dealt an easy hand, with two significant storms hitting us early in his tenure, the lack of urgency shown after these events did not rise to the adversity we faced. For an administration that has never met a piece of debt it didn’t like, they suddenly found caution when it came to funding seawalls, tide gates and storm drain rehabilitation. This shows the types of projects that the mayor and our councilor value, and what they are willing to wait on. With another four years of this administration all but certain, pulling in ideas from outside the Quincy political clique is more important than ever. We need more independent voices who are willing to ask tough questions and say “no” when appropriate.

My desire to serve my neighbors as city councilor came from my previous career in the music industry. I was a union representative for AFM Local 47. When not on a gig, I spent my days fighting to enforce contracts, proper conditions, and decent treatment of working musicians. I chased payments and residuals and fought to keep their benefits in tact. I hustled to find them new work and pushed to keep that work “union.” It was challenging, rewarding, and fun. I used creative problem solving to bring employers and musicians together, to find a way for live music to exist. Serving as a city councilor will bring me a similar challenge, the same reward, and the same fun.

Quincy needs city councilors who understand and know their true role, and Ward One needs someone who isn’t satisfied to sit back and wait for solutions. As councilor, I will be available and accountable to you. Your concerns will be my concerns; your fights will be my fights.
Thank you to all my friends and supporters for giving up their free time and energy to help me. You inspire me and I will never feel worthy of the sacrifices you and your family make for this campaign. Thanks especially to my family for your patience and support. I love you Cheryl, Maddy, and Ellie.