Setti Warren in Gubernatorial campaign websites
On Budget & Economy:
Closed $40M deficit in city of Newton & maintained services
When he took office, Newton was in the midst of a financial crisis. The city was facing a $40 million projected deficit and an empty rainy day fund.
Setti worked closely with unions and community members to create a balanced budget without sacrificing vital services that residents depended on.
Today, the city is one of a few select municipalities to earn two AAA bond ratings and has a rainy day fund approaching $20 million. While under Setti's leadership, Newton's innovation-based economy has been reinvigorated.
The city has slashed its carbon footprint while investing in housing, transportation, and infrastructure projects that reduce inequality and strengthen the community.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
On Education:
Invest in new school facilities & classroom resources
Setti has fostered a top-tier public school system by investing in new facilities, community spaces, and classroom resources. He is committed to reducing the achievement gap through initiatives like the summer reading challenge,
the high school pitch competition, and the city's summer youth high school internship program. Under Setti's watch, education outcomes in Newton have dramatically improved.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
On Energy & Oil:
Support use of wind, solar, & other renewable energy
Solar Share Program: Setti has set aside 0.6 MW of the power produced by Newton's new solar power stations for a first-of-its-kind community solar share program, which will extend energy credits to qualified, low-income households on a zero-cost basis.
This program is part of a larger investment in green energy development that will make Newton a municipal leader in clean, affordable energy policy.
By investing in upgrades to our electrical grid and supporting the use of wind, solar, and other renewable energy resources,
we can cut the Commonwealth's carbon footprint, save money, and create good-paying 21st Century energy economy jobs.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
On Government Reform:
Public records laws for open and transparent governing
As Mayor of Newton, Setti Warren governed in an open and transparent way because people deserve to know what their government is doing in their name.
Massachusetts lags the nation in government transparency, but nowhere is sunshine needed more than the annual state budget making process.
Setti Warren believes that a budget is not only a statement of values, but that the process of writing this values statement requires public input.
That's why he will make public records laws apply to the governor's office and has endorsed the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center's recommendations to make our budget process more transparent.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
On Health Care:
Move us towards single-payer healthcare
Setti Warren plans to use new revenue to fund strategies that will reduce the scourge of economic inequality,
like making public colleges free and moving us towards single-payer healthcare.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
On Jobs:
$15 minimum wage and paid family leave
We must take action now to make sure the Commonwealth's economy works for everyone by instituting policies like a $15 minimum wage and paid family leave. Setti Warren also believes we need to rethink how education works.
In addition to making college more accessible, the Commonwealth needs to be a national leader by creating a model for lifelong learning, paid apprenticeships and co-ops to help workers adapt to shifting economic conditions.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
On Tax Reform:
Eliminate tax breaks; wealthy pay their fair share
Confronting economic inequality is the challenge of our time, and Setti Warren is prepared to lead the way. Despite years of strong economic growth, our state budget is a mess.
Fixing it starts with telling the truth: we must raise revenue by eliminating tax breaks for special interests and asking those who make more than a million dollars a year ($20,000 a week!) to pay their fair share.
In 2015, Setti launched DataStat Newton. This program tracks everything from the recycling rate and number of potholes filled to auto-pedestrian accidents and changes in the city's commercial tax base.
With DataStat, Setti and his team have been able to make smart, data driven decisions and track outcomes.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
On Technology:
Reconstruct roadways; establish innovation centers
- Setti has focused on upgrading Newton's roads and sidewalks to remedy years of neglect, reconstructing 50 miles of roadway since 2013. Moving forward, Newton will be implementing new technology to improve traffic signalling and alleviate
traffic congestion.
- In 2013, Setti partnered with the Town of Needham and the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber to establish the N2 Innovation District as an attractive place for technology companies to do business.
Newton is increasingly becoming a place where talent, innovation, and community converge to support a vibrant, entrepreneurial economy.
- In 2016, Setti partnered with MassChallenge to open the Newton Innovation Center (NIC), a startup-friendly
collaborative workspace. The NIC offers programming, networking events, and internship programs. With over 60 startups currently working out of the NIC, its success demonstrates how Newton and other suburbs can be a hub for innovation.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
On Technology:
Public transportation systems are underfunded
Setti Warren believes the ability to move around the Commonwealth with reasonable speed and at reasonable cost is essential to addressing the challenges of economic inequality. Constant traffic, underfunded public transportation systems and crumbling
roads and bridges are not just an inconvenience, they are an impediment to opportunity. Creating more good jobs where people live will help lighten the load on highways and public transportation.
We need a strategy to make sure that regional transportation authorities are able to meet the needs of the people of the Commonwealth.
We must commit to projects like extending the Blue Line to Lynn, building a bullet train from Springfield to Boston, and repairing our underfunded roads and bridges. We cannot wait 20 years to get this done.
Source: 2018 Massachusetts governor campaign website SettiWarren.com
Jun 1, 2017
Page last updated: Dec 01, 2021