NO LABELS | JUST LEADERSHIP - It's simple. Community over politics. I am running for mayor to represent all residents of our great community. Our community is diverse. It's made up of people from many races, religions, creeds, ethnicities, backgrounds, and sexual orientations. I understand that for many, labels are an important part of personal identity. I support everyone's right to define themselves freely. I simply believe that political labels are divisive - and an oversimplification of my belief structure. We are individuals - we are unique and the product of our lived experiences. Those experiences are what shape our world view. 

 

Our two party system is broken. It forces you to choose a side to have a decent chance to win. I am a registered Democrat because my belief structure more closely aligns with that particular party, but that party label doesn’t tell the whole story about who I am, what I stand for, or the campaign I am running.

The label that matters most to me is community. I love Easthampton. I grew up here, I live here, I work here, and I volunteer here. I will be a mayor for the people. My door will be open, my ear will be listening, and your voice will be heard and valued. We may not always agree and our minds may not be changed, but we can gain valuable perspective by having dialogue and public discourse.

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I believe we need to get out of our political silos and the echo chambers that make us more polarized. Talk with your neighbors. I believe we shouldn't assume we know who someone is based solely upon a lawn sign or a bumper sticker. We can only grow as people when our worldview is challenged and informed by a different perspective. We all have policy issues we care about. We have values, beliefs, principles, passions, and convictions that we hold dear.

If this sounds Pollyanna, I assure you - I am not naive. I understand that our world is complicated and that our country faces serious issues that threaten to divide us further. Easthampton is not an island. We will need to be prepared to tackle difficult, complex, and nuanced political issues head-on. We will not bury our heads in the sand or sit idly by. However, I believe we have an opportunity to set an example for productive public discourse.

 

Easthampton and Massachusetts is fortunate to have experienced representation on Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill. I am running for mayor because I believe local government is what makes or breaks a community. It's the level of government that most directly impacts our quality of life. The potholes need to get filled, the trash has to be picked up, and the snow has to get plowed. Businesses need to thrive, seniors and veterans need to be honored and supported. Our students need to be challenged and engaged and our community needs to remain affordable for young families and those on a fixed income.

Let’s face it. The internet, social media, and artificial intelligence have made it easier to communicate and enhance our productivity. However, it has also made it easier to hate, easier for misinformation to spread, and easier for the lines between reality and make believe to become blurred.

 

My NO LABELS | JUST LEADERSHIP slogan quite simply means I will always put community over politics. Easthampton is great because our people are good. Leadership matters - now more than ever. -JT