Mayor Laredo points to early progress in first 100 days, as major work remains

Mayor Marc Laredo marked his first 100 days in office on April 11, citing progress on his promises to expand housing, improve basic City services, and strengthen community connections. His administration is advancing those priorities, though many initiatives remain in early stages, as residents raise questions about school funding, federal immigration enforcement, and other key issues. 

Mayor Laredo has promoted the accomplishments of his team in a series of electronic newsletters, the first two of which were on “Building Community” and “Outstanding Customer Service.”

Following up on those newsletters at a joint event hosted by NewTV and the Newton Beacon, Mayor Marc Laredo reflected on his first 100 days and took questions from residents. NewTV anchor Jenn Adams asked what had surprised him most since taking office.

In response, Mayor Laredo highlighted early efforts to connect with the community, including a “Laredo Listens” tour that brought him to all eight wards to hear directly from residents and City employees.

Immigration

Mayor Laredo said that the escalation of federal immigration enforcement, including high-profile incidents in Minnesota, was one of the most shocking developments early in his tenure.

“We were dealing with immigration issues before January, but given what was going on in Minnesota especially, they really came to the forefront,” Mayor Laredo said. “I’m very proud of our efforts here in the city.” 

On February 8, Mayor Laredo issued an Executive Order confirming existing City policies and the Newton Police Department’s existing protocols with regard to public safety and the use of City property. He released it in conjunction with orders on the same topic from Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Lynn, and Somerville. 

On March 18, City Councilors and residents sought more in-depth policies. Ward 5 City Councilor Brittany Hume Charm shared her concern. She identified a “false sense of security” running contrary to public sentiment. She works at Boston City Hall and said that Boston’s guidance seemed clearer and more firm. 

Back in NewTV’s studio, Mayor Laredo reiterated Newton’s approach to dealing with ICE. He said the City will abide by the rule of law and not put Newton Police in direct confrontation with ICE officers. 

He said the City will coordinate across departments to ensure preparedness. He said if a problem arises, they will work to resolve it in keeping with the best interests of residents. 

“Building Community” and “Outstanding Customer Service”

When Mayor Laredo was sworn in on January 1, he pledged to focus on improving basic City services. Since then, he said he has made a point of speaking regularly with residents and aims to respond to every email within one business day. 

Through those conversations, Mayor Laredo said he has found that residents value living in Newton, even as they raise concerns about issues like road conditions and other day-to-day inconveniences.  

Mayor Laredo pledged to strengthen the City’s arts and culture scene. In January, Meryl Kessler was sworn in as director of Newton’s Arts and Culture department, a role aimed at connecting artists and creative groups across the city. 

Growth in housing and business

Mayor Laredo on Day One vowed to build more housing.  According to the Mayor’s Office, 14 building permits have been issued since January 1. 

“Housing affordability is an extraordinarily difficult issue,” Mayor Laredo said. “We are not going to resolve it in Newton alone.”

Mayor Laredo referenced how, during his time as President of the City Council, the City responded to the MBTA Communities Act, which allows for more multi-unit zoning within village centers. He said there have been significant efforts to bring in more developers. He qualified his remarks by stating that there should still be the necessary consultations with neighbors and other stakeholders before development takes place.  

He also said that he thinks improving Newton’s Commuter Rail service will be beneficial for all residents, despite being expensive. This is an issue he hopes to continue to pursue, as he says it is in alignment with the push for more affordable housing in village centers. 

Ward 2 City Councilor Tarik Lucas said he has witnessed some MBTA housing begin to get off the ground as well as projects through special permits and larger Chapter 40B developments. He said the gradual progress on housing makes sense given the scale of the issue. 

Multiple small businesses have opened since Mayor Laredo took office: Formosa Bun & Dumpling Factory in Newton Centre, Amarin of Thailand in Newtonville, Court 16 in Upper Falls, and Divergence Physical Therapy & Wellness in Newton Corner.  

“We want to make it easier if you’re a new business owner wanting to set up shop in the city,” he said. 

Transparency

Asked about transparency, Mayor Laredo said he plans to continue making City operations more accessible to residents. He spoke about the League of Women Voters’ Municipal Transparency and Accountability Report, released in November 2024, calling it a “well-thought-out” set of recommendations. 

He said the new City website in progress will help further transparency in the government’s operations. 

The League has expressed concern about the City’s choice to install CivicPlus as the docket tracking system, noting that another system, Legistar, would offer more transparency, although at a higher cost.  

Fiscal challenges

Mayor Laredo said the City successfully pushed to extend its pension funding deadline from 2032 to 2035 after meeting with the Retirement Board. He said that eased short-term budget pressures and allowed for more funding to be used elsewhere. But he noted that this newly available funding has mostly already been incorporated in the budget he will present and is not available for other uses.

Residents also raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of school funding, questioning whether the City could realistically meet future budget goals. 

“Education is expensive,” Mayor Laredo said. “There’s always a trade-off, but I am confident that we are going to get the schools to a place where they will thrive.”  He also said, “I told this to the School Committee from Day One: We were not going to play games.” 

Councilor Lucas said he is excited to see what Mayor Laredo will bring to the table for the first City budget meeting on Monday, April 27. 

“The budget is the most important thing,” Lucas said. “Hopefully, we can get the School Department the funding that it needs. We’re still paying off our debt, still paying off our pensions.”