At a recent gathering, members of Medford for MA discussed what questions we would like to pose to candidates for city offices in this fall’s elections. Following is the preliminary list of issues. We welcome input and feedback! Please send potential questions on these progressive issues for candidates to medfordforma@gmail.com. If there is an progressive topic you think we have overlooked, or need to break down further, please email us. There are a few obvious progressive issues, like raising the minimum wage and earned sick time that we have not addressed here, because they do not seem to be directly relevant to being on the Medford City Council.

Green Line – development in the area and potential expansion to Rt 16
Affordable housing – what are candidates’ views on affordable housing in Medford?
Community Preservation Act – Do they support it, where would they recommend funds are spent?
Charter Review – Should the charter be reviewed and what is the number one thing they would like to see looked at in a charter review?
Medford Square businesses – how would you work to help them, what policies/ordinances would you pursue to help them?
Vulnerability to Climate Change/Resiliency – What do you think Medford’s greatest risk in the next 20 years is, and how would you begin to prepare for it?
Liquor & entertainment licenses – Do we have enough? Too many? Should the rules be changed? Why?
Economic Development – What can Medford city government do to proactively encourage economic development and what, if any, specific types of economic development should Medford be encouraging?
Energy & Environment Issues – questions to get at their values in this area. What are the biggest environmental issues facing Medford and what should we be doing about them? What would you do to improve the Mystic River? Should Medford increase its use of renewable energy and, if so how?
Gentrification – What would you do to guard against gentrification in Medford Neighborhoods?
Zoning – Need for zoning updates and to update obsolete ordinances – where do they think we need change in zoning?
Library funding & support – What efforts, if any, would you support to improve and preserve the Medford Public Library?
Arts funding – same difficulty as library funding
Education – in particular modernization of the Vocational School
Immigrant communities – Medford as welcoming community – what can we do to be more welcome to the people moving into Medford?
Racial justice issues/human rights – what do you think is the state of racial justice in Medford?

Some possible litmus test questions:

• What is the biggest issue facing Medford?
• If elected, what issue are you most interested in working on?

Please send your questions for the candidates, thoughts and ideas to MedfordForMA@gmail.com.
View current candidate information.