Judith Garber Town Meeting Precinct 4
My goals as Town Meeting member are to:
- Advocate for policies to make Arlington as welcoming and inclusive as possible, with a focus on affordable housing and racial justice
- Be a responsive, accessible, and open-minded representative
- Serve as a resource for educating precinct members on Town government events and policies, and help others get involved
Election Day is April 6, 2024
Learn more about how to register to vote and vote by mail: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/town-governance/elections-voting
Upcoming Events
- Wednesday, April 24, 8pm: First Night of Town Meeting!
About me
Hello! My name is Judith Garber (she/her) and I am very excited to run for re-election to represent Precinct 4 at Town Meeting in Arlington. I have been a resident of East Arlington for six years with my husband Eric and our lovely cat Jazzy, and I have been living in the Boston area for 13 years.
During the day, I work in public policy and communications at a healthcare nonprofit. I also play competitive ultimate frisbee in the Boston area. You can often find me throwing a frisbee at Magnolia Park, running on the bike path, or going to see a show at Capital Theater or AFD.
Why I’m running (again)
I have always been interested in civic engagement, but decided to get more involved directly during the pandemic after connecting with my neighbors on anti-racism projects in town.
As a TMM my priorities have been supporting multifamily and affordable housing to address the housing crisis, as well as initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion in town. I strive to learn as much as I can about each article, gather feedback from residents, and contribute thoughtfully to discussions.
It has been a privilege and a pleasure to represent precinct 4 so far, and I hope I will get the opportunity to continue.
What I care about
Affordable housing — We have a housing crisis in the Boston area, and the pandemic only made the situation more dire. I am committed to helping create more housing, and especially more Affordable housing. As someone who lives in a multifamily unit on Mass Ave, I was proud to support the 2023 MBTA-Communities proposal to allow more multifamily housing on Mass Ave and Broadway. However, multifamily housing does not guarantee affordability. Previously I have introduced zoning articles to increase the proportion of new units that must be affordable, and I look forward to seeing similar articles that make use of our new zoning rules to push for more affordable housing.
Racial justice — Arlington prides itself on being a progressive town, but we still have a long way to go towards making this town as inclusive and welcoming as possible. I have been a strong supporter of policies to improve police accountability, such as the Civilian Review Board. In 2023, I introduced a budget amendment to ask the town to reconsider their purchase of “bolo wraps” — a lasso-like restraint tool– for the Arlington Police Department until they had engaged in more community conversation on the subject. The amendment and constructive conversation resulted in the town declining to purchase the device.
Transparency and solidarity — I love the feeling of community that comes from taking action with my neighbors, and I support ways to get more interested precinct members involved in town government. As a Town Meeting member, my goal will be to make local issues and town government as accessible as possible. I will support efforts to make town meetings accessible virtually, even after the pandemic, so more people can participate. I am committed to open communication and discussion with all precinct members, to best represent the interests of all of us in the precinct.
Contact Me
What issues in the town or precinct are most important to you? Have questions about town government or the voting process? Just want to chat? Email me at JgarberTMM4@gmail.com.
Judith Garber for Precinct 4 Town Meeting Rep! 