Special to the Transcript
State Sen. Lydia Edwards has endorsed Hannah Belcher for Town Council President in the upcoming election. The following is her statement of support:
“Our local election is scheduled for November. Local elections, especially those outside of Boston, often struggle to capture the headlines. However, many of us are aware that local elections and politics have a more direct impact on quality-of-life issues than any other form of government. When I was the East Boston City Councilor, I used to say that my job’s jurisdiction went from potholes to skylines and air quality.
Here in Winthrop, our local government has the same jurisdiction and is often part of negotiating and advocating, along with the state delegation, for Winthrop residents concerning Massport (the airport), MWRA (Mass Water Resources Authority, including Deer Island), the MBTA (including ferry and bus services), and the DCR (including beaches).
The Town Council is responsible for leading the way locally, and the Town Council President leads the Council and is a member of the School Committee. The Town Council President makes all – or most – of the local appointments, and the Town Manager reports to the President. Essentially, this role is crucial in helping Winthrop address the numerous concerns of today, including housing, flooding, safety, and education. We need a leader who has a vision for the town that is inclusive, honors our history, and meets the challenges of today.
In Hannah, we have someone who wants more than to “Keep Winthrop, Winthrop.”
Maintaining the status quo is not meeting the challenges of today, let alone preparing for the future. Hannah knows that we need to be a Winthrop that is welcoming, “waterproof,” and willing to meet the challenges of a changing world together.
Hannah was born and raised in Winthrop and is a product of Winthrop Public Schools. Her family has been in Winthrop for generations, and she loves the town. I got to know her after I was elected as the state senator. She, more than any other Town Councilor, has called my office or my cell phone to discuss the ferry, the bus stop, school funding, environmental protections for Belle Isle Marsh, noise at Suffolk Downs, and numerous other local issues. She was the first Councilor to reach out to me about the MBTA housing laws and expressed concerns about the number of units. She organized a meeting with Councilor DaRos at my office, and Hannah was the first councilor to host a community forum about the new law.
Hannah’s leadership style is open and unafraid. Whatever the topic, Hannah will dive in, study, and insist on a dialogue. She knows that the best solutions will come from the community, especially when the community can engage in respectful and consistent dialogue.
She is a new kind of leader and a fresh voice.
When I attended her kick-off on September 10th, I was struck by the multi-generational, multi-cultural room. Working families, retirees, young people, and seniors from across the political spectrum filled the room. I am already impressed with how she is campaigning differently, meeting commuters on the ferry, at the bus stops, and hosting coffee hours. I expect she will continue to think of creative ways to meet as many Winthrop residents as possible.
Now, I want to be clear that, while I am supporting Hannah, it has nothing to do with Jim Letterie personally. All of my interactions and conversations with Jim have been respectful and professional. He is a good man, father, and husband. In this day and age, with increasing political violence and social media vitriol, I feel it is incumbent on me and any other supporters of either Hannah or Jim to be respectful and concentrate on the issues.
Speaking of which, Hannah has proven herself to be the working family candidate who is fighting for a green future. She initiated the Climate Commission and has led efforts to raise the Pride and Juneteenth flags. She most recently led a campaign to pass a Welcoming City resolution. While the Council deadlocked and the measure did not pass, much to the disappointment of many, I still looked on Hannah with immense pride for her strength in tackling a tough topic openly again.
Hannah knows that change is inevitable, but thriving in that change, and seeing it for the opportunity that it is, is a choice. It takes a special kind of leader to bring people together and tackle the changes before us. The easiest thing to do is to fight change and say “no” to new ideas or new ways of thinking. It’s also easy to “circle the wagons” and try to pretend that Winthrop is an island. It’s not! Winthrop is part of a beautiful region. We need a leader like Hannah, who has already initiated conversations with councilors from East Boston and Revere on traffic issues (e.g., Bennington and Saratoga), ferry issues, and climate change. Hannah knows that a regional response is necessary to tackle flooding, housing, and safety. In some cases, Winthrop will lead the region; in others, we will learn and support.
Winthrop can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can honor our history while working towards a future that includes everyone. If you agree that we need to work together, I hope you will consider voting for Hannah Belcher on November 4, 2025.