Marc McGovern for City Council, 2017
Marc McGovern, a fourth-generation Cantabrigian, graduated from Cambridge Rindge & Latin School in 1987 and went on to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. After a few years off, he returned to school at the University of Massachusetts at Boston and graduated with a degree in sociology, going on to work as a social worker with special-needs children in foster care before returning to school and earning his master’s degree in social work from Simmons College in 2001. He has worked with at-risk children and families for two decades, as well as serving on the School Committee for four terms.
He was elected to the council in 2013, and in the past term has been vice mayor, sitting in frequently when Mayor E. Denise Simmons must be elsewhere.
Compiled from the candidate’s words in publicly available sources.
Top three priorities:
Social and economic justice. This includes affordable housing, social equity, early childhood education, a $15 minimum wage, job training and immigrant rights.
Collaboration. We need to ensure that we have a council that works well together and remains focused on our common goals. The people of Cambridge, especially those who are most vulnerable, cannot afford to have their representatives distracted by personal conflicts. This does not mean that we will always agree – no one always agrees – but it does mean that we find common ground, that we respect one another and that we don’t let personal grudges get in the way of serving our city.
Public safety. This includes everything from supporting or first responders, to safe street infrastructure and climate change. We need to ensure that every resident in Cambridge, regardless of race, class, gender, sexual orientation or ZIP code feels safe, not only in their neighborhood but with those who are charged with keeping them safe. We also need to ensure that people using all modes of transportation can traverse our city in safety. And of course, climate change is the greatest threat facing our world, and Cambridge must continue to be a leader in battling this threat.
Excerpted from Scout Cambridge. Read the complete profile here.
Endorsements:
A Better Cambridge: “Marc McGovern is a stalwart when it comes to fighting for affordable housing. He led the way on increasing the percentage of affordable units provided and amount of money paid to the city by developers. As a social worker, he takes a holistic approach to the issues affecting the most vulnerable in our city and has a rare talent for bringing opposing stakeholders together to create progress.”
Sierra Club
The Rev. Fred Small, First Parish
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2222
Ellen Schachter, Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services
U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey
State Rep. Marjorie Decker
State Sen. Sal DiDomenico
State Rep. Jay Livingstone
Greater Boston Labor Council
Nothing but praise for this city councillor and his work over the past two years. He has been a source of reason, calm and collegiality, and his work advocating for the city’s immigrants and other vulnerable populations has been inspiring. This is the rare politician who actually brings people together, listens and communicates, and is able to admit mistakes; while we had minor concerns about him on the 2015 campaign trail, the past term has shown him to be another council incumbent we can hope unreservedly will return for more.
