On Jan. 30, VoteDeis, the Student Union and The Abraham Feinberg Educational Network For Active Civic Transformation (ENACT) hosted an event called “It’s Not All About the President: Engaging in Local and State Government,” held in Rapaporte Treasure Hall. The event panelists were Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, State Representative Thomas Stanley and City Councilor and Brandeis alum Paul Katz ’85.
McCarthy started her political career by serving on the school board for six years and the Waltham City Council for two years. She was first elected to be mayor in 2004 and has been reelected every four years since. Stanley has represented the ninth Middlesex district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 2001 and also serves as a councilor-at-large on the Waltham City Council. Katz is the Waltham City Councilor for ward seven, which includes the Brandeis campus. He has a degree in economics from Brandeis and has worked with the Reagle Music Theatre of Waltham for over 40 years. Katz was first elected to the City Council in 2021.
The event began with remarks from Provost Carol Fierke. The opening remarks were originally going to be given by Interim President Arthur Levine, but he was sick and unable to attend. Fierke discussed starting her job during the COVID-19 pandemic, the changing nature of education and the world. She also spoke about how politics can feel overwhelming, but that it is important to remain involved.
After Fierke’s remarks, the panelists were introduced by Student Union President Rani Balakrishna ’25. They answered some questions prepared by VoteDeis, including about how they started in politics. All three panelists discussed the importance of politicians listening to their constituents. Stanley recommended that young people interested in getting involved in politics should volunteer for a campaign because it allows them to make connections with the candidate.
Following the prepared questions, the audience was allowed to ask questions of their own. The panelists addressed questions on a variety of major issues. On a question about abortion, they all agreed that it was currently a state issue that local leaders cannot do much about. In response to a question about the environment, McCarthy discussed Waltham’s status as a Green Community and the difficulty of balancing environmental concerns with economic concerns. Katz discussed reviewing plans for Brandeis’ future residence hall, which he was very impressed with and described as “not quite net-zero but close to it.” On immigration, McCarthy discussed outreach efforts to Waltham’s immigrant community and promised that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would not be allowed in Waltham schools. She also advocated for a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants with children who are U.S. citizens.
