Candidates’ Night 2017

October 19, 2017

See where candidates for Quincy city council stand on environmental issues

The Quincy Climate Action Network hosted a candidates’ night for open city council seats on October 19, 2017. All 12 candidates – six vying for three at-large positions and two contenders each for wards 1, 5 and 6 – attended. They answered QCAN members’ environmental questions, most of which had been sent to them ahead of time.

Click on the videos below to hear a representative answer from each of the at-large candidates:

Noel DiBona

Margaret Laforest

Nina Liang

Anne Mahoney

Daniel Raymondi

Steve Tougas

Click on the videos below to hear a soundbite from each of the ward candidates:

David McCarthy (Ward 1)

Joseph Murphy (Ward 1)

Kirsten Hughes (Ward 5)

Michael Hurley (Ward 5)

William Harris (Ward 6)

Herbert “Alie” Shaughnessy (Ward 6)

You can also compare and contrast candidates’ responses to a given question in the videos below.

Questions

What’s the most significant thing you’ve done – at home, at work, in government, or in the community – to help protect our fragile climate? Please name just one action, and if possible, quantify its results.

At-large candidates:

Why should a voter whose main concern is climate change choose you instead of your opponent?

Ward candidates:

If the city could take any action to combat climate change, not including things we are already doing, which action would get the most dramatic results in cost savings and/or greenhouse-gas reductions? What will you as a city councilor do to encourage Quincy to take this action?

At-large candidates:

Ward candidates:

Fifteen percent of Quincy residents recycle. What advantages would result from increasing our recycling rate, and how could the city make it happen?

At-large candidates:

Ward candidates:

To increase our low recycling rate, the city is planning to give all residents standard-size trash and recycling carts. Would you sponsor a measure in the city council telling the city to add a third cart for food waste, which would then be sent out for composting, or composting bins for people’s yards? As you answer, keep in mind that composting would cost us less per ton than what we’re paying to burn our food waste, and that it would substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

At-large candidates:

Let’s say the city government decided to increase knowledge of climate and energy use among Quincy residents. Name three or more city departments that should have a role in such a campaign, and specify what each of these departments would do to raise awareness.

At-large candidates:

Many local towns and cities are saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by using electric vehicles in their city fleets. Weymouth, Braintree, and Scituate all use them. New Bedford has 24. The city council has asked Mayor Koch to explore using electric vehicles for Quincy’s fleet. What more would you do as a city councilor to assure that Quincy takes advantage of this opportunity?

Ward candidates: