Residents and candidates share concerns and goals as two largely opposing slates face off tonight.
With elections for the Medford City Council and School Committee approaching, candidates are offering distinct visions for the city’s future. Those endorsed by “Our Revolution Medford” hope to defend and expand their progressive supermajorities on both bodies, while independent candidates are pushing for a more moderate agenda.
Our Revolution-backed candidates currently hold a 6–1 majority on the City Council and a 4–2 majority on the School Committee. All but one of those six — Council Vice President Kit Collins — are running for reelection. The group has also endorsed two non-incumbents for both City Council and School Committee.
Council President Zac Bears, who was endorsed by Our Revolution, said after September’s preliminary election that he was confident more progressive voters would turn out in November.
The group of independents includes both first-time and returning candidates. Councilor George Scarpelli led the pack in the mayoral preliminary. Former Council President Rick Caraviello, who made an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2023, is hoping to return to the council and came in second in September. Melanie Tringali, who also ran unsuccessfully in 2023, is making another attempt and placed third in the preliminary.
“We are a Motley Crew of ideas and personalities. We definitely disagree on the details. And you’ll see that when we’re all elected. That’s one of the reasons why we were able to come together to compete against the Our Revolution platform,” Nate Merritt, an independent candidate, wrote in a statement to the Daily.
The city’s zoning overhaul and housing access have emerged as central issues in the campaign. Proponents argue that rezoning will create more housing opportunities and vibrant communities, while opponents fear the process has moved too quickly, threatening neighborhood character.
“Whether people supported it or had concerns, zoning affects everyone,” Page Buldini, who was eliminated in the preliminary, wrote in a statement to the Daily. “The next step is consistent public education and outreach so residents feel encouraged to ask questions, seek information, and take part in shaping what comes next.”
The zoning project has largely stalled following the expiration of the city’s contract with a consultant, as well as divisions between the council and Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn. The City Council is set to vote on a reconsideration of one of the most contentious segments of the project — the Salem Street Corridor — in mid-November.
Resident Dan Nowitz expressed concern that communities could change drastically due to zoning and construction. “We all want solutions, but just building more and upzoning often helps wealthier newcomers and investors, not the current Medford families hoping to put down roots,” he wrote the Daily.
The city’s financial situation has also raised concerns among candidates, who disagree on how best to bring in revenue and fund infrastructure projects.
“[The budget] is one of those all-expanding problems that creeps over into everything else,” Councilor Matt Leming said. “Most of it reduces to the fact that we don’t have money to support [certain projects].”
Candidates in the independent group have criticized overspending and called for tighter control. They hope to avoid another tax override following last year’s Proposition 2½ property tax override, which funded specific needs within Medford Public Schools and the Department of Public Works.
“Our tax base isn’t great, and this is why we’ve been relying on Proposition 2½ overrides. … I think it’s a form of financial duct tape,” Patrick Clerkin, a candidate with the independent group, said.
Budget concerns have been intensified by pressures from the federal government. The administration of President Donald Trump has targeted municipalities that have sanctuary city policies, such as Medford, and has ramped up the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the area.
The current council has passed ordinances in response to these federal actions, drawing criticism from independent candidates who call for a greater focus on citywide rather than national issues. Candidates differ on how much the city should intervene in the actions of federal agents.
“When we ensure that we’re not complying with ICE, we’re saving Medford’s resources and time on things that are not keeping anyone safe — that are instilling fear in so many residents,” Miranda Briseño, a first-time candidate who was endorsed by Our Revolution, said.
“I don’t want to see [ICE] going into schools, taking children out of schools. But [with] violent criminals, murderers, rapists and drug dealers, they’re doing their job,” Paul Donato Jr., a candidate with the independent group, said. “It’s a federal issue; there’s really not much the city of Medford could do.”
Residents will also vote in November on a new city charter. Supported by Lungo-Koehn and passed by both the City Council and the State House, the charter would bring the first structural changes to the mayoralty and City Council in decades.
School Committee candidates have discussed the growing presence of artificial intelligence and its potential use as a learning tool. They planned for a reimagined Medford High School and the potential impact of federal actions on curricula and budgets.
“[The high school project is] so long overdue that every day that we wait is a day that we’re not giving kids the building that they deserve,” Jenny Graham, vice chair of the School Committee, said.
“It was very much a year of sides and slates, which showed how strongly people feel about the direction of the city,” Buldini wrote. “At the end of the day, we’re all part of the same city, and understanding where that division comes from is the first step toward doing better.”