Arlington Candidates Night - Mar 18th, 2026

Candidates Night is an event sponsored by the League of Women Voters. Candidates for townwide office are given two minutes to make opening statements. Candidates are each given one minute to answer the moderator's questions, and two minutes for closing statements.

The Housing authority board was excluded from tonight's debate because the race is contested and one of the candidates was unable to attend.

Board of Assessors

There is one candidate running for one seat.

(Mary Winstanley O'Connor) Ms. Winstanley O'Connor has served on the board of assessors for several years and she says we'll continue to have a strong board. She'd like to use her time to talk about tax exemptions available to seniors. Chapter 41A is the senior tax deferral. Seniors 65 or older may defer all of their real estate taxes under certain criteria, until the house is sold or until they pass away. There is interest charged on the amount deferred. This policy is a way to ease the cash burden on struggling seniors.

(Moderator) How can a homeowner appeal their property assessment?

(Mary Winstanley O'Connor) Ms. Winstanley O'Connor says the owner must file an abatement, and provide a justification for the lower assessed value.

(Moderator) Is there tax relief for residents of limited means?

(Mary Winstanley O'Connor) Ms. Winstanley O'Connor says the benefits are mostly for seniors, but there are also programs for vets, police officers, and fire fighters.

(Moderator) What as been the tax impact of Accessory Dwelling Units?

(Mary Winstanley O'Connor) Ms. Winstanley O'Connor says there is no tax impact on abutting properties, but there is an effect to the fair market value of the home where the ADU is built. She encourages people to call the assessor's office if they have questions about their assessment.

Select Board

There are two candidates for two seats on the Select Board.

(Joe Solomon) Mr. Solomon grew up in Arlington then came back to start a family. He built an ADU for his mom to live in, and learned how Arlington works by volunteering. He's worked with neighbors on community issues. Professionally, he's spent over 20 years doing operational work in government. He thinks the main issues for Arlington are the schools, the need for more housing, and thoughtful development and growth.

(Diane Mahon) Ms. Mahon says it's been a privilege to serve as a member of the Select Board and a member of town meeting. Arlington is a great community. She'll take the time to listen and to find solutions. She hopes people will vote yes in the override to protect town services. There's a high circulation rate in our libraries. When a community delays making hard choices, the impact can be lost for years.

(Moderator) If the override fails and the budget has to be cut, what are three areas where cuts could be made?

(Diane Mahon) Ms. Mahon says the override amount was cut to $14.8 million, and she's been part of many conversations about where cuts should be looked at. The decision is ultimately up to the town manager and school superintendent.

(Joe Solomon) Mr. Solomon says there would have to be cuts to the schools, given the size of the school budget. He'd also consider cuts in the road and vehicle budgets.

(Moderator) Describe actions the town could take to eliminate the budget deficit.

(Joe Solomon) Mr. Solomon says that proposition 2.5 is a main factor in our budget deficits, and the state has reduced unrestricted aid. He would look for more ways to increase revenue.

(Diane Mahon) Ms. Mahon says she'd keep the hiring freeze in place and look for ways to regionalize town purchases and maintenance. The state is reducing aid through Chapters 70 and 90. Ms. Mahon doesn't want to do things that would weigh on the backs of employees.

(Moderator) What are your plans for the MWRA and eliminating combined sewer overflows in Alewife Brook?

(Diane Mahon) Ms. Mahon says she's worked on this issue for many years. She would continue to enforce court orders against the MWRA, to hold the MWRA accountable, and get them to clean up.

(Joe Solomon) Mr. Solomon says he'd keep tension on this, and make sure the issue is in front of everyone. He'd look for sources in the MWRA budget that could be used to close the combined overflows.

(Moderator) How would you align DEI with federal policies?

(Joe Solomon) Mr. Solomon says we shouldn't do that. He'd like to see Arlington continue what it's been doing, and push back against the bully.

(Diane Mahon) Ditto for Ms. Mahon. She'd work with the new DEI coordinator to coordinate to identify communities to serve. She'd continue outreach on policies.

(Moderator) The town has taken steps to reduce operational carbon. What are your plans to reduce embodied carbon in new construction, including the rebuilding of the Ottoson Middle School?

(Diane Mahon) Ms. Mahon says that (Town Manager) Jim Feeney has a background in facilities. There's expertise there and elsewhere in town when it comes to knowing what we need to do in order to get state approval for building projects.

(Joe Solomon) Mr. Solomon says we can make choices in building design and materials, and we can adopt the new building codes. We can also apply for grants and rebates.

The candidates deliver closing statements.

(Diane Mahon) Ms. Mahon asks people to vote for her and for the override. A failed override could result in the closing of the Fox library, a reduction in transportation services for senior, and layoffs in the schools. She says local government works when we all have a voice.

(Joe Solomon) Mr. Solomon supports the override. He thinks we've pushed hard to try to get the numbers down, but services depend on the override passing. He wants people to feel a positive impact from town services.

School Committee

There are three candidates for (3) three-year seats (Elizabeth Exton, Paul Schlichtman, and Laura Gittelson) and three candidates for (1) one-year seat (Dmitry Vasilyev, Crystal Copithorne, and Shaun Berry).

(Elizabeth Exton) Ms. Exton wants to continue to improve the schools. The school district is in year three of a five-year plan. She's committee to improving community relations. She's also committed to a statement of interest to rebuild the Ottoson Middle School and for competitive teacher pay. She'd also like to improve the teacher retention rate.

(Paul Schlichtman) Mr. Schlichtman has spent 37 years in education. Arlington delivers high quality education for less money than the state average. We need the override to maintain services in our schools. The cost of running the schools has gone up by about 5% and the override will add 4% to the school budget.

(Laura Gittelson) Ms. Gittelson says her experience on the School Committee has given her an appreciation for the complexity of the work. She's interested in professional development and diversifying the workforce. The challenges are better earning the trust of families, and attracting and retaining teachers. He supports the override. Understanding how the schools work is important.

(Dmitry Vasilyev) Mr. Vasilyev is a data scientist and engineer, and he wants to bring the voices of kids to the School Committee. We need to do a better job of listening to kids and understanding their needs. He would do short surveys after each course and ask kids what they think their goals should be. He'd like to improve the math curriculum and accommodate high-achieving kids.

(Crystal Copithorne) Ms. Copithorne says the foundation we build in schools shapes people for life. Education is both a ladder and a mirror. She sees three issues that affect all families: equity and excellence, representation, and smart stewardship. She thinks we need new perspectives.

(Shaun Berry) Ms. Berry has professional experience as a teacher. She says social justice begins in the classroom. She can decipher educational data and has contributed to Arlington public schools through participation in working groups. She's currently working on the math pathways task force. There will also be renegotiations next year.

(Moderator) Given the override, what are three areas that could be subject to budget cuts?

(Paul Schlichtman) Mr. Schlichtman says we'll need to make cuts, even if the override passes. He'd listen to the school community first, and expand buffer zones to make elementary assignments more efficient.

(Laura Gittelson) Ms. Gittelson says the school committee has been discussing this for months. We've trimmed the administrative staff, reinstated athletic fees, and cut subject area heads. She doesn't support doing this, and it's been a difficult decision.

(Dmitry Vasilyev) Mr. Vasilyev says we'll need to hear from principals, parents, teachers, and children regarding cuts. We'll need to prioritize. He'd consider cuts to administrative staff and expanding class sizes.

(Crystal Copithorne) Ms. Copithorne would trim the central office. She'd investigate public-private partnerships in order to bring in more funds. She sees this as a "yes, and" effort. She'd also institute a more robust grant process.

(Shaun Berry) Ms. Berry would like to maintain student-facing positions. We'll need to comb through the budget and see where money produces the best outcomes. She encourages a yes vote on the override.

(Elizabeth Exton) Ms. Exton says the school committee has been working with the superintendent on this. They're reinstating athletic and music fees, but non-student-facing roles can't be stripped.

(Moderator) Would you support treating program fees as an enterprise fund?

(Laura Gittelson) Ms. Gittelson says the School Committee has looked at this. We need good data on the effect of eliminating fees and who's effected.

(Dmitry Vasilyev) Mr. Vasilyev says he'd need to do data research.

(Crystal Copithorne) Ms. Copithorne says we need to have data and pathways to equity.

(Shaun Berry) Ms. Berry think curriculum supplements shouldn't have fees. Fees for sports programs could be an option, since only a limited number of students participate. She says we're already doing this with PTO funding.

(Elizabeth Exton) Ms. Exton says we were able to eliminate fees years ago, but we're in a different position now. We should have a conversation about that regarding extra-curricular activities.

(Paul Schlichtman) Mr. Schlichtman thinks we should look for opportunities to rent school facilities and collect rental fees. Mr. Schlichtman says that middle-income families often have trouble with fees.

(Moderator) The school district has been criticized for a lack of transparency. Would you support an ombudsman position?

(Dmitry Vasilyev) Mr. Vasilyev says we need to have open channels. We need student feedback and we need to meet people where they are.

(Crystal Copithorne) Ms. Copithorne says an ombudsman is one way to go. A diversity council connected to the school committee is another. Right now, black and Latino students have significantly higher dropout and suspension rates than white students.

(Shaun Berry) Ms. Berry says an ombudsman is a viable option. Families want better two-way communications. We need to get more information from parents and a mediation structure to address conflicts.

(Elizabeth Exton) Ms. Exton says we've tried listening sessions, which were well-attended at first but not over time. There has to be a mechanism for getting this feedback to the superintendent.

(Paul Schlichtman) Mr. Schlichtman says it will be hard to add an ombudsman when we're having to cut staff positions. The School Board is a policy board, and this has to start with teachers, principals, and administrators.

(Laura Gittelson) Ms. Gittelson says there are misconceptions about what the school committee can do. The superintendent had 23 listening sessions which prompted some good discussions.

(Moderator) Should the school develop policies around the use of AI?

(Crystal Copithorne) Ms. Copithorne says we can't deny that AI is happening, and we'll need policies to teach students about it's dangers. It's necessary to address.

(Shaun Berry) Ms. Berry says we don't know what the best practices are yet, and we need conversations about what works and what doesn't. She thinks it can be helpful with project-based learning.

(Elizabeth Exton) Ms. Exton says we need to work on how to use AI and when. Bias and critical thinking are major issues, and teachers need the freedom to make decisions.

(Laura Gittelson) Ms. Gittelson says that policy moves slowly but AI does not. The role of the School Committee is to ask questions and work with educators to navigate issues.

(Dmitry Vasilyev) Mr. Vasilyev says that AI is not Earth-shattering and it does not invalidate math. He says students need to know how to use it, and how to check the results.

(Moderator) Would you support the legislature's proposal to make the schools bell-to-bell phone-free?

(Shaun Berry) Ms. Berry says there's been an uptick in phone use. She thinks phone-free is appropriate for kindergarten to eighth grade, but it's harder in high schools.

(Elizabeth Exton) Ms. Exton says we need to teach students how to moderate use. Pouches are expensive and difficult to manage. We should listen to teachers on how it's going.

(Paul Schlichtman) Mr. Schlichtman thinks this is an inappropriate use of the legislature. This kind of policy needs to come from teachers, parents, and schools.

(Laura Gittelson) Ms. Gittelson says she hopes we get funding if the legislature does this. Phones are a reality for kids and they need to learn how to use them responsibly.

(Dmitry Vasilyev) Mr. Vasilyev says it's important to educate parents on how to educate students. Phones should be put away during class time. My kids use flip phones, voluntarily.

(Crystal Copithorne) Ms. Copithorne says parents need to buy in. Parents will need the ability to communicate with their kids.

On to closing statements.

(Shaun Berry) Ms. Berry thinks the School Committee has a proven track record of working in Arlington to improve school outcomes.

(Crystal Copithorne) Ms. Copithorne says the schools are strong and the community cares about kids. We need equity and actionable results, not working in silos. She would bring executive leadership and community organizing experience to the School Board.

(Dmitry Vasilyev) Mr. Vasilyev would put children's needs front and center in the School Committee. Without love, physical and intellectual powers will not develop.

(Laura Gittelson) Ms. Gittelson cares deeply about the schools, and the work is very personal to her. Strong schools don't happen by accident and we have work to do.

(Paul Schlichtman) Mr. Schlichtman says that understaffing causes brown-outs, where services are not available. The override is about the values for our community.

(Elizabeth Exton) Ms. Exton says the work of the school committee is complex. She supports the five-year plan, the Ottoson feasibility study, and managing the fiscal challenges.