John has a proven record of performance and accomplishment as an elected official. He works to put politics aside and focuses instead on the issues at hand.

On Finances

As Chairman of the Quincy City Council’s Finance Committee for seven years, John has successfully fought to keep the City’s finances on solid footing. His record stands out:
• He has regularly resisted political pressure to pass short-term financial fixes
• In 2007, John stood up for taxpayers and opposed a politically motivated plan to artificially lower the tax rate, forewarning that it would later cost taxpayers more, which did happen
• In early 2008, anticipating the current fiscal crisis, John challenged the Mayor and his fellow councilors to make difficult budget choices, resulting in rational budget cuts that positioned the City to better weather the present fiscal storm
• In the spring of 2009, John conducted Council hearings to review all aspects of City spending, working with his colleagues to fundamentally change Quincy’s government and its delivery of services
• For Fiscal Year 2010, John worked with Quincy Mayor Tom Koch to pass a balanced budget which resulted in a slight decrease in the average single family tax bill
• While John has served as Chairman of the Council’s Finance Committee, Quincy has kept within the limits of Proposition 2 ½
• The Patriot Ledger has recognized John’s “legitimate experience in financial analysis”

On Economic Development and Jobs

John has played a critical role in ensuring the economic development of Quincy. Having served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for seven years, he learned what it would take to develop a vital downtown. His record stands out:
• When he first ran for the City Council several years ago, John urged the passage of amendments to Quincy’s zoning ordinance and for a streamlined permitting process to encourage downtown development
• As a Councilor and chairperson of Downtown and Economic Development Committee from 2004-2006, John spearheaded the passage of “Smart Growth” legislation – the first of its kind in Massachusetts– for the revitalization of Quincy Center
• John supported new zoning, the creation of a Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) District and a District Improvement Financing (DIF) program for Quincy Center, creating the streamlined permitting process for which he had been an early, vocal advocate
• With the economic development incentives and zoning changes in place, nationally recognized Street-Works Development, LLC is working with the City on plans for a public-private development calling for private investment of more than $1 billion, including major new infrastructure, nearly 1,100 units of residential housing, and thousands of square feet in new commercial and retail space.
• A study by a national economic consulting firm shows that the re-development of downtown Quincy will create over 4,000 construction jobs and over 4,000 permanent jobs, having a major economic impact on the economy of Quincy and the entire region
• As Chairman of the Finance Committee, John has fought for passage of financial incentives that have attracted Blue Fin Technologies and the New England Aquarium to the Fore River shipyard, bringing jobs and new tax revenues to the City and the region.
• John supported incentives for the $16 million redevelopment of 100 Hancock Street, which recently received a LEED Core & Shell Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council; the building will now be home to 800 workers from the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management, which chose the site over buildings in Boston and Cambridge, and about 110 employees with Affiliated Computer Services, all new jobs to Quincy. 
• As Chairman of the Finance Committee, John recently led on passage of an extension to a tax incremental financing plan with Boston Scientific, an international medical device company.  Boston Scientific will invest $55 million to expand its Quincy facilities, creating several hundred new construction jobs and millions of dollars in new tax growth.

On Education

Despite difficult financial times, Quincy has maintained its commitment to the public schools. As a seven year member of the Council’s Education Committee, John has supported education by:
• Passing budgets that have maintained low class sizes, established new reading programs, improved technology, and provided professional development and competitive salaries for teachers
• Supporting the establishment of a tuition free, city-wide full day kindergarten program
• Opposing the proposed Hanlin Charter School, testifying before the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that the proposal was tailored to just one race. While not opposed to charter schools in general, John feels that each charter school proposal should be subjected to a complete, need-based, non-political review

On Quality of Life

As a Councilor, John has a proven record of fighting to preserve Quincy’s neighborhoods:
• He drafted and introduced a measure that halted multi-family development that was out of character with the City’s neighborhoods and co-drafted amendments to the City’s zoning ordinance designed to keep future development more complementary to the surrounding neighborhoods
• He drafted an ordinance to halt the paving of entire front yards
• He has successfully advocated for the purchase of open space parcels in the City, and voted to re-zone acres of land in Quincy to open space, preserving them for future generations
• When an oversized billboard was erected in West Quincy, John introduced a resolve that became the basis for a hearing before the State Outdoor Advertising Board, at which he testified, and which formed the foundation of the City’s legal efforts to remove the sign