Opinion: Do You Know Mary?

Submitted by Rebecca MacLachlan
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If you haven’t gone to Common Council meetings in the past eight years, Mary Bartolotta might not be a household name to you. But, as someone has gone to many over the years, I’ve learned that Mary is someone I, and many others can depend on.

While the old guard mostly vote with their buddies, Mary, time and time again, has stood up for what’s right, not necessarily what’s politically comfortable.

For years I worked with others to try to get the city to protect the health of our kids and the environment by eliminating the use of toxic chemicals on our playing fields and parks. Mary was on board from the start, not late in the day when other Council members bowed to public pressure to ban them.

If you look at her record, this is nothing new. In 2013, Mary led and wrote our new Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Ordinances that specify that “no one can deny services on the basis of race, color.... religious creed... national origin, sex, transgender status, gender identity or expression, intellectual disability or physical disability, Vietnam Era Veteran status, ...law, sexual orientation... political belief...”

Several years ago, Mary began encouraging the creation of a citizens’ review board of residents to review complaints and police best practices, staying the course on police and recommend best practices.

Mary was out in front on helping to educate the public on the hazards of artificial turf and supported creating more natural grass fields instead, spearheading yet another city ordinance, just as she took on banning fracking and fracking waste storage.

Just this past year, Mary was one of the first to advocate the establishment of an LGBTQ commission and pushed for funding the city’s first Pride Parade.

Mary has been willing to speak out against nepotism and the pernicious practice of hiring people into city positions who are considered “good guys” instead of hiring the best and most qualified.

Mary is the progressive, experienced, and committed candidate, and her track record offers a clear indication of how she will be as our mayor: smart, capable, progressive, empathetic, focused, genuine.