Justin Rollo - Braintree School Committee

Younger voters habitually underperform in terms of voting in municipal elections, yet they are often the ones who most heavily bear the brunt of the decisions made for years to come.

This November's local election in Braintree has massive long term implications for our town and our schools. Engage in the process and VOTE.

In 2019 approximately 30% of registered voters between 35-50 showed up to the polls to vote. Compare this to approximately 46% of registered voters above the age of 50 and you can see why our schools are habitually under prioritized.

As Thomas Jefferson once said, “The government you elect is the government you deserve.”

Are you going to be away on a trip on election day? Can't make it because of a lack of child care? Make a plan now to vote early via mail.

For more info on Braintree specific early vote go here: https://braintreema.gov/440/Voter-Information

To request your Mail-In ballot go here: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/voting-information/vote-by-mail.htm

Four years after the election of Mayor Kokoros our public school system sits precariously on the edge with little to no certainty where the funding to pay for the new teacher contract comes from, six elementary schools in various states of disrepair, a high school building which is an embarrassment regionally, and no long term capital improvement plan or thorough buildings assessment.

As a father of two children in BPS and the spouse of a Braintree educator, I am running for school committee to help shine a light on the problems our schools are facing and to prioritize practical solutions to maximize the quality and efficiency of our school system and a detailed long term capital plan for our infrastructure.

As a real estate broker for the last 12 years one of the main conversations I have with families looking to put down roots in a community is about the strength of the schools.

Braintree sits in a geographically advantaged position, the last stop on the Red Line, and easy access North and South. This geographic advantage along with our historically strong school system has allowed generations of Braintree residents before us to benefit from rising home prices and strong demand in town.

However, the long term strength of our school system is not a given. With continued mismanagement at the top and a rising misalignment between our revenues and our expenses, our school system will eventually break.

What does this mean for the parents of Braintree? It means reduced school programming. It means a competitive disadvantage for our children. It means the demand for homes in town we've all begun to take for granted begins to decline.

Braintree Schools currently sit at the brink. The brink of major building and infrastructure failures our budget cannot handle, contracts we cannot currently make good on, and students and staff we cannot fully support.

This November is a consequential election for the town of Braintree. We have a chance to make decisions on the ballot to improve our children’s futures and improve Braintree for future generations.

I ask for your vote for School Committee and I ask you to thoughtfully engage in this election from the top of the ballot to the bottom. Local elections impact every single one of us more than any other election that exists today.