It’s no secret that western Massachusetts, like anywhere, is facing a profound political crisis. The Trump administration is tearing up the fabric of our society as ICE stalks our streets. With everything from Medicare to the Department of Education under siege, the very foundations of our lives are at stake. With simultaneous cuts to public services and disproportionate funding at the state level, we are confronting a precarious, dire moment.

I’m running for City Council in Ward 5 of Northampton to take part in building the progressive and democratic alternative in our city. While Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra has portrayed dangerous understaffing and unfulfilled IEPs in our public schools as products of responsible governance, her administration has instead played into MAGA’s hands. We have the fiscal means and moral obligation to fund our schools, to live up to the values that make Northampton so vibrant and to stand as a bulwark against Trump’s carnage. We must further redouble our commitments to peace and denuclearization by confronting the war profiteer L3Harris — a sponsor of insurrectionist Republicans — and ending its operations in Northampton.

In the course of Councilor Alex Jarrett’s tenure, our ward has made remarkable strides in constituent services and democratic process. Under Trump more than ever, I am committed to defending these advances and expanding their scope. On that note, I’m enthusiastic to invite residents in my ward and across Northampton to vote on Sept. 16 and Nov. 4, and to get in touch with me at rotelloforward5.com. Forward together!

Vincent “Luke” Rotello

Northampton