BRAINTREE, MA — Erin Joyce has defeated incumbent Mayor Charles Kokoros in a race decided by just over 500 votes.
Joyce will now serve as the town’s third mayor — and first woman — once Kokoros finishes his term.
In a statement to Patch, Joyce said she was happy to connect with Braintree voters and that there was much to ready for when she took office.
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“I am ecstatic that Braintree voters made it clear that it is time to get Braintree back on track,” Joyce said.
She continued:
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“There is significant work to be done, and I look forward to getting to work immediately on a transition and on the implementation of plans to significantly impact our Town. Additionally, I want to thank Mayor Kokoros for his service to Braintree and for reaching out to me last night to wish me well. Regardless of who you voted for, we are neighbors and we are all in this together.”
So what should readers know about Joyce and her plans for Braintree? What are the most pressing issues she hopes to address?
In the leadup to the election, Patch published a candidate profile of Joyce in which she answered some of those questions.
Here’s what to know:
On Why She Ran For Mayor
“I am seeking the office of Mayor of Braintree as a result of the culmination of over a decade of community service to our town with a strong personal interest in public service work. I view the role of Mayor as a meaningful way to continue my service to the Town of Braintree in a full-time position while leveraging my unique skill sets of a civil engineer, business owner and parent.”
On Braintree’s Most Pressing Issue
“I believe our most pressing issue is long-term fiscal stability. Our reliable and predictable revenue sources do not currently meet our recurring expenses, which became glaringly apparent in this year’s budget season when we drew $4.3M of our free cash to plug an operating deficit. While we’ve seen neighboring Towns make monumental investments into public infrastructure, we are still grappling with what our own ability to evolve and the pace at which meets our needs without overtaxing our service systems. We need to recognize our financial issues as a community and we need to formulate a way in which we can raise revenue and make residents aware of why more revenue is needed. Last year new growth estimates missed their mark by $250,000 and we saw commercial building permit numbers fall. We need to be proactive about revitalizing blighted and underutilized commercial zones, create a streamlined permitting process, open Braintree up for business, and go after federal and state grant monies – if not we risk tax increases that may not be palatable for many residents or we cut services in our schools and community.”
On What She’ll Do For Schools
“Braintree Public Schools (BPS) have always been at the heart of our campaign. As a parent with children at Hollis and East, I’ve seen how our schools are stretched thin with curriculum cuts, I’ve noted the conditions of tired buildings and witnessed first-hand the frustration of educators to secure a new contract in a timely manner. My administration will work to grow town revenue to insulate school budgets and will tackle a viable plan to revitalize Braintree’s High School – first with new and modern vocational programming to grow the school from the inside out and second by performing a comprehensive buildings assessment to dictate the long term vision for BPS infrastructure and plan for a renovated or new high school building.”
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