Tag: Ruyuan Li

  • Former State Rep. Brian Golden on what he’ll bring to Newton City Council

    By Ruyuan Li

    Longtime public servant Brian Golden is seeking a seat on the Newton City Council.

    Golden, 60, was born and raised in the Allston/Brighton area before settling in Newton with his wife and five children. He said his interest in serving in government was inspired by his father, a Newton police officer. 

    He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a law degree at William & Mary College. He earned a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College and served in the military for 30 years. 

    From 1999 to 2005, Golden served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and was on the Transportation, Housing, Education and Ways & Means Committees. He later served for eight and a half years as director of the Boston Planning & Development Agency.

    Golden will almost certainly be elected Nov. 4, as he and Councilor Becky Grossman, who is seeking reelection, are the only two candidates for Ward 7’s two at-large seats. At-Large Councilor Marc Laredo is stepping down to run for mayor. 

    Education

    As a homeowner, taxpayer and father of five, Golden said he feels the need to engage in local policy-making.

    “I have a large family living in Newton and am very dependent on the services that are provided, whether it’s public safety, or the schools, or the parks,” Golden said.

    Golden said he is proud of the high quality of education in Newton, but the illegal teachers’ strike in 2024 shook his confidence.

    “I’m concerned about that,” Golden said. “What is it about the political culture that allowed that to happen? I want to be really attentive and intentional about making decisions that ensure that doesn’t happen again.” 

    Golden said a stable education system is important to him. The schools are the reason Golden and his family moved to Newton. 

    If there’s uncertainty and instability in schools, Golden said, a family might consider investing elsewhere.

    Fiscal health

    Golden said Newton has a healthy budget and a high level of per capita municipal expenditure.

    Newton ranks eighth in income per capita and seventh in total expenditures among all municipalities in the state, according to the Massachusetts Municipal Association. 

    “But even in Newton, there are limits, and we have to be sensitive to how much we’re spending from year to year,” Golden said.

    In the 2025 fiscal year, Newton ranked third—after Boston and Cambridge—in total tax levy, which is the total amount a city or town raises through property taxes.

    Proposition 2½ prohibits municipalities from increasing property taxes by more than 2.5% each year, but voters can override that rule if they want to expand municipal expenditures.

    There have been two overrides in Newton history, in 2002 and 2013. The most recent attempt to override, in March 2023, failed.

    Golden said overriding Proposition 2½ should not be necessary.

    “I’d have to be convinced that the things we really value that are essential to maintaining a high quality of living, that those things are jeopardized without a prop two and a half override,” Golden said.

    He said elected officials should be more prudent with expenditures, ensuring that every expense is absolutely necessary.

    “If (the budget) needs to be grown bigger than the two and a half percent increment, it is through new development, and that’s residential, and that’s business,” Golden said. 

    New development

    As the former director of Boston Planning & Development Agency, Golden has dealt with urban planning and real estate development for many years. He said more housing can be built to keep in line with population growth.

    “If you care about the moral imperative of housing needs, people need a place to live,” Golden said. “We should all aspire to deliver housing in Metro Boston for people at all income levels.”

    In recent years, Newton has approved multiple development projects designed to convert empty lots and vacant buildings into mixed use apartments, such as the Needham Street project, which calls for 10 new residential buildings with retail spaces, parking lots and parks.

    The property taxes collected from these buildings will produce additional tax revenue that will inevitably be a part of the solution to Newton’s budget challenges.

    However, he said, any demolition and redevelopment of property needs to incorporate the neighborhood’s voice. 

    “We should, as a city council, as a mayor, a planning department, look at this and feel, from a planning and development standpoint, what makes the most sense, and then you also go to the neighborhood and have the same conversation,” Golden said. “It can’t be just City Hall driven.”

    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

    This article was originally published on October 13, 2025.

  • City Councilor Becky Grossman says love of city sparked bid for 5th term

    By Ruyuan Li

    “It brings me a lot of joy to contribute to where we live,” City Councilor Becky Grossman said. “That’s why I have done it for the last eight years, and I’m looking forward to continuing to do it for the next two.”

    Grossman, running for a fifth term, is virtually assured of reelection Nov. 4. She and newcomer Brian Golden are running unopposed for Ward 7’s two councilor-at-large seats. At-Large Councilor Marc Laredo is stepping down to run for mayor.

    Grossman, 45, is from Roxbury, N.J., and has lived in Newton since 2010. Her husband, Ben Grossman, grew up here, and their three children are fourth-generation Newtonians.

    She earned an undergrad degree in economics from Cornell University, and a law degree and MBA from Harvard University. On the council, she serves as the chair of the Public Safety & Transportation Committee and previously served as chair of the Finance Committee.

    Before joining the City Council, Grossman worked as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County and as an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs. She ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District in 2020 but lost in the Democratic primary.

    Budget pressures

    Newton faces ongoing financial pressures, particularly as federal funding declines, Grossman said. One of the budget issues is the unfunded pension liabilities.

    “Like pretty much all of our neighbors and municipalities, we have a pretty significant unfunded pension liability that we are obligated to fully fund,” Grossman said. “As a city, we had not been contributing enough over time to meet our needs on a long-term basis.”

    Newton’s budget is unable to fully fund pension liabilities in a short term, so the date of achieving full funding is pushed to 2031.

    “If we get to a point where we are really not able to fully fund our school system and some of the really key elements that I think residents care about, then Proposition 2½ override is always another tool in the toolbox to consider,” Grossman said.

    Proposition 2½ prohibits municipalities from increasing property taxes by more than 2.5% each year, but voters can override that rule if they want to expand municipal expenditures.

    Grossman supported the attempted proposition 2 1⁄2 override in 2023, which failed.

    “As for a future override, the details matter,” Grossman added. “If you’re going to ask for an operating override, you have to make a really compelling case to the voters about why we need it and what we’re going to do with it. So they believe that it is a worthwhile investment of their hard-earned resources.”

    Bringing vitality to the city

    Grossman said the city needs more vitality. 

    “It’s getting incredibly expensive to live here,” Grossman said. The median value of owner-occupied homes in Newton has risen from about $1.1 million to $1.4 million over the past five years.

    Grossman said one of the problems is a lack of variety in housing, particularly affordable condos.

    In recent years, the city has approved multiple housing projects designed to convert empty lots and vacant office buildings into apartments. Grossman pointed to the 28 Austin Street project, which transformed a parking lot into a four-story, mixed-income apartment building with retail space on the ground floor. It now has become a hub for cafés, restaurants and stores. 

    “I’ve been really supportive of these projects and bringing new mixed use housing opportunities, particularly to areas in the city where the land isn’t necessarily experiencing its highest and best use,” Grossman said. 

    Grossman said people have mixed feelings about those new development projects, but she thinks they bring vitality to the city.

    “Making changes can be complicated and frustrating,” she said. “The overall goal is to enhance the quality of life for everyone today and in the future.”

    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

    This article was originally published on October 8, 2025.

  • Toy stores face uncertainty with tariffs as holiday shopping season nears

    By Ruyuan Li

    Toy stores in Newton are confronting tariff challenges as the holiday shopping season approaches.

    Will Regan, manager of Henry Bear’s Park in Newtonville, said prices of some toys have risen as a result of tariffs imposed by President Trump, as most toys he sells are made outside the United States. Toy distributors have increased prices because of the tariffs, and stores have adjusted accordingly, he said.

    “We’re trying to stay competitive in the marketplace,” Regan said, “and competing with places like Amazon and Target is already difficult, but when there’s this extra layer of difficulty and uncertainty, we’ve had to change our buying strategies.” Henry Bear’s Park is an independent toy store that originated in Brookline and now has 10 stores in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

    Total U.S. toy imports dropped 31% from June 2024 to June 2025, mainly due to a 47% decrease in imports from China, according to an August report from the Toy Association, an industry group that represents toy businesses. A similar pattern appeared in May, when overall imports fell 28% and imports from China declined 45%.

    Since April, Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods have reached as high as 145%. With the extension of the tariff truce through November, the rate has been lowered to 30% to ensure supply for the holiday shopping season.

    “Based on what we’ve heard from toy companies, toy prices are going to be higher,” said Greg Ahearn, president and CEO of the Toy Association. Because the number of toy imports seems to be lower than last year, he said, there may be fewer toys available to buy this holiday season.

    Ahearn said the Toy Association is continually advocating for lower tariffs. 

    “It’s our goal and every small toy retailer’s goal to make sure that kids get that toy that’s on their wish list because toys represent this learning opportunity, whether it’s physically or intellectually.” Ahearn said. 

    Joe Cefalo, owner of Learning Express Toys & Gifts in Newton Centre, said the tariffs have raised the cost of products from some of his vendors. But instead of seeing it as a setback, he said he has treated it as an opportunity to look for more American-made products. 

    Cefalo said his store has hardly been impacted by the tariffs. “I think what’s happening is some of the businesses who have outsourced a lot of their products through China have now opted to pair with more local vendors,” Cefalo said. 

    Learning Express Toys & Gifts is a franchise business that has more than 120 stores in 27 states. The Newton location is a local family-run store, which has been part of the community for 34 years.

    The upcoming holiday shopping season remains a challenge for the local shops, as most stores order inventories several months in advance.

    Regan said he worries about whether Henry Bear’s Park will be able to stock enough merchandise for holiday shopping.

    “Some vendors aren’t even sure if they’re going to have products for the end of the season,” he said. “So they’ve been nervous about that as things are getting stuck in customs and shipyards, waiting for these tariff bills to be paid or to go away, or nobody really knows what’s going on.”

    Despite the challenges, local shoppers have shown support for the neighborhood stores. 

    “I’ve seen a little bit of increase in prices, especially in smaller stores,” said Vicky Polat, a marketing manager in Boston, who was shopping for small decorations at Henry Bear’s Park. “If the person has the means to be able to shop local, I think that’s nice.”

    Polat said people have different price sensitivity, so she understands why many people lean toward online shopping for lower prices. “If there’s certain small gift items that I’m going to purchase for a friend, I still think there’s a more meaningful connection if you buy it from a small business.”

    Since toy stores in Newton are all small local businesses, shops and neighborhoods create a relationship of mutual support. 

    “I think most of our customers are very understanding,” Regan said. “Most of the people that shop here choose us because we’re a smaller toy store. We’re local. We’re all very community based.” 

    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.
    This article was originally published on September 24, 2025.