1. David Narkewicz Press Announcement
Today I’m proud and humbled to announce my candidacy for Mayor of the
city of Northampton.
Mayor Higgins recent decision not to seek re-election after her long and
distinguished service has created an opportunity for new leadership, new
energy, and new ideas for our city.
I believe deeply in public service and have been involved in it for most of
my life. I served my country in the Air Force after high school, was a student
leader at UMass, worked as a congressional aide both in Washington and
here in Massachusetts, and have been an active community volunteer
whether serving on the Zoning Board or Transportation & Parking
Commission, or helping raise money for our schools as a long-time board
member of the Northampton Education Foundation.
During my 5 years on the City Council, I’ve strived to be a positive and
productive leader. I’ve never been afraid to tackle tough issues, whether
it’s traffic, zoning, government reform, or the budget.
I’ve put forth ideas for improving our city and never shied away from the
tough decisions, all while working hard to solve problems, bring people
together, and produce tangible results to advance the needs of our
community.
I believe that all of my experience in public service and government both at
the national, state, and local level and my record of accomplishments have
prepared me for this day and this new challenge.
Northampton is one of the best cities in America. And one of the things that
makes it great is our incredible spirit of community. Whether rallying
around fellow citizens in times of tragedy or joy, raising money for
important projects or causes, or mobilizing around important issues, this
community embodies civic pride and responsibility.

2. As Mayor, I want to marshal that spirit and the incredible energy and
talents of people all across our community to find innovative ideas and
common sense solutions and meet the challenges of the next decade.
I plan to bring all members of our community to the table and foster an
open and active dialogue about what kind of city we want and how we can
work together to reach our goals.
Like other cities and towns across the nation, Northampton has had to
grapple with difficult economic times and ever-shrinking support from the
state and federal government. In short, we’ve had to do more with less.
As Mayor, I will work to make city government as smart, lean, and efficient
as possible, so we can continue to deliver high quality services in the most
cost-effective and resourceful ways possible, while also making prudent,
long-term investments in critical infrastructure.
As Mayor, I will continue my strong support for education and high-quality
public schools. We’re the proud parents of two kids who’ve gone through
the elementary schools and are now both at JFK. I know how important
Northampton’s schools are not only for our kids’ futures but for the overall
social and economic strength of our community.
As Mayor, I will promote economic development that both supports our
local businesses while attracting new entrepreneurs and new businesses to
expand our commercial tax base, create good paying jobs, and ease the
residential tax burden on city homeowners.
As Mayor, I will advance Northampton’s leadership role as a green
community by pursuing innovative, forward-looking solutions for energy
conservation, reducing and recycling our waste, developing sustainable
transportation, promoting local agriculture, and protecting our
environment and natural resources.

3. I want to be the next Mayor of Northampton because I believe I have the
experience, ideas, energy, and commitment to offer a new generation of
leadership to move our great city forward.
Today is just the starting point. I look forward to expanding on my vision
and goals as the campaign officially kicks off and moves forward into the
summer and fall. I especially look forward to getting out into the
neighborhoods of Northampton, Baystate, Florence, and Leeds to listen to
the issues and concerns that are on people’s minds.
In closing, I want to thank my family – my wife Yelena and our daughters
Emma and Zoe - for their constant love, for supporting my decision to run,
and for their willingness to share in this journey with me.
Thank you.