To the editor:
With our community once again facing difficult decisions, I will be supporting Erin Noonan for Select Board. Ms. Noonan is an experienced lawmaker who has brought a balanced and measured approach to the Select Board for five years, with a focus on advancing our town’s beauty and appeal.
During her election campaign in 2023, Ms. Noonan noted our challenging finances, for we were then using approximately $10 million of so-called free cash to close the gap on the $100 million town budget, an unsustainable solution. She committed to and delivered on finding new revenues, such as increasing local taxes on hotels and meals, and working with other communities to learn best practices. In her recent interview, she stated that she was working with town departments to optimize landscaping and other services to cut expenses. She is aware of — and responsive to — the concerns of the citizens of the town as we make this difficult decision to override our budget constraints in order to preserve this gem of an oceanside community, for we are all affected by these services.
Most importantly, Ms. Noonan is courageous. The stoic author Ryan Holiday summarizes courage as risk, sacrifice, commitment, perseverance, truth and determination. Ms. Noonan has demonstrated these fine qualities in her work on the Select Board and as a contributory citizen of Marblehead, and she deserves your vote for Select Board on June 9.
Christian Stumpf
Pitman Road
