Working Hard for Haverhill

Like with every business, nonprofit, and volunteer group he has worked with, Josiah would give his all for the citizens of Haverhill as a City Councilor. If elected, Josiah would fight for Haverhill with particular emphasis on his top priorities.

• Affordability: Josiah grew up in a working-class section of Haverhill, on the same street his father and grandfather were raised. Josiah believes in Haverhill's status as an ideal city for middle-class families to come and find a comfortable place to live and raise their children. Today, though, Haverhill faces a housing crisis with rising property prices and rents. Josiah supports increased housing with an emphasis on affordability, and believes that development is necessary but should be done when taking into account location, parking, neighbor concerns, and other factors. Josiah also supports keeping taxes reasonable and not "taxing to the max" to let Haverhill families spend their money at their discretion, bettering the local economy.

• Merrimack River: The Merrimack River is the center of Haverhill's economic and cultural existence. More can be done to better the city's usage of and access to the river. As a city councilor, Josiah will support initiatives to make better use of the waterfront and not just within the downtown limits. New businesses, recreation areas, and transport services connecting Haverhill to other communities along the Merrimack would be among Josiah's main focuses.

• Small Businesses: The last year has been incredibly difficult for small businesses. These institutions have faced unprecedented lockdowns, restrictions, and loss of revenue. To help the recovery, Josiah supports continued streamlining of regulatory processes and waiving of fees for businesses to keep afloat. Going forward, Haverhill needs to attract all kinds of businesses in the downtown, but also in other neighborhoods through the city. Josiah supports keeping Haverhill affordable for businesses, too, through minimal taxation and as little regulatory burden as possible.

• Opioid Crisis: The difficulties and trials of addiction are realities for many families in our communities. Josiah supports a local approach to continue fighting the opioid crisis by education and prevention before addictions can begin. This includes further fostering partnerships with community organizations to get them the help they need to dissuade opioid usage, starting the conversation early in an individual's life to avoid future troubles. Working to stem the opioid problem will help save the lives of Haverhill residents and strengthen the community.

• Responsive Government: Local government is the most impactful to most people's lives, but it often receives minimal attention. As a City Councilor, Josiah promises he would host regular, open office hours as well as town halls/tele-town halls to respond promptly to the needs of his constituents.

Would you like to learn more about one of Josiah's priorities? You can reach him anytime at 978-821-5002 or josiahforhaverhill@gmail.com