Meet the Candidate- Sharif Zeid (Ward 1, City Council)

This profile is part of a “Meet the Candidate” series. All candidates were given the opportunity to answer the same questions. Their responses are published verbatim, without any editing.

Why did you decide to run for office?

It’s never an easy decision to run. It’s a tremendous commitment to give the voters the representation they deserve. I decided to run again because after significant reflection I continued to feel that I had something to offer and a voice to lend on behalf of the residents of Ward 1.

If reelected, what would be your top 3 priorities?

1. Keeping and attracting the middle class
2. Advocating for a fiscal overhaul
3. Closing the gap between the conversation at the front door and the conversation at Council

What can city government do to make local housing more affordable?

The City needs to focus on the things it can control such as its own spending so we can keep the burden on residents living in Newburyport reasonable. Lamenting market trends, altering zoning, and flat-out waiving fees in favor of developers is a detriment to neighborhoods and isn’t producing much in the way of actual affordable housing. There is sensible concern over the need for housing, but it is troubling that this is translating into giveaways to developers at the expense of residents and taxpayers.

Do you think residents are getting their money’s worth in city services from taxes?
While there are good things happening and good services being provided, I think that the tax burden is high and growing at an unsustainable rate. If we intend to give the next generation a fiscally sustainable, well-maintained City, the City needs to rethink its fiscal approach both operationally and for capital planning. We have made some strides on the latter but there is much work to be done.

How would you balance historic preservation with more practical concerns like safety and accessibility?

We need to protect compromises made in the last 10 years in the wake of the LHD debate. This includes our overlay districts, sensible residential zoning for the most part, and the efforts around enforcement. Undoing those things would be a mistake and cause the pendulum to swing back.

How do you think Newburyport schools stack up against others in Essex County?
I recognize and appreciate the hard work and effort in our schools but am concerned by recent trends in academic data. While not meant to be taken alone, trend data is important for assessing the health of our school system and the education that is being delivered. A collaborative effort should be undertaken to understand and respond to the data.

What else should voters know about you?

I am really honored to have been given the opportunity to give the people of Ward 1 a voice. Being able to help with quality-of-life issues in a neighborhood has great personal meaning to me.  More broadly, I am here because I want things to continuously improve, want to work collaboratively, and I’m not afraid to take tough votes.

I look forward to serving in the next term.

Sharif Zeid is a candidate for Newburyport City Council, Ward 1. Election and early voting information can be found here.