Our Objectives

Focus on Weston takes evidence-based positions on matters that are in the interest of town residents and taxpayers. These include warrant articles, ballot questions, town leadership, and issues that affect educational excellence in our schools and effective governance in our town. We believe that the continued prosperity of Weston relies on informed and engaged citizens, strong stewardship, prudent financial management, and an implicit social contract that allows residents to trust town leaders to wisely address the needs of the town for today and in the days to come.

Our objectives are not political or aspirational. They are about giving voters information to make reasoned decisions on tough issues that have potentially far-reaching implications.

As residents, taxpayers, and citizens, we believe it is a responsibility for all of us to hold our leaders and institutions accountable for meeting the highest attainable standards.

We work to achieve these objectives through:

1. Vision and Planning – Encourage the development of a long-term vision and strategic plans for the Town and the Weston Public Schools, with the benchmarks and tools to measure our progress and achieve that vision.

2. Communication – Communicate clearly with residents on the financial challenges facing the Town, and the economic implications of proposed annual budgets, initiatives, and major capital projects before they are adopted.

3. Involvement – Encourage all eligible residents to participate in town elections and decision-making, and support those with an interest in Town governance, by providing analytical and communications support.

Who We Are

We are Weston residents with a range of experience, expertise, political views, and history of living in town. We have served as volunteers on town boards and committees, and other important Weston organizations, often for many years. We share a love of all that makes Weston a special place, and a desire to empower our community to make informed choices about how our tax dollars are spent, how our schools educate our children, and how our town is governed.

Articles published by Focus on Weston are unsigned because our content represents the collective point of view and position of the organization, rather than the opinion of any one individual. We conduct research, analyze data, and attempt to provide a clear rationale that is consistent with our stated mission and methodology. We want to address important but potentially controversial topics without the distraction of who the author is, but rather by the merit of what the article says. To quote the Boston Globe’s editorial board, “Not everyone will agree with us, but for those who share our values, we hope it can help.”

Fact-based analysis and resulting positions need to stand on their own, and hold up to objective reflection, irrespective of personalities, demographics, or membership on various town committees or organizations

Selecting Issues

We strive to provide residents a flow of information about important, strategic issues related to municipal governance, town financial management, and schools — topics that have long-term, high-stakes implications for Weston. These often include proposals that appear in the Warrant articles voted at Town Meetings, follow-up to decisions and taxpayer funded projects, and topics that arise from our analyses of Weston relative to other comparable MetroWest towns. Measurement and benchmarking are important parts of the process by which these kinds of issues reveal themselves.

In all cases, the issues we research have the potential to significantly impact Weston’s quality of life, reputation, desirability, and the financial implications of living here – meaning tax burden, related direct expenses, and home appreciation. We are not inherently “anti” anything; but we are “for” forward-looking financial management, operational excellence, and a sense of stewardship on the part of town leaders, including the School Committee.

Our Approach

There is nothing magical or revolutionary about the way we approach a topic. We define the problem, think about the possible solutions, collect the relevant data, analyze alternatives thoroughly, and reach a conclusion that is supported with facts and logic. We then take a position and communicate what we’ve done and concluded in an easy-to-understand message to voters.

Our approach to identifying, encouraging and supporting highly qualified individuals to run for important town offices is basically the same. Our goal is to advocate for the best — leaders who we believe promote good governance and strong, prudent financial management.

We are supportive of any town initiative that is the product of rigorous analysis, sound planning and fiscal prudence. And we are supportive of town leaders who share those beliefs; just winning an election is not enough.

We appreciate feedback and are committed to responding to any comments, questions or suggestions we receive. We welcome anyone who shares our objectives, especially if they have an interest in the type of work we do and the kinds of perspectives we think are valuable to residents.