2026 CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Welcome to the contest

The uncertainty is over.

It’s now official that there will be three candidates vying for two seats on the Select Board. Having been elected in 2020 and again in 2023 (with 6,000+ votes!) I’m looking forward to campaigning hard to reach as many of you as possible in the weeks between now and election day, May 5.

My message, in short:

Experience Counts

• At a crucial time for Brookline’s future, with another override on the ballot and a much-needed development plan for Chestnut Hill West hanging in the balance, the Select Board needs my informed and balanced approach.

• I’m committed to what’s best for neighborhoods AND the Town as a whole. Commercial tax revenue such as Chestnut Hill West promises is crucial. So is listening and responding to the residents of Sheafe and Heath streets and Woodland Road who will be impacted by a surge in development on the Office Park site. I’ve met with residents AND developers to get the best results for both. That work will continue all the way to Town Meeting.

• As for putting a tax cap override of some $19M+ on the ballot, I’m committed to protecting our services (public safety, schools, parks, recreation, libraries, etc.) — and equally committed to affordability for taxpayers (including tenants through their rents) who only have so much more to give. Finding the “sweet spot” (enough money for services, with a bearable “tax pinch” for voters) is my call to duty.

Join the campaign TODAY.

Time is short. Please act now to:

• MAKE A DONATION

• IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY DONE SO, ENDORSE ME.

• OFFER A LOCATION (WINDOW OR LAWN) FOR A SIGN.

• VOLUNTEER TO EMAIL YOUR FRIENDS.

• TELL ME THE ISSUES THAT MATTER THE MOST TO YOU.

• Yours, with thanks,

  John VanScoyoc
  Select Board
  617 888 1663

  jvanscoyoc0@gmail.com

Election Countdown

Thank you to my early endorsers

Bernard Greene, Select Board

David Pearlman, Select Board

Robert Weintraub, School Committee

Carolyn Thall, School Committee

Danna Perry, School Committee

Jesse Hefter, School Committee

Val Frias, School Committee

Liz Linder

​Pat Ahlin

Martina Albright 

Saralynn Allaire 

Pamela Allara 

Scott Andersen 

Rosemary Ashby 

John Bassett 

Jim Batchelor 

Clara Batchelor 

Jerry Berger 

Susan Berger 

Eileen Berger 

Michael Berger 

Ben Birnbaum 

Peter Bleyleben 

Sara Blood 

Roger Blood

Edie Brickman 

Pauline Ho Bynum 

​Peggy Campion 

Debby K Cohen 

George Cole 

John Dempsey

​Murray Dewart 

Mary Dewart 

Dennis Dewitt 

Jon Doggett 

Tom Elwertowski 

Susan Erickson 

Anne Farrington 

Jonathan Fine 

Marcia Fisch 

Julian Fisher 

Dale Flecker 

Anita Fritze 

Sandy Gadsby 

Bambi Good 

Ellen Goodman

Rhoda Goodwin 

• Let me introduce myself

  Check out my record

I’m Different

Expect the unexpected from me as a candidate, with stands like these:

• We should update our inventory of Town properties, with a view toward testing the market value of any that no longer serve a useful purpose. (The Water and Sewer garage on Netherlands is just one example that gets mentioned.)

• I favor a pause in any further spending on the Beacon Street bridle path until we get a realistic estimate of the anticipated total costs, as well as the disruption to Beacon Street activity during construction, and sacrifice of trees, parking spaces, and other amenities currently in the right of way.

• Based on the latest data on Brookline incomes and tax burdens, I favor a “tax pinch” test for future overrides (after FY27). In short, not just budget needs, but also tax burdens should be an equal factor in calculating override “asks.” There’s no perfect formula — but seeking one is worth the effort. (And voters will let us know if we get it wrong.)