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City Councilor Joshua Krintzman and his wife Julie, attend Newton's Fourth of July celebration. Photo by Bryan McGonigle
After eight years on the Newton City Council, Ward 4 Councilor-At-Large Joshua Krintzman says he’s built a reputation as a pragmatic and effective city councilor.
“I pride myself on trying to work with anyone and everyone who will work with me and reach a consensus across a number of different issues,” he said in a recent conversation with the Newton Beacon about his upcoming candidacy. Krinztman, who serves as Chair of the Programs & Services Committee, and member of the Zoning & Planning Committee, hopes to expand upon that record with a third term.
Tallying successes
“One of the things I’m really proud that we did was support our public schools,” Krintzman, who was first elected in 2017, recalled. “Many people talk about supporting the schools during their campaigns, but I think several councilors, especially last year, have put that support in action, and we’ve tried to strengthen the connection between schools and the city council in my time there.”
He added that commitment to improving Newton Public Schools has been matched by a consistent drive to enhance the city’s recreational spaces.
“I’m very proud of the work that we have done to increase our city’s investments in our parks and our recreational fields,” noted Krintzman, citing his close collaboration with Commissioner of Parks, Recreation & Culture Nicole Banks to boost the city’s maintenance budget, and to develop improvement plans for a number of parks across Newton.
“I think you’ve seen a number of those efforts come to fruition in a number of different parts of the city.”
Krintzman has served as chair of Programs & Services under two different Council presidents. “I think I’ve been selected in that capacity because of the respect for how I work with other councilors,” he said.
Policy priorities
If there is one word that Krintzman would use to define his approach to governance, it would be “balance.”
Whether it’s managing the city’s responsible growth, protecting community character or maintaining fiscal responsibility, Krintzman sees policymaking as a constant balancing act of weighing competing needs.
Speaking on Newton’s ongoing development, he stressed the importance of balancing sustainable growth with the concerns of current residents.
“That’s the delicate balance that is constantly being revisited or evaluated with any project that is proposed, with any zoning map that is proposed, or any zoning proposal that comes up,” he said.
He pointed to the value of “new growth” in Newton—referring to the influx of new business or development into the city—saying that, “the ability of the city to increase its revenue is constrained under state law, and the growth of costs often exceeds our ability to maintain comparable growth in terms of revenue.”
And new growth in businesses and housing means new tax revenues not constrained by Proposition 2 ½ (a state law that prohibits communities from raising their overall tax levy by more than 2.5 percent each year unless voters approve an override).
“One of the things that is outside of the cap on year-to-year revenue growth is new growth, so constantly looking for ways to bring in new growth in a responsible way helps us continue to make good on our promises, and put resources into the priorities that we all share.”
On contentious issues like a potential Proposition 2 ½ override, Krintzman remained cautious but open-minded.
“That depends,” he emphasized. “I want to make sure that the city is wisely spending the dollars we have before asking for more dollars.”
Still, he acknowledged the growing gap between community needs and available resources in many areas.
“Especially as it relates to the funding of our schools, I think it is more than likely that an override would successfully close the gap, that is something I would probably be supportive of, but again, I think a 2 ½ override is usually viewed as a last resort.”

Left to right: City Council candidate Gerry Miller and city councilors Becky Grossman, Joshua Krintzman and Martha Bixby mingle at Newton’s National Night Out on Aug. 5, 2025. Photo by Bryan McGonigle
Envisioning Newton’s future
Krintzman continues to keep a close eye on Newton’s sustainability and accessibility, not least because of his role on the Programs & Services Committee.
He noted a 2023 ordinance which banned black plastics and other harmful single-use materials from retail and food establishments in the city, adding that, “we continue to uphold the ban, and there has been discussion about prohibiting [plastic] water bottles. We have not done that yet, but that’s an ordinance that we regularly revisit.”
As with everything else, he noted that a balance has to be struck between environmental needs and economic realities.
“We want to constantly be moving forward in our sustainability efforts, but we also don’t want to significantly hinder local businesses, and we don’t want to inconvenience our residents either.”
Another issue high on Krinztman’s agenda is improving transportation and accessibility in the city, advocating for further upgrades to Newton’s commuter rail stations, which remain inaccessible to many.
He emphasized that the city has so far done its part to meet state requirements, and will continue to push for greater accessibility in public transportation. “We’ve worked alongside state and federal officials to advocate for upgrades to the Auburndale Commuter Rail Station, and while the improvements haven’t happened yet, I remain hopeful that they’ll be forthcoming soon.”
Krintzman also mentioned parking policy as an area ripe for reform, arguing for changes that would “foster responsible development and growth, but wouldn’t inconvenience our residents.”
He proposed to remove a requirement for businesses to provide or construct parking before they could open—a consideration many businesses must weigh before moving into the city.
“I would eliminate the zoning requirement for parking to allow the businesses to decide how much parking they choose to construct or include with their business uses,” he said, adding bluntly, “I’m not opposed to parking, I’m opposed to city required parking.”
Newton’s election will be Nov. 4.