PHOTO: Former Newton city councilors Greg Schwartz and Amy Sangiolo head into the House chambers to be officially sworn into office on Jan. 1, 2025. Photo by Bryan McGonigle
Newton has two new state representatives.
Former Newton city councilors Amy Sangiolo and Greg Schwartz were sworn in as state representatives on Wednesday for the Middlesex 11th and 12th districts, respectively.
Things hit a bit of a delay during the ceremony—procedural mix-ups—so things didn’t wrap up until after 2 p.m., but Newton’s two new representatives took it in stride.
“We’re just hungry,” Schwartz joked as the two left the House Chambers after the swearing-in and formal election of Ron Mariano to another term as speaker.
Sangiolo served on the Newton City Council from 1998 (when it was still the Board of Aldermen) until 2017 and later co-founded the online newspaper Fig City News. She’s an attorney and most recently served in the state attorney general’s Consumer Advocacy Response Division.
Schwartz served on Newton’s City Council from 2011 to 2019 and, as a physician in Massachusetts for 25 years, he’s the only physician serving in the House. He put his hat in the ring for the 12th Middlesex seat after State Rep. Ruth Balser announced she would retire at the end of 2024.
“One thing that I wish voters knew is that there’s a lot of work being done here,” Schwartz said. “And I think there’s a lot more to be done this coming session, but they achieved a lot in the session.”
Sangiolo echoed those sentiments.
“I wish everyone a very happy New Year, and I’m looking forward to looking forward with them, and with Greg and the rest of our colleagues to really get a lot more done,” she said as she headed to lunch with her family.