Jon Spillane
"I’ve wanted to be a City Councilor since I was probably 5 years old."
Jon Spillane, 30, is running for an at-large City Council seat and most recently worked as the director of Budget and Constituent Services for District 8 Councilor Kenzie Bok. Spillane grew up in Hyde Park, two streets away from Mayor Tom Menino. He continues to reside there now.
Spillane attended Boston Latin School before attending Boston College and receiving a degree in finance and marketing. He later went on to study at Suffolk Law School, where he received his JD and was also admitted to the Massachusetts Bar Association.
Why are you running for at-large city councilor?
I love the City of Boston and feel that my background and experience can help shape the City to be the best version of itself. I was born and raised in Hyde Park and attended Boston Latin School before attending Boston College and Suffolk Law, as such I’ve never lived outside of Boston and almost every emotion and memory I have was created in its 23 neighborhoods. I am invested in the future of this City and want to see it reach its full potential. This year not only are we electing only our 2nd mayor in 10 years, but 5 of our 13 City Councilors are set to change. This historic amount of turnover calls for someone who can step in on the job Day 1 and I can fill that role. It requires someone with experience who can be accessible and responsive. It requires someone who has neighborhood knowledge and a Citywide vision to implement changing policy to both preserve and build up our communities. I feel I can be that public servant for our City. Someone who can both provide first rate constituent service and create policy that impacts our neighborhoods.
There are 17 candidates for at-large city councilor. What accomplishments and proposals do you think make you stand out from the others? Please be specific.
There are 3 key ways that I feel I stand out in this crowded field.
1) Experience in the City Council Chamber
2) Most experience in Housing the #1 issue facing the City
3) Detailed and actionable Policy Plans
Of the 17 candidates running for City Council, I am only one of two non-incumbents who have worked for a Boston City Councilor. I have done the work of a City Councilor before. At the height of Covid I worked on constituent services: helping senior citizens too afraid to leave their homes with food access, people facing eviction with rental assistance and small businesses facing closure to access of City resources. I also have the most experience working on the #1 issue in the City: Housing. I have worked in both the private and public sector on housing-most recently at the Department of Neighborhood Development. There, I worked towards the creation of 1,000 units of housing on Affordable Housing projects. Lastly I feel I have one of the most detailed policy plans of any candidate which can be implemented at our City level. I try to break out actual policies that can be implemented and not vague platitudes.
What would be your top three objectives during your term as city councilor?
1 – Housing: I recently released a detailed housing plan that aims to make our development process more consistent & transparent. This plan will create more affordable housing units for those who are just outside of our affordability requirements, and make it easier for families to stay in our City.
2 – Constituent Services: I want to make City Hall’s resources & services more accessible, particularly for our Seniors. That’s why I want to bring back Mayor White’s Little City Halls. If you have a task such as paying a parking ticket or seeing your neighborhood liaison, you should be able to go to your local library or municipal building.
3 – Fight Traffic: The long-planned MGH expansion is starting now, and will take place during my first term. This is a once in a lifetime chance to build the Red Line – Blue Line Connection, and I will work to ensure that local, state, and most importantly federal funds are used to make this happen. Boston, and our entire region, needs to have the two lines connected to provide economic opportunity to more of our residents, and to give neighboring communities a better chance to build the housing our region needs.
What is one thing you want the City of Boston to know about you?
I’ve wanted to be a City Councilor since I was probably 5 years old. I grew up two streets away from Mayor Tom Menino and as the son of two Boston Civil servants, community engagement and neighborhood participation were a way of life. I want to be a City Councilor because I love this City and want to serve it. I don’t want to use this role as a pit stop or stepping stone, but so I can fulfill a lifelong dream – to serve Bostonians.
What is your typical Dunkin’ order?
Medium Iced Regular with a Turbo Shot.
Visit Jon Spillane at his website, or social media @JonForBoston on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Previous candidate: Michael Flaherty
Next candidate: James Reginald “Reggie” Colimon