A Voice Boston Deserves!

Erin Murphy - Hardworking, Trustworthy, Dedicated

FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS

Erin Murphy is a 5th generation Bostonian but a first-time candidate for office. She is a veteran BPS teacher and proud graduate of Emerge, the state's premier political organization that recruits, trains, and provides a powerful network for women who want to run for office.

She is the recipient of several awards for her hard work and dedication to her community. After raising awareness and more than $60,000 for recovery services to people struggling with addiction, she was honored with the James F. Gavin Award in 2015. In 2016, she received the Extraordinary Woman of Boston Award for her devotion to her community, and in particular her passion to help individuals struggling with addiction and mental illness while supporting their families. She was recognized by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women as an Unsung Heroine in 2016 for always showing up to volunteer, no matter the cause, as long as it benefits the neighborhood.

Erin pushes herself to be better and to help others in their journeys to brighter futures — whether it’s nudging hundreds of four and five year olds toward successful academic careers as a BPS early education teacher, running the Boston Marathon to support the recovery programs at Boston’s Gavin House, or reminding neighbors of the beauty of our City with daily sunrise photos — Erin looks to raise up children, the vulnerable, and all her neighbors as she strives to make Boston more caring, more livable, and more inclusive for all of us.

Will you stand with Erin on Election Day, September 24th?

WHO I AM

Hello, Boston!

I am Erin Murphy and I am running for Boston City Council At-Large. I was born in Dorchester, stayed true to my roots and raised my children here while teaching in the Boston Public Schools for more than twenty years. As a single mother to four children, I lived the financial struggles and shouldered the stigma of raising children alone. I experienced first-hand the immeasurable pain and fear of confronting the fact that my child was addicted to drugs, as well as the complicated and frustrating process of getting help for him. I’ve cried with too many parents who have lost a child to addiction. I have dealt daily with the frustration of navigating BPS, and renting in an ever-increasingly unaffordable city, while desperate for safe streets to ride my bike and walk my dog. I work hard at everything I do and I will continue to work hard for my family, neighbors, community, and all the residents of Boston.

I am ready for others to hear my voice – and be the strongest voice for students, parents, for those in recovery, for single parents, working class families and at-risk youth.

I cannot wait to connect with you to hear YOUR voice, your concerns, your struggles.

Kindly follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at Erin for Boston to see where I might turn up in your neighborhood for a good long chat!

ErinforBoston.com

Site Content

Public Education

As an educator in the Boston Public Schools for over twenty years I know what is working well and what needs to be addressed. I will make it a priority that all families have access to a high quality public school in every neighborhood. I will advocate for a re-commitment to a comprehensive vocational high school and I will focus on providing more inclusive options for our special needs students. I will see that we provide trauma training for our school nurses, guidance counselors and social workers to properly address the social and emotional needs of so many of our students and streamline the after-school programs so that all students and families have affordable and enriching after-school opportunities.

Public Health

I will address the Opioid Epidemic head on by providing recovery services and addressing the mental health needs of so many of those struggling with addiction. I fully support the rebuilding of the Long Island Bridge and creating a comprehensive recovery campus on the island. Until that can happen I will advocate for more beds at detox centers and halfway houses so that no one who is ready for recovery is turned away. I will support prevention through education and programming at Boston Public Schools and Community Centers throughout the city. I will be out there everyday advocating for those struggling and supporting their families.

Public Safety

As a single mom, raising my family in Dorchester, public safety matters to me. I want every resident in every neighborhood to know they have a right to safety on our streets, no matter what time it is, what street it is, what they look like, or what they’re doing. I believe community policing works and I support the Boston Police Department's commitment to that and to continuing the cadet program that allows the police to recruit residents from all neighborhoods.

Making sure there are great public schools, activities and jobs for our teens and young adults, and addressing the opioid epidemic will help. Empowering the residents in every neighborhood will offer them hope and have a positive impact on the public safety of our city.

Housing - Economic Development

It is becoming increasingly unaffordable to live in the city and we are losing so many great families who can no longer afford to stay. I will address this by the expansion of middle-income affordable housing lotteries and better oversight of development so that new affordable housing units are built with more meaningful input from existing residents. I will promote city-backed loans and grants so resident small business and home owners can thrive in our neighborhoods.

Transportation

There is a transportation crisis in our city and we have to address it. Traffic, unreliable train service, parking and unsafe bike paths all make commuting around the city extremely difficult. One solution to easing traffic is making the MBTA more reliable and that will be a priority of mine. I will work to create a municipal oversight panel for the MBTA so that Boston stakeholders have a seat at the table as the T is reorganized and reformed. I will support a new Red Line station on the Braintree line at Morrissey Blvd.

Constituent Services

The most important job of the City Council is to insure that the city runs smoothly for all residents. I will work diligently to make sure our city departments are working for our residents and are supporting the neighborhoods. From libraries to snow removal, to registering your child for school to calling 911 in an emergency, we all deserve our city to work for us!