City Council Notepad: Marjorie Decker

Marjorie C. Decker grew up in public housing in Cambridgeport, where her parents still live.

Now, the newly elected 27-year-old councillor is aiming many of her policies at the same area.

Growing up in Cambridge has "been a tremendous advantage," she says, and one which makes her accountable to her city.

"It's an incredible, wonderful experience to be elected in the city that you grew up in," Decker says.

Bringing people together was the main theme of Decker's campaign this year for the City Council, and it will continue a big theme of her first term on the council.

Starting in mid-January, Decker aggressively campaigned for nearly ten months, reaching out to Cantabrigians across her native city. While "doorknocking" at 3,000 homes and attending 55 house parties, she built a strong base of support that enabled her to finish third in the council race with 1652 number one votes.

"My campaign really strove to bring different people together on the issues," Decker says. "That's what got me elected."

Decker's priorities for the next two years are affordable housing and education.

A Cambridge native, she says she wants to "bring together the brain trust" of the city (non-profits and city agencies), evaluate its resources, and get the council to sit down at the table and do the hard work necessary to find solutions.

Decker advocates establishing a central housing office, an expansion of the city's affordable housing trust, and adopting a tax break for homeowners who want to rent their homes at affordable prices.

For education, Decker says that the city needs to "better coordinate" after-school programs and make sure that students receive adequate care wherever they go.

She says she has had many mentors--such as State Rep. Alice K. Wolf, whose re-election campaign Decker successfully managed last year--who influenced her in her childhood and continue to guide her to this day.

"As an adult, they continued to contribute to my growth and success," Decker says.

--EBC