Gregg Moree Makes Education His Top Priority in Seventh Council Bid

A local carpenter and lifelong Cantabridgian, Gregg J. Moree is hoping to stand out among the 18 other candidates to clinch one of the nine open seats in the Nov. 2 Cambridge City Council election.

This campaign marks his seventh bid for a city council seat.

If elected, Moree hopes to focus on issues ranging from education, equal pay, housing, and environmental conservation, per his campaign website.

In addition, Moree’s website says that he believes “ALL LIVES MATTER,” affirming this stance with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1944 Economic Bill of Rights, which he says “helped to form [his] opinions and political platform.”

Born in Cambridge, Moree and his family boast a century-long lineage born and raised in the city. He attended the M.E. Fitzgerald School—now the Peabody School—and the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School. After graduating, he continued his education at the North Bennett Trade School for carpentry.

Moree explains on his website that much of his dedication to public service comes from the mentorship of his uncle, Joe Sakey, who he describes as a “civic and community activist and entrepreneur.”

A main priority for Moree is improving education and hands-on learning opportunities available for local youth, according to his website. In addition, Moree hopes to create and implement youth apprentice and internship programs in Cambridge industries for local students to take advantage of.

“Cambridge has so many great companies and hi-tech opportunities that there should be more internship programs,” he writes. “Companies and developers should have mandatory, signed contracts with the city to develop internships for young Cambridge residents.”

In a 2019 interview with The Crimson, Moore pointed to the special relationship between Harvard and the city of Cambridge and proposed city-funded sponsorships that would allow local low-income students to attend the university.

“We have lots of kids that are smart. They just don’t have the money to go to Harvard, so maybe there’s a way we can get them into Harvard by sponsoring them,” he said at the time. “The city can sponsor kids to go to Harvard.”

Beyond his focus on education, Moree hopes to increase the minimum wage to ensure that all Cambridge residents have access to affordable housing. In addition, he wants to increase job opportunities in Cambridge by connecting local residents with area construction jobs.

Moree’s previous bids for City Council have been sullied by his criminal record, which includes assault and battery charges. Moree has denied these claims.

Moree did not respond to a request for an interview.