To the editor:

I am announcing my candidacy for the Wellesley School Committee in the upcoming Town Election on March 3, 2026.

Wellesley is known for the strength of its public schools, and I am running to ensure Wellesley Public Schools continue to deliver on that promise for every student. However each student defines success, our schools should offer challenging academics and opportunities for personal growth to prepare them for the next phase of their lives. Through self-assessment and careful consideration of feedback, our schools should strive for excellence as much as our students do.

Public education shaped my own life. I grew up in Framingham and graduated from public schools before studying engineering at Princeton and law at Harvard. My husband and I have been fortunate to raise our two children in Wellesley since 2006, and both have attended Sprague, WMS, and WHS (2024 and 2028). Over more than fifteen years as a WPS parent and volunteer, I have seen firsthand both the strengths of our schools and the challenges families navigate.

My priorities are straightforward: keep resources focused on students, classrooms and teachers; strengthen curricula and alignment across grades and courses so students are well prepared at every step; be responsive—to data, families and the world around us; and foster a culture of connection and belonging for every student.

My professional background as an intellectual property attorney has trained me to analyze complex issues, listen carefully, build consensus, and follow through—skills that matter in effective school governance. I will use my personal knowledge of the school system—from kindergarten to graduation—and the voices of our community to center the experience of students and families.

I am running to bring a parent’s perspective and thoughtful leadership to the School Committee, and I respectfully ask for your support.  I can be reached at aylaforschoolcommittee@gmail.com

Ayla Lari

To the editor:

​I had the pleasure of working closely with Tom Ulfelder when I served on School Committee and have since had occasion to work with him on other town initiatives. His collaborative leadership style enhances communication among our often-diffuse town government. He understands with depth and nuance the many issues facing our community. I was particularly struck by the warmth and energy with which Tom seeks out input from those who are often left out of decision-making. Tom is eager to engage all stakeholders, to thoughtfully listen with compassion and curiosity, and to learn from the perspectives of others. He can make the hard choices and do so in an inclusive way that helps everyone understand his decision. Tom has my full support for re- election to the Select Board. In challenging times, his steady, honest leadership will serve us well.

Sincerely,

Leda Eizenberg
Town Meeting Member, Precinct H
Former School Committee Member
DEI Task Force Member
World of Wellesley Board Member

To the editor:

The Wellesley Square Merchants’ Association is pleased to endorse Beth Sullivan Woods for re-election to Wellesley’s Select Board.

She is a business leader and understands both the needs of the Town and the businesses including how vital they are to the culture and vibrancy of Wellesley.

As a proponent for the business community, especially the many retail and restaurant operations in town, she has a well-known record of collaborating with us in myriad ways, from coordinating logistics for new merchants, arranging for free parking, and organizing details of the events and celebrations we sponsor.

Through the years which have been and continue to be exceptionally challenging for the many business services, stores and restaurants, Beth did an excellent job of facilitating the communications and resources between the Town and the businesses.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Demian Wendrow
Volunteer President

To the editor,

Everyone—families, employers, and governments alike—is facing rising healthcare costs. While no single policy can solve healthcare inflation broadly, House Bill 1399 (H.1399), currently before the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee, offers a targeted and practical opportunity to address affordability for one group in particular: Medicare-eligible municipal retirees, whose healthcare costs are rising faster than inflation and faster than municipal revenues.

H.1399 provides municipalities with a voluntary opportunity to modernize retiree healthcare by pairing employer-funded Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) with individual Medicare coverage. This approach has been used successfully nationwide for nearly two decades and already serves more than 50 million Medicare beneficiaries, including hundreds of thousands in Massachusetts.

Importantly, H.1399 does not mandate any change. It simply allows municipalities to consider this option—and it should only be pursued if an actuarial analysis demonstrates, with 99.99% confidence (as actuaries never say 100%), that retirees would be equal or better off than under the existing group plan. Once an HRA funding level is established, the structure ensures benefits do not erode over time, as funding is adjusted annually for medical inflation.

For Medicare-eligible retirees, the potential benefits are substantial. A representative retiree could obtain the most comprehensive Medicare Supplement coverage available in Massachusetts—no networks, no prior authorizations, and near first-dollar coverage—along with a robust Medicare Part D plan, for roughly $275 per month in 2026. Comparable municipal group retiree plans now cost well over $500 per month and continue to rise more rapidly.

Because Massachusetts law already requires municipalities to subsidize at least 50% of retiree healthcare premiums, retirees in towns like Wellesley that provide a 50% subsidy could see average savings of approximately $4,000 per retiree per year (or about $8,000 for a retiree and spouse), without any reduction in benefits.

Municipalities benefit as well—not only because their share of premiums is lower, but more importantly through a reduction in long-term healthcare liabilities. OPEB liabilities, which represent retiree healthcare obligations for both current retirees and active employees, typically decline by 20–30% under this model. Lower liabilities improve long-term fiscal sustainability, strengthen municipal balance sheets, and can positively influence credit quality. In turn, this makes it easier for communities to fund capital projects, invest in schools and infrastructure, improve employee wages, shore up pension funding, and consider more robust COLA base increases for municipal retirees—without raising taxes or cutting services.

Some advocacy groups oppose H.1399, but doing so effectively prevents municipalities from even evaluating this opportunity—while simultaneously denying Medicare-eligible retirees access to equal or better benefits at substantially lower cost. Maintaining the status quo is not a neutral position; it virtually guarantees growing fiscal strain and diminished flexibility over time.

H.1399 is not a mandate. It is not a benefit cut. It is a measured, responsible option that deserves serious consideration.

Municipal retirees, local officials, and taxpayers who care about long-term affordability and fiscal stability should respectfully encourage their state legislators to allow cities, towns, and the Commonwealth the opportunity to evaluate H.1399 on its merits. Thoughtful consideration—not obstruction—is what responsible governance requires.

Sincerely,
David Kornwitz
Chair, Wellesley Retirement Board

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