Robert Eckstut
2021 Candidate for Cambridge City Council

Home address:
251 Western Ave. #1
Cambridge, MA 02139

Contact information:
email: robert@roberteckstut.com
phone: 203-733-5197
website: roberteckstut.com/
Twitter: /roberteckstut
Facebook: /roberteckstut

Send contributions to:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/eckstut
OR by check at
Committee to Elect Eckstut
251 Western Ave. Apt 1
Cambridge MA 02139

New candidate for 2021

Background:
Robert Eckstut is a 1st time candidate looking to bring legitimate progressive policy and ideology into Cambridge City Council. Robert is running a completely grassroots campaign, with zero ties to any special interest groups, PACs, or developers. Robert was born in Connecticut, and then went to high school in Massachusetts, graduated from Lesley University, and has lived in Cambridge for 15 years. Robert has published a book about poker, pioneered work in gambling theory, worked for both the state democratic party as well as the federal government, and has also served the Cambridge community as a counselor and life coach.

Top Priority:
Cambridge leans heavily on its Manager-Council form of government, wherein the City Manager is hired by the council, but has complete authority and control over municipal matters. Robert wants to move into a Council-Mayor system, paralleling Somerville, wherein the people of Cambridge have far more say into how their city is run. We can vote in democracy for Cambridge; let’s move away from authoritarianism, and bureaucratic red tape.

Most residents with whom Robert has spoken are unaware about the relative lack of power the Cambridge Mayor possesses; it’s a ceremonial title, but it should carry weight. Cantabrigians do not directly elect the mayor; this is ludicrous, should change, and can change.

Most legislation gets stuck on the desk of the city manager. Any candidate that professes big plans must contend with the whims of the city manager. Until we collectively change our form of government - and elect a city council that actually wants to not contend with the city manager’s whims - is promoting a falsehood.

Land Use, Planning, Zoning, Density
Robert wants to change our current zoning laws. Robert envisions a taller, denser Cambridge. There are several housing groups with a big presence among the council; he is not endorsed by any of them. Although he supports some aspects of private development, Robert takes it a step further than his peers: He believes in more social and subsidized housing, owned by the city. The best way to do this is by spending more of our budget on acquiring land, and developing the land we currently have.

Energy, Environment, Infrastructure
Robert wants to utilize some of our underused land (Fresh Pond Golf Course, for example) in an effort to promote more trees, parks, and housing. Robert believes reallocation of resources is our best tool in the proverbial kit to make our citizens happy. With regard to infrastructure, Robert is a major proponent of municipal broadband, fare-free bussing, and spending money to solve our sidewalk issues to promote Cambridge as a walking-first city.

Traffic, Parking, and Transportation
Robert has taken the Cambridge Biking Safety pledge. Robert believes biking lanes vs. cars is presented as a false dichotomy. The way we solve this problem is by making our public transportation a healthier, more appealing option over cars; if we push the right levers with regard to incentives, we can have room for walkers, cyclists, bikers, and even drivers.

Public Health
Robert supports a Cambridge-wide vaccine mandate. We have collectively dragged our feet for too long. A vaccine mandate falls under the veneer of personal choice vs collective safety. We consistently make these sorts of decisions - think seat belt laws (which faced the same backlash in the 80s, with similar arguments, against a mandate). Some freedom is sacrificed with the end result outweighing the cost. (Fewer automobile deaths) With regard to mandates, a suppression of a choice (to get it or not) actually leads to more freedom. In a world where everyone is vaccinated one is free to walk into a grocery store without fear of contracting a potentially deadly disease. Without vaccines, this is not a freedom we have.

Public Safety and Intervention
Robert supports communal policing. We are all more safe as a community when we are engaged with our peers; the more isolation, distance, and separation we have from one to another in society leads to worse outcomes from a crime perspective. Robert supports the current HEART model, but would take it a step further by introducing more non-police roles, in order to replace typical police roles.. For example, sending social workers to domestic violence calls is a good start.

Human Services Programs
Robert supports universal pre-K. We must do our part to enable the youth of Cambridge to succeed; this is just a first step.

Civic Participation and Inclusion
Robert wants a greater degree of diversity to serve on community boards. Robert has a great deal of respect for the people who serve on the various boards (historical commission, zoning, etc.) but finds that the pool of volunteers tends to be incredibly homogenous. One way to combat this is by making all these positions pay out a stipend, to further encourage people from all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds to participate.

CCTV candidate video (2021)     2021 MCNA Candidate Forum (Eckstut)