Photo: Paul Joy has a vision for Belmont

Belmont, I’m Paul Joy, and I’m running for Select Board because this isn’t just about me. It’s about us. On Tuesday, April 1, we get to decide what our town becomes. 

I live on Harvard Road with my wife and three kids—Thomas, Lucas, and Alexandra—who attend Chenery and Wellington every school day. My wife, Yuan, is an immigrant and also teaches at the Belmont Co-Op Nursery School. We’re raising our family here, facing the same rising costs—taxes, rent, small business pressures—that is felt across our community all feel. I’ve heard your stories on porches, at games, in shops, over the phone, and they’ve shaped me. Together, we can build a Belmont that thrives for all of us.

What have I done for us? 

• As Chair of the Economic Development Committee, I’ve fought to fill empty storefronts, bringing jobs and boosting our tax base to ease our burdens: supporting our schools and services. But it’s more than that. 
• I chaired the Co-Op Nursery School Board, raising funds to keep tuition affordable and give our teachers bonuses, because early education sets our kids up for life. 
• I’ve coached our kids on Belmont’s soccer fields, and helped organize practices and clinics at the same time. 
• On the education side, I can’t tell you how proud I am of the work-based learning virtual internship program that Belmont High School students have available to them.  

My family’s roots trace back to Thomas Joy, who built Boston’s first Town House, a place that literally helped shape American democracy. And as an immigrant family today, we bring that legacy forward, proving Belmont is stronger when we embrace our diversity.

What sets me apart? 

• I don’t just nod along—I ask hard questions and stand firm for what we need. 
• When others accept “that’s how it’s always been,” I push for better, not quick, fixes, but durable solutions.
• I’ve seen us struggle with a cost of living crisis, seeing seniors stretched thin, small businesses balancing rent and red tape, and renters and families priced out. I’ve demanded we rethink how we grow and that includes applying every year for every competitive grant opportunity that we can.  
• I’ve called for a town voice to unite our business owners, amplifying their ideas to keep our downtown vibrant, not drowned out by endless construction or big chains. We need growth that works for us, not against us – in places like Brighton Street and Cushing Square, and South Pleasant St not just Belmont Center – where we can sustain it without losing our charm.

We’ve got a vision worth fighting for: a Belmont where our commercial tax base grows so our wallets don’t shrink, where our kids learn in strong schools, and our seniors stay in homes they’ve built. I’ve got the experience, as a teacher, consultant, and coach, to make it real, tackling problems with data, grit, and heart. I’ve always sought zoning changes with our entire community in mind, cut red tape like parking, and listened to you. We can partner with our shop owners, not steamroll them, and plan finances that last, not just patch holes.

Some say we should settle, that change is too messy. I say we’re tougher than that. We’re the town that shovels each other’s driveways, cheers our kids on, and keeps our shops alive. We don’t back down, we rise. My ancestor Thomas Joy didn’t just build a building; he built a place for us to stand up and demand more. I’m here to do the same, not for me, but for us. On April 1, we choose: a Belmont that builds, grows, and thrives together.

So, Belmont, let’s do this. Grab your neighbor, your friend, your family—head to the polls on April 1, and Vote Joy. Check out joyforbelmont.com to see our plans—because this is our campaign. We’re not just voting for a person; we’re voting for us: a town where we all belong, prosper, and shine.

Let’s make it happen, together. Thank you.