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Marcus Coward

RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN 2027

for New Bedford

Every New Bedford Issue starts with voter turnout.


The last primary election we had 5.7% voter turnout.
The last general election we had 11.3%.

This is was in 2025. There is an election every year.
Out of around 70,000 people who can vote, only between 4,000-8,000 are voting.


That is a shame. New Bedford can do better. We must do better.


We need to care more. We need to get informed. We need to organize.
We then can take effective action. We then can make informed decisions on who to vote for.


Talk with your friends, family and neighbors about local politics and issues.
New Bedford, we should all be on the same team - the team to make this city better for the people living here.


So much of what we experience as New Bedford residents starts with City Leadership.
Get more involved in choosing who represents you.


Because when you don't vote, you let other people decide your life for you.

Covid and social media has divided New Bedford, along with most of the world.
The only way to heal, is not alone, but together.


There are so many different public events to go to, get informed and get involved!
There are city events like School Committee and City Council meetings.
There are School events like concerts or sports games.
There are other city events like National Night Out, Human Rights Day, MLK Day,

and so many more.
There are AHA nights once a month.
And, maybe most importantly, there are Neighborhood meetings that go on all over New Bedford, once a month. Like all events listed, they are completely open to the public.


I encourage you to get involved in your neighborhood, your city, and help build your community.


There are lots of ways to volunteer and help others. Get creative and collaborate with others!
Join a board. Clean a sidewalk. Go to a meeting. Talk about an issue with someone.
Whatever you do, start with just doing something.


One thing I do is lead the Ward 5 Neighborhood meeting, the 1st Wednesday of the Month, at 6pm at the Buttonwood Senior Center Warming House. Hope to see you there!

Flock is simply one company, and the first one to be nationally recognized and heavily scrutinized, but there are many more companies doing the exact same thing.


Flock uses ALPR technology (Automatic License Plate Reader) along with facial recognition softward, combined with law enforcement abuse, to mass surveile people, harass whoever they want, and do they opposite of providing law and order to the people.


There have already been numerous cases, including in New Bedford, where officers use the cameras to stock people, primarily ex-partners. 


Mayor Jon Mitchell is for this technology.


There is little to no oversight as to how law enforcement is using this technology, and as we've clearly seen the people have no reason to trust law enforcement's ability to responsibly use this technology.


This technology is too tempting and too powerful. There are too many cons and not enough pros. If this technology stopped all kidnappings from happening, and solved all crimes in the area, I would be for it. But that is impossible to do, and this technology will never get us there.


This is a waste of taxpayer money, and the people want it gone.
I, for one, now and always will side with the people.
DEFLOCK New Bedford and no more ALPR's ever.

There should be no illegals on stolen land, first and foremost.

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Secondly, the Constitution requires ALL PERSONS to go through DUE PROCESS when accused of a crime.

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Trump and ICE do not obey the constitution. They do not respect it.

They do not believe in due process.

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Many people require clarification regarding the range of immigrants, varying from legal to illegal: Naturalized, permanent, and temporary (which are all kinds of legal immigrant statuses, let alone refugees), and then there are permitted and unregulated kinds of illegal immigrants.

 

My opinion, is that America should focus on immigration reform and creating faster and more efficient pathways for law-abiding immigrants to become citizens. The border should be strengthened and secured as well. Violent Immigrant criminals convicted of crimes, after receiving due process should be extradited. This should be the role of Immigrant and Customs Enforcement.

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But instead, Trump and ICE are acting as a domestic terrorist organization, harassing, abducting, and killing law-abiding citizens, New Bedford residents and American citizens nationwide, without due process.

That is an America I completely reject.

 

I stand with protecting all New Bedford residents against ICE as long as due process is absent; and as long as the Constitution and Law are ignored by Law Enforcement.

I do not blame the youth for their issues.
They did not ask to grow up with addictive social media.
They did not ask for tasty, addictive nicotine vapes.
They did not ask to grow up during COVID.

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I am here to be an ally to the youth, offering them an olive branch - that I see you, I love you, and that you are not alone. So many call the modern youth lazy or too sensitive, but I see unlimited potential when I look at today's young people.

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So I am for supporting and giving them more youth programs and opportunities to give them something positive and productive to do. If we encourage, facilitate and incentivize good behavior, the adolescent mind will be inlfuenced by the adults or influencers leading them.


They are the city's, the nation's, the world's future. Let's do a better job at helping foster their growth.

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I am also for regulating "alternative transportation". There is a real safety concern when it comes to either mopeds, ebikes, scooters, or even electric unicycles.

In 2026, there are alot of things on the road. And the more rules and understanding the public and city leadership have, the safer we'll all be.

Teachers, nurses, and those who help the homeless or mentally ill need more assistance from the city.

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The public school system is the city's biggest employer and consumes the majority of the city's budget. St. Luke's Hospital and the Downtown Health Clinic are vital to the well-being of not just New Bedford residents, but so many others.

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The homeless or unhoused population deserves to be treated better.
They are people who deserve dignity, life, and the pursuit of happiness, just like anyone else.


The city should play a larger role in facilitating the care needed to improve this problem over time so that one day there could be no more homeless people in New Bedford, or if there are, they are few, well cared for, and are on their way to a better life.


No one deserves to be left behind. Everyone deserves a second chance.
We all need some help sooner or later.

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Our children deserve the best public education possible. Whether it's updating the buildings, hiring more diverse teachers with overall higher pay, implementing programs that truly engage our students, or ensuring a school where everyone feels safe and welcomed. 

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There have been around 10 businesses in downtown alone that have closed between 2025-2026.


Businesses were struggling before COVID; the pandemic killed them, they never recovered, and now we are seeing the results.


The city should reinvest parking revenue back into a downtown business relief fund, or something that benefits downtown where the parking is located.


The city should do more with and for the homeless—either by creating a homeless commission or establishing a clear, long-term plan with a solution.


Abandoned offices and housing should be better promoted, made more affordable and utilized more. There should be an affordable grocery store downtown, especially now that the Family Dollar has closed.


The Vets Hall should be part of the historical district downtown, included more in programming and given its rightful share of resources and support from the city.

"Functionally unemployed" is a term I recently encountered, that can be defined as "earning poverty-level wages - $26,000."

I don't make too much more than that, even with a full-time job I enjoy.


Life has become unaffordable and unsustainable for most Americans, and I can relate.


Whether it is not having enough to save, or being stressed by piling bills and massive debt, or lacking the energy or support to learn investing, this has become an all too common American story.

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I am here to say enough is enough. I support the redistribution of wealth in America.


Politics should once again support the working class over the billionaire class.


1/3 of monthly wages should be rent, but for so many, it is more like half.

So many are forced to live with family or roommates, or else they would face homelessness.


Wages are stagnant while everything increases in this country.

This problem is not totally in city leadership's control, but I promise to push working class policies that will help the majority instead of the minority.


The city should do more to better understand, relieve, and educate those in need.

There should be support for city workers, for public infrastructure, community services, and to help the homeless and SUD (Substance Use Disorder) population.


The city should give homeless people more opportunities to work. Whether it is public beautification; different forms of community services; or other creative ideas to help work toward a solution for the unhoused population who especially stay downtown.


Firefighters should not be fired and fire stations should not be closed.
The police should not be short-staffed and stuck in contract negotiations for years.
Nurses should not have to protest.
Teachers should feel more supported.
The roads need to be fixed and DPI (Department of Public Infrastructure) should have all the support needed to do so.


The city should invest more in its workforce so that the people can better see their tax dollars at use.


Better city workers. Better city services. More satisfied people.


Trump has done and continues to do everything in his power to stop Vineyard Wind, and all other types of renewable, clean energy. This project was promised to bring more jobs to the area, but that positive impact on the New Bedford job market was never felt.

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New Bedford needs more opportunities for everyone to live the life they want.

The people need to be better informed. On city resources. On city leadership. On everything.


City leadership uses either a "weak mayor, strong city council" or a "strong mayor, weak city council" format.


Boston, has a weak mayor and strong city council, and so the city council have a full staff, make it their full time job, and are able to put in a lot of time and energy into the job.


New Bedford, on the other hand, has the opposite. 


So the mayor earns a full salary with a complete staff and has much more power than the city council, who do their job part-time with no staff to the best of their ability.


Most people are unable to recognize their city leadership, and that is the fault of both leadership and the people.


Learn your leadership. Reach out to them. Hold them accountable. 
Go to city meetings. Community build. Organize with your neighbors.
Advocate for the things you care about.


As a city, we must be more civically engaged. We can't just complain about things.

We can accomplish things. We do have Power. We the People.

Care. Get informed. Network. Organize. Take Action. Vote.


Be the change you wish to see in the world, with love and honesty. Always.


Inspire others to pursue their passions.


Volunteer. Help others whenever, however, and wherever you can.

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Run for office! I did. So can you. Fight for what you believe in.


Fight for the truth. Do not let fear dictate your actions. Be courageous. Be curious.


Find faith and hope where you can.

Whether that be through religion or philosophy, find peace without hurting others.


Find joy in life.


Be loving and forgiving.


Be strong. Together. Forward.

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