Kathleen Howley
I'm running for the Board of Assessors because I love Canton,
and it's a role that will utilize the skills I've developed over a
lifetime of analyzing real estate markets and revenue reports
as an award-winning financial journalist.
I've been a homeowner in Canton for almost 18 years. One
of the things that attracted me in 2006 was the high quality
of the schools and other features of the town, such as the first-rate library and recreational facilities, which come with a relatively low tax rate for residents compared to neighboring communities. One reason for that is Canton's broad commercial tax base, thanks to our location and the targeted tax abatements that have helped to foster business and increase tax revenue.
I started my career as a journalist in the 1990s, writing for the real estate section of The Boston Globe. I then spent 15 years at Bloomberg News covering home values, bonds, the Federal Reserve, the economy, and government regulation. As part of my job, I analyzed the earnings spreadsheets of some of the world's largest companies and reported on revenue projections from Wall Street analysts for companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. During that time, I earned the Loeb Award, the highest honor in business journalism, and first-place awards from the New York Press Club and the National Association of Real Estate Editors.
After Bloomberg, I became the real estate editor at HousingWire, responsible for news about the housing market, home values and factors that influence them. Later, I was a senior contributor to Forbes and a senior reporter for The Messenger, writing stories about home prices, property assessments, mortgage rates, and the economy.
I was born in Boston to a blue-collar family and grew up the proud daughter of a World War II combat veteran. I graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a bachelor's degree in journalism. I currently have a child in the Canton school system and volunteer at the Luce Elementary School for fundraiser events and as a room parent.
Outside of school, I've been a troop leader for the Girl Scouts and a volunteer for several dog rescue groups. One of the great joys of my life was having a licensed therapy dog, a rescue named Frankie, who moonlighted in the Junior Room of the Canton Library when he wasn't doing his weekend job as a hospice dog for CareDimensions, helping patients and their families during tough times.
It's crucial that officials in our town, such as the members of the Board of Assessors, reflect the diversity of our community. While I respect experience, I'm also a big believer in rotation of service so that the same job isn’t filled by the same resident for decades. I'm looking to bring fresh energy and dedication to the role, and I ask for your vote to elect me to the Canton Board of Assessors on Tuesday, April 2nd.
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