Mayor Jake Wilson’s Inaugural Sets a Results-First Agenda: “Government You Can Measure”

In his inaugural address on Saturday, January 3, Mayor Jake Wilson outlined a governing thesis he called “government you can measure,” pledging visible improvements and a transparent approach the public can follow. 

“I’m from the government—and I’m here to help,” Wilson said, earnestly reclaiming the sometimes joked-about line as a fundamental commitment to measurable service standards and public service. He described an “urban-mechanics” approach built on clear timelines, plain-language updates, and relentless problem-solving, focused on tighter 311 handoffs, more predictable permitting, and opening public assets, such as Somerville High School, for greater community use. Service basics done well, clean streets and parks, responsive crews, and maintained buildings, “are how people know their city is listening,” he added. 

Wilson’s second major theme was keeping Somerville livable from the environment to an inclusive local economy to a housing plan that’s a map, not a mantra. He previewed priority steps he will take, including adding homes near transit and growth corridors, enabling a wider mix of housing types, expanding nonprofit partnerships to deepen affordability, and strengthening tenant protections so workers and families can stay. Wilson linked affordability to small-business stability and the creative economy, promising to treat affordable commercial and artist space with the same urgency as housing.  

Climate action, he said, is pragmatic economic stewardship: “A strong local economy depends on a healthy, resilient future... Somerville can lead the way. If it seems too much, too costly, or too hard, we’ll break it down into manageable steps,” he stated. 

Wilson also centered safety, dignity, and infrastructure as core promises of city government. He was candid about the billion-dollar pressures facing the city to improve streets, sewer infrastructure, and municipal buildings, pledging clear timelines and proactive outreach to keep residents informed and involved.  

On schools, he minced no words on the Winter Hill School rebuild, committing “to work relentlessly on getting us our new school built at 115 Sycamore. ASAP. Because Wildcats can’t wait.” Speaking to the full school community, Wilson emphasized system-wide supports now, including competitive pay to recruit and retain paraprofessionals and teachers, and a focus on all students “whether their parents are able to advocate for them or not.”  

In a personal moment, Wilson shared that when U.S. farms were in crisis in 1986, his family’s farm was not spared. Food in his home “shifted from a given to a daily worry for our family.”  

“I will never forget what it was like to stare into an empty fridge — never,” he shared, vowing to rally city resources – and the community – to keep the bottom from falling out” for residents in need. That includes immigrant supports, food security, homelessness response, and combating hate, Wilson said, emphasizing compassion paired with accountability, accessibility beyond the ADA floor, and building a city where everyone can move, learn, work, and feel safe.  

When recognizing that some immigrant residents were not in attendance because “People are staying home. They are changing their lives to stay safe. The cruelty is the point — and that’s a tragedy,” Wilson received a standing ovation with his declaration, “We refuse to accept this as normal. As your Mayor, I will not accept this as normal.” 

Citing a personal crosswalk near-miss with his daughter, he committed to camera-based traffic safety with guardrails, an expanded traffic-calming pipeline, and on-the-ground education. “Safety shouldn’t depend on chance; it should be a promise we keep,” Mayor Wilson said. 

Finally, Wilson made clear there is plenty of hard work and challenges in the road ahead, noting that, “luckily, as a former farm kid from Iowa, I love hard work.” 

Greetings from the Commonwealth 

Somerville was honored to welcome Governor Maura Healey, and Interim Secretary of Transportation/MBTA General Manager Philip Eng to the 2026 inauguration ceremony. 

"It was an honor to be in Somerville to celebrate the inauguration of Mayor Jake Wilson, particularly as we begin the 250th year since America's founding. Just as American democracy was built by public service in the towns and cities of Massachusetts, our future will be rebuilt by those who serve in local communities, here in Somerville and across our state," said Governor Maura Healey. "Mayor Wilson is grounded by years of public service and community service, from the City Council to the youth soccer fields, and I look forward to working with him and the City Council to deliver for our people."   

“Working closely with municipalities is the key to providing what the public deserves,” said Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. “Congratulations to Mayor Wilson as we look forward to a strong partnership that continues to build a bright future for the City of Somerville, connecting people and communities across the city to the many other cities and towns across the Commonwealth – so everyone can rely on a well-balanced transportation system that allows future generations the choice to live, work and play right here in Massachusetts.” 

Remarks from Council President and School Committee Chair

City Council President Lance Davis and School Committee Chairperson Emily Ackman, delivered remarks emphasizing a commitment to progress and collaboration in the coming term. 

“I am incredibly excited to work with Mayor Wilson. Not only because he is a good friend but because we’re going to reset how the City Council and the Mayor’s office work together,” said City Council President Lance Davis. “We are committed to building a partnership defined by open communication, mutual respect, and collaboration.” On a lighter note, Davis added, “I assume this is the first time in Somerville’s history, that both the Mayor and City Council President were born in Minnesota. So, if you notice your city leaders suddenly acting extremely polite, deeply practical, and unwilling to brag about anything, now you’ll understand why.” 

 “Whether or not we agree on every issue the city faces, what unites us is so much stronger than what divides us,” said School Committee Chair Emily Ackman. “I believe in public education, and I am so proud of the work we are doing in Somerville Public Schools. As a school committee member, I am here for every single student in every single school. I look forward to working with all of you to ensure that every child in Somerville is given exactly what they need to thrive.” 

Watch the Ceremony/ Read the Address 

• The full Inauguration Ceremony is available to watch on SomervilleCityTV or on cable via Somerville GovTV (see somervillema.gov/cityTV for channel guide).
• Read Mayor Wilson’s address at gov/mayor or bit.ly/WilsonSpeech2026
• Read President Davis's remarks at bit.ly/PresDavisRemarks
• Read Chairperson Ackman's remarks at bit.ly/ChairAckmanRemarks