Leading Gloucester

For all

Our Path FOrward

Portrait of Paul Lundberg standing behind a blue campaign sign for mayor, inside a room with windows, artwork, and a wall-mounted lamp.

Under our City Charter, the Mayor is both Community Leader and City Manager, as well as a member of the School Committee. These roles demand more than vision—they require experience, collaboration, and results.

Paul Lundberg is ready to lead Gloucester into a stronger, more connected future by addressing our most pressing challenges:

  • Championing educational excellence

  • Expanding affordable housing

  • Driving economic development

  • Delivering a fiscally responsible city budget

Through respectful leadership and shared values, Paul will help Gloucester thrive—today and tomorrow.

  • Aerial view of a city block with buildings, and a large mural of a lobster on the side of a building.

    🏘️ Housing: Affordability with Integrity

    We can’t grow as a community if our essential workers can’t afford to live here. Teachers, first responders, health care providers, and city staff deserve the ability to stay in Gloucester.

    Paul will use his planning expertise to champion zoning updates that protect neighborhoods while expanding housing options. READ MORE

  • Group of protesters, mostly women and children, holding signs and megaphones during a demonstration for educators' rights. Signs include 'Gloucester Educators on Strike' and messages supporting teachers, students, and fair wages.

    📚 Education: Rebuilding Trust, Raising Standards

    Last year’s avoidable teachers’ strike created lasting division. As Mayor and School Committee Member, Paul will restore trust between parents, teachers, and administrators—because trust is the foundation for student success.

    With his negotiating experience, he’ll help foster collaboration that puts students first. READ MORE

  • A statue of a sailor at the waterfront during sunset, with a cloudy sky and the ocean in the background. The statue depicts a sailor holding a ship's wheel.

    💼 Economic Development / Small Business Support

    Gloucester’s future depends on supporting local businesses, attracting employers, and improving infrastructure.

    Paul brings decades of civic and business experience and will lead a strategic, City-led effort to grow Gloucester’s economy while staying true to its character. READ MORE

  • View of a harbor with boats from a window of a building, showing houses and streets in the foreground.

    💰 A Budget That Works for Everyone

    Taxpayers deserve a budget that’s transparent and responsible. Today, confidence at City Hall is low. We must keep Gloucester affordable for students and seniors alike.

    As Mayor, Paul will bring professional budget management and accountability to restore trust, ensuring every tax dollar is wisely spent. READ MORE

  • Group of nine people posing together indoors for a photo, smiling and standing close to each other.

    🎣 Supporting Our Fishing Industry

    Fishing has been the backbone of Gloucester for over 400 years. The challenges are real—but not insurmountable.

    Paul will work hand-in-hand with the industry to adapt and thrive, protecting our heritage while planning for the future.

  • A mural depicting a diverse group of children and young adults gathered around a large seated woman holding a sword, symbolizing justice or leadership. The scene includes children reading, playing instruments like a violin and a clarinet, and exploring educational tools such as a globe, suggesting themes of education, unity, and empowerment.

    ⚓️ Honoring Gloucester’s Heritage

    From our museums and galleries, to our landmarks and their stories, Gloucester’s culture is the soul of our city.

    Paul will be a strong advocate for the arts & culture, with our amazing Cape Ann history that defines who we are and draws people here.

Housing:

Affordability with integrity

“Paul will be on the fore front of (housing), because he has been doing this a long time. The bottom line is there is too many people in town, Gloucester, who are housing stressed or housing burdened. We need to put this front and center, and there are ways to do this. I’m looking forward to Paul’s leadership and gettin this done.” ~ Bob Gillis

Gloucester is facing a housing crisis that affects the very people who make up the heart of our community—teachers, healthcare workers, municipal employees, artists, seniors, and families. These groups were identified as essential to our community character in Plan 2000 and Housing Production Plan 2017, yet rising costs and limited availability threaten their ability to stay here.

Affordable housing means that no family pays more than 30% of their income for rent or ownership, while workforce housing reflects what our local employees earn—generally between $120K and $165K per household. Right now, too many of our businesses can’t hire or keep workers because employees can’t afford to live here. The issue isn’t just affordability—it’s also the shortage of housing stock across all neighborhoods.

Paul’s Housing Priorities Include:

  • Expand Affordable & Workforce Housing: Revive and improve Housing Production Working Group proposals; support accessory dwelling units (ADU); encourage modest multi-family, duplexes, and clustered housing in all wards with zoning that respects neighborhood character.

  • Smart Zoning & Incentives: Streamline permitting so residents can navigate the process more easily; reform outdated requirements like minimum lot sizes and parking; offer zoning and tax incentives for housing where increased density makes sense.

  • Protect Residents & Strengthen Community: Balance the needs of tenants and owners through creative tools like tax credits or equity-based support; explore mixed-use redevelopment of underutilized sites; work with social service partners to expand supportive housing for seniors, people with disabilities, and vulnerable populations.

We need creative, balanced solutions: zoning reforms that respect neighborhood character while expanding housing options; streamlined permitting that makes it easier for homeowners to improve their properties; and incentives that encourage the right kind of development in the right places. Gloucester has the land, the tools, and the opportunity—we just need the leadership and the will to act.

EDUCATION:

REBUILDING TRUST, RAISING STANDARDS

“I’m a Math Coach at East Veterans Elementary, and I worked with Paul on the Vote Yes for New School campaign. From his commitment on that committee, and I know from his work on City Council, he will be exactly what we need. By working with the School Department, and educators, using good communication and just improving things on how they work and what we can get, I am confident in him as mayor.” - Kristin Parsons, Math Coach / Gloucester Educator

Public Education is at the heart of our community. It reflects not only the character of Gloucester but also our shared responsibility to give every student the tools to succeed. I am a graduate of the Gloucester Public Schools. I know first hand the pride our community takes in its schools - and I clearly see the challenges we face today.

Our schools thrive when the stewards of our Public Education - students, parents, teachers, administrators, School Committee members and other elected officials - work together with trust as true partners. That trust was deeply strained by last year's avoidable teachers' strike. I say unnecessary because it should never have come to the point of crisis. The issues could and should have been resolved before the crisis disrupted classrooms, strained families' lives and left impacts still with us today.

Rebuilding that trust must be our first step forward. That means listening carefully, communicating openly and making sure every steward of our Public Schools is accountable for progress. As Mayor, I will be in the unique position of serving both as a School Committee member and as Mayor. I will be active in both of those roles. I will accept the accountability for the goals we set, and I will advocate for a culture where collaboration and respect come first.

Our goals are specific. Gloucester deserves:

  • Classrooms where teachers feel valued and supported.

  • Students prepared with skills to succeed in trades, careers and higher education as they may choose.

  • Parents who can trust the stability and excellence of our schools.

  • A process where issues are solved early - through respect, transparency and leadership.

This is the work of leadership. It is more than setting goals - it is establishing the trust to achieve them. I am committed to doing that work because the future of Gloucester depends on the strength of our Public Schools. We have a great opportunity to improve our educational excellence.

Economic development:

Supporting small businesses across gloucester

Two people inside a flower shop looking at a framed black-and-white photograph. The woman is pointing at the photo, and the man is standing next to her, both focused on the picture. The shop is filled with colorful flowers and decorative items.
Double parking meter with a digital display showing 1:07 and a man in a vest standing on the sidewalk in the background outside a store with a blue and yellow sign.

Gloucester’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and our historic downtown—set against the harbor—is a rare asset. Yet too often, merchants and entrepreneurs feel unsupported, and city government has lacked a proactive strategy to help businesses thrive year-round.

Paul’s focus on economic development and small business support includes:

  • Beautifying and Strengthening Downtown: We will raise our standards of cleanliness, safety, and accessibility. Streetscape and façade improvements, seasonal flowers, and coordinated downtown events will showcase Gloucester’s charm and keep residents and visitors coming back. we will also ensure our police have better visibility through community policing in any areas needing additional support.

  • Parking System Audit & Reform: I will direct a full review of our parking system—ensuring policies work for guests, business owners, and employees. If our current vendor is failing, we will pursue alternatives to better manage pricing, signage, and technology.

  • Activate I4-C2 for Community & Seasonal Use: Rather than leaving this lot vacant, we will look to models from neighboring communities that host food trucks, markets, concerts, and public events. This creates activity downtown while longer-term plans develop

  • Partnering for Growth: I will work with the Chamber, Discover Gloucester, and our cultural institutions to extend our tourism season into the fall, winter, and spring—supporting retail, dining, and arts organizations.

  • Supporting Entrepreneurs: Gloucester’s “blue economy,” artists, and innovators need streamlined permitting and city hall that says “yes” to good ideas. I will simplify processes for small business owners and explore zoning changes that allow mixed-use development.

After listening to business across Magnolia, Lanesville, Blackburn Industrial, and, of course, Main Street, it is clear to me that our city is looking for a true partner to help manage our busy calendars and to ensure we are doing well all year-round.

Taxpayers deserve a budget that’s transparent and responsible. Today, confidence at City Hall is low. We must keep Gloucester affordable for students and seniors alike.

A city’s budget is a reflection of its values. For too long, Gloucester has faced rising costs without enough proactive communication or thoughtful planning. Families, seniors, and young residents all feel the squeeze. From increased trash bag costs, to new rental fees, to septic tank inspections - while all may be needed, how we roll them out and when is equally important. As Mayor, I will ensure our budget decisions are transparent, inclusive, and focused on keeping Gloucester affordable.

As Mayor, Paul will bring professional budget management and accountability to restore trust, ensuring every tax dollar is wisely spent.

Paul’s private business experience, non-profit history, and his time as Council President means he’s ready to tackle tough budget decisions looming on the horizon, but he’s committed to:

  • Transparency & Communication: End the surprises. I will present clear, timely information about city finances and proposed increases, ensuring residents can weigh in before decisions are finalized.

  • Smart, Proactive Budgeting: We will stop relying on one-time revenues and instead plan responsibly for long-term needs like schools, infrastructure, and essential services.

  • AFFordability for Seniors: Expand access to the Circuit Breaker tax credit, promote “work-off” programs that allow seniors to reduce tax bills through community service, and fight to ease the property tax burden that threatens so many residents on fixed incomes.

  • Affordability for Families & Young People: Launch a task force to explore new ways to support affordability across generations—including fairer fee structures, exploring exemptions where possible, and ensuring city services are delivered efficiently.

  • Inclusive Planning: Every budget decision should be made with input from residents, businesses, and community partners, so all generations feel their voices matter and their needs are respected.

With experienced leadership and clear communication, we can manage our city’s finances wisely while protecting the people who built Gloucester and making sure the next generation can afford to stay here.

Five people inside a room with large windows and greenery outside, engaged in conversation. An older woman with glasses is talking to a man in a navy vest. Three women are in the background, listening, with one holding a snack.

budgeting:

KeepinG Gloucester affordable for all generations

People gathered around a table at a bingo event, with a bingo scoreboard and American flag in the background.
Young woman shaking hands with older man outside fire station, with two other women smiling nearby.