| Office | 35th Mayor of Somerville |
|---|---|
| Term start | January 5, 2004 |
| Term end | January 3, 2022 |
| Predecessor | Dorothy Kelly Gay |
| Successor | Katjana Ballantyne |
| Birth name | Joseph Anthony Curtatone |
| Birth date | June 28, 1966 (age 60) |
| Birth place | Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Nancy Curtatone |
| Education | Boston College (B.A.) New England School of Law (J.D.) Harvard University (MC/MPA) |
Joseph "Joe" Anthony Curtatone (born June 28, 1966) is an American politician from Somerville, Massachusetts who formerly served as the city's 35th mayor from 2004 until 2022.[1]
Early life and education
Curtatone was born and raised in Somerville, Massachusetts and graduated from Somerville High School in 1984. He later earned his B.A. from Boston College in 1990, his J.D. from the New England School of Law in 1994, and his MC/MPA from Harvard Kennedy School in 2011.[2]
Career
After serving as an Alderman for the city of Somerville for eight years, Curtatone was elected mayor in 2003. At 38, he was the second youngest mayor in Somerville history. He concluded his ninth and final,[3] term as mayor in 2022 after 18 years in office, the longest tenure of any Somerville mayor.[1][4] In 2006, Somerville was recognized by The Boston Globe Magazine as the Best Run City in the Commonwealth.[5] On March 1, 2021, he announced that he would not seek another term as mayor of Somerville.[3]
Sanctuary city
In January 2017, Curtatone reaffirmed Somerville's sanctuary city policy saying "will not waver" in the support for documented and undocumented immigrants. The city will not cooperate with President Donald Trump's executive order reducing grant funding to sanctuary cities and changing deportation standards.[6]
Alliance for Climate Transition
In January 2022, Curtatone was named President of the Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC), a 501(c)3 nonprofit and hybrid trade organization focused on building a "cluster of clean energy companies and climatetech startups through programs centered on innovation and entrepreneurship, industry research and development and workforce development."[7][8] NECEC was rebranded as ACT (The Alliance for Climate Transition) in 2024 as part of a strategic launch of new initiatives to combat climate disinformation, empower grassroots sustainability policy activists, and support a participatory campaign for their members and public for the climate transition.[9] In 2025, Curtatone was active in local public discussions around energy battery siting, advocating for their net benefits and addressing concerns about battery fires.[10][11]
Jake Wilson Transition Steering Committee
After Jake Wilson was elected mayor of Somerville in 2025, Wilson announced that Curtatone would chair his Transition Steering Committee.[12]
References
- ^ "The Office of Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone". City of Somerville. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021.
- ^ Gavel, Doug (May 9, 2011). "From Somerville to Harvard: Mayor Joseph Curtatone Scales the Wall". Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Archived July 4, 2017 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Curtatone, Somerville's longest-serving mayor, says he will not seek reelection". Boston Globe. March 1, 2021. Accessed March 2, 2021.
- ^ "2020 Inaugural Ceremony". City of Somerville. Archived 2021-09-13 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- ^ Keane Jr., Thomas M. (May 14, 2006). "The Model City". The Boston Globe Magazine. Archived February 12, 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (2017-01-25). "Mayor Joseph Curtatone says Somerville 'will not waver' despite President Trump's sanctuary city order". Boston.com. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
- ^ "About Us — ACT". www.joinact.org. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ "Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone To Take Over As NECEC President — Press Releases — Resources — ACT". www.joinact.org. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ "NECEC Rebrands as ACT to Accelerate Climate Transition — News — Resources — ACT". www.joinact.org. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Curtatone, Joe. "Opinion/Guest column: Battery storage part of path to clean energy in Mass.". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ "Guest Op-Ed: Don't let Misinformation Derail the Everett Battery Project – Everett Independent". everettindependent.com. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ "Mayor-elect Jake Wilson announces Transition Steering Committee to build ‘Service-First, Equity-Driven’ Somerville". The Somerville Times. Retrieved 2025-12-20.