Meet Phillip

Phillip was born and raised in Taunton. The son of Portuguese immigrants, Phillip grew up learning the true meaning of hard work and sacrifice. He was in the bilingual education program at Galligan Elementary School, before moving and transferring to Bennett Elementary School. Phillip attended Friedman Middle School and Taunton High School. During his time at Taunton High School, he immersed himself in the community by participating in Student Council, Key Club, and the National Honor Society. Phillip was in the top 5 of his class, balancing his academics with these extra-curricular activities and working 20+ hours a week at Market Basket.

Phillip attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, graduating in December of 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Sciences, as well as a minor in Political Science and a certificate in Civic Engagement and Public Service. During his time at UMass, Phillip was heavily involved with the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG). MASSPIRG is a statewide, student-run, student-funded nonprofit advocacy organization that stands up to powerful special interests on issues dealing with public health, the environment, and consumer protection. Phillip worked on a national team that got Subway to stop using meat from animals raised with routine antibiotics, a leading cause of antibiotic resistance.

He went on to lead a campaign focused on democracy issues, through which he put on a debate for the six candidates vying for the State Representative seat in Amherst and organized a group to attend a rally for campaign finance reform and voting rights in Washington, D.C. Phillip’s biggest accomplishment during his time with MASSPIRG was securing early voting on campus for students at UMass during the 2016 election, while also assisting in a voter registration drive that registered over 3,000 students. This required the formation of a partnership with the Town Clerk, Student Government Association, and UMass administration that has lived on to this day. Phillip served on the MASSPIRG Board of Directors, including on the Board’s Executive Committee as the Treasurer of the organization. During his time at UMass, he also completed internships with State Representative Ellen Story of Amherst and Partners for a Healthier Community (now the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts), a public health nonprofit in Springfield.

Phillip currently serves as the Chair of the Taunton Pathways Committee. The Pathways Committee was appointed by Mayor Hoye and confirmed by the City Council on January 31, 2017. It all started in the summer of 2016 when he took up biking as a hobby and visited the East Bay Bike Path, a 14.5-mile multi-use trail spanning from Providence, RI to Bristol, RI. The first time Phillip visited this trail he wondered, “Why can’t we have something like this in Taunton, along the Taunton River?”

Upon doing some preliminary research, he discovered the Taunton River Trail, a proposed 22-mile network of trails connecting Taunton, Dighton, and Somerset first introduced in the early 1990s. At the time, Phillip was interning at the State House and spoke to Representative Pat Haddad about the status of the Taunton River Trail. Representative Haddad advised him to reach out to the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD). When he did, Phillip met Bill Napolitano, an original proponent of the project and someone who would become his closest mentor. Bill had played an integral role in the City’s 2015 Open Space Plan. One of the plan’s goals was to create a citywide multi-use trail system, including the Taunton River Trail. Phillip ultimately approached Mayor Hoye and the City Council and offered to step up to the plate to work on this goal as the Chair of the Pathways Committee.

Since its appointment, Phillip has led the Taunton Pathways Committee through the process of finalizing its plans and seeking out funding. This process has required fruitful negotiations with various stakeholders, including the Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant (TMLP) and the Department of Public Works (DPW). The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has committed to seeing the project through to completion as a result of this hard work. The Taunton River Trail will become a reality. It will be a wonderful recreational space for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities. In addition to the Taunton River Trail, Phillip has also expanded the Committee’s scope to include all aspects of walking and biking issues, including working with the DPW on Complete Streets projects, expanding the Safe Routes to School program to encourage students to walk and bike to school, and encouraging multi-modal transportation for commuters through the MassRides program.

Phillip was extensively involved in the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan process. In addition, he served on the Advisory Committee for the Downtown Taunton Plan. Both of these plans demonstrate just how much potential the downtown and Taunton as a whole have with the right initiative. In many cases, plans like these are written, approved, and then placed on a shelf indefinitely. This cannot happen. These plans are meant to be the guiding documents for how decisions are made moving forward. As your City Councilor, Phillip works tirelessly to ensure that the City is being held accountable to the plans that it creates.

For his day job, Phillip works as a staffer in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He began his State House career as a Researcher for State Representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. in the House Committee on Technology and Intergovernmental Affairs. He then went on to be the Campaign Manager for Carol Doherty for State Representative. Phillip is currently the Legislative Aide to State Representative Carol Doherty, serving parts of Taunton and Easton. In this role, he handles legislative affairs and constituent services, as well as other matters that come before the House of Representatives.

As a lifelong Taunton resident, Phillip has a strong devotion to making the City of Taunton a better place to live, work, and play. As he said when the Taunton Pathways Committee was just getting started, “I really just want to make the community I already live in even better. I’m hoping that I can make Taunton better for people who live here and attract more people to come.” Phillip is dedicated to making this a reality as your City Councilor.