CHANGE THAT PUTS EVERETT FIRST

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My promise as mayor is to put Everett residents before developers, insiders, or personal gain.

After nearly two decades of the same leadership, City Hall has lost sight of who it serves.

When $180,000 in hidden longevity payments can be tucked away with no accountability, it is clear Everett deserves better.

I am running to bring real change, restore trust in City Hall, and make government work for every neighborhood.

It is time to fix school overcrowding, ease traffic, and make sure our neighborhoods, not just developers, benefit from Everett’s future.

Let’s move Everett forward without leaving anyone behind.

WHY I’M RUNNING

MEET ROBERT

Rob Van Campen learned service and sacrifice from his father, who worked two jobs and served in the National Guard. Raised by Dutch-Irish and Italian American parents, Rob grew up with a strong sense of family, hard work, and tradition. His parents came to Everett to achieve the American Dream of owning a home. Today, Rob and his wife Lisa are raising their kids just a block from where he grew up, in the same close-knit neighborhood that welcomed his family. Holidays are still celebrated in the same home his parents bought years ago, with Christmas Eve dinners that bring everyone together.

Rob brings decades of experience in public service and a deep understanding of how government works. He served 15 years in Everett city government, including on the Common Council, the Board of Aldermen, and the City Council, where he was also council president. He currently represents Ward 5 on the City Council. Rob also spent 14 years as a senior city administrator in Melrose, running city services, handling crises, and negotiating fair deals that put residents first. As a labor attorney, he has stood up for working people and fought for fairness and respect in the workplace.

Rob is a proud husband and father who has given back to Everett as a youth baseball coach, a member of the Elks, and an active volunteer in local organizations. In every role, he’s shown steady, accountable leadership and a focus on doing what’s right, not what’s easy.

Rob’s story is one shared by many in Everett: a family that came here looking for opportunity, worked hard, and built a better life. He knows the struggles facing working families today, from the rising cost of housing to concerns about neighborhood safety and city services. Rob will always put people before politics—or himself. That means pushing for higher standards at City Hall, fair hiring so residents have a shot at good jobs, and safe, clean neighborhoods. Rob’s commitment is to keep Everett a place where families can put down roots, raise their kids, and count on a city government that puts them first.

He knows it’s time for leadership that puts the community first—honest leadership that fixes school overcrowding, eases traffic, makes growth responsible, and restores trust at City Hall. Rob is ready to lead on day one. With deep roots, a lifetime of service, and the experience to deliver results, he has the integrity and vision to move Everett for forward.

Rob and his wife, Lisa, have built their lives in Everett, where they are raising their children, Lily and John.

Rob and his mom, Marie Van Campen (née Ranelli), at the family home where their Everett story began, a place his parents worked so hard to make their own.

ROB’S PRIORITIES FOR EVERETT

Everett deserves a City Hall that works for residents, not insiders. Rob will lead with honesty and ethics, with no more personal payouts or backroom deals. The city will publish data so residents can see how their money is spent and launch new tools like a SeeClickFix app so every resident can report issues and track progress in real time. Rob will end the era of hidden longevity payments, restore public trust, and make sure city government is open, transparent, and responsive to everyone, not just the well-connected.
No child should be learning in a closet or hallway. For too long, school overcrowding has gone unaddressed. Rob will make fixing overcrowding a real priority, not just an election-year promise. He will work to reopen Pope John as a school rather than as condos and seek input from educators, parents, and students to shape real solutions. The city council has already backed this plan. It is time for leadership that puts Everett’s kids and families first, not political games.
Everett can grow without losing what makes its neighborhoods special. Rob will stop oversized projects that do not belong on side streets and focus big development in areas where it is needed most, such as near transit and blighted sites rather than in the heart of established communities. The city will strengthen zoning, require more green space, and give residents a greater voice in shaping development. The focus will be on making growth work for everyone, preserving open space and historic buildings, and keeping Everett a place people are proud to call home.
Everett’s streets have become more crowded every year. Rob will bring real coordination to street repairs and work with residents to find practical answers to parking and congestion. He will advocate for meaningful transit improvements from state leaders, not empty promises. Through smarter planning, better public education campaigns, and a focus on long-term solutions, Everett can finally address its traffic challenges and keep streets safe and moving.
Working families are being priced out of Everett. Rob will create an Office of Housing Affordability to help residents access resources, keep rents and home prices in check, and increase affordable housing the right way. The city will prioritize preserving existing homes, improve inclusionary zoning to deepen affordability, and only support new projects that put residents first. The goal is to keep Everett livable and affordable for everyone, whether they are new to the city or have called it home for generations.
A strong Everett means a thriving local economy. Rob will cut red tape for small businesses, promote aggressive buy local campaigns, and work with the Chamber of Commerce to build opportunity for entrepreneurs. The city will establish Business Improvement Districts and support fair hiring so Everett’s economy benefits everyone, not just a select few. With these changes, main streets can flourish, more local jobs can be created, and small businesses will find it easier to grow and succeed in Everett.