New Bedford City Councilor Linda Morad Won’t Seek Reelection in 2025

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — Longtime New Bedford City Councilor Linda Morad, who is the second-longest serving member of the council, announced today that she will not be seeking reelection.

In a press release sent out this afternoon, Morad said that after 20 years on the council, her tenure will end “in January 2026 when a new member is elected and sworn into office.”

Morad’s Council Legacy and Career Timeline

Morad was first elected as the Ward 1 Councilor in 2003 and was reelected to three more terms, serving for eight years before leaving the council to run for Mayor of New Bedford. She lost to Jon Mitchell, but then returned to the council in an At-Large role in 2013, and has been continuously reelected ever since.

In November 2023, the most recent council election, Morad tied for last place among the incumbent at-large councilors, garnering 3,481 votes out of the 8,744 ballots cast.

READ MORE: Burgo Won't Run Again for New Bedford City Council President

In her release, Morad thanked “the residents of the city for putting their trust in me to represent and serve as their voice in their city government.”

“It has truly been an honor and a privilege that I have enjoyed immensely,” she said. “I have been given many unique opportunities, met so many citizens in our city and have developed close relationships that I will always treasure."

During her time on the council, Morad served as council president four times, last holding the gavel in 2023.

A Look at the Longevity Pay Controversy

Since the city council’s budget “Cut Night” on June 17, Morad has been at the center of controversy after she spoke out about the Mitchell Administration not paying out a total of $4,700 to elected officials eligible for “longevity pay,” a stipend paid out to those who have service of 10 years or more.

The payouts, which range from $450 for 10-14 years of service all the way up to $850 for 30 or more years of service, are paid on the second regular payday of December of the calendar year, per city ordinance. However, the ordinance only mentions that pay for city employees, not elected officials, despite the fact that it had been paid to elected officials for quite some time. City budgets online show it being paid out to councilors at least going back to 2015.

The Mitchell Administration did not make the payments at the end of 2024 after the administration realized the ordinance did not specifically apply to elected officials.

Mayor Mitchell told WBSM’s Chris McCarthy that when he discovered the longevity payments made to him after he hit 10 years of elected service, he returned the money. He provided McCarthy with a copy of the check and the documentation that he had returned $900 – $450 per year for Fiscal Year 2023 and FY2024 – to the City Treasurer.

“There isn’t, on the books, longevity pay for elected officials (but) it’s been done,” Mitchell told McCarthy in his weekly appearance on WBSM on July 9. “When I discovered it for me, when I hit 10 years in office, I paid it back. Maybe that’s what (the city council) should be doing.”

READ MORE: New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell's Check to the City to Return Longevity Pay

“The City Solicitor came to me and said these payouts are not authorized under city law, so we can’t pay them. So that’s the end of the story, period,” Mitchell said.

Morad and Ward 2 Councilor Maria Giesta then sought to file a motion earlier this year to ensure continued longevity pay for the councilors. A then-unnamed source brought that information to McCarthy, who discussed it many times on air before the source – whom Morad dubbed a “sleaze” in a text message to the entire city council – revealed himself on McCarthy’s program: Ward 1 Councilor Leo Choquette.

READ MORE: New Bedford City Councilor Dubbed "Sleaze" by Colleague Comes Clean

That led to Morad’s comments on “Cut Night,” when she unleashed on the mayor her thoughts that she said she had been “holding in since December” after the longevity pay was removed from the budget, as it would no longer be issued.

“It was a sleazy, slimy move on the part of the administration, and the labor relations director, the solicitor and the mayor participated in it. Just absolutely sleazy and slimy,” Morad said from the council floor during the discussions on budget cuts. “That’s not the way work should be done, no way should it be done.”

“It’s a shame, it’s a shame that this administration would be so vindictive that it would make that decision a couple of days before the payout was supposed to be,” she said. “I’m talking about the longevity pay, for all of you that don’t know what I am talking about, which has been given to elected officials in the city of New Bedford for 100 years. It’s never not been paid.”

“The way it was done was awful, but this administration convinced the labor relations manager and the city solicitor to go along with it,” Morad said. “Shame on them, and shame on the mayor.”

READ MORE: New Bedford City Council President Calls Mayor's "Austerity" Moves "Scare Tactics"

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Morad Thanks Colleagues, Friends and Family for Support

Morad and Mitchell were often at odds throughout her tenure as an at-large councilor, and at times she had issues with fellow councilors as well – although she has always been vocal about seeing the council itself as “a family,” a word she has used many times.

In her announcement not to seek reelection, she addressed all those who had been part of that family, as well as her actual family.

"I also want to thank my colleagues, past and present, for their service to our city,” she said. “And to my friends and family – thank you for your love and support. You have been alongside me on this journey for 20 years. I hold close in my heart all the memories, laughs and tears over the years. God bless all of you and God bless the City of New Bedford."

Burgo: Morad "An Example of True Leadership and Public Service"

New Bedford City Council President Shane Burgo released a statement, saying Morad “has exemplified what it means to be a committed public servant.”

“From advocating for responsible fiscal policies to championing sustainability and long-term planning, her leadership has played a critical role in shaping our city's growth and resilience,” he said. “Her institutional knowledge, her unshakable presence, and her ability to advocate with clarity and conviction have left a lasting impact on the city council and on New Bedford as a whole.”

Burgo noted that while he and Morad may not have always seen eye-to-eye on every issue, and come from different political ideologies, she “proved to be an unlikely but invaluable friend” and mentor.

“Under her leadership, we've worked collaboratively to deliver for our residents. Whether by passing meaningful tax relief, addressing housing needs, or exploring the future potential of our city,” he said. “Through it all, Councillor Morad has never been one to seek the spotlight for herself. Instead, she's helped others shine. An example of true leadership and public service.”

Is the End of Politics for Linda Morad?

On her campaign website, Morad's bio says it is "her dream to become Mayor of New Bedford." Although her statement did not say anything about her political future, it did not say she intended to step away from politics either.

What’s Next for the At-Large Seat?

Morad’s decision means there will be at least one open at-large seat this year. Candidates have until August 19 to submit nomination papers for the certification of signatures.