GLOBE EDITORIAL
For the LegislatureIN THE race to succeed state Senator David Magnani of Framingham, Gerard E. Desilets is the clear choice in the Democratic primary because of his commitment to social justice and his experience in local and state government.
Desilets has been moderator of Framingham's Town Meeting for seven years. He is knowledgeable about local problems and the need for state aid to support education. He has also worked for 12 years as associate commissioner of the Department of Public Health. He knows the importance of the state in assuring adequate health care for Massachusetts residents. As director of planning for the South Middlesex Opportunity Council, he has been a strong advocate for the poor. The district comprises semi-urbanized Framingham and the more traditional suburban towns of Ashland, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway, and Natick. A senator with Desilets's breadth of experience is best able to represent this varied constituency. The 8th Suffolk is only one of 160 House seats, but it has long had a disproportionate influence. Voters in the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and Cambridge district are accustomed to representation by smart, innovative leaders: Elaine Noble, Barney Frank, Tom Vallely, Mark Roosevelt, and currently Paul Demakis, who is retiring after five terms. In the Democratic primary, attorney Marty Walz is the clear choice to carry on that legacy. Walz has worked for the Boston School Department, as a vice president for an early education nonprofit organization, and as a human resources manager in the private sector. This broad experience is rare in the Legislature. In addition, she is a strategic thinker, knowledgeable about local issues and committed to the progressive agenda that is the hallmark of the district. Demakis has endorsed Walz to be his successor, and so do we. The House district that comprise East and South Somerville and East Cambridge is no longer the blue-collar bastion of just a few years ago. Representative Timothy J. Toomey Jr., the incumbent representative, deserves renomination for changing with the district while maintaining his core commitment to government services.
This year he consistently fought attempts to restrict the rights of gay people to marry. He has fought for a 5.95 percent income tax rate to maintain the state's commitment to essential services. As House chairman of the Public Safety Committee, he pressed for measures to penalize motorists who injure pedestrians in crosswalks and to protect all young people under 17 years old by requiring them to wear helmets when cycling or skate-boarding. Toomey deserves renomination in the Democratic primary. © Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.
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