For the Legislature
WE WISH our list of legislative endorsements were longer. One reason it is not is that ballots in 26 of the 40 Senate districts, and 112 of the 160 House districts, contain only one name. This lack of competition is shameful -- a result of the grave condition of the state's Republican Party, redistricting maps, and fund-raising laws that tend to protect incumbents, among other factors.
It should be a priority for the new governor and Legislature to improve this poor showing in 2008. Still, there are several lively races this year:
Her vote against the gay marriage ban never sat well with some voters in her conservative district. Others balked at her efforts to require religious charities to disclose financial statements. But state Senator Marian Walsh of West Roxbury has always managed to serve her district well while keeping her own counsel. Walsh, a Democrat, has played an important role in the effort to expand healthcare and she is pushing hard for an independent review board for the Big Dig. Her district, however, continues to be her priority. Among those who have benefited from her attention are the families who skate at the new Roche ice arena in West Roxbury and the elderly who enjoy programs at the modern Westwood senior center. Rehabilitation of the Dedham court complex should be coming up next. We don't agree with Walsh on every issue, but the Globe endorses the seven-term senator for both her effectiveness and her principles.
The unexpected death this month of state Representative Deborah Blumer of Framingham has set off what is likely to be a five-way sticker race for the open seat. The candidate who best reflects Blumer's passion for education and support for the underdog is Democrat Pam Richardson, a member of the Framingham School Committee. Like so many town officials who worry about rising property taxes due to cuts in state aid, she sees the weakness in rolling back the state income tax. She also wants to fill the void in advocacy for human services left by Blumer. There is concern that some voters may still opt for Blumer, whose name was printed on the ballot before her death, apparently from a heart attack. Such votes, however, will be discarded. Those who want to honor Blumer's liberal legacy should opt for Richardson.
Voters on Cape Cod and the Islands will choose between the incumbent state Senator Robert O'Leary, a Democrat, and his Republican challenger, Ricardo Barros, a lawyer and former cranberry farmer and Marine. Both, unfortunately, oppose the Cape Wind project on Nantucket Sound. But one issue on which they clearly diverge is legalization of hypodermic needle sales without prescriptions. O'Leary courageously backed this as a way of reducing transmission of blood-borne diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis, among drug addicts. Barros opposes such sales. Both candidates have struggled to find solutions with broad support to a prime issue on the Cape, the rising cost of home insurance. But based on his record of accomplishment, including his work on an ocean management plan, O'Leary wins the Globe endorsement.
The gubernatorial race is shedding light on how local property taxes are driven up when the state cuts aid to cities and towns. Representative Rachel Kaprielian of Watertown, who chairs the Legislature's Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, is one of the body's experts on local aid. Her leadership will be needed on formulating compromise legislation that encourages municipalities to provide health coverage to their workers via the state's efficient group insurance plan. Her efforts are also needed to create an overall, fair formula for distributing state aid to local communities. The six-term Democrat says it's not the "flashiest issue," but it is one of the most important. Her Republican challenger, 24-year-old Keith Mercurio, is bringing a lot of energy to the race. His concern for the financial struggles of people living in Watertown's blue-collar neighborhoods is deep and genuine. And he shows range with his plan to eliminate the sales tax on gas-stingy hybrid vehicles. Mercurio is a candidate to watch. But the experienced Kaprielian still deserves reelection.
In the House district that encompasses Milford, Hopedale, and Mendon, Democrat John V. Fernandes deserves to be elected for his extensive experience in local government. Fernandes, who beat an entrenched Democratic incumbent in the primary, will bring an informed perspective to legislative issues affecting municipalities because of his three years on the Milford Board of Selectmen, nine years on the Milford School Committee, and seven years on the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee.
Perhaps, in 2008, districts across the state will be enlivened by competitive races.
