6th Middlesex candidates fired up at debate
MetroWest Daily News
September 9, 2008
This article doesn’t even come close to describing the sparks that flew between Chris and Pam during this debate. I have to tell you, it was down right bizarre at times. Apparently Pam thinks that no idea that is generated by a republican has any merit whatsoever which is how she defends voting against bills that would protect seniors and require the legislature to post more public information about their committee votes. Pam’s attacks on Chris for bringing up the Dover amendment equally puzzling. We can and surely must be open to discuss any legislation which may have merit. However Chris hasn’t made a single concrete suggestion of exactly how he intends to change Dover. Now THAT would be interesting to hear about.
I’d have to rewrite the entire article to point out the highlights and lowlights. All I want to say is that I felt GREAT after that debate. I can’t wait to see it on FPAC TV.
6th Middlesex candidates trying to separate themselves
Metrowest Daily News
September 7, 2008
If you want to see the difference between the three candidates you can find it right here in this article. Each of us was asked to name our involvement in one issue that distinguishes us from our opponents. I answer the question directly. Pam says she “honestly hasn’t researched her opponents” and ultimately dodges the question continuing to take credit for things she had little or no role in like the recalculation of the Chapter 70 formula which happened before she was ever elected. Chris also dodges the question but in a very different way. He has no record of actual accomplishment to cite so he panders to voters’ fears by promising to file legislation to change the Dover Amendment. This is particularly ironic since he has demonstrated no leadership whatsoever on this issue while serving on Town Meeting. He has not spoken even once on the role of social service agencies in the town when it was the most controversial and roiling topic we had on the table. Chris also fails to offer a single concrete suggestion of HOW his legislation will attempt to alter Dover, or even if his idea has a prayer of getting passed. He knows that for some voters, just making the empty gesture is enough.
Richardson defends record at Sixth Middlesex Forum
MetroWest Daily News
September 4th, 2008
It’s interesting to me to see how this reporter describes my mailing or even my comments about Pam as “Anti-Richardson” I think of them more as comparing my record of service to hers, and I’m proud that my record of leadership and service are as strong as they are.
Does an endorsement matter?
MetroWest Daily News
August 30, 2008
I am honored to be endorsed by the people who understand this job better than anyone else: Former State Representative Barbara Gray, who served this community for 24 years as its state Representative and the family of our much loved former state Representative Debby Blumer. They see in me the qualities that a strong effective leader needs. I have been pleased, humbled, and even occasionally surprised by the breadth of support I have received in the community. For example, I also have Tom Tierney’s endorsement who has run against both Barbara Gray and me in the past. A cross section of community leaders and activists like Laura Medrano, LJ Carroll, Bob Berman, and Sidney Pires, to name just a few, are with me too. Mine is a true grassroots campaign which reflects my commitment to representing all of Framingham.
Gay Candidate Draws Blood
Bay Windows
August 20
Now this was a campaign event like no other, and you can see some pictures on the photos page of this website. I’ve been donating blood since I was a teenager. My foster father, Bob, was one of those “never miss a chance to give blood every six weeks” people, and so I started donating myself. Back in those days, I used to rally teammates and friends to join me so we could donate as a group. It’s always more fun that way
When I read that there was a blood shortage, I looked around to my campaign and asked them to step up to the plate too. I was touched by their willingness to do so, as well as saddened by the reminder that many of them would be excluded because of some out-dated policies. It wasn’t just the gay men on my campaign that were excluded. Women who had ever had sex with a man who had sex with a man since 1977 (even once) are prohibited from donating blood. People who had lived abroad for any significant time were excluded. In many cases the list of things that could exclude a potential donor seemed to be rational, but the blanket ban against gay men and women who had sex with men who had sex with men since 1977 smacks of homophobia to me.
We have come a long way since the early 1980s. We know what causes AIDS, we understand how it is transmitted and we can test the blood supply in ways we couldn’t back then. It seems to me it is time to re-evaluate and reject fear based policies. It’s time to let science protect the blood supply, and I’ll be working toward that goal. In the meantime, I’m going to keep donating blood, and urging others to do the same. Because at some point, any one of us, regardless of sexual orientation, may find ourselves in need of blood to save our lives.
6th Middlesex hopefuls shown close on ESL
MetroWest Daily News
August 16
I’m not sure that the three of us are as close on these issues as this article makes out, but I am glad that the most significant difference between us was mentioned. The Brazilian community has been harassed for years by CCFIILE, Framingham’s own home grown xenophobes. Because I have repeatedly spoken out against their tactics, I have earned the special privilege of having my name listed in the opening credits of their cable program. It’s an honor because they treated Debby Blumer and every other person who has taken a stand against their racist diatribes the exact same way. You’ll never see Chris or Pam being featured on CCFIILE, and that’s because they have ducked this issue entirely in their public service. I never will.
Compromise reached on deer hunting
MetroWest Daily News
August 6
For many years, hunting of any kind was illegal on town property. Last year the Board of Selectmen tried a pilot program to allow bow hunters to hunt on two parcels of property that the public normally uses for recreational activity like dog walking and hiking. To many of us in town, hunting is incompatible with these activities, particularly when there is no evidence that the program is needed or has the potential to be effective. A small diverse group of concerned citizens, including me, got together to try to convince the BoS to reverse their position. While we weren’t as successful as we had hoped we would be, I’m very pleased that some progress has been made. It’s a good first step.
Gay rights group’s endorsement draws protest
MetroWest Daily News
August 5th, 2008
Before I ran for office, I assumed that groups that endorse candidates for office must have some fair mechanism by which they evaluate all those running and then throw their support behind the most qualified person. Talk about learning something new every day! I have more experience in LGBT rights than both of my opponents put together, and yet I wasn’t even considered for MassEquality’s endorsement. Why? Because MassEquality, like most organizations that make endoresements, has a policy of automatically supporting incumbents who vote the way they are told to. As important as civil rights gains are, I believe it is critically important to elect more LGBT advocates to the State Legislature to fight for our own rights. MassEquality’s policy to support the status quo ultimately works against our own community and I urge people who care about LGBT issues to do what you can to support my much stronger candidacy.
Question 1 is, in my opinion, the most scary question on the ballot. It essentially asks us during this hard pressed economy whether we want more money in our pockets without spelling out everything we are going to have to do without. That’s why I call it the Free Ice Cream on Friday question. Most of us would love to have free ice cream on Fridays. Just don’t tell us what we will have to give up to get it!
The New Eco Incentive
Framingham Tab
July 11, 2008
I particularly like this article because it talks about how Framingham could benefit from getting a head start on establishing benchmarks for our municipal energy use. If Town Meeting had rejected my motion to establish the Greener Framingham Committee, we would not be as ahead of the ball as we are today. The fact is Framingham is very well poised to take the best advantage of this new legislation because of the work of the Greener Framingham Committee. Let’s not drop the ball now!
Candidates cite problems with mandatory sentencing
MetroWest Daily News
July 11, 2008
This story does a reasonable job highlighting some significant differences between my opponents and me. But there is one thing that needs to be made absolutely clear: neither of my opponents can hold a candle to the education and experience I have had with the criminal justice system in particular, or the legal system in general.
As some of you may know, I have a deep and personal understanding of what victims of violent crime go through. My experience in the foster care system was an education in and of itself. People who have experienced the kind of abuse I survived as a child rarely get to grow up to go to Wellesley College or Northeastern University School of Law. They usually don’t get to grow up to be lawyers or law makers either. Hopefully, Framingham voters will send me to Beacon Hill to be a strong and knowledgeable voice to reform our backwards criminal justice system.
In my opinion, the biggest problem with mandatory minimum sentences is that we currently apply them to the wrong crimes. People with substance abuse issues need treatment, not incarceration. People who commit violent felonies deserve much more prison time than they have been getting. As Barney Frank says, “lets make some room for the serious criminals” by decriminalizing marijuana and locking up the people who cause the most pain for the most time.
Natick separates politics from annual parade
MetroWest Daily News
July 3rd, 2008
About a month or so ago, I got the nicest email inviting me and my Great Green Ambulance to be part of Natick’s 4th of July Parade. The theme this year is “Red White and Blue go Green”. I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to see that “going green” is no longer an oddity. I used to get kidded quite a bit for some my alternative fuel experiments. With gas prices over $4.00 a gallon, and diesel over $5.00 a gallon, no one is laughing anymore. Now I seem pretty darned bright, and folks want to know how they can get on board! See you on the 4th!
Dover Amendment dominating race for 6th seat
MetroWest Daily News
June 28th, 2008
While it is true for some people in town Dover is the issue that dominates in their minds, for most folks it is a non-issue. Most people understand that without Dover, tax exempt educational programs for disabled people, religious organizations, and agricultural projects would be blocked by communities. Dover is the statute that essentially lists the kinds of projects a community can’t zone out of their towns. Most people don’t know it, but Dover even covers the right to install solar panels on your property. When PV panels first came out lots of communities opposed them, because they weren’t pretty enough in some people’s minds. Given our current energy and environmental crises, they are looking better to more people all the time. I think it is a good thing the legislature protected what some may view as visually unappealing yet economically and environmentally beneficial technology. Because while unpopular with some, they actually are a benefit to us all. That’s the same reason I think it is important to protect religious, educational and agricultural programs: communities can benefit from them.
It was clear from the debate that neither of my opponents understand the law nor what can be done to make it better. While I support the Dover amendment, I agree that it, like many laws, could use some improving. As a lawyer who understands the law, its potential and its limits, I think I’m in the best position to work on making those changes.
Framingham panel supports deer hunting
MetroWest Daily News
June 26, 2008
This article discusses the Town’s policy of permitting bow hunters to use two pieces of Town owned land to hunt deer. Now I’m not opposed to hunting in principle, but I am opposed to what amounts to closing off these public spaces for the general public use. Once the hunters get in the tree stands, and the signs go up that there are hunters in the woods, the rest of the public stays away. That was not what was intended when the town acquired these properties, and in my opinion, it is poor public policy.
Democrats vying for state rep race
MetroWest Daily News
June 24, 2008
This article is a bit of a puff piece about the debate last night. I got a chuckle seeing that Republican Nick Sanchez’s old campaign manager Yaakov Cohn is supporting Pam in this race. Politics, bedfellows and all that.
Framingham official wants to shore up personal data protection
MetroWest Daily News
May 19, 2008
This article discusses a resolution I helped put forward to protect confidential information kept by the Town of Framingham. It also called for uniform and fair procedures in evaluating town residents for fee waivers and discount programs. This resolution later passed overwhelmingly.
Debate set for State Rep Candidates
MetroWest Daily News
May 16th, 2008
Lesbian State Rep for Framingham?
Bay Windows
May 8th, 2008
This article in New England’s largest LGBT paper announces my run for State Representative.
Framingham TM tables wind turbine bylaw
MetroWest Daily News
May 7th, 2008
The tabling of this article was actually a victory for the future of alternative energy options in Framingham. The proposed article was so restrictive that it would have made it virtually impossible to explore any form of wind turbines in any location. I spent a lot of time talking to many Town Meeting members and other community leaders talking about why this bylaw was a step in the wrong direction for the town. It was gratifying to see such a broad based rejection of this bylaw, along with the referral to the wind turbine subcommittee, of which I am a member. I’m confident we’ll be able to draft a far more reasonable bylaw that will protect the neighborhoods and encourage businesses and residents to explore viable alternative energy options.
Green committee gives Framingham failing grade
MetroWest Daily News
May 4th, 2008
This is an unfortunate choice for a title, because in fact, some of our municipal buildings deserve great grades. However the rest of the story does a pretty good job discussing some of the energy conservation challenges we face.
No distractions in this political power play
Framingham Tab
May 2nd, 2008
Rob Haneisen’s early take on the race. He’s right about at least one thing. There are a lot of Democrats who agree with my liberal politics and I’m counting on them to get out and vote in September.
Zoning Board of Appeals closes Hearing on Staples Wind Turbine
I testified in favor of allowing Staples to erect a met tower to test the wind conditions at their corporate headquarters. I think we need to do more to support businesses like Staples in their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, and their energy costs. If Staples’ experiment works, it could bode well for the Town to adpot similar technology. That’s good for business, good for town government and good for the planet. In the end, it could be good for all of us.
Here’s some pictures of the Met tower Staples built: The Staples met tower
Lawyer goes green in her own ambulance
MetroWest Daily News
November 8th, 2007
This article cracks me up. The irony of a lawyer owning her own ambulance wasn’t lost on me when I bought it, and I’m glad folks get a good chuckle out of it too. But whatever it takes to get people to think about energy in different ways, is ok by me. Because of this article and my website www.greatgreenambulance.com I’ve gotten phone calls from all over the country from alt-energy enthusiasts who want to learn more or share information. Makes it all worth while!
Global Warming trend discussed
Milford Daily News
July 12th, 2007
This article discusses the issue of global warming and what activists like me are doing in our neck of the woods.