Basic positions on controversial issues
Freedom to Marry
I support freedom to marry. I worked to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
Death Penalty
I oppose the death penalty and voted against its reinstitution this year.
The death penalty wouldn’t make Massachusetts one bit safer. People who commit awful crimes are uniformly people who have little regard for the consequences of their actions — they will not be deterred by the threat of death.
Also, as an experienced criminal trial attorney, I know that mistakes are possible in any system. The risk of tragic error in a death penalty system is all too real.
I strongly support funding for victim-witness advocate programs. I believe that the personal support that we give to victims is vitally important to their recovery.
Choice
I support a woman’s right to choose.
The government should not interfere in the most deeply personal decisions in our lives.
Prevention is the top priority. We should do all that we can to reduce unintended pregnancy.
Broad legal access to contraception is critical to helping women out of poverty. Teen pregnancy is one of the principal barriers to economic advancement. I strongly support the new emergency contraception law, so that women will have timely access to the “morning-after” pill. And I support access to reproductive health services for all women, regardless of economic circumstance.
I also believe strongly in broad dissemination of the information that women and men need to make sensible choices about parenthood and to avoid unintended pregnancies.
I voted for the “buffer-zone” bill that helps protect the privacy of persons visiting reproductive health clinics.
Health Education
I co-sponsored Alice Wolfe’s comprehensive health education bill, H. 597. Young people should have the health information they need to make smart decisions and lead healthy lives.
H. 597 does not deprive local school districts of the freedom to choose their curriculum, and maintains a parent’s ability to opt their children out of sex education classes. There is a lot that we know today about how to stay healthy. Teaching kids how to stay healthy is an important long term investment.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Stem cell research holds potential for new treatments for many serious disorders, including diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease and many others.
Blastocysts, from which stem cells are extracted, are microscopic balls of a few cells. They should be available for research if they are not wanted by the donors that created them.
The state must ensure that this research is conducted ethically, and in order to capture the economic benefits in terms of new jobs and firms, the state should follow the lead of other states by providing support for research and development.
Criminal Justice Issues
In my career, I have been both a prosecutor and a defense attorney. I have also written, taught and consulted as an expert on substance abuse and criminal justice issues. It remains a personal priority for me to improve the criminal justice system.
Most people who get sent to jail or prison are released within a few months or years. With our current high incarceration rates, we have to do everything we can to make it more likely that prisoners will be successful when they are released. I support effective education and treatment in prison and meaningful assistance to those who are trying to make the transition back to liberty and responsibility.
Substance abuse creates most of the business of the criminal justice system and much of the business in family court. I support high quality substance abuse treatment programs and outreach programs to assure that those who need substance abuse treatment are more likely to receive it.
I have long been troubled by high incarceration rates for drug dealing offenses among young African American and Hispanic men, especially in high poverty areas. I have filed legislation to moderate mandatory sentencing policies — H. 1336.
I have been a strong supporter of measures to provide compensation sufficient to retain experienced prosecutors and court-appointed defense attorneys. Only with experienced lawyers on both sides can justice be well-served. Stabilization of both sides of the criminal bar is a top priority for both justice and public safety.
Affordable Housing
Access to safe, affordable housing is a fundamental human right, as well as a crucial element in the future success of our Commonwealth. The costs of housing have strained the resources of many hard-working people-while forcing too many of our residents, and often their families, into homelessness. High housing costs are also a major cause of the increasing loss of population, particularly among young adults, that is affecting Massachusetts’ future economic vitality.
I have been a strong and consistent advocate for state housing assistance programs under the Department of Housing and Community Development. Additionally, I am supporter of improving the regional transportation network, so that urban centers like New Bedford and Worcester that offer significant amounts of affordable housing are more viable homes for more people who work in Greater Boston.
Although it is important to preserve local controls, I support the basic mechanism of Chapter 40B which helps to increase affordable housing in communities that do not have a sufficient percentage of affordable units. I am in favor of “smart growth” initiatives that offer rewards and planning assistance to help communities absorb greater housing density near centralized public transportation.
As a member of the Belmont Board of Selectmen, I worked diligently to increase the affordable housing stock. I was a major proponent of Belmont’s local inclusionary zoning bylaw; I facilitated the agreement that put affordable units on surplus Town land; and I spent several years working to implement the agreement with McLean Hospital that included affordable housing units within the new developments on their property.
By strengthening our commitment to affordable housing, we will strengthen the well-being of many of our citizens, of our communities, and of our economic future.