While Sen Finegold has not been coy about his intentions (replying in the affirmative when asked by reporters if he was considering running for this office. for example), this is the first fundraising I have seen from him around the Treasurer race. Apparently he’s decided that either Rep Tsongas is not leaving any time soon, or that Senators Eldridge & Donahue represent too big a hurdle to that job when it opens. Or maybe it’s just the opportunity. Two letters below which both were part of the same appeal.
Dear
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to let you know about a friend and business contact who is making an exciting decision to run for State Treasurer. Barry Finegold is the State Senator from Andover. He’s represented the area for almost two decades as a town Selectman, State Representative and now Senator. Barry is also one of the founding partners of the successful Andover law firm, Dalton & Finegold.
One of the things I like about Barry is that nothing has ever been handed to him. He lived in government housing as a kid, and put himself through law school at night while working full time. Then he worked non-stop to build his law practice. He’s taken on tough election battles to get where he is and doesn’t take his job in the legislature for granted. That’s why I think Barry would be a great State Treasurer in 2014.
He’s part of a new generation of leaders that’s taking the tough votes to make the Commonwealth more effective and efficient. After all, the State Treasurer is essentially the CFO of Massachusetts—the position requires someone with both business and political savvy. Barry Finegold is that person. He’s said there is a distinct difference between being a legislator and a business owner—legislators make decisions and manage taxpayers money, while business people manage their own money. When something goes wrong, it hurts their own pockets. Barry would treat every tax dollar as if it were his own. I think that understanding makes him uniquely qualified to be the next State Treasurer.
In the legislature, Barry worked in a bipartisan manner, and voted for what was best for his district, not what was politically popular. He hasn’t been afraid to take on the establishment and I’m sure he will continue to work in that fashion as Treasurer.
Barry is a hard working guy with big ideas that will make Massachusetts a better place to do business and raise a family. But we need your help to get him into a position where that is possible. The average State Treasurer’s race costs about $2 million from start to finish and the max an individual can donate to a state candidate is $500 per calendar year. Couples may donate $1000 per year. I’ve pledged to raise $X for Barry’s campaign before June 30 and I hope you would consider donating $500 (or another amount) to help me fill that pledge.
For your information, Barry’s campaign accepts secure online contributions at barryfinegold.com. In addition, personal or PAC checks may be mailed to The Committee to Elect Barry Finegold, 34 Essex Street, Andover, MA 01810. Couples may send one check if both names are listed on the checking account. If you would like to reach out to the campaign directly, please contact Autumn Gould at autumn@barryfinegold.com or at 339-832-2174.
I’ve attached more information about Barry for your perusal. I know Barry will make an outstanding State Treasurer in 2014 but to stay competitive in a wide open field, he needs to hit his fundraising goals prior to the June 30 deadline.
Thank you very much for considering this opportunity to help a quality candidate. Please let me know if you can contribute.
Barry Finegold is the State Senator from Andover who has years of public and private sector experience. He’s a father, husband, coach, business owner and public servant, but what makes him different from the rest?What does Finegold stand for?
Family man. Barry and his wife Amy have three children, Ava, Ella and Max. Barry is the coach of his daughter’s soccer team and cheers on his kids at each singing recital. Barry understands what it takes to be a parent, to keep kids safe, and to ensure they are getting a quality education.
Invested in public service for 20 years. Barry’s been a standout member of the House of Representatives and the State Senate. As the House chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utility and Energy, Finegold authored landmark legislation to protect homeowners by increasing the accountability of public utilities in response to a severe ice storms that knocked out power for two weeks. He took on the House speaker on expanded gaming and continues to be an independent voice in the State Senate, where he’s fighting for increased access to charter schools for low-performing school districts.
Norm-breaker. Barry has never been one to tow the line. During senate debate on pension reform, Barry proposed to raise the retirement age of select state employees each year to help deal with the state’s unfunded pension liability, even though that move was not politically popular. He challenges the status quo when the change will bring about greater efficiency for taxpayers.
Education is his top priority. Finegold knows that the learning environment of our students is as important as the lessons they are being taught. Barry believes the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which falls under the office of the Treasurer, can be made more efficient by offering towns pre-designed options for their buildings, rather than wasting money on “reinventing the wheel” each time a school is built. This will save tax dollars and allow for more schools to benefit from the MSBA programs and financing.
Government reform. Barry has been a consistent voice against the establishment and for making the Commonwealth more efficient and accessible. Barry was a key player in recent state ethics reform that provides increased responsibility and transparency across state government. He also helped fight for a comprehensive Rules package to improve government, limit the power of entrenched interests and make government more responsive to taxpayers.
Opportunity for jobs. Barry’s always been a voice for small businesses in the legislature; in the Senate, he lead a bipartisan effort to freeze the unemployment insurance rate, saving small businesses over $200 per employee. As Treasurer, Barry wants to leverage a portion of the state pension fund to invest in venture capital companies in Massachusetts to grow jobs locally and keep talented young people graduating from our outstanding universities in the Commonwealth. The difference between a legislator and business owner is that legislators make decisions with tax payer money; business people make decisions about their own money—when a deal goes bad, it affects their own pocket. As a businessman, Finegold understands both worlds and that makes him uniquely qualified to be the next State Treasurer.
Listen… because politicians have the reputation for talking too much and not listening to the people they represent. And in that same vein, I am going to end this soon.
Dream. Barry believes the people of the Commonwealth can achieve something bigger than the American Dream—the Massachusetts Dream. Here is Massachusetts, we set the bar a little higher for our way of life. Affordable health care, banning smoking in restaurants, legalizing same-sex marriage and cultivating superb higher education options—all these ideals started in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts dream is growing jobs and the economy. Its children growing up safely and well educated. Its seniors growing old with respect and security. And its growing greater opportunity for every generation. Barry’s achieved the Massachusetts Dream but he wants to make sure his children and your children have the chance to do the same.
The bold letters reminds me of the secret Little Orphan Annie message in A Christmas Story.
want to send him money: “years of public and private sector experience. He’s a father, husband, coach, business owner and public servant.”
That settles it.
Starting with living in public housing. His mother is a retired Andover school teacher and his father is/was a community college professor. Not sure exactly when his life was hardscrabble, but whatever.
He was in law school while simultaneously serving in the state legislature. So “putting himself through law school” is a bit of a stretch.
And apparently worked nonstop to build the law practice, also while a legislator.
He also somehow (albeit with partners) has come to own most of downtown Andover. The writer should have mentioned that he knows a lot about being a landlord. Always popular.
The using the letter of his name….well….just too cheesy for comment.
Barry has given over his senate seat to the charter school industry, carrying more water up Beacon Hill than the MWRA. I am sure he will have plenty of special interest cash to run his campaign, but there is no way that I will ever vote for him.
…but I would not assume his position on charters based on State Senate work. He represents Lawrence, with a school system in desperate straits. People there are looking for any alternative and are open to charters. I personally am not a fan of charters, but I can understand the position of Lawrence and by extension their Senator’s efforts to represent that position. He is not as far as I know pushing charters in the other communities in his district. Plus I’m not sure how relevant a position on charters is to being TRG.
There’s a difference between advocating for your community and filing every single legislative initiative of the state charter school association.
I’d still like to explore his thinking before considering this a deal-breaker especially since again I’m not sure how relevant the stance is to TRG. Even without knowing who else might run I’ve been a supporter of his as a state rep and my senator so inclined to maintain that.
pretty much anti-revenue. On the whole, strikes me as a “New Democrat” rather than a progressive. In this message above, he’s bragging about freezing the unemployment insurance rate to help out businesses. I’m a little more worried about unemployed workers. He’s bragging about trying to fix the underfunding of pensions by raising state employees’ retirement age. He’s bragging about expanding charters.
The focus of the whole thing is “efficency” and “reform,” not a peep about “justice” or “economic equality.” Not impressed.
Depending on the specific topic or mood I’m in on a given day I sometimes consider myself a New Democrat, and he has taken some tough tax votes at times as well. He’s definitely on the progressive end of the Merrimack Valley delegation which seems to have a fair share of DINOs.
has already been in place for years and the claims of being a key player in ethics reform are absurd. His only legislative accomplishments of note are collecting a paycheck.
Typically it is a bit of a problem when elected officials treat tax dollars as if they are their own.