Editorial: Belmont’s governor
Thursday, September 14, 2006
For almost four years, the Massachusetts governor’s mansion has been located in Belmont Hill.
Starting in January, there will probably be a different governor’s mansion in another town or in Boston.
What does that mean for Belmont?
Four years ago, some residents who backed Mitt Romney said he would find ways to help Belmont. But four years later, we have seen few positive effects specific to the governor’s hometown. Maybe more people around the state and even the nation know of Belmont, but it is often mischaracterized as a wealthy community (“affluent suburb” is the term most frequently heard).
It seems that having a hometown candidate is less important than having a governor who listens to people outside the political establishment and the governor’s social circle.
To some Belmont residents, the hometown candidate this time appears to be Tom Reilly, who lives in Watertown and whose wife taught elementary school in Belmont for many years.
But Reilly has not been the most visible gubernatorial candidate around town this season. That distinction belongs to Deval Patrick, who has stopped in Belmont numerous times during his campaign, which began more than a year ago.
This is one of many reasons why Patrick won the enthusiastic endorsement of the Belmont Democratic Town Committee.
Chris Gabrieli has run the opposite of a grassroots campaign, using his personal wealth to talk to, not with, the voters.
Belmont, and the commonwealth as a whole, needs a new kind of leader, someone who will listen to people throughout the state and then create a consensus or a balance among the needs of a diverse population.
Among the three Democrats, Deval Patrick has shown the most willingness and the greatest ability to lead Massachusetts to a brighter future.
Please vote in the state primary election next Tuesday.
