The Boston Globe agrees with the Boston Herald, the Arlington Advocate, the Lexington Minuteman, the Woburn Advocate, the Billerica Union, and the Billerica Minuteman. They have all endorsed the same candidate for state senate – Ken Donnelly.
In the Senate’s 4th Middlesex District, two capable Democrats are vying in the primary to succeed James Marzilli of Arlington, who is not seeking reelection amid legal and mental health problems. Our endorsement goes to former Lexington firefighter and official of the Professional Fire Fighters Association Kenneth J. Donnelly of Arlington. Donnelly has staked out progressive positions on education, the environment, social issues, and healthcare, and would bring to public-employee issues more than 20 years of experience, going back to the pension reform efforts of 1987.
Donnelly sees improved education as the state’s highest priority, citing the achievement gap between students from towns where more than 90 percent attend college and cities like Holyoke, where just 12 percent do. He favors longer school days and school years, expanded preschool education, and better training for students not going to four-year colleges. How to pay for this? Donnelly would not shrink from going after corporate-tax loopholes. He understands that making big ideas viable requires a solid revenue base.
He favors a single-payer healthcare system but wants to see the state’s health reform plan get the funding it needs. He called “absolutely crazy” the modest $295 a-year fee that companies without widespread coverage are required to contribute for each uninsured worker.
Donnelly’s primary opponent, Arlington Selectman Jack Hurd, has not shown the same growth beyond local concerns.
This district includes Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, and parts of Lexington and Woburn. Donnelly would give its voters solid, experienced representation.
