My name is Michael Albano. I’m running for State Senate in the special election to fill the seat vacated by Anthony Galluccio. I wanted to introduce myself to the BMG community and to ask for your support. The election is less than eight weeks away.
For those who have not been following the race closely, there are presently seven declared candidates. I am certainly not the only progressive candidate in the race and, regardless of who wins, the views of our progressive community will likely be well represented.
But, I would not be in the race if I didn’t offer a fresh perspective and unique point of view from the rest of the field. For me, this race is not simply about electing someone who will vote the right way on public policy or be an advocate for the diverse constituencies of the district. Again, I think pretty much any of the candidates will do a fine job with both of those concerns.
For me, this election is an opportunity to elect a dynamic leader within the progressive community and add a voice not only for our issues, but for more fundamental change in the political culture on Beacon Hill. I’ve said on the campaign trail that I won’t be the most popular State Senator to my colleagues, but I’m not running to represent them, or the Democratic leadership. I’m running to represent the people of my district and everyone who wants to send a strong message of reform and change to the State Senate. For those who don’t want to shake things up on Beacon Hill, there are other qualified progressive candidates to choose from.
People in this district, in our state, and our country are frustrated and scared. A recent poll showed that 9 out of 10 Americans don’t believe their Congressman deserves re-election. The recent election of Scott Brown to the US Senate has Democratic leaders advocating that we adopt a more cautious approach to governing and hold back on controversial legislation. Thirteen incumbent Democrats in Congress–two just in the last week–have decided not to seek re-election at all. House Speaker Robert DeLeo has attributed the likely death of the in-state tuition bill to Scott Brown’s election– an indication that lawmakers, in a time of staggering unemployment, are putting their own jobs ahead of everybody else’s.
I believe the election of Scott Brown is a wake up call. This is no time to play it safe. Legislators who do, deserve to lose their seats and should clear the way for leaders who are not afraid of a fight. People are thirsty for a fresh perspective and bold leadership. The door is now open to dramatically change the way we do business on Beacon Hill.
A little bit about me:
I grew up in East Somerville. My father was a school teacher and my mother spent most of her life as an employment specialist helping other people find work. I’ve never run for office before, but I’m no stranger to politics. My father was a State Senator in the 80’s and a maverick voice for progressive politics and legislative reform. I was raised to believe in the importance and nobility of public service and that there are things worth fighting for no matter how difficult they might seem.
I’ve been a civic activist in Chelsea, a former chairman of the Chelsea Planning Board, and have served on the Board of Directors of the Chelsea Collaborative. I’ve worked in the private sector for most of my adult life and know that supporting small businesses, local economic growth, and smart development needs to be part of our progressive movement. I will be committed to making sure that the voices of our residents, community organizations, and small businesses are the loudest voices heard in the State Senate.
I’m proud of the time I’ve spent in the trenches in recent years helping to elect real progressive reformers to office such as Pat Jehlen, Jamie Eldridge, and Sonia Chang Diaz. These are leaders who don’t wait for their marching orders from the Senate President. They fight to advance the progressive agenda. But there are not enough of them in that building and I’m running for State Senate to join and be a leader in that fight.
In the weeks leading up to the primary election, the Democratic candidates will be talking a lot about the same issues: creating jobs, making healthcare affordable, strengthening our schools, protecting the rights of everyone in our community from LGBT folks to immigrant populations to the struggling working families in every corner of the many cities in this very diverse district.
But if you believe as I do, that we need to elect someone to the State Senate to fight to move our agenda forward and take on the tough issues – such as restoring public financing of campaigns, creating a more progressive income tax structure, and changing the rules on Beacon Hill to limit the excessive power that the Speaker and Senate President have – then I need more than your vote on April 13. I need your voice.
Please contact the campaign at 617-591-2000, or email us at electalbano@gmail.com, and for more information take a look at our new website www.electalbano.com
Please help – this election can be won with possibly as few as four thousand votes. I know that there are many more voters in the district who feel as we do, and to win I need your help to reach out to them. I look forward to continuing the discussion. Thank you.
Michael Albano
Cambridge spends more per student than almost any district (above $20,000 per kid per year), but has among the biggest achievement gaps.
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p>On your website, you write that you’d like to “focus on increasing parental involvement.”
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p>I tend to agree this is a key lever. Can you describe a bit more what that looks like as public policy?
We will be highlighting in detail our educational reform plan on our website. Look for it in the coming days. I realize this is a political answer but it is a dynamic issue and I want to make sure that the plan I write will actually make a positive impact.
on how a progressive or graduated tax structure can be achieved in Massachusetts? What are your thoughts on the struggles of the middle class, not only in Massachusetts, but across the country? Do you think it’s a passing crisis, or do think it’s a generation long decline that continues, with a risk of permanently changing the economy of our country? Do think $10. and hour for any job is a fair wage?
I believe in the “ability to pay” theory of taxation. Recent history has made me skeptical about any future passage of a graduated income tax because the voters defeated the last measure in a referendum nearly 2 to 1. However, it is still the right thing to do and I still support it.
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p>Those who make more money have a greater responsibility to the community. The progressive or graduated income tax is long overdue in Massachusetts. It is a more fair and equitable solution to current revenue problems than other more regressive taxes like the gas tax and sales tax which place the revenue burden on people of more modest means including average and below average income working families and elderly and others living on fixed incomes.
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p>And to answer your last question: Do I think $10/hour is a living wage? No.
I believe we have a rare opportunity to do right by our Commonwealth by electing Michael Albano to the State Senate. Though there are many candidates in this race with politics I agree with and records to stand up to anyone’s, I believe Michael brings something unique to the table.
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p>Michael’s strength is that he is at once insider and outsider, activist and politico. Though Michael and his family have an exemplary history of being involved in Democratic politics and progressive causes, Mike also brings to the table his experience running a small business in these perilous economic times. Though he’s worked with me on more campaigns than I can remember, this is still his very first run for office- Mike has never been an elected official.
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p>As I’ve said, there are many candidates in this race with records to be envied in government and in the private sector. But because Mike has such a combination of both, he has a special ability to bring people together and understand personally there concerns, no matter what angle they are coming from.
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p>I urge all of you who live in the Middesex, Sullfolk & Essex State Senate District to consider Michael Albano for your next state senator. I know that you will not be disappointed.
Mike: you say you have spent most of your adult life working i the private sector but do not say what exactly you did for work? And, how old are you?
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p>You say you will “not wait for marching orders from the Senate President”…will you give her your vote to continue her presidency position in the Senate? If not, who would you support for Senate President?
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p>What do you mean by “creating a more progressive income tax structure? How do you plan to generate the funds to support the programs you want to fund? How do you think the state should raise the money to make up for the gap between revenues and spending?
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p>How will you “create jobs in the district”? How will you “make healthcare affordable”? How will you “strengthen schools”? Your platform has all the right platitudes but is lacking in specifics. Is there any candidate running who is not for these same things?
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p>Revere is in this district and would benefit greatly in jobs and revenue if casino gambling comes to Suffolk Downs. (Jobs will open up for people and vendors in adjacent communities as well which are in this district) Will you vote for casino gambling?