Bonnie MacCracken, one of six seeking the 3rd Hampshire District seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, is a land title examiner.
The six candidates for the 3rd Hampshire District seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives responded to a set of questions from The Republican about their candidacy.
Bonnie MacCracken
Personal: MacCracken, 60, of Amherst, is a land title examiner.
Why are you running?
"I am running for State Representative of the 3rd Hampshire District because I have the knowledge and experience necessary to begin improving individuals' everyday lives on day one. I keep hearing about how the gains being talked about in the economy are not being reflected in the day-to-day lives of people living in this district.
Many people, have told me that they continue to be under-employed or unemployed and are commuting further and further away to find good paying jobs with benefits. These stories about how people are still struggling in this economy are why I am running.
I have created a solid regional economic plan that will benefit the entire district; I will work on educational funding to allow for our schools to excel in educational excellence; I will ensure no elderly person is left behind; and that our veterans receive the finest services possible.
The relationships I have forged, the friendships I have made, and the legislation I have already initiated, drafted, and passed as a citizen prove I am the right person for this job."
What do you bring that the other candidates don't?
"I am the only candidate with a legal background. This is essential for crafting, drafting, debating and passing legislation that will have a positive effect on the people of our district and all of Massachusetts.
I am the type of person who has seen problems in our laws and actively took action as a citizen. In 2012, I closed a loophole in a federal law for our deployed military members to protect them from predatory lending practices. I also assisted in writing seven additional pieces of legislation and advocated for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and for establishing a local Commission on the Status of Women. If these bills do not pass this session, I need to ensure they are passed under my leadership in 2017.
I have been proudly endorsed by the brave women and men of the Amherst Firefighters Department UNION Local 1764; with this endorsement I am the only candidate who has been endorsed by Organized Labor. I have also been endorsed by Mass Voters for Animals.
Finally, and I think most importantly, I am the only candidate that has reached out to the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives to sit down with and discuss the issues important to the people of the 3rd Hampshire District. On Monday, August 22, 2016, I sat down with Speaker Robert DeLeo, in his State House Office. For nearly thirty minutes, we discussed many issues and he became extremely interested in working on these issues with me, and my staff, to positively impact the 3rd Hampshire District.
I have worked to forge extremely strong professional relationships with other elected officials, our constitutional officers and members of the Democratic State Committee. I have already begun to lay the groundwork for success in our district by forging relationships with people from both sides of the political spectrum. My aid has over a decade of public service experience, he and I are ready to start working to address the needs of the 3rd Hampshire District."
What are the key issues you will bring to the State House and why?
"The Third Hampshire District is faced with many challenges now and in the future. I will work with the Attorney General, Speaker of the House, Senate President and District Attorney to combat the opioid epidemic that has gripped our Nation, our Commonwealth and our District. This is an issue that has almost touched everyone's lives, and I have a multi-faceted approach at attacking this problem that includes working with the judicial system and members of the Governor's Council.
I have already drafted a strong proposal for legislation for the next legislative session. My proposal will generate more revenue, without increasing taxes, to fund more housing vouchers. Housing subsidies are the most effective tool we have for reducing homelessness. We cannot afford more housing vouchers until we generate more revenue and my proposal will generate $6 million per year, that can be earmarked for housing vouchers.
When I sat down with the Speaker of the House, we discussed ways that would save the people of the 3rd Hampshire District tax dollars and shift some of the expenses paid for by the residents of Amherst currently to UMASS. A great example of what we discussed was UMASS Amherst having their own fire department or ways to compensate the town for providing fire and ambulance services. Every resident of the Town of Amherst knows what a positive impact this would have on our municipal budget.
Another key issue would be Veterans' Services. The Governor has made proposals to shift the main responsibility of running the Holyoke Soldiers Home from the local Board of Trustees and local Superintendent to a more centralized system based in the Boston area. If this is done it will disenfranchise the residents, their families, the staff and volunteers. As a Blue Star Mother I know how important places like the Holyoke Soldiers Home is and having daily administration run locally makes all the difference in the world. Local is just better."
How will you tackle solving those issues?
"As the most qualified candidate running, I will be ready to take on all the responsibilities of being a state representative from day one. I have already met with the Speaker of the House and other key leadership and constitutional officers. Also, having a full time district office, fully staffed with experienced employees, volunteers, and interns will have a tremendously positive impact on our district."
What do you see as your relationship with UMass?
"UMass is a critical component of the Third Hampshire District. As one of the premier higher education institutions in the Commonwealth, it is important that the state representative work closely with University leadership, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Governor to build a strong working relationship. It is also important that the state representative goes to Boston to fight for funding for the University which is one of the top employers in the area. Not only will funding secure jobs for the University, it will also ensure a well-trained workforce which will attract employers and economic development to the region. Careful and deliberate promotion of the resources of the University will increase its visibility and influence, increasing the overall value of a UMass degree.
The state representative should work closely with the University, and with other branches of state government, to ensure that the University has access to the resources it needs to be a leader in innovation in areas such as green energy, emerging technologies, STEM fields, and the arts and humanities. I will also have an open door policy for individual students and regular meetings with student leadership to assure that I am always adequately briefed on matters of concern.
Also one of the key issues, the Speaker and I discussed concerning the university, was the new Springfield Campus and how valuable that is to the Springfield area."
How will you represent the district with its varied geographies and personalities?
"The number one job of a state representative is to listen and to find compromise when necessary. It is important that the state representative is an advocate and a voice for the people of the district in Boston. Constituent services will be the number one priority when I am elected. An experienced staff, a fully staffed district office, and regularity scheduled offices hours all over the entire district will impact everyone in a tremendously positive way."
What is your view on charter schools?
"I will be voting no on Question #2. My main concern is that all children have equal access to quality education. Upon being elected, I will call upon the Speaker of the House to look at the issue of charter schools more closely, study models in other states and to study what is working and what isn't, including reexamining the school choice option. I value the opinion of the parents and educators who have reached out to me to discuss this issue. I do not support the charter school option. The present funding formula is strangling our district schools and our children are falling behind."
What is your view on the legalization of marijuana?
"Voters will face a binary opportunity in November: we can vote Yes to change the status quo by legalizing marijuana for adults, or vote No to keep things the way they are. The question, therefore, is whether legalization is better or worse than the Nixon-era prohibition laws we have now, modified only by the voters in prior elections.
I shall vote Yes for three reasons, in this order:
1. Prohibition is wrong. A NO vote will mean that I support keeping the marijuana industry underground, not paying taxes or creating good jobs, where consumers are unprotected from contaminated or mislabeled marijuana products, and where no one has to show an ID to buy it from a dealer. It's time to stop punishing adults for mere disobedience, sometimes costing their jobs and housing. Also, the potential revenue that can be generated from a recreational marijuana industry alone is reason enough to support this initiative. Colorado, the first state to legalize recreational use of marijuana, uses the tax revenue it collects to pay for schools. The state is not in a position that it has collected so much tax revenue that it is now using this money to fund homeless shelters. In addition to schools and homeless shelters, revenue raised can be used to fund infrastructure in the Commonwealth and could potentially be used to provide free or reduced cost tuition for higher education in the Commonwealth.
2. The sky hasn't fallen in Colorado. I have read the reports from Colorado and other legal states. There have been bumps and mishaps, but no calamities as we have been warned against for decades by authorities. We should study the other states' experience, and do it even better here.
3. It's time to face reality. The war against marijuana is over. Our task should be to shape the new laws in a way that best serves the interest of public health and safety, reduces the underground economy, and protects young people. I am prepared to help shoulder that challenge."