By Erin Tiernan — Erin@concordbridge.org
Local races are few on Concord ballots this November, when voters’ attention will be on state contests and selecting the next president of the United States.
Most of Concord’s local delegation is running unopposed, but voters in precincts 3 and 4 will see some action in the 13th Middlesex District.
State Rep. Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury) faces Republican challenger Virginia Gardner of Wayland, who waged a successful primary write-in campaign to earn a spot on the ballot.
Gentile has served a decade in the statehouse but only recently started representing parts of town. The district was redrawn after the 2020 Census to include parts of Concord. It also includes Sudbury and areas of Lexington, Lincoln, Marlborough, and Wayland.
14th Middlesex state Rep. Simon Cataldo (D-Concord) is running unopposed. State Sen. Michael Barrett (D-Lexington) also has no challenger.
On the county level, Middlesex Southern District Register of Deeds Maria Curtatone (D-Somerville) faces challenger William “Billy” Tauro, a Somerville independent.
Concordians join voters across the Bay State in considering five ballot questions and opting to keep U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Cambridge) in office or elect GOP challenger John Deaton (R-Bolton).
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, but early voting is well underway.
To help Concordians get to know the candidates in top local races, The Concord Bridge asked them to complete questionnaires about their background and their views on issues of high interest to the town.
Here are their responses:
State Rep. Carmine Lawrence Gentile, 70 (incumbent)
Party: Democratic
Address: Surrey Lane, Sudbury
Previous public service: Five-term state representative, three terms on Sudbury Planning Board, Finance Committee, and Board of Registrars. Council on Aging, four terms; Sudbury Housing Trust, two terms and current chair; Town Manager Search Committee; appointee, Massachusetts Citizens Commission Concerning a Constitutional Amendment for Government of the People.
What prior personal and/or professional accomplishments make you the best candidate for this office?
Successfully filed and passed legislation and obtained necessary funding to (1) locate, safely store, and test all used sexual assault kits in the Commonwealth, resulting in DNA identification and successful prosecution of perpetrators; (2) create and maintain Commonwealth’s Office of Employee Ownership, and Advisory Council, to further enable employees to purchase the businesses where they work (e.g., Harpoon Brewery), and (3) successfully helped thousands of constituents obtain needed state services for unemployment compensation, RMV issues, essential medical treatment, rental and mortgage payments, compensatory educational services post-Covid, prevent homelessness, and more.
Some residents say high-density affordable housing should replace the MCI-Concord prison. Others argue commercial development is critical to stemming rising residential property taxes. Of the two, which to you is the higher priority for Concord and why?
The MCI property can and will, I believe, become home to a mix of both residential and commercial properties with beautiful green spaces to balance and complement that development. The highest priority for me is to create a new Concord neighborhood that everyone in town will be proud of and visitors may enjoy.
The proposed Hanscom Field hangar expansion has raised concerns about potential harm to historic landmarks and natural resources. What specifically would you do as a legislator to ensure these spaces are protected?
I have testified before the Massport Board urging them to deny construction of additional private jet hangars at Hanscom and have also submitted budget amendments to amend Massport’s charter to mandate they consider greenhouse gas emissions and weigh environmental factors in all of their decisions. I will continue to work with state and federal legislators, the Healey administration, and the National Park Service to ensure these spaces are protected.
Virginia Gardner, 72
Party: Republican
Address: Pelham Island Road, Wayland
Previous public service: Served as Registrar Wayland Election Officer
What prior personal and/or professional accomplishments make you the best candidate for this office?
1: Spearheading the cleanup of an abandoned brownfield property and restoring it back to the tax rolls.
2: Reducing the over 50 acres of landfill/dump down to 25 acres and utilizing the remaining 25 acres for open space and a solar farm.
3: Working with Mayor David Cohen to obtain CPA money and purchase three contaminated properties abutting the Charles River to be part of the MDC Walkway from Auburndale to Boston.
4: Privately funding and implementing the Autism Seat Belt sleeve. This sleeve provides a necessary alert to emergency responders to help ensure the safety of autistic people in a vehicle in an emergency situation.
Some residents say high-density affordable housing should replace the MCI-Concord prison. Others argue commercial development is critical to stemming rising residential property taxes. Of the two, which to you is the higher priority for Concord and why?
High-density, monster developments could permanently damage and impact the town of Concord on many levels for years to come, such as the need to increase essential services. Affordable housing must be included in any long-range plan. Concord needs to look at monster, high-density housing and explore and scrutinize every aspect of the impact to the town before making a well-thought-out decision. State recommendations, but town control and collaboration.
The proposed Hanscom Field hangar expansion has raised concerns about potential harm to historic landmarks and natural resources. What specifically would you do as a legislator to ensure these spaces are protected?
The expansion of Hanscom Field needs to address the impact on the environment and surrounding neighborhoods and adjacent communities’ quality of life. Once a river, stream, pond, or land becomes contaminated, altered, or compromised, it can take years to recover and restore. The historical location of this property affects the significant role this area played in our country’s history. Altering the character and integrity of this landmark could negatively transform the historical impact of the area.
State Rep. Simon Cataldo, 38 (incumbent, unopposed)
Party: Democratic
Address: Hosmer Road, Concord
Previous public service: 7/8th Grade Special Education Teacher in Harlem, NYC, with Teach for America; founder of Harlem Lacrosse; U.S. Department of Justice public corruption prosecutor
Please detail up to three legislative accomplishments that you feel have directly improved the lives of Concordians.
1) I wrote the legislation that gives Concord residents agency in the future of the MCI-Concord parcel and worked with Senator Barrett and Representative Gentile to secure a $725,000 earmark for that purpose. I will continue to collaborate with local stakeholders to ensure that Concord’s objectives stay at the forefront of this generational opportunity.
2) When the administration opened a shelter at the Best Western, I worked with the superintendent to secure an agreement from the state to supply timely reimbursement to Concord for out-of-district students’ transportation. A failure of the state to do so would have imposed an undue burden on Concord’s finances.
3) In July, I successfully advocated for a historic increase in per-pupil school funding to “minimum aid” communities, of which Concord is one, from $60 to $104. This change, although modest in terms of the school district’s overall budget, advances ongoing efforts to increase local aid for towns like Concord for the purposes of supporting educational quality and increasing affordability.
Some residents say high-density affordable housing should replace the MCI-Concord prison. Others argue commercial development is critical to stemming rising residential property taxes. Of the two, which to you is the higher priority for Concord and why?
I applied my political capital at the State House for the purpose of involving Concord decision-makers in deciding the future of this state-owned parcel, because I believe that we have sophisticated and thoughtful Concord leaders who are capable of hashing out a townwide plan that achieves both of these goals and more. Right now, Concord is looking at significant new housing developments on Baker Avenue, the Thoreau Club property, and possibly at 2229 Main Street at some point. Those developments must be incorporated into the townwide planning process to ensure Concord has adequate infrastructure to accommodate an increased population. The MCI parcel, meanwhile, is uniquely situated and sized to comfortably pursue both housing and commercial development, in addition to athletic fields, open space, and fixing the rotary. Concord should be, and I believe is, shooting for an all-of-the-above approach, which I believe is prudent under these unique circumstances.
The proposed Hanscom Field hangar expansion has raised concerns about potential harm to Concord’s historic landmarks and natural resources. What specifically can you do as a legislator to ensure these spaces are protected?
In April, I wrote and submitted to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs an official public comment co-signed by the House members of the Hanscom area delegation, objecting to the project developer’s Draft Environmental Impact Report. The EEA rejected the DEIR three days later, and the project remains in limbo. In July, again with the support of the House delegation, I filed an amendment to the House climate bill to revise Massport’s charter. Our amendment would force Massport to consider environmental impact in executing its decision-making authority on all projects, including the proposed Hanscom hangars. That amendment, which is similar to a provision filed by Senator Barrett in the Senate, is now incorporated into both chambers’ bills. I will continue to advocate for its inclusion in any climate legislation that we send to the governor. I’m committed to using my position and political power to advocate for the governor to stop this ill-advised project.
State Sen. Michael Barrett, 76 (incumbent, unopposed)
Party: Democratic
Address: Augustus Road, Lexington
Previous public service: Two previous legislative stints with in-between private sector work.
Please detail up to three legislative accomplishments that you feel have directly improved the lives of Concordians.
Legislation enabling community planning for the future of the MCI-Concord site; two recent landmark climate bills, in 2021 and 2022.
Some residents say high-density affordable housing should replace the MCI-Concord prison. Others argue commercial development is critical to stemming rising residential property taxes. Of the two, which to you is the higher priority for Concord and why?
Housing.
The proposed Hanscom Field hangar expansion has raised concerns about potential harm to Concord’s historic landmarks and natural resources. What specifically can you do as a legislator to ensure these spaces are protected?
A whole bunch. Stay tuned. As Senate chair of the Legislature’s climate committee, I’m in the midst of refining a third major climate bill, with language reining in Massport.
