To give the public a clearer view of three candidates seeking the 4th Middlesex state Senate seat, YourArlington asked them some basic questions. Here are the responses from Mary Ann Stewart. Nearly all of the same questions were asked of Cindy Friedman and Rep. Sean Garballey, whose answers will be published.
SENATE RACE: Candidate Q & A
The 59-year-old Lexington resident who has moved from the local to state to national issues, mainly in education, calls herself “a shoe-leather activist.”
Asked about her position on the so-called “millionaire’s tax,” she responded: “I am proud of the key role I played as one of the original 10 signers of the Fair Share Amendment petition submitted to our attorney general before being approved and sent to the citizenry for signatures.
“I have submitted testimony and written letters to legislators in support of this amendment and wrote an op ed published in CommonWealth magazine.”
Of the Fair Share Amendment, she wrote in the magazine:
“It’s a citizens’ initiative which will appear on the 2018 ballot because Raise Up Massachusetts — a grassroots coalition of more than 100 community organizations, religious groups, and labor unions – collected more than 157,000 signatures from Massachusetts voters to qualify it for the ballot.
” … [R]ebuilding our crumbling transportation infrastructure and providing quality public schools, from pre-K through college, will strengthen our economy and help all working families. The Fair Share Amendment is our chance of a generation to make these investments, and to make our economy work for everyone.”
To read the complete article published in April 2017, click here >> For other information about Stewart’s campaign, see electstewartforsenate.com/news/
— If the state had an unlimited budget, what would be your top priority — and why?
The time has come to invest in the development of innovative technologies for a green energy future, while modernizing and extending public transportation -– both are key components of the climate-change solution. As a wealthy, developed nation, we are long overdue for universal health care, which is essential to family economic stability and fairness. Early education, universal preschool and full-day kindergarten are the best investment we can make in our future.
— Knowing that the state has limited funds, what would be your top priority — and why?
The following are ultimately the most cost-effective use of state funds, contribute to economic vibrancy as well as fair and equitable access to opportunities, and address climate change.
* Education: Early education and care, universal per-kindergarten, full-day kindergarten and affordable postsecondary public education.
* Universal health care.
* Jobs that pay a living wage.
* A renewed and extended rail system.
* A stable, predictable incentive program to develop energy technologies, such as battery storage for solar energy.
— Cite specific examples showing how you expect to reach these goals.
I agree with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., who said, “Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.” Income does not “trickle down” but rather is spread outward from the middle. We need to restructure our tax system to make it fair and grow revenue to make our commonwealth better for all our residents.
For revenue reform, I would vote in favor of the Fair Share Amendment. If we grow our tax base, we can provide a quality public education for all children regardless of where they live. In the meantime, there are over $26 billion in tax breaks and exemptions in the law, and we need to take a close look at how corporate loopholes are selling the people and small businesses of this state short.
For education reform, I would seek implementation of the recommendations of the Foundation Budget Review Commission, which was created to determine the educational programs and services necessary to achieve the commonwealth’s educational goals and to review the way state education assistance to cities and towns is calculated. As the conclusion to the reports states, “… the good work begun by the education reform act of 1993, and the educational progress made since, will be at risk so long as our school systems are fiscally strained by the ongoing failure to substantively reconsider the adequacy of the foundation budget.”
Finally, publicly funded elections would help reduce the influence of money in politics so that politicians are more free to act in a way that is best for the people they represent.
— Provide personal examples that tell 4th Middlesex residents who you are and why they should vote for you?
There’s far more to leadership than voting the right way. It’s about how you get to a solution, who you bring along with you, and how you build consensus. That’s true leadership.
I have years and years of community advocacy and leadership in the things that are most important to our families: the economy, tax reform and education.
I’m a shoe-leather activist. I’ve worked on every ballot initiative on education or revenue over the last 10 years in support of revenue, tax reform, public education, minimum-wage increases, guaranteed family leave and other issues that are important to families and an economy that works for everyone.
I personally collected more than 500 signatures to put the minimum wage and guaranteed sick-leave initiative on the ballot in 2014. Last year, I traveled this Senate district to speak against Question 2, which would have drained funding for public schools and accelerated the corporate takeover of public education. I’ll bring that activist spirit to the State House to address solutions that support working families and ensure access to opportunity for all in Massachusetts.
I am dedicated to the values I believe in, especially a commitment to fairness and to being a good steward of resources, and persistent in working toward those values. I am open-minded and curious when working with those I have been elected to represent, and courageous, outspoken, loyal and dependable in carrying out my responsibilities to constituents.
I am a graduate of the state’s public higher-education system, having received a degree from UMass, Lowell, in music education. I performed in elite choruses in Boston and around the country, and as a studio vocalist and recitalist, for 25 years.
Our family moved into Lexington in 1994 through the affordable-housing program, LexHAB, on a five-year lease. My husband grew up there. We were fortunate to then find and purchase a modest home in East Lexington.
To make ends meet while my children were small, I started a small business offering decorative painting and residential murals.
Like many parents, once my children entered school, I became more involved. I started out advocating for my own child and then for all the children in Harrington elementary school as an elected member of the site council — my first elected position.
My experience as the parent of a special-needs student gives me an additional level of insight into the challenges of families negotiating the school system today.
I continued to expand my advocacy circle as an elected Town Meeting representative, and to all the children and parents in the town as a twice-elected School Committee member and then chairwoman. I have since served as president of the Massachusetts PTA and was appointed to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education by Gov. Deval L. Patrick as the member who represents parents across the commonwealth. I’m on the leadership team of Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts.
— What is your current occupation and previous experience showing how you are qualified to succeed in the Senate seat.
I am the governor-appointed parent representative on the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, where, as one of 10 original petition signers for the Fair Share Amendment (now headed to final legislative action), I pushed for adequate funding to public schools and transportation, and fought to protect core public school funding from charter schools that local communities opposed.
As past president of the Massachusetts PTA, the oldest and largest volunteer advocacy association for children and youth, I advocated for a hold on the state’s testing program to analyze effects on learning; and lobbied in Washington, D.C., for increased IDEA funding for students with special needs. I worked side by side on shared goals with people of diverse ideologies.
During my tenure as twice-elected member and chair of the Lexington School Committee, I oversaw a budget of over $100 million; led the Lexington Public Schools as they coped with — and recovered from — the worst financial crisis many of us have seen, by fighting for child-centered, community-conscious budgets.
I teach at Middlesex Community College through the Office of Continuing Education and Training, where I’m helping adults learn marketable skills in social media.
— How do you plan to overcome the fact that an Arlington representative has long held the seat that is open following Ken Donnelly’s death in April (since 1983,according to the State House News Service)?
Every person in the entire district deserves the best representation, regardless of the home town of the voter or the candidate. I call on voters to carefully examine the record, the qualifications, and the leadership each candidate offers and decide for themselves which candidate will best represent their own values.
The special election primary for state Senate for the 4th Middlesex District is scheduled for Tuesday, June 27. The 4th Middlesex includes Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Woburn and precincts 1, 2 and 4 through 7 in Lexington.
Stewart’s record of service
State
Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, since 2014
* Governor-appointed to five-year term. Responsibilities include policy-making and regulatory oversight of the Commonwealth’s K-12 public schools.
* Original petition signer of the Fair Share Amendment.
* Budget subcommittee member, setting the board’s priorities for social-emotional learning, student health and mental health, Safe and Supportive Schools, Civics Education, METCO.
* Elected by board colleagues to represent Massachusetts on the board of the National Association of State Boards of Education.
Massachusetts PTA, since 2005
* State president, 2010-2012
* Member-at-large, since 2014
* Advocacy and Legislative committee member, 2006-2014 (chair, 2011-2014)
* Region 3 communications chair 2005-2008
Massachusetts Association of School Committees, 2009-2014
* Featured presenter on family engagement, 2009-2011, 2014
* Featured panelist on social media, 2016
* Legislative Committee, 2012-2014
* Resolutions Committee, 2012-2014
Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts, since 2007
* Leadership Team
* Education Reform Working Group
* Revenue Options Working Group
* Grassroots advocacy: Question 2 (opposed) and other ballot initiatives
MassPartners for Public Schools, since 2006
Coalition of state education associations and Massachusetts PTA
* Chair, 2011-2014
* Member, 2006-2017
* Governor Patrick’s Whole Child Subcommittee appointee, 2006-2007
Local
Lexington School Committee chair and member, 2009-2014
Lexington Democratic Town Committee, since 2017
Elected Representative to Lexington Town Meeting, since 2006
* Selectmen’s ad hoc Budget Schedule Committee, 2007
* Precinct chair, 2013-2014
* Precinct vice chair, 2011-2013
League of Women Voters of Lexington, since 2006
* Communications chair and board member, 2008-2010
* Harrington School Site Council, elected member, 2006-2008
* Harrington School PTA co-president, 2005-2008
National
National Association of State Boards of Education, since 2016
* Elected representative, Northeast area director, 2016-2018
* Legislative Conference, promoting education agenda with Massachusetts Congressional Delegation in Washington, D.C.
* Editorial Advisory Board for The State Education Standard
Media Literacy Now, National Education Policy Initiative, since 2011
* Advisory Board, 2011-2013
* Steering Committee, 2013-2015
* Board of Directors, since 2015
National PTA, 2006-2014
* State Advisory Council, 2008-2010
* Legislative Conference, promoting education agenda with members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation in Washington, D.C., every year from 2006 to 2014
April 27, 2017: Lexington school activist becomes third to vie for Senate seat
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This news summary was published Tuesday, May 23, 2017.
