Peter Adams Endorsements
Primary election September 16, 2008
Register of Probate
The incumbent, John R. Buonomo, has been forced to resign after being arrested and charged with stealing thousands of dollars from his state office. However, he could still win re-election, since his name is the only one on the ballot! For this reason, I urge everyone to write in the name Sean O'Donovan (or use one of his stickers if you got one in the mail). For more information, call or email
Governor's Council
This is a strange office, as most of its duties are handled by the senate in other democracies. It is also an obscure one, as most people don't seem to know what it's for. That appears to be true for the incumbent, Kelly Timilty. In her slick, extravagant mailing campaign, she stresses her commitment to public service. Yet she has missed half the meetings of the Council, and according to Lawyers Weekly, she is the quietest on the council if she attends at all. Her main qualification appears to be political connections, including being the daughter of a well-connected lobbyist, Joe Timilty (one of whose clients, BTW, is SMOC).
By contrast, Bob Jubinville is a trial lawyer with years of courtroom experience who knows from experience what is required of a judge. He will use his legal background, not his political connections, to assess judges and other appointments. I urge you to vote for Bob Jubinville for Governor's Council -- for a change.
State Representative
All three of the candidates have the experience and qualifications to represent Framingham, but they differ sharply in their judgment and commitment to Framingham. In her two years as representative, Pam Richardson has done a good job, but her grasp of the issues and willingness to take a stand on them is highly questionable. Dawn Harkness has thoughtful stands on many issues, but on the single biggest issue facing Framingham today, appears to be siding with SMOC over the Town of Framingham. Only Chris Walsh has shown the judgment and courage to take a stand for reforming the Dover Amendment.
In case you aren't aware of it, the Dover Amendment is a Massachusetts law that predates the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), granting almost unlimited zoning exemptions to religious and educational uses, without actually defining what those are. It is probably unconstitutionally vague, but no one has yet had the opportunity and money to challenge it on that basis. SMOC has become one of the leading users (some would say abusers) of the Dover Amendment, using it for a a drug rehab shelter, a "wet" shelter, and even their corporate headquarters! The Dover Amendment could, quite literally, be used to force approval of a ten-story home for Level 3 sex offenders right next to a school in a single family neighborhood!
Even Senator Karen Spilks has stated that the FHA and ADA make the Dover Amendment is unnecessary and that's it's time to reform it. Yet when asked about the Dover Amendment, Harkness said it was "necessary" and that "without Dover we wouldn't be able to build places to help the disabled," clearly not understanding the role of the FHA and ADA -- strange for a lawyer! While laudable for her courage, Harkness' judgment has to be questioned considering the extent to which the Dover Amendment is abused, especially in Framingham. Richardon, on the Dover Amendment, had only platitudes, stating that "the community and the social service sector should learn how to coexist together." This sort of banality is fine for the a Metro West Daily News editorial, but shows a lack of courage for a candidate for state rep.
Chris Walsh is the only candidate with the judgment and courage to stand up for Framingham. His experience as a Town Meeting Member, Historical Commission member, and architect all underscore his commitment to livable, sustainable communities. For this reason, I recommend a vote for Chris Walsh for State Representative. Visit http://www.electchriswalsh.com for more information on Chris' stands on the issues. Those of you who read the Metro West Daily News and Boston Globe endorsements of Harkness will be surprised at their ignorance of the issues and blatant bias against Chris.
U.S. Senate
I am a fan of John Kerry, and worked on his last re-election campaign. I will vote for him in November if he wins the primary. But in the primary, I'm voting for Ed O'Reilly. Ed has solid positions on all the issues, is solidly anti-war, and has pledged to support universal, single-payer health care. Kerry has caved to President Bush many times on the war in Iraq, which has diverted funds and attention from the "global war on terror." In his presidential run and senate votes, Kerry has allowed this to take place, and will be a tragic part of his legacy. For this reason, I consider him the second-best choice to represent us in Washington. For more information, visit http://www.edoreilly.com.
Thanks for reading!