State Rep. Brian Ashe serves the towns of Longmeadow and Hampden, and parts of East Longmeadow, Monson and Springfield.
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With 16 years in the state House of Representatives, Brian Ashe finds himself working on core issues each term.
“The bigger issues that we work on every year, you know, education, public safety and jobs,” Ashe (D-Longmeadow) said. But he added, “This job is fluid,” and there are always opportunities to learn more about and address the needs of his district, which covers Longmeadow, Hampden and parts of East Longmeadow, Monson and Springfield.
In education, Ashe praised the high school in East Longmeadow under construction. He said, “It’s been a long time coming.” In Longmeadow, the design process is underway on a middle school combining Glenbrook and Williams middle schools. “Like most communities, there are fewer kids enrolled, and we have to consolidate,” Ashe said.
Considering public safety, Ashe said he is glad to see the Veterans Home in Holyoke nearing completion. “After all the tragedy there during [COVID-19],” he said. “The veterans will get a place that is comfortable and clean.” Another building that is in the process of being replaced due to health issues is Springfield’s Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse, long known as a “sick building.” Ashe described the air inside the courthouse as “toxic.” A location for the new courthouse is being finalized. “No matter where it goes, in the North End or somewhere else, it will be a crucial fix” for Springfield and the Pioneer Valley, he said.
Ashe sees the issues of jobs and health care as linked. He said Bay State Health is one of the area’s biggest employers. “We can’t afford to lose any of them,” he said of health care jobs in the region. Many urgent care facilities have closed, both in cities like Springfield and in small towns. From Ashe’s point of view, he said, “We build those places hoping it will cut down on emergency room visits, but like with anything, it’s getting the bodies there to work. If they had the people there that could keep the doors open, I don’t think we’d have any shut down.”
The other side of the issue is job creation. Ashe said, “Obviously, in Western Mass., we’re always struggling with eastern Mass. It’s a consistent job to attract companies to Western Massachusetts, where the property costs are more affordable.” Despite the resources that are more abundant east of Worcester, Ashe said he would not trade living in this region of the state, partly because there is “a little more open space, not as congested.”
Outside of the perennial issues, Ashe is working to address crumbling foundations. Until seven years ago, Ashe said he had never heard of the issue. The problem occurs when quarries where concrete is sourced also contain the naturally occurring mineral pyrrhotite. If water enters a crack in concrete that includes the mineral, the structural integrity becomes compromised, leading to a chain reaction of more cracks and a weakening of the material.
A vein of the mineral runs through a Connecticut quarry near the Massachusetts border. People may not realize their foundation is made of contaminated concrete for up to 30 years after it is poured because the problem may not become apparent until natural wear and tear leads to cracks.
“It was difficult to wrap our heads around at first until we went out and saw some of these homes. It was jaw dropping,” Ashe said. “It has expanded. It’s not just Connecticut and Western Massachusetts.”
Ashe has introduced legislation to help fund the costly process of lifting a house to replace the foundation. “You’re talking a couple hundred thousand dollars, and most people don’t have that.” The legislation also keeps homeowners from knowingly selling a house without disclosing this issue. Ashe said the state is also looking at companies developing a method of neutralizing pyrrhotite.
“I think early on, people were afraid to look and open Pandora’s Box. I’m hoping that covering the testing and knowing there’s a fund to help” will encourage people to check their foundations.
Like the crumbling foundations, there are always new issues coming to legislators’ attention. Ashe referred to Ollie’s Law, a piece of legislation he first sponsored in 2021 after a dog was mauled at a pet daycare facility due to only one staff member being on site. The legislation was signed into law in 2024. “I would have been blind to that, like many other people,” Ashe said. “We need people to speak up to let us know, ‘Hey, this is an issue.’ We might be able to help with legislation.”
