State Sen. Jo Comerford.
Reminder Publishing file photo
NORTHAMPTON — Looking ahead to 2025, Reminder Publishing connected with state Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) to discuss her goals and priorities for a new session as she begins her fourth term in the position.
The senator was extremely appreciative of her constituents as the reason for her success and good standing with the public that has now led to multiple successful reelection bids.
“I believe that government works when people make it work, I’ve said that for the last six years and I’ll stick by it given the wins that we’ve seen made possible through great constituent advocacy,” Comerford said. “The best of government and democracy is when constituents let me know the priorities I have to work on.”
Comerford added her three most focused areas based on constituent feedback is education, healthcare and the environment, and the open communication has made it easy for her to narrow down her priorities when taking this feedback to the State House.
During her first three terms, Comerford said the biggest thing she’s learned is the importance of collaboration and getting the right people together to make the change that constituents are seeking. She added in her opinion the healthiest form of government comes via partnership between communities, grassroots organizing, advocates, experts and legislators.
“When people tell us their priorities and then organize to hold us accountable and help generate the political social will to move these things, that’s the best of government because then we’re acting on issues people tell us are the most important,” Comerford said. “It’s the perfect sweet spot of transparency, accountability and productivity, which are three values that my team and I certainly hold but I think constituents and the state hold those values. So when we’re working together, those are the things that can happen.”
Looking ahead to the 2025 legislative session, Comerford said she would be really focused on education funding reform in terms of policy. She said she will continue to call for the re-opening of Chapter 70 funding as well as municipal contribution formulas as ways to help districts better manage a baseline budget. She added that she hopes the fair share amendment, or millionare’s tax, can be utilized to help bridge the gap many districts are seeing within their budgets.
For healthcare, Comerford said primary care is her top focus, while for climate focus would be diverse from protecting natural and working lands, to helping see through the implementation of state passed climate bills.
Most importantly for Comerford, she said she will continue to serve her constituents as best she can when in the State House. She added they were the best constituents in the commonwealth, and she looks forward to navigating the upcoming year with and for them.
“We’re heading into a pretty tumultuous time. We have a big change in Washington that we’re going to navigate. We continue to have lots of external factors: climate emergencies, public health issues, so I think we’re going to have to find the best balance, and I do think state government has a role to play in finding that balance and protecting our constituents,” said Comerford.
