Reminder Publishing sent questionnaires to both candidates for state senator in the Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire District, which covers the town of Southwick and most of the Berkshires and Hilltowns, including Blandford, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Granville, Huntington, Otis, Tolland, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Whately and Worthington. Incumbent state Sen. Paul Mark (D-Becket) is facing a challenge from David Rosa (R-Dighton). The two candidates were asked identical questions. As of Reminder Publishing’s production deadline, Rosa had not responded. Mark’s responses have been edited only for spelling and punctuation.
- Are Massachusetts residents taxed too much or not enough? What changes will you advocate to ensure fairness?
Mark: The Legislature passed a wide-ranging tax bill this session that included nearly $1 billion in reduced taxes and expanded credits. The Fair Share Amendment to the state constitution also went into effect, and has been very successful in generating revenue for education and transportation. These two items, both of which I voted for in the Legislature, are making the tax structure in Massachusetts more fair while keeping important services running at the appropriate levels. - What specific law will you work to repeal, amend or introduce during the next two-year term?
Mark: In the new session I plan to file bills relating to campaign finance reform, expanding eligibility for Gateway City programs and funding to municipalities like Southwick with smaller populations, to limit out-of-pocket health care expenses for retirees, including bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, to expand access to public higher education and support higher education faculty, to promote rooftop and community based solar projects, to encourage solar development on already disturbed land, to support local farmers, to improve the Chapter 90 transportation funding formula and make it more equitable for communities in Western Massachusetts, and many more. - Was this year’s gun control legislation a good idea or a bad one? Why? What changes to Massachusetts gun laws would you push in the next legislative session?
Mark: The gun bill was pushed forward by Boston-area legislators. Making sure that anonymous ghost guns are illegal was important. Expanding protection for domestic violence survivors is important. Our rural Western Massachusetts delegation supported those measures while also advocating to keep out drastic measures that were proposed in order to protect law-abiding gunowners from harm. In the new session, I will work with others to clarify sections on youth hunting and out-of-state hunters to prevent any chill on tourist activity in our region and also to clarify more ambiguous sections of the new law. - With the reforms of the past few years, are rural school districts being funded properly now? What changes would you advocate in state aid to schools?
Mark: Chapter 70 education funding has greatly increased over the past few years and that has meant more money to coming to every community in Massachusetts. Rural schools are one area where a formula will never be adequate, so we have relied on an additional rural school aid line item. That line item did not exist six years ago. Two years ago, the line item was funded at $5.5 million. This year it is funded at $16.5 million, tripling over my first term in the Senate, and I will continue to advocate until we get that line item up to $60 million. - What specific belief, attribute or experience makes you a better choice for senator than your opponent in this race?
Mark: I am grateful for the amazing honor of serving the people of our region in the Senate for the past two years, and before that in the House, as well. Living in a small town, and I am the most rural of all legislators in the state, brings a unique perspective to the Legislature and helps me better advocate for the needs of all 57 of the cities and towns I serve. No region or community has been or ever will be forgotten by me, so long as I have the honor of serving as our voice in the Senate.
Additional questions and answers are being printed in The Westfield News this week and next. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. The ballot also includes the presidential race and candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state Senate, Governor’s Council and county offices.
