Tewksbury Candidates Breakfast
Posted by DickH on 13 Mar 2010 | Tagged as: 2010 Election, Greater Lowell
The first Friends of the Tewksbury Patriotic Activities Committee’s “Candidates Breakfast”, held this morning at the VFW on Vernon Street, was a great success with several hundred people and many elected officials and candidates in attendance. After an hour for the buffet breakfast and socializing, chief organizer Gerry Selissen called the house to order with a blast on his Gillette Stadium ready air horn, which was also used to signal candidates that they had exceeded their allotted 5 minutes. The Master of Ceremonies was the very funny and able editor of the Tewksbury/Wilmington Town Crier, Steve Bjork.
The day’s first speaker was Congresswoman Niki Tsongas who said that it’s been a great honor to represent each and every person in the district. She said during her first two-plus years in office, she’s concentrated on being accessible to her constituents through regular “Congress on your corner” gatherings, Town Hall meetings, telephone conferences and through more traditional letters and email. She said that in the course of all this contact with constituents, she’s kept in close touch with issues that are important to the residents of her district which has made her a more effective representative. She said that last year’s recovery package has stopped the free fall of the economy but there is still much to be done to create more jobs. Tsongas finished by saying how important it is for health care reform to be enacted soon since the current system is just unsustainable.
Tsongas was followed by Sue Tucker who looked and sounded quite relaxed in the aftermath of her announcement that she would not seek reelection to the state senate. Senator Tucker took a well deserved verbal victory lap through all of the Tewksbury-related things she accomplished in her 12 years as a state senator. She explained that the recent experience of becoming a grandmother for the first time helped her make the decision to leave politics at this time.
State Representative Jim Miceli who represents Tewksbury and Wilmington on Beacon Hill was next up. He explained that in all his years in office, he has never forgotten where he comes from or who he works for. Every vote, every decision he makes in Boston is motivated by how it will help the people in his district. He asked the voters of the district to remember his accomplishments for Tewksbury – reconfiguration of the area around Town Hall, money for a new ladder truck, land for the library, preserving open space are just some of the examples he gave. He hopes that his constituents will remember these many substantial accomplishments and not redirect their anger towards Beacon Hill onto him.
Barry Finegold, who already represents a portion of Tewksbury (as well as Andover) in the state legislature and who very much seems to be a candidate for the senate seat now held by Sue Tucker, ventured onto the thin ice of standup comedy and ably delivered some St Patrick’s Day standbys. He then commended the voters of Tewksbury for voting overwhelmingly in last Saturday’s special election in favor of a new high school and pledged to do everything he can to help with making the new building a reality. Barry closed by saying he’d be back this fall to “ask for your vote” and for “help with my campaign” although he didn’t specifically state for what office. I thought he was being purposely cryptic until Mr. Bjork yelled out “are you running for Tucker’s seat?” to which Barry clearly indicated “Yes.”
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