Sign up to receive Ward, district, and political newsletters by email here.
This week’s newsletter covers a budget earmark I requested for my ward in Newton and endorsements from the National Association of Social Workers - MA, Brookline political leader Jesse Mermell, and the UFCW Local 1445 union.
I am pleased to report that I have now personally knocked on more than 7,150 doors this year to speak with voters about the importance of this State Representative race on September 3rd and the issues they’re most interested in.
Last week, I commented on the good news of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming our new presumptive Democratic nominee nationally, and this week I will simply add that I’m thrilled with the addition of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to the ticket. He was a well-liked Congressional moderate who then signed countless progressive laws and budgets as governor, even with narrow majorities.
Thanks, Daniel Krasa, for standing out in the rain with me at the Newton Farmers Market this week to talk to voters about the 12th Middlesex House race! Daniel also hosted one of my most heavily attended meet-and-greet events, where everyone attending got really deep into discussion with me about a huge range of policy issues facing our legislature.
Newton Upper Falls earmark!
This year, I worked with our State Representative Ruth B. Balser and Newton’s Parks, Recreation, & Culture Commission to obtain a $50,000 state budget earmark – which has now been signed by the Governor – to begin design and site feasibility work for Bobby Braceland playground, athletic fields, and dog park in Newton Upper Falls to be renovated. Twenty years ago when it was rated the worst condition playground/park in the city, there was a renovation plan ready to go, but the City of Newton had a tight budget and decided to move ahead first with the Hyde Playground in Newton Highlands, with the promise to return to work in Upper Falls soon. This never happened, and many of the community needs (in terms of athletics and off-leash dog access) have changed in the two decades since. The urgency is growing, too, as the size of Upper Falls is about to virtually double when the Northland development project on Needham Street is completed.
While serving in my Ward Councilor capacity as an ex officio member of the Newton Upper Falls Area Council, the history of this situation had been brought to my attention several years ago, and when I worked on trying to make it a priority again, the City still deferred it to a future phase of field and playground renovations. As a member of the City Council’s Finance Committee, I had seen how state earmarks could help jump-start the process and prioritization for recreational projects by bringing in some outside funding, especially to projects in under-served areas. So, I met with Rep. Balser earlier this year on my own initiative and put in the request. I’m glad to see it survived the twists and turns of the legislative term, and I’m looking forward to community input sessions when we accept the grant and get to work on design ideas!
National Association of Social Workers - Massachusetts Chapter endorsement
Many residents of our district also know that Rep. Balser has worked extremely closely with the National Association of Social Workers - Massachusetts Chapter over her nearly 26 years in office, and in fact she also obtained an important $50,000 budget earmark this year for them as well, to help match therapy clients to licensed clinical social workers. I know from door-to-door conversations that many of you work professionally in the fields of social work, mental health, or substance use recovery – or have a personal interest in them.
I first started working with NASW’s political wing about 7 years ago, when I was serving as a Board Member of Mass Alliance. Since then, I have come to know so many incredible social work professionals with very strong political reform programs that closely align with my own.
I am incredibly honored to have secured the endorsement of NASW Massachusetts’s Political Action for Candidate Election wing, which conducted a very thorough vetting and evaluation process. In addition to a very similar policy platform to mine, they – like many advocacy organizations this year – are pushing for the election of legislators committed to reforming the House of Representatives for greater accountability and more productive working sessions.
Their policy agenda currently includes: increasing the number of people becoming social workers and improving compensation for social workers, making it easier for clients to remain connected to their social workers across state lines, housing stability, juvenile justice reform, getting funding and commitments for more mental health and social-emotional wellness support staff in school buildings, moratoriums on construction of new jails and prisons (in favor of instead reducing the lower-level offense prison population via diversion and restorative justice), substance use relapse diversion instead of incarceration, unarmed crisis response teams as an alternative to policing (something I pushed on the Newton City Council with my social worker colleague, Brenda Noel), boosting cash assistance for children in poverty, taking various steps to enshrine racial justice into law, and strengthening reproductive rights and maternal healthcare support.
Many of these policies are linked thematically by a core premise, which I also believe, that it is a better investment by our society and public health system to do early intervention to help people experiencing crisis than to let the crisis spiral expensively or even end in tragedy.
Something I have often said on the campaign trail, at events and forums, is that I am so fortunate to have worked with so many of these highly respected state-level advocacy organizations before I became a City Councilor, because it means that when I am sworn in as State Representative, I will already have a network of recommended legislative teammates and policy specialist partners. Thank you to the social workers for your support!
Jesse Mermell endorsement
I have also received the endorsement of former Brookline Select Board member, past Congressional candidate, and reproductive rights advocate Jesse Mermell. She said:
"There is a reason that the only abortion rights organization to endorse in this race is standing with Bill Humphrey. Bill won't just be a reliable vote on issues related to abortion and reproductive freedom - he will be a champion. And that is exactly what this moment demands. From abortion rights to tackling the housing crisis, Bill will be an unapologetic leader in the State House. He's the voice Brookline needs on Beacon Hill!"
The 12th Middlesex House district includes areas of both Newton and Brookline, and I'm looking forward to helping to represent both communities on Beacon Hill along with the other five representatives and our State Senator who cover these two municipalities. As a Finance Committee member for the Newton City Council, it's clear that local governments need strong navigators at the State House who know the challenges at the level of government closest to the residents.
UFCW Local 1445 Endorsement
The United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1445 union (representing a range of grocery, retail, and cannabis industry workers – the latter of whom often lack traditional federal labor protections) has also endorsed me for State Representative, joining more than half a dozen other labor unions.
They had this to say: "In Newton, as in the entire Greater Boston Area, some of the largest concerns for families and working people are housing, climate change, and improving viability of the MBTA to make public transit a more viable option for everyone. We would already be much better off if more of our elected leaders were willing to show courageous leadership on these issues as you have, and we look forward to this streak continuing when you get to the State House. We believe this can be a key partnership moving forward and offer whatever help we can to get you into office."
I have frequently attended UFCW Local 1445 labor actions in the area over the past 5 years, from the Stop & Shop strike to REI union efforts. One of the more interesting things I ever did as a City Councilor was serve as a neutral, third-party adjudicator of a union card check at a retail cannabis store in Newton to certify that a sufficient number of workers there had signed up to form a union. UFCW promotes unionization but also argues that their efforts on behalf of workers reduces labor force churn and burnout and promotes a greater stability for employers.
Voting by mail is already under way in our primary, which will decide the overall election for this seat. I hope to earn your vote by Tuesday September 3rd, the day after Labor Day, to be your Democratic nominee for our next State Representative. Learn more at billhumphrey.org – and please volunteer or donate if you are able.