Nelson Benton: Write-in opponent for Spiliotis?
Salem News
Nelson Benton
Republicans are not the only ones upset with the established order on Beacon Hill.
Peabody's Josef Leary, a member of that city's Ward 2 Democratic committee, is making noise about mounting a write-in effort against incumbent state Rep. Joyce Spiliotis.
In a recent missive he related the challenges being mounted to well-established incumbents in the House like Gloucester's Tony Verga, Lawrence's William Lantigua and Medford's Paul Donato.
Leary, a retired State Department staffer whose late father served as Peabody's city clerk for many years, compared the recent stirrings within the party with the colonial farmers standing up to the British monarchy in colonial times.
"Today we witness a similar rejection of the powers that be," he declared, referring to House Speaker Sal DiMasi "and his minions."
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It's a quiet year on the election front locally, which means Bay State voters' attention will be focused primarily on presidential politics — and the effort to repeal the income tax.
Gov. Deval Patrick is taking a lot of heat from the public employee unions for things like vetoing a pension increase for teachers and state workers and cutting back on police details. But if those actions succeed in mollifying angry taxpayers who might otherwise be tempted to vote for income-tax repeal, he may prove to the best friend those unions ever had.
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Unlike most legislators, U.S. Sen. John Kerry has both a primary and general-election opponent as he seeks another six-year term.
Proof that he's taking nothing for granted were the campaign ads that began airing this week showing the senator helping out veterans of the Iraq War, including one who credits Kerry for being invited to throw out the first ball at Fenway Park.
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Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry doesn't have an opponent as he seeks his 14th term in office, but this summer and fall will be as grueling as any as he embarks on a course of physical therapy aimed at improving his mobility.
The Peabody Democrat is still suffering from the lingering effects of the blood clots that put him in the hospital late last year, a condition that is aggravated by his cerebral palsy. Yet his early declaration that he would seek re-election was enough to keep potential successors on the sideline; and he has continued to make his influence felt at the Statehouse.
Indeed, in a telephone interview this week, Berry declared himself quite pleased with the money he'd been able to secure for projects within the 2nd Essex District (Peabody, Salem, Beverly, Danvers and Topsfield) via the various bond bills that were passed before the Legislature adjourned in the early morning hours of Aug. 1.
Included in those bills were $106 million for a new library and learning commons at Salem State College, $72 million for renovations to the Probate and Family Court building in Salem, $60 million for the creation of a new North Shore Agricultural and Technical High School in Danvers, $32 million for the expansion of the North Shore Community College campus in Danvers, $3.5 million for waterfront development in Beverly, and $2 million for flood mitigation work in downtown Peabody.
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Datebook: Beverly Ward 2 Councilor Wes Slate is hosting an Italian feed Wednesday, Aug. 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cafe Salerno, 73 Cabot St., Beverly. Tickets are $15 per person or $25 for the family. ... the Fougere family of Salem is holding a "Yes We Can" party on Thursday, Aug. 28. Those interested can join them in their home at 6 Riverway Road at 8 p.m. to watch Barack Obama deliver his acceptance speech at the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
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Nelson Benton writes weekly on North Shore politics.
