Tim Murray:"Keep The Momentum Going"By Susan Bush
12:00AM / Monday, September 25, 2006
 | | Lt. Gov. candidate Tim Murray and Mayor John Barrett III |
North Adams - Lieutenant governor candidate Tim Murray believes that Massachusetts citizens deserve state leaders whose efforts at the state house echo the efforts of the taxpayers.
"We deserve people in the statehouse who are willing to work as hard as the people they claim to represent," Murray said during a Sept. 24 stop at the city's Holiday Inn.
Murray's visit was part of a Berkshire voter "thank you" junket that included a stop in Pittsfield. The trip could easily be described as ambitious; by evening, Murray was expected for a campaign event at the eastern end of the state.
Murray won the Democratic nomination during the Sept. 19 state primary election. He is the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick. Patrick's grass-roots campaign launched a wave of support that decisively secured his nomination as the Democratic candidate hoping to keep the state's top seat away from Republican ticket hopefuls Lt. Gov Kerry Healey and running mate Reed Hillman.
State-Wide Governing Pledge
State Senate candidate Benjamin Downing |
Murray pledged a campaign focused on municipal inclusion. He promised a campaign that would cover the state, "from Florida to Falmouth."
And if elected, Patrick and Murray pledge "to govern state-wide," Murray said to those assembled at an inn meeting room.
Gov. Mitt Romney possesses a "fundamental lack of understanding" about Western Massachusetts communities and the ways those communities are trying to evolve economically. Change and accomplishment come through "listening," prodding," and building a consensus," Murray said.
"It's connecting the dots in so many different ways and we're committed to doing that," Murray said.
He cautioned that preliminary polls that followed the primary and placed the Patrick/Murray team as election front runners are "fluff."
"No one can get complacent," he said.
Infrastructure Neglected Under Romney
State infrastructures, state colleges, public education, and public services such as police and fire departments have all been neglected by the current administration, Murray said. The neglect is "glaring" frome every corner of the state, he said.
Property Taxes Up, Population Down
Meanwhile, property taxes have risen at an average rate of 30 percent state-wide and Massachusetts is the only state in the country to see its' population reduced two years in a row, he said.
The exiting population are those who have achieved higher education, have a number of valuable employment abilities, and are aged between their mid-20s and mid-30s; the departing demographic is the very group that the state should be endeavoring to keep in the state, Murray said.
Funding for all types of public education has dwindled and programs that deliver basic education to adults have been very hard hit, he said.
Many adult education programs located throughout the state have waiting lists; these are people who know that their fiscal and professional success hinges on continuing education but have been left on the outside looking in through the gates of opportunity, he said.
Murray, 3, Romney, 0
City Mayor John Barrett III told Murray that he'd already made more trips to the city than Romney.
"This is the third time you've been here since you announced [candidacy], which is three times more than Romney [throughout his gubernatorial tenure]," Barrett said.
Murray said that he is confident that Patrick will travel to the city as well.
State Rep. Daniel Bosley D-North Adams thanked Murray for traveling to the city, and during a subsequent interview, said he holds great respect for Murray, who is the Worcester mayor.
"He's smart, and he's a lot more than a good guy," Bosley said. "He's a great human being."
Patrick and Murray are very good "listeners" who are willing to listen to citizens, Bosley said.
State Rep. Daniel Bosley |
"And that's what people are looking for, to have a voice," he said.
State Senate candidate Benjamin Downing, who won the regional Democratic nod during the primary, visited the inn with Murray.
Included in the group who welcomed Murray was Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President Mary K. Grant, City Councilor Gailanne Cariddi, City Councilor Marie Harpin, former state Senate candidate Margaret J. Ware, James Canavan, and attorney John DeRosa.
Partners And Listeners
Government cannot "do everything," Murray said but he emphasized that government can, in most cases, act as a partner with the private sector and state residents. As a team, he and Patrick will listen to communities and individuals, and work to create solutions to issues, Murray said.
"We have to have honest conversation about what we want and how we are going to pay to get things done," Murray said.
The immediate challenge for the Patrick/Murray campaign, which has been vastly "outspent" by Healy's campaign, is to find ways to campaign competitively and effectively until the November election.
"The challenge is having enough money to be competitive in the media," Murray said.
"People are motivated and we want to keep the momentum going."
Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 802-823-9367.
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