23rd Middlesex Race
State Rep Candidate Spending Varied Dramatically
- Allison Goldsberry
The three candidates that sought Jim Marzilli’s former state representative seat each raised and spent dramatically different amounts of cash throughout their campaigns.
Democrat Sean Garballey, a 23-year-old student, raised and spent far more than Republican John Worden and independent candidate Robert Valeri combined. According to the latest state campaign finance filing as of February 15, Garballey raised $26,700 and spent $21,451. Worden raised $9,389, spending $2,568, while Valeri spent just $47 of the $1,000 he donated to his campaign.
Garballey’s cash came from individuals, mostly Arlington residents, as well as several unions, including $100 from the Medford Police Patrolmen’s Association, which endorsed Garballey. He raised the bulk of his cash prior to the February 5 primary, more than $16,000, and then raised another $10,000 in less than one month. He currently has $5,381 in his campaign account.
Worden, who did not face a primary opponent on February 5, raised just $2,640, including $1,000 of his own money, in December and January and didn’t start spending money until late January. He raised $6,749 prior to February 15, and has $6,820 left in his campaign coffers. Worden received $600 for his campaign from fellow Republicans and received the rest of his campaign cash from individual contributions.
Valeri, a small business owner in Arlington, raised and spent nothing prior to the February 5 primary. Valeri loaned his campaign $1,000 and he has recorded spending just under $50 as of February 25.
The candidates spent their cash on things such as signs, banners, food for events, and mailings.
More…
See detailed campaign finance reports- Garballey, Valeri, Worden
Decisive Win for Garballey
A jubilant Sean Garballey talks with supporters at his victory party at Arlington’s American Legion Post 39 Tuesday night.
- Allison Goldsberry
The race to win Jim Marzilli’s former state representative seat ended Tuesday night with a decisive win for 23-year-old Sean Garballey.
The full-time grad student and Arlington native took 67% of the total vote, according to preliminary results. Garballey, a Democrat, earned 3,951 votes, compared to 1,727 for Republican John Worden and 223 for independent candidate Robert Valeri.
Both Arlington and Medford officials reported low turnout. According to the Medford Registrar of Voters, turnout hovered around 10% in Medford’s three voting precincts.
In Medford Garballey captured 485 votes and won each of the three precincts- 3-2, 6-1, and 6-2. He also easily won each of Arlington’s fifteen voting precincts.
Garballey, currently Vice Chairman of the Arlington School Committee, said he would not run for his School Committee seat when it comes up for election in April. He said he wants to devote his time to being a state representative and a student.
The UMass-Lowell grad is currently earning a Master’s degree at Suffolk University in political science and public administration.
Garballey said he didn’t expect to win by such a large margin against Worden, who served as Arlington’s Town Moderator for two decades. He thanked his volunteers for their commitment and for their “very aggressive” campaigning in the last few days.
Though ecstatic to be the district’s newly elected state rep, Garballey is focused on the future.
“The campaign’s over now, but the hard work’s just beginning,” said Garballey.
Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, who made in appearance in Arlington over the weekend to endorse Garballey, and Senator Marzilli stopped by Garballey’s victory party Tuesday night at the Arlington’s American Legion Post 39.
Garballey was elected in a special election today to serve out the remainder of the two-year term, which ends in November. The seat will be up for election again at that time.
On Tuesday, March 4, voters in Arlington and West Medford will cast ballots for a new state representative. Only voters who vote at Temple Shalom (3-2), the Brooks Elementary School (6-1), and Walking Court (6-2) can vote in this special election.
InsideMedford.com has compiled all the information voters need to make an informed decision- see below for recent headlines, candidates statements, results from the primary election last month, and more.
Latest Headlines for the March 4 Special Election:
Candidates Gear up for Election Tuesday, February 28, 2008
Notes from the Campaign Trail, February 22, 2008
State Rep Candidates Hit the Campaign Trail, February 13, 2008
Past Election Coverage:
Garballey Tops Thielman, O’Brien in State Rep Race
Twenty-two year-old Arlington School Committee member Sean Garballey beat the competition in a three-way race in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary for state representative.
According to results compiled by Arlington-Mass.com, Garballey earned 5,741 votes, 420 more than Jeff Thielman’s 5,321 and 4,041 more than Andrew O’Brien’s 1,280.
Garballey beat School Committee colleague Thielman despite Thielman’s edge in Medford in the three precincts that voted- 3-2, 6-1, and 6-2. Thielman earned 1,224 votes in Medford compared to Garballey’s 1,074.
Garballey now faces Republican candidate John Worden and independent candidate Robert Valeri in a special election on March 4.
The three candidates are vying for a seat vacated by Jim Marzilli, now a state senator. Whoever is elected to the seat will also have to run again in the fall, as the seat comes up for election in November.
Candidate Forum Planned for Medford
A map of the Medford part of the 23rd Middlesex House District. Much of West Medford is included in the district. Map courtesy Secretary of State.
InsideMedford.com and the Medford High School Social Studies Department are co-sponsoring a candidate forum for the 23rd Middlesex house race.
The forum will take place on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 7PM at the Medford High School Marsha Caron Theater. Medford and Arlington residents in the district, formerly represented by Jim Marzilli, are invited to attend and the candidates will field questions from the audience.
Each of the five candidates running for the seat have been invited and are expected to attend- former Arlington Town Moderator John Worden, Arlington School Committee members Sean Garballey and Jeff Thielman, independent candidate and business owner Robert Valeri, and Arlington resident Andrew O’Brien.
Before the forum, InsideMedford.com will publish statements from the candidates. Each candidate was invited to submit a statement about themselves and why they are running for state representative.
League of Women Voters of Arlington Creates Voter Guide
The League of Women Voters of Arlington has created a Voter Guide for the 23rd Middlesex House race for Arlington and West Medford.
The guide includes candidate profiles and brief answers to three questions selected by the group about raising taxes, compulsory health insurance, and casino gambling.
Candidate Forum Planned for Arlington
The League is also sponsoring a candidate night on Thursday, January 24 at Arlington’s Town Hall at 8PM.
Voters can access the guide by clicking here and also on the Arlington League of Women Voters’ website.
Past coverage from InsideMedford.com
InsideMedford.com Endorses Garballey for State Representative
Medford Hears from State Rep Candidates
Some State Rep Candidates Vye for Endorsements While Others Avoid Them
2 Candidates Withdraw from State Rep Race
Seven Candidates Make Run for State Rep
Candidates Prepare for State Rep Race
Former Town Moderator Makes Run for State Rep
School Committee Member Announces State Rep Campaign
Candidate websites
Election resources
Election information from Secretary of State
Race coverage from YourArlington.com
Candidate Statements
Dear Friend and Neighbor,
I am proud to announce my candidacy for State Representative for the open seat of the 23rd Middlesex District- comprising sections of Arlington and West Medford.
I ask for your vote and your support on February 5th- Primary Election Day!
I possess an unabiding passion for public service. I will prove my commitment to you and our neighborhood communities of Arlington and West Medford as your State Representative. My first effort will be to recoup the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on special elections in our two communities!
I currently serve on the Arlington School Committee as Vice-Chairman. I am an elected Town Meeting Member. For more than 5 years I have served my community on issues of education, fiscal responsibility, long range planning, and solving neighborhood concerns including flooding of personal property.
I am a lifelong resident of Arlington and a graduate of Arlington High School. I earned my degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts. I am currently a master’s degree candidate in Public Management at Suffolk University.
Arlington and West Medford are great places to live and to raise a family. I bring energy, commitment, judgment, tenacity and optimism to the responsibility of being your State Representative. I will strive in every way to improve the quality of life for all of us. Equity in delivering service to our communities, parity with other communities who receive greater financial aid, and funding for “unfunded” state mandates are among my first initiatives.
Increasing local aid to improve much needed services to West Medford and Arlington will eliminate the biggest inequity facing us. I will work to change that.
I have a proven record of delivering services. I will achieve that as your State Representative.
A critical role of a State Representative, as I see it, is someone who has the ability to bring people together and someone who can effectively advocate on our communities’ behalf.
I will be effective for Arlington and West Medford to make sure that we get the precious services that we need. I will focus my effort on what is strategic, what is critical for success!
This is an important election. I will be a fighter for you! I will also work toward building a coalition with the representatives in the districts which touch us.
I ask you to get involved in my campaign. This will be a hard-and-fast grassroots campaign. I look forward to speaking with you about what is important to you, I insist on public debate, and I will endeavor to bring out the best in all of us.
I respectfully ask for your vote and your support. Please contact me at Seangarballey@hotmail.com or 781-648-7445.
Sincerely,
Sean Garballey
I am running for State Representative to repair the partnership between state and municipal government and to help make state government more compassionate.
I’ve served on the Arlington School Committee for the past five years, dedicated the past ten years of my life to establishing schools in low-income communities, and served as a Jesuit International Volunteer in Tacna, Peru for three years. Prior to being elected to the School Committee, I was President of the Friends of Spy Pond Park, and worked with town officials to refurbish the park, fortify the shoreline, and protect one of our town’s most beautiful natural resources.
Over the past several weeks I’ve enjoyed meeting and listening to many people in Medford as I’ve knocked on doors, shaken hands at train stations and bus stops, and introduced myself to parents picking up their children from school.
A few Sundays ago I attended the inauguration of Mayor McGlynn and members of the City Council and School Committee. The ceremony was a wonderful demonstration of the city’s civic pride.
While many things are going well in Medford, the city clearly needs to receive more resources from the Commonwealth. Medford saw its funding for education cut by 20% in 2003. The district has yet to return to 2003 funding levels, and Medford’s public schools have more students today than they had five years ago.
The city is shortchanged by a charter school funding formula that resulted in a $2.8 million reduction in state assistance this year. While I support charter schools, I am committed to working with colleagues across the state to change the funding formula to help Medford without harming charter schools attended by the city’s young people.
My primary priority as a member of the State Legislature will be to restore state aid to Arlington and Medford. In addition, I want to:
• Extend the “Circuit Breaker” bill so that all residents of the state, regardless of age, receive a refundable tax credit if their property taxes exceed 10% of their income.
• Work for additional funding for early education programs, funding for full-day kindergarten, and more assistance to cities and towns for special education.
• Close corporate tax loopholes and pass the remainder of the Municipal Partnership Act in order to generate more revenue for state programs and for cities and towns.
• Fully fund the new health care program, known as Chapter 58, and work to help all Massachusetts residents have access to quality health care.
• Restore safety net programs for low-income residents.
• Ensure sufficient community input into all discussions about the extension of the Green Line to Medford.
I have a proven track record of building coalitions to tackle difficult issues and have the energy and compassion needed to serve Medford well in the State Legislature.
I respectfully ask for your vote on Tuesday, February 5th. If you would like to get involved in my campaign or learn more, please visit www.jeffthielman.com.
Greetings to the voters of West Medford. As a candidate for the vacant seat of State Representative for the 23rd Middlesex District, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Robert V. Valeri, otherwise known as Bob. I have been a lifelong resident of Arlington and am a new face on the political scene.
I am a graduate of Salem State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Concentration in Economics. I have worked in private industry as a General Manager, and have owned and operated my own enterprise since 1988. As an observer of State Government for many years, I have noticed many problems that have gone unresolved or have become worse, and have decided to focus my time and effort on them. In a perfect world, we would vote individually on each issue presented to the public to become law. Since this is not a realistic situation, people in a democracy elect representatives to act on their behalf in proposing and enacting legislation. A true representative should be willing to vote as his or her constituents desire. I intend to fulfill that mission. In speaking with people from our area, some of their major concerns are outlined below. I will address these and any others that come before me in the legislature.
I promise to work tirelessly to support our school systems. I believe that an educated population is necessary for the advancement of our children and, therefore, our society. As you well know, state revenues are falling far short of what is required to improve our schools. I will support the initiatives of the Governor to return a higher percentage of these revenues to the cities and towns. Our local officials have a more intimate knowledge as to which budgets need attention, and atop the list undoubtedly will be school budgets. Constant incremental increases in property taxes, including voter overrides, don’t satisfy the need. As a homeowner, I see the frustration of people, especially senior citizens, who have lived in their homes for decades and are concerned that they will be forced to sell them if unable afford the taxes on them. A larger share of state revenues will help tremendously in this regard.
These same concerns are shared by the public safety sector of our towns, such a police and fire departments. Larger budgets would enable them to replace lost personnel and give us all a better sense of security. Public Works departments would share the same benefits from a larger budget. We all have seen a decline in the quality of our roads, whether nasty potholes and streets in need of repair or poorly plowed streets narrowed by snow turned to ice.
These needs must be accomplished with creative measures. Tax increases will not be acceptable. I am hopeful that we can accomplish great things together.
Sincerely,
Bob Valeri
John Worden, former Moderator of Arlington, is a candidate for the position of Representative in General Court for the 23rd Middlesex District (West Medford-Arlington). Mr. Worden has been active in civic and charitable affairs in greater Boston for many years, and his long legislative experience as both Town Meeting Member and Moderator makes him the most qualified candidate for being a legislator on the state level.
Since Medford has a city form of government, it might be in order to provide a brief explanation of Town Meeting form of government. Of the 351 municipalities in Massachusetts, 300 are governed by open town meetings, 20 by representative town meetings (e.g. Arlington, Winchester, Belmont), and the rest by either mayor-council forms (e.g. Medford, Cambridge, Somerville), or town councils (e.g. Watertown). Representative Town Meeting in Arlington consists of 252 Town Meeting Members - 12 elected from each of 21 precincts. They form the local legislature, and alone have power to appropriate money, approve borrowing, and pass by-laws (equivalent to ordinances in cites). The executive is a five-member Board of Selectmen, and day-to-day administration is in the hands of a professional Town Manager. As Moderator, Mr. Worden presided over Town Meeting for 19 years.
Mr. Worden, as mentioned, has long been involved in local affairs. Some of the positions he holds, or has held, include president, officer, director, trustee, or member of: Affordable Housing Committee of the Real Estate Bar Association; Animal Rescue League of Boston; Arlington Boys & Girls Club (former corporator); Arlington Civil Rights Committee; Arlington Conservation Association; Arlington Heritage Trust; Arlington Historical Society; Arlington Preservation Fund; Arlington Republican Town Committee; Assistant Moderator; By-Law Recodification Study Committee; Edwin S. Farmer Trust (benefits indigent elderly women and couples); Elizabeth & George L. Sanborn Foundation for the Treatment & Cure of Cancer; Historic District Commissions; Massachusetts Moderators Association; Metropolitan Ecology Workshop; Millennium Celebration Committee; Mystic River Watershed Association; Old Schwamb Mill Preservation Trust; St. Jerome’s Church [now closed], (former lector); 350th Anniversary Committee; Town Meeting Procedures Committee; Vision 2020 Steering Committee; and Zoning By-Law Review Committee.
Mr. Worden is a graduate of Harvard Law School and St. Bonaventure University. He and his wife Patricia (former member of Arlington School Committee and Arlington Housing Authority) have five children and seven grandchildren.
The function of the Legislature is, of course, to make laws. As a lawyer in private practice in Massachusetts for many years, Mr. Worden has had the responsibility on a regular if not daily basis to advise clients with respect to those laws, and to follow them meticulously in the preparation of documents important to his clients. His experience has shown that many laws passed by our Legislature are excessively complicated and confusing, and he looks forward to the opportunity to bring clarity of expression and beneficial purpose to new enactments and to helping constituents cope with the state bureaucracy.
Space limitations prevent discussion of all the issues, but his positions can be found on his campaign website: www.worden2008.com.
