Patricia Jehlen- Candidate for State Senate

Patricia Jehlen, Democratic State Senate Candidate, 2nd Middlesex District

With the support of many people in Medford, I have had the privilege of representing you and the rest of the 2nd Middlesex District since 2005. Hundreds of Medford residents have called, written, emailed, and visited my office to tell me of your ideas and concerns. With the help of my staff, most of whom live in Medford, I have tried to respond to individual problems, local needs, and issues of state-wide importance. I really appreciate hearing from you so that I can do a better job.

This year, as chair of Elder Affairs, I was pleased that my proposal to make more seniors eligible for property tax deferral became law. (For more information on this and other tax breaks for seniors, please call my office at 617-722-1578.) I also worked hard, especially during the budget process, to give more seniors the choice of home care.

Transportation improvements have been a major focus this term. Our delegation gained full funding for the Green Line Extension, and I have attended many neighborhood meetings and arranged meetings with the governor and the secretary of transportation to make sure that the extension makes the greatest possible contribution to our communities with the least possible disruption. We were also able to gain funding of $750,000 for the design and construction of traffic signals at Main Street, Alexander Avenue, Harvard Avenue, and Willis Avenue; $800,000 for the design and construction of traffic signals at the intersection of Main Street and route 16, South Street, and Mystic Avenue; $150,000 for a study of a Green Line extension by the city of Medford in coordination with the executive office of transportation and construction; and $3,500,000 for the realignment of Clippership drive and associated roadway and pedestrian improvements. Perhaps most significant is $5,000,000.00 to conduct a traffic study at Wellington Circle. Wellington Circle improvements are even more vital than ever as new projects are developed on both sides of the Mystic River along Rte. 28. We know that the myriad intersections at Wellington Circle are already failing and the money that we have approved in the bond bill could be used make design recommendations to alleviate this situation and to prepare for future traffic increases. (All the spending in this paragraph was authorized in bond bills, so it will take more work to ensure that the funding is made available and spent.)

The Mystic River runs through my district, and I am proud to have played an instrumental role in securing an additional $300,000 for the Mystic River Master Plan, which will allow DCR to move forward on better connecting our communities to this amazing resource. For Medford in particular I helped to secure $250,000 for park space bordering Clippership Drive and the Mystic River. I have also been working with state and federal agencies, local governments, and community organizations on the creation of a Mystic River Steering Committee in an effort to tackle contamination, flooding, and recreation issues. Again this year, my family and I joined many others in helping herring over the Mystic Dam to spawn. And I organized the Mystic River Legislative Caucus as a forum for legislators in the watershed to collaborate, coordinate, and share ideas.
The Fells are another important part of Medford and surrounding communities that need to be maintained and protected. I helped gain funding for repairing Wright’s Tower and worked with many involved citizens to help to protect the Fells from over development. I also had the pleasure of volunteering with members of my staff at DCR’s Park Serve Day at which we planted trees in their new nursery for future planting in the Fells and built and installed bird and bat houses in the Fells.

On September 13, at 10 am, I’ll be joining Sen. Charlie Shannon’s family and Sec. Sullivan of the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation in dedicating the Charlie Shannon Memorial Beach at Sandy Beach. This is an appropriate recognition for my predecessor, who loved the outdoors and worked to increase recreational opportunities for children and youth.

And at 10:30 that same day, I’ll be leading a walk through the Fells with Walk Boston, Friends of the Fells, DCR rangers, and others to introduce more people to this wonderful reservation. The walk will begin at the Long Pond parking lot on South border Road and I hope you will join us for a pleasant walk in the park.

I have organized several meetings to inform people about state issues and resources, including presentations on the state budget and the new health reform law, a sign-up event for health insurance, meetings in each community to inform seniors of tax breaks they may not know about, and to educate citizens on the legislative process.
I also like to stay in touch by attending a variety of gatherings and celebrations – from Chamber of Commerce dinners to 100th birthday parties.

My website www.patjehlen.org offers a variety of information and resources, as well as a way to sign up to receive my occasional email newsletter and my list for job postings I hear about.

Stay in touch! And I would of course appreciate your vote to enable me to continue serving as your senator