GOP lawyer to try race for 2nd Worcester Senate
By Richard Nangle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[email protected]
The candidates come down on different sides of issues like a state income tax rollback and what to do about Worcester Regional Airport.
Republican political newcomer Richard J. Peters, a lawyer and former police officer who lives in Worcester, is readying a challenge to state Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr. of Worcester, a Democrat completing his first term as senator for the 2nd Worcester District.
Mr. Peters, 34, who touts his membership in the National Rifle Association, said he will focus on job creation while linking Mr. Augustus to the “liberal Boston leadership” that runs “the most anti-jobs Legislature in the country.”
If re-elected, Mr. Augustus said he would continue with efforts, among other things, to change the Chapter 70 local school aid formula and expedite brownfields rehabilitation of contaminated properties.
“I’ve worked very hard over the last 18 months and tried to pay attention to the bread-and-butter issues of the district,” he said. “I will try to continue to do that.”
Mr. Augustus soundly defeated Republican Robi Blute and a third candidate to capture the open seat in 2004, taking 61 percent of the vote and winning Wards 5 and 8 in Worcester, Auburn, Grafton, Leicester, Millbury and Shrewsbury, while losing only in Upton.
In interviews last week, the candidates came down on different sides on several major state issues.
For example, Mr. Peters supports a rollback in the state income tax to 5 percent to comply with a 1998 referendum.
“To say to the American people ‘I’m sorry, you didn’t know what you were doing when you voted on that referendum,’ that’s good enough reason for them to want a change,” he said.
Mr. Augustus said such a tax cut would be irresponsible at a time when communities are raising property taxes to make up for local aid shortfalls.
“Voters were told in 1998 by Governor (Paul) Cellucci that they could have it without any cuts in programs and services. That is not the case now as we are trying to grow our way to restoring services,” he said. “This is about maintaining a modest income versus pushing up regressive property taxes.”
“The rollback would mean $80 to $100 spread out over a year. To me, the Mill Swan (Communications Skill Center) or New Ludlow schools are a higher priority than a tax cut of $80 to $100. The Worcester Public Schools alone have a $12 million deficit.”
Mr. Peters said while he was unaware Auburn faces a 26 percent increase in its vocational school assessment, he believes the state has enough money to prevent communities from having to face such difficult financial issues.
“We have a $2.5 billion rainy day fund and a billion dollar surplus. A lot of the local aid gets allocated to Boston due to the population difference. The state receives plenty of money, more than they need, and if there is a surplus the money belongs to the people,” he said.
Mr. Augustus responded that some of that surplus money is mandated by the state Constitution.
“As bad as the fiscal situation has been, it would have been worse without a rainy day fund. It doesn’t sound like a conservative, responsible fiscal policy to spend your savings down now and have tax cuts. The responsible thing is to take some pressure off cities’ and towns’ property taxes and try to use the money to restore services that were devastated over the last four years,” he said.
In an interview last week, Mr. Peters acknowledged he was not up to speed on issues like the brownfields trust fund and legislation that would incorporate a median income formula into Chapter 70 local school aid allocations. “I don’t know enough to comment,” he said.
Mr. Augustus said he has spent a significant amount of his time on the job addressing the brownfields issue.
“Worcester has one of the highest concentrations of brownfields anywhere on the East Coast,” he said. “The City Council, mayor and Chamber of Commerce all say this is one of the most important issues we face. We turn businesses away because we don’t have cleaned-up sites.”
The candidates also come down on different sides of the Worcester Regional Airport debate. Mr. Augustus says the city would have to repay millions to the federal government if it abandoned the airport. He also expressed optimism the airline industry is recovering and the airport can be a viable entity.
Mr. Peters said the airport “seems like a bad idea from the beginning” and questioned how it could ever work without the kind of access road that seems impossible to build without destroying a neighborhood.
Mr. Peters is self-employed, operating out of his home at 635 Grafton St. He is a member of the Small Business Service Bureau, Auburn Sportsman Club and NRA. He worked as a police officer in Wallingford, Conn., before becoming a lawyer.
“I look forward to working hard for the people of Central Massachusetts and making a commitment to make this state a better place to live by creating more opportunities for jobs and families and by easing the overwhelming tax burden that so drastically affects the quality of life of our residents,” he said.
By Richard Nangle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[email protected]
The candidates come down on different sides of issues like a state income tax rollback and what to do about Worcester Regional Airport.
Republican political newcomer Richard J. Peters, a lawyer and former police officer who lives in Worcester, is readying a challenge to state Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr. of Worcester, a Democrat completing his first term as senator for the 2nd Worcester District.
Mr. Peters, 34, who touts his membership in the National Rifle Association, said he will focus on job creation while linking Mr. Augustus to the “liberal Boston leadership” that runs “the most anti-jobs Legislature in the country.”
If re-elected, Mr. Augustus said he would continue with efforts, among other things, to change the Chapter 70 local school aid formula and expedite brownfields rehabilitation of contaminated properties.
“I’ve worked very hard over the last 18 months and tried to pay attention to the bread-and-butter issues of the district,” he said. “I will try to continue to do that.”
Mr. Augustus soundly defeated Republican Robi Blute and a third candidate to capture the open seat in 2004, taking 61 percent of the vote and winning Wards 5 and 8 in Worcester, Auburn, Grafton, Leicester, Millbury and Shrewsbury, while losing only in Upton.
In interviews last week, the candidates came down on different sides on several major state issues.
For example, Mr. Peters supports a rollback in the state income tax to 5 percent to comply with a 1998 referendum.
“To say to the American people ‘I’m sorry, you didn’t know what you were doing when you voted on that referendum,’ that’s good enough reason for them to want a change,” he said.
Mr. Augustus said such a tax cut would be irresponsible at a time when communities are raising property taxes to make up for local aid shortfalls.
“Voters were told in 1998 by Governor (Paul) Cellucci that they could have it without any cuts in programs and services. That is not the case now as we are trying to grow our way to restoring services,” he said. “This is about maintaining a modest income versus pushing up regressive property taxes.”
“The rollback would mean $80 to $100 spread out over a year. To me, the Mill Swan (Communications Skill Center) or New Ludlow schools are a higher priority than a tax cut of $80 to $100. The Worcester Public Schools alone have a $12 million deficit.”
Mr. Peters said while he was unaware Auburn faces a 26 percent increase in its vocational school assessment, he believes the state has enough money to prevent communities from having to face such difficult financial issues.
“We have a $2.5 billion rainy day fund and a billion dollar surplus. A lot of the local aid gets allocated to Boston due to the population difference. The state receives plenty of money, more than they need, and if there is a surplus the money belongs to the people,” he said.
Mr. Augustus responded that some of that surplus money is mandated by the state Constitution.
“As bad as the fiscal situation has been, it would have been worse without a rainy day fund. It doesn’t sound like a conservative, responsible fiscal policy to spend your savings down now and have tax cuts. The responsible thing is to take some pressure off cities’ and towns’ property taxes and try to use the money to restore services that were devastated over the last four years,” he said.
In an interview last week, Mr. Peters acknowledged he was not up to speed on issues like the brownfields trust fund and legislation that would incorporate a median income formula into Chapter 70 local school aid allocations. “I don’t know enough to comment,” he said.
Mr. Augustus said he has spent a significant amount of his time on the job addressing the brownfields issue.
“Worcester has one of the highest concentrations of brownfields anywhere on the East Coast,” he said. “The City Council, mayor and Chamber of Commerce all say this is one of the most important issues we face. We turn businesses away because we don’t have cleaned-up sites.”
The candidates also come down on different sides of the Worcester Regional Airport debate. Mr. Augustus says the city would have to repay millions to the federal government if it abandoned the airport. He also expressed optimism the airline industry is recovering and the airport can be a viable entity.
Mr. Peters said the airport “seems like a bad idea from the beginning” and questioned how it could ever work without the kind of access road that seems impossible to build without destroying a neighborhood.
Mr. Peters is self-employed, operating out of his home at 635 Grafton St. He is a member of the Small Business Service Bureau, Auburn Sportsman Club and NRA. He worked as a police officer in Wallingford, Conn., before becoming a lawyer.
“I look forward to working hard for the people of Central Massachusetts and making a commitment to make this state a better place to live by creating more opportunities for jobs and families and by easing the overwhelming tax burden that so drastically affects the quality of life of our residents,” he said.
