Raised in Watertown, Massachusetts, Carmine was the first in his family to graduate college. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University and his juris doctor from Suffolk University Law School. For the past 30 years, Carmine has represented children, parents and small businesses and has regularly provided free legal services for adults and children in need through his law firm in Framingham. While he has largely curtailed his practice to focus on his work as a legislator, his career as a lawyer has given Carmine an understanding of the wide variety of challenges faced by residents and businesses in the MetroWest.
Education is the best investment we can make for our children and Chapter 70 financial aid is the foundation of state commitment to an educated society and productive workforce. In addition to focusing on school funding, I filed H468 to facilitate changing secondary school starting times for the health and safety of our students. Later school times can also benefit students academically. After editing by the Committee on Education, it is now before the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Unrestricted local aid from the state provides essential funding to supplement municipal revenue. This helps take some of the burden off of homeowners and local business.
We must pass legislation this year to move Massachusetts toward our goal of a greenhouse gas free green energy future by 2050. One of the bills I co-sponsored is H3983, an Act to create a 2050 roadmap to a clean and thriving Commonwealth. This act, presented by Representative Joan Meschino of Hull, lays out a roadmap for Massachusetts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 with milestones to measure our progress along the way and protections for environmental justice communities.
Is Glyphosate the new DDT? I am leading the effort to substantially curtail and eventually eliminate the use of this poisonous substance in Massachusetts. I filed H792, an Act relative to the prohibition of the transfer or use of glyphosate in the Commonwealth. If passed, legislation will establish a penalty for the transfer or use of glyphosate in Massachusetts. While domestic courts in the United States have rendered billions of dollars in court judgments against its manufacturer to compensate people sickened or killed and foreign governments have curtailed its use, this hazardous pesticide remains in widespread use throughout the Commonwealth and many of the processed foods on our grocery store shelves contain it. When I had my own blood level tested the amount of glyphosate present was three (3) times the level permitted to be present in drinking water in Europe.
I filed H791, An Act relative to improving pesticide protections for Massachusetts school children, in order to discontinue our children’s exposure to hazardous pesticides currently used in many school districts and to replace the Commonwealth’s list of pesticides approved for school grounds use with a list developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It received a favorable vote from the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) and awaits further action by the House.
I filed H789, An Act relative to hydraulic fracturing. This was also voted favorably by the ENRA committee and currently awaits action by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. Hydraulic fracturing is used to obtain oil and often results in contamination of potable groundwater and the creation of earthquakes.
The United States Supreme Court, in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, opened floodgates of spending by juridical (non-human) entities and billionaires in our state, federal and local elections and ballot questions. Throughout the country, bi-partisan groups of citizens have risen up to prepare and pass a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to nullify Citizens United and enable Congress and the state legislatures to regulate campaign spending by natural persons and other legal entities.
I co-presented H3208, with Representative David Viera (R) of Bourne, Resolutions for a United States constitutional amendment and a limited amendment proposing convention with 82 co-sponsors. It was voted favorably out of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs and awaits further action. Additionally, I was appointed by Speaker Robert A. DeLeo to the Citizens Commission Concerning a Constitutional Amendment for Government of the People. This was created by 1,871,989 or 71.4% of voters voting in favor of ballot question #2 in November 2018. We held 16 hearings from May 2019 through June 2020 and proposed two Amendments and a process for working with others throughout the country to achieve enactment to preserve our democracy by taking big money out of politics.
Together with Representative Aaron Vega (D) of Holyoke, I presented H630, An Act relative to home care. This bipartisan bill with 62 co-sponsors would raise the modest hourly wages of home care workers who enable many seniors and younger people with disabilities to remain at home rather than having to move to a rest home or nursing home. To attract sufficient numbers of people to do this work, we need to pay them a livable wage. They are literally lifesavers for those they serve. This bill is before the committee on Elder Affairs, which I serve on, and its reporting date has been extended to July 1, 2020.
In the last session of the legislature, a bill I filed to afford seniors property tax relief was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives. The Senate passed it with one amendment on New Year’s Eve 2018. On January 1, 2019, I appeared with a small number of Representatives in the House Chamber, but was unable to secure its passage with the Senate’s amendment. I refiled it in the current session a few weeks later as H2477, An Act relative to the establishment of a means tested senior citizen property tax exemption, together with representative David DeCoste (R) of Norwell and a bi-partisan group of 20 co-sponsors. It has been reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Revenue and awaits further action.
Massachusetts’ recovery from the Great Recession has been aided by its position as a leader in healthcare, life sciences and technology. However, we live in a rapidly changing economy and will continue to have intense competition both within the United States and globally.
We must be committed to enhancing our economic competitiveness to support emerging industries and attract and keep good businesses and high quality jobs. I support regulatory changes and innovative programs that will create an atmosphere where entrepreneurship and job creation can thrive.
I believe a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work is both a moral obligation and good for our economy. While worker productivity has undergone sizable increases for many years, our minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation. Massachusetts’ minimum wage is the lowest it has ever been (in terms of real dollars adjusted for inflation) and no longer covers basic life necessities for workers and their families. This is not only an issue of fairness. It is good economics. Minimum wage earners help stimulate local business when they spend their wages in the community.
With regard to creating quality jobs, I support:
When Tea Party Republicans in Congress refused to extend federal unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed, more than 68,000 Massachusetts residents lost a vital economic lifeline on December 28, 2013. Cutting unemployment insurance benefits even further or making it harder to get benefits is too high a price for state legislation boosting the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage is vital for Massachusetts workers but it should not be done at the expense of the unemployed.
We have a responsibility to leave future generations with a safe, healthy environment and to preserve natural resources for their enjoyment. Sound stewardship of our environment reaps benefits for today and the future: in public health, increased jobs, strengthening the economy, energy independence and maintaining quality of life. Massachusetts has been an innovative leader but there is more to be done. I support:
Expanded Bottle Bill
The Bottle Bill deposit law was enacted in 1983 and has been a successful recycling and litter prevention program. More than 35 billion bottles and cans have been redeemed, contributing to a healthier environment, cleaner and safer communities and a stronger economy. Currently, the bottle bill only covers carbonated beverages. I support an expanded Bottle Bill that includes juice, water and sport drink containers.
Community Preservation Act (CPA)
The CPA, which was passed in 2000, has been successful in helping cities and towns fund open space preservation, protect historic sites and create affordable housing. I support maintaining and expanding funding for this vital program.
Safer Alternatives Bill
A variety of toxic chemicals are used in Massachusetts businesses every day. Many of these chemicals present a hazard to workers and residents. The Safer Alternatives Bill, currently before the Senate Ways and Means Committee, requires businesses to use a safer alternative if it is available, economically feasible and currently used by competitors. I support this bill, which would set the standard as economically feasible.
All children deserve access to a high quality education so they can become well-rounded, thoughtful, and productive citizens. This begins with ensuring early education for every child who can benefit. I will work hard to end the long wait lines for pre-kindergarten so every child who is ready can begin school. Ultimately, a high quality public education will furnish students with the knowledge and skills they need to build a brighter future for themselves, their families, and our communities.
Teachers
Teachers are the heart of our education system. We need to ensure we are attracting and retaining the best and brightest to teach our children. We also need to make sure that every teacher has the resources he or she needs to succeed.
State Funding for Special Education Programs
Fully funding and supporting special education programs is critical. However, the state should provide the bulk of the funding instead of cities and towns. Local public schools are laboring under a state law that requires us to pay as much as 400% of the average per student expense plus 25% of necessary costs above that amount for each and every student requiring a special educational program.
As your State Representative, I will work to lower the costs to our towns and cities of providing first rate individual educational programs for all of the children who require special education. The current formula should be changed so the Commonwealth absorbs substantially more of the cost. Cities and towns would benefit from reducing the average student expense from 400% to 200% and reducing the 25% necessary costs above that amount to 20%. In addition, I will support increases in Chapter 70 and other state funding for our public schools.
Improve and Expand STEM Classes
In addition to ensuring high-quality education in the social sciences and humanities, our schools must improve and expand Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) classes and better align the training at vocational schools, technical schools, and community colleges with the needs of the business community.
More closely aligning education with industry needs has numerous benefits:
Increased Access to Public Higher Education
Three quarters of our University of Massachusetts graduates remain in the Commonwealth while half of our private university and college graduates remain in the state after graduation. We know that, on average, college/university educated residents command higher paying jobs than their less educated peers, contribute more in taxes, and require fewer government benefits. As your State Representative, I will work to lower the cost of public higher education so that no student in the Commonwealth finds the path to a better future blocked by the high cost of college tuition and fees.
Massachusetts is behind other states in supporting public higher education. Investing in public higher education is a winning strategy for every taxpayer in the Commonwealth. Student tuitions have historically been paid into the Commonwealth’s General Fund with our public universities and colleges reaping nothing in return. To help pay for expenses the University of Massachusetts and our community colleges charge students high fees. Between the high fees (which stay with the school for its use) and tuition (disappearing into the General Fund) many of our friends, neighbors, and family members are not able to afford a higher education. As your State Representative, I will work to lower the combination of tuition and fees for all residents of the Commonwealth. Every qualified student should be able to attend the University of Massachusetts or a community college without staggering student loan debt.
Massachusetts, a pioneer in making healthcare a right, leads the nation in health insurance coverage. Massachusetts has long been a leader in providing high-quality health coverage with highly trained professionals, world-class hospitals and companies on the cutting edge of medical innovation. Still, real challenges remain in our healthcare system.
Massachusetts’ healthcare comes at a high cost. It is among the most expensive in the United States. Our costs for healthcare are presently more than twice what we spend on education. With three insurance providers controlling 70% of the market, a public option would infuse competition and help control costs. I support the pending bill, “An Act Establishing a Public Health Insurance Option” (S514), which would allow consumers to buy into a public insurance plan and offer real competition.
The long-term solution is to move towards a single-payer, “Medicare for All” system, which would simplify the current system and contain costs. A single-payer insurance system in Massachusetts is also an economic issue. Uncoupling health insurance from employers allows business and manufacturing to better compete in the global economy with companies from other countries that are not burdened with the same health insurance overhead. It can also unleash entrepreneurship spurred by American innovation and creativity that is no longer restrained by the fear of losing health insurance.
Strong democracies flourish when a government is open, transparent, and accountable to its people and their values. To help ensure government action is based on shared values, full participation of the people is essential. In order to encourage full public participation in the Massachusetts government, I support:
I am committed to providing my constituents and neighbors with a responsive office on Beacon Hill and in the district. As your State Representative, no issue will be more important than your issue.
In Massachusetts we have a proud history of standing up for each other’s rights. Our state Constitution and Declaration of Rights afford us greater rights than citizens of most or all of the other 49 states. We welcome diversity of race, religion, country of origin, gender, sexual preference, gender identity, age, and disability while recognizing that equal opportunity produces the best results for all of us. I promise to continue this tradition by supporting:
While Chapter 209A provides protection through restraining orders for men and women who have been or are threatened by domestic violence, we need to do more. As your State Representative I will work with educators, health professionals, and fellow legislators to develop programs for our high school students to better protect them from dating violence outside the home and domestic violence.
High housing costs in Massachusetts create a burden for working families and drain billions of dollars from the rest of our economy. The demand for affordable housing has been outpacing its availability, which means individuals and families may wait five years and, in emergency circumstances, as much as two years for affordable housing.
Access to affordable housing strengthens our communities and economy, encourages young people to stay in Massachusetts, and diminishes homelessness. Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40B remains the most powerful tool for increasing affordable housing stock.
A State Representative has three main areas of focus:
While budget and legislative work benefit millions of residents, constituent work aids specific families, individuals and small businesses. It is very personal and satisfying.
When you have a state agency seeming to be unresponsive, call me.
If a utility or company is causing you grief and you do not know what to do, call my state house office. Often my team can find a solution or at least provide direction. Utilities and many companies are regulated by the state.
If it’s a federal matter and you don’t know what to do, call me. I find our Congresswomen representing the 13th Middlesex District and our two U.S. Senators very helpful and responsive.