NEWS STORY

PAWTUCKET TIMES

Candidates square off in forum

by Donna Kenny Kirwan, For The Times

09/14/2006

SEEKONK - Six candidates who are vying for the State Representative, 4th Bristol District seat being vacated by veteran lawmaker Philip Travis (D-Rehoboth) took part in a candidates forum on Thursday night in Seekonk.

The hour-long, question-and-answer session was taped for broadcast on local cable channel 9 and will be played repeatedly from now through Tuesday's state primary election. Questions were provided by members of the local newsmedia.

Four of the six candidates, Steven Howitt, Steven D'Amico, John Whelan and Brian Langevin, are from Seekonk while Nick Bernier and Robert Marquis are from Swansea.

Howitt and Langevin are the Republican candidates while D'Amico, Whelan, Marquis and Bernier are Democrats. After Tuesday's primary, two candidates, one from each political party, will square off in the Nov. 7 election.

When asked if they support increased funding for education and if so, how would they pay for it, all of the candidates agreed that education is important but said that the state-not the local towns-should provide more funding for it.

D'Amico said "tax loopholes" for big businesses should be closed and revenue growth be allocated to schools, while Howitt suggested a revenue stream could come by allowing slot machines at Massachusetts horseracing tracks.

Langevin agreed with the slots idea but said the state's aid formula for educational funding needs to be revised while Marquis called for more aid to local communities from lottery revenue and favored greater promotion of the lottery itself.

While agreeing that the state's education formula needs to be re-written to be more equitable, Whelan said a "lack of leadership" is the problem. Bernier called for "better fiscal management" but said that more state funding should be available for special education purposes.
As to the idea that Proposition 2 ½ had, perhaps, run its course and should be rescinded, all of the candidates were strongly opposed.

Howitt said he is generally against taxes and thinks Proposition 2 ½ "works for the average homeowner and taxpayer," and Langevin called Proposition 2 1/2 "a great thing we have in Massachusetts" because it provides "a check on the government."

Marquis said he thinks Proposition 2 ½ "is a wonderful thing" but said the state should adjust local aid to account for inflation. Whelan agreed that Proposition 2 ½ "is a great form of checks and balances," but also said the state should be more fair in the district's funding for Chapter 70 and lottery money.

Bernier said Proposition 2 ½ "is a reality that simply won't be repealed," but said there should be a cap placed on the amount of state aid that can be taken away from a town in any given year.
D'Amico agreed Proposition 2 ½ helps limit property tax increases, but said the state, as a whole, has become overly dependent on property taxes for funding education.

The candidates were more divided on the concept of instituting a one percent meals tax in Seekonk and other communities that want it through a Home Rule initiative.

Langevin said that while he is opposed to most new taxes, he would support a meals tax if it could be temporary, such as for a five-year period. Marquis noted that the issue is primarily specific to Seekonk, but said he would agree to support a Home Rule measure as long as insurances could be put in place that the tax money would be returned to the town.

Whelan said he is a strong supporter of the meals tax and would like to see it implemented; and D'Amico agreed that the concept "makes sense for Seekonk."

Bernier was cautiously supportive the plan, but said that care must be taken in the way the tax is proposed. "You cannot let this tax be taken to Boston," he stated.

Howitt said that two years ago, as a Seekonk Selectmen, he brought a meals tax bill to Rep. Travis only to see it get diluted and eventually die in the legislature. He called the proposal "unrealistic at this time," and suggested that it is more important "to look at the expense side" than to institute a new tax.

On the question of where the candidates stand on same-sex marriages, Marquis said he supports the traditional idea of marriage as between a man and a woman, but thinks the matter should be put to a statewide vote. Bernier, on the other hand, said he views same-sex marriages as "a civil rights" issue and doesn't think the state's voters should have to decide it.

D'Amico said that like the U.S. Constitution's founder, John Adams, he would not approve of anything being written into the constitution that fosters discrimination, while Howitt said he thinks it should be left up to the voters to decide.

Langevin said that while he personally views marriage as being only for a man and a woman, he said he thinks the voters-not the state-should decide the issue.

On the matter of term limits for elected officials, the candidates were also divided, with Whelan, Howitt, Bernier, and Langevin supporting the idea, while Marquis and D'Amico are opposed.
When asked if a casino should be built in the state, Langevin stood alone in his assessment that "they can't build one fast enough for me." He said he thinks it will generate much-needed revenue for the area.

Bernier and D'Amico said they were opposed to the idea because it will increase crime and other social problems. "I think there are better ways to produce jobs" said D'Amico.

Howitt reiterated his support for slot machines at local racetracks, saying it will benefit local horse owners and businesses that depend on racing.

Marquis said he "doesn't find a casino attractive" and would rather see more attention given to promote the state lottery. Whelan agreed, saying that he has "a lot of apprehensions" about crime and other problems that a casino might bring.

On the last amusing question the candidates were asked: "What is your favorite color, and why?" four out of the six chose blue. D"Amico, a scuba diver, said it reminded him of water, Howitt said it matched his "big blue eyes," Whelan cited it as the color of his late father's eyes and Bernier quipped that he had "Prayed for blue in the last election, but it didn't happen."

Going his own way, Marquis said that while he is also partial to blue he likes red "for its energy" and Langevin professed to like every color except "yellow, orange and brown."