Last week, I kicked off my campaign for state representative. I am running to make sure those who reside in the 1st Berkshire District have the opportunities they need to prosper in their lives, their work and raising their families.  

 

A Berkshire native, I have spent the last 30 years in the 1st Berkshire District and my commitment to its future success is evident both in my personal and professional life. My first priority will be to advocate and push through the legislation that my friend and colleague Gail Cariddi proposed on behalf of those in our district. 

 

I know first hand the impact that government can have. There are good programs available to help folks in need. My dad got hurt on the job, delivering milk for Fairdale Farms. Because of workers' compensation and the G.I. bill, he was able to go to college as an adult with a wife and three daughters. My mom was a stay-at-home mom and we lived in a rural community where the quarries had closed and jobs were limited. We qualified for an earlier incarnation of food stamps and Medicaid. Later, my sisters attended Head Start. Though we had limited resources, my family still helped others. Like all parents, my mom and dad wanted us to do well. We were expected to do our best in school, keep commitments to organizations like the Girl Scouts, and be good and fair sports if we played. 

 

Taking care of people and creating an environment where we all can succeed is something that is deeply ingrained in me. A state representative must understand the entire community she represents, from the most vulnerable to the most powerful, all are her constituents. "There, but for the grace of God go I," is never far from my mind.

 

I will continue state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi's commitments to the economy, to schools, to the environment but most importantly I will continue Gail's work for you, the people of Northern Berkshire County.

 

Our schools are funded by an outdated and inadequate formula that does not take into consideration the challenges of small cities, towns and rural areas. I will fight to change how the foundation budget is funded so that every child in our district and across the state -- rich, poor, differently-abled, or perfectly average -- has a chance to make it and succeed.

 

We can't let "the political right" brand us as tax-and-spend Democrats. There are logical ways to save taxpayer money without harming local services, including exploring options for regionalization and cooperation. Locally, we currently have a regional veterans agent and an animal control officer. Additionally, Gail proposed regional disability commissions, which I fully support.

 

Our residents want to work, but jobs of today require different skills. I want to help connect those residents to the jobs and skills they need. I will push for more effective workforce development programs to help our residents and our businesses be more competitive in the 21st century economy. Schools like McCann Technical, Berkshire Community College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts can help us get there and not only help today's employers, but create and attract the employers of tomorrow.

 

Jobs in tourism, retail, medicine and public safety are often 24/7. Our transportation system is not.

 

What good is a great workforce if we can't get to our jobs? Our transportation needs are different than Boston's. We must continue as a regional delegation to help the BRTA provide more service when people actually need it. 

 

I will join the effort to bring better passenger train service to Berkshire County to make Boston and New York easy and affordable trips for those of us who travel for both work and fun. As someone who regularly drives to Boston for morning meetings, I share your frustration with eastbound traffic delays. You can get there from here, but it shouldn't be such a challenge.

 

Our hilltowns and rural areas are struggling with low speed or no internet that prevents any modern employer from setting up shop and hurts the current residents, especially school kids at home. Even North Adams and parts of Williamstown don't have access to modern fiber-optic networks that are crucial in today's economy. Sharing information in North County should be as fast as it is in Boston and the suburbs.

 

Northern Berkshire has many challenges, but we also have many assets. Our educational and cultural institutions are economic drivers and innovators. They enhance our quality of life and help us leverage other assets. Our tourism market is more than visual and performing arts. We also have recreational venues and the great outdoors. There are efforts throughout the region, both public and private for sustainable energy projects. We have been rehabilitating old properties with new investments. Projects like the Greylock, Excelsior/Norad and Windsor mills are examples of what we can accomplish with our time, treasure and talent.

 

Our towns need every last penny they can get from the state. Most towns in Northern Berkshire County are struggling to keep up with the needs of their residents. I will make sure that everything we are due from Beacon Hill comes home.

 

On top of my many years of dedicated public service in North Adams, Sandisfield, and elsewhere, I have tirelessly advocated for Berkshire County through my work with the Massachusetts Municipal Association. In fact, I have made representing our area and its needs in Boston a priority of mine for the last six years because Northern Berkshire County is my home. In my capacity as the Western Massachusetts representative to the MMA, and previously as its president, I have been instrumental in convincing the Legislature and governor's office to release vital resources to our area, including the Winter Recovery Assistance Program, (aka the "pothole money"), broadband funding, and increases in local aid.

 

I want to continue those efforts and take the fight for North County to the State House. As a city councilor, town administrator, and treasurer/collector, I have personally seen the extensive challenges facing our communities and schools. I know what the district needs to grow the economy, get better access to health care, and provide better transportation. I look forward to serving and working to create opportunities for all of the residents of  Northern Berkshire.

 

The author is a Democratic candidate for state representative in the 1st Berkshire District. She can be contacted at lisablackmerforrep@gmail.com or lisablackmer.com.