Walter Timilty: MA 2020 Primary Candidate Profile

STOUGHTON, MA — State Sen. Walter Timilty is among two Democrats vying for the senate seat in the Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth District. Timilty, a three-year veteran of the State Senate, faces a primary opponent in Jarred Rose.

Timilty, 51, grew up in Milton and previously served as a town meeting representative. We would later serve in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he represented the 7th Norfolk District from 1999 to 2016.

Patch has asked both Timilty and Rose to answer our candidate questionnaires ahead of the Sept. 1 Democratic primary. Here's how Timilty answered our questionnaire:

Age (as of Election Day)

51

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Single

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My father, Walter F. Timilty, Jr. is the Clerk of the Norfolk Superior Court.

Education

Graduated Boston College and the Southern New England School of Law

Occupation

Full-time Legislator

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

State Representative

Campaign website

www.timilty4senate.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Marian Wright Edelman once stated, "Service is what life is all about." I am seeking re-election to the Massachusetts State Senate so that I may continue to answer the call to a life of service to others.

How would you rate the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic on a letter-grade scale (A, B, C, D or F), and how would you explain that rating?

The breadth of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were unfathomable only a short time ago. Just the name of the virus itself, the novel Coronavirus, indicates that this is brand new for everyone involved.

Despite enormous pressure from all sides, I believe that Governor Baker has performed admirably in leading Massachusetts through the pandemic and the legislature has worked efficiently and substantively to address the health, financial, and educational effects of the pandemic. With the exception of the horrific tragedy at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, which I have addressed directly in my capacity as Chair of the Committee of Veterans and Federal Affairs, Massachusetts has been a national leader in its response to the pandemic. I would give Massachusetts an A-.

Is Chapter 40B, the state's affordable housing law, working, and if not what would you change?

Certainly, the Chapter 40B law has helped to increase the number of affordable housing units in the Commonwealth. However, like many well-intended pieces of legislation, there have been local issues raised in its implementation and this one law itself cannot turn around the significant dearth of affordable housing we currently face in Massachusetts. While there are many avenues the Commonwealth could consider in addressing this need, I see promise with one in particular.

Massachusetts is fortunate to have nonprofit and faith-based organizations with missions to build affordable housing. While most developers, including people I know well, are committed to using the 40B law as it was intended and for the good of the community, some have used the law solely as a means of achieving significant financial gain regardless of any impact to the surrounding community. Nonprofits and faith-based organizations are less concerned with financial gain and more concerned with fulfilling their mission of creating affordable housing. Organizations like Quincy Community Action Programs, Charlesview, Inc., in Allston/Brighton, the Planning Office for Urban Affairs of the Archdiocese of Boston and many community development corporations all help create affordable housing. Adding incentives and new opportunities for these organizations to create more affordable housing would augment the 40B law and, as known community-based organizations, help develop properties that will fit the community.

What steps, if any, should the state take toward police reform?

I recently voted to pass the Senate version of the police reform legislation. While far from perfect, this legislation is a step in the right direction. However, as demonstrated in my support of certain proposed amendments to the Senate bill and in a letter of testimony I wrote to the members of the House of Representatives, we also have to be careful to protect due process and other rights that we all enjoy under the law.

As someone who has many friends and family members in law enforcement, I know that it is a small minority of police officers that are at the root of the most horrific instances of racial bias. No matter our choice of career, we can all benefit from additional training and education. I believe, as do many police unions and organizations, that this would be beneficial to law enforcement and the larger community. It is for this reason that I voted in support of the bill and that I hope the final iteration of this legislation will remedy some of the flaws I see preventing progress for all.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

At its core, my campaign platform is based on my commitment to working for the people of my district. Since being elected to the State Senate in 2016, I have been a full-time legislator devoted to the issues that affect my constituents most. From school aid for our children to enhanced services for our seniors to environmental issues like open space preservation and increased access to healthcare, our team is always mindful that, paraphrasing the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, our constituents' cares are our concern.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Serving as a State Senator is less about ideology and more about people. I admire those who believe in furthering their own political agenda but in order to be an effective leader and an effective legislator, one must focus on the issues that affect their constituents most. Ideas are great but it takes hard work, relationship building and leadership to advance the cause of the people one is elected to represent.

In my years of experience as a legislator, I can honestly say that, despite current rhetoric to the contrary, most people want the same things from their representatives in government. Simply put, they want to be treated fairly, to have an affordable place to live, good schools for their kids, helpful services for their aging parents, effective departments to ensure their safety, accessible healthcare, a commitment to the future of our environment and to have a real advocate for their needs representing them in government. The foundation for all that I do as a Senator is predicated on my belief that I work for the people of the district. I have done my best to be an advocate for my constituents and I will continue to do so if re-elected.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My record speaks for itself. I have been on the ground fighting with and for my constituents. From advocating for the health and character of the community by standing in public opposition to a trash transfer station and a compressor station, to securing desperately needed funds for every community in the district as they combat the substance abuse epidemic, to filing and sponsoring legislation to improve the our quality of life, I have consistently demonstrated a willingness to lead and not follow, collaborate and not denigrate, to rely on action and not just theory and most importantly, to listen and not just speak.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The best political advice every shared with me was from a dear friend and former Democratic State Committee member who once told me, "Many people who run for office talk the talk about serving the community but it is only those who walk the walk that truly serve."

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I would like to remind voters that I work for them and that I would greatly appreciate their vote on September 1.

This article originally appeared on the Stoughton Patch