On July 18, the three candidates for 12th Middlesex District State Representative – Bill Humphrey, Rick Lipof, and Greg Schwartz – met online to answer questions posed by Greg Riebman, President of the Charles River Chamber of Commerce.
This is the first competitive election for the 12th Middlesex District seat since 1998. (Incumbent Rep. Ruth Balser is retiring.) There is no Republican candidate, so the winner of the September 3 Democratic Primary will become the next State Representative for Ward 5, Ward 6, Ward 7 Precinct 1, and Ward 8 of Newton and Precincts 5, 13A, 14, and 15 of Brookline.
Below are highlights of the candidates’ responses to the following questions. (See CRRC’s video of the event for all topics and responses, including discussion of endorsements and work given up if elected.)
- What would you do from Beacon Hill to help attract business to Newton?
- Given the State’s housing crisis, was Dr. Schwartz wrong to vote against the 800-unit Northland project?
- Could you give one idea, not one that is not in the State Bond Bill, to increase the housing supply?
- Do you support increasing the 40B threshold from 10% to 15%? (The Chapter 40B state statute requires 10% of a community’s housing to include subsidized units.)
- How will you deal with voting on bills that you do not have time to read fully? (In the State House, bills can be reported out of Committee and voted on within 24 hours.)
- Why are you (Councilor Humphrey and Councilor Lipof) a better candidate than a medical doctor?
- Do you support these ballot measures:
- Increasing the tipped minimum wage from $6.75 to $15 per hour by 2029
- Eliminating the MCAS requirement for graduation
- Allowing the state legislature to be audited
- Summary points in closing statements
1. Big Belly, Trip Advisor, NBC10, and Shark Ninja moved from Newton to Needham. Watertown has many more life science companies. What would you do from Beacon Hill to help attract business to Newton?
Humphrey: Brookline and Newton were bio-ready communities. He believes local political processes slowed commercial development. He does not want commercial development to move so fast that Newton gets on “a bad idea.” The state may be able to intervene more to smooth out local obstacles.
Lipof: He supported the Riverside Development, which included life science commercial space. It fell victim to the economy and COVID. There are not many areas in Newton for commercial development, which is why he protected the Wells Avenue business district.
Schwartz: Newton is a fully built-out city, unlike Watertown and Needham. There are pockets available for development, such as Needham Street, Wells Avenue, and Washington Street. We lose commercial space when we put up residential projects. We should use our well-educated workforce to attract business. He mentioned Mayor Setti Warren’s MassChallenge non-profit incubator accelerator and creating business coaches, similar to Newton’s energy coaches.
(Reibman noted that the State Representative for Needham worked hard to get State and local tax incentives for TripAdvisor and NBC10 to move there.)
2. Given the State’s housing crisis, was former Councilor Dr. Schwartz wrong to vote against the 800-unit Northland project?
Schwartz: As a Councilor, he supported the Riverside, Austin Street, and Trio development projects, but he did not support the Northland project because it is on a congested corridor and nearly a mile away from the MBTA station. He believes the needs of residents should be put ahead of the needs of developers and that the traffic impact of Northland has been “willfully ignored.” He said people will need to drive “their children to soccer practice and other things” outside of Northland.
Lipof: Northland will be a new walkable neighborhood with a ‘robust little transit system’ (free, public shuttle bus from Northland to the Newton Highlands MBTA station). The alternative, a development like Legacy Place, would have brought much more traffic.
When asked why he opposed the development of 334 units, including 83 affordable units, at Wells Avenue, Lipof said that Northland is creating a new neighborhood in an area with supportive services. The Wells Avenue development would have been ‘sticking a building the size of Chestnut Hill Mall’ at the end of Newton’s only office park with no restaurants or retail, requiring residents to get into a car to ‘do anything.’
Humphrey: Northland is one of the most environmentally innovative projects in the country and represents investment in an economically depressed area. The property was an environmentally contaminated site, making it difficult to do a smaller project. Its mix of residential and commercial is preferable to a big box store or Legacy Place, which would attract more traffic. Not all housing will be in the ‘most optimal location.’ He then referenced the Ch. 40B development proposed for 528 Boylston as a project he would not support because of its location.
3. Could you give one idea, not one that is not in the State Bond Bill, to increase the housing supply?
Lipof: Extend the legislation that allows the quick conversion of malls and mills to residential to also include the conversion of office buildings.
Humphrey: Publicly built units for seniors to downsize into which they could buy and pass on to their families or sell back to the State.
Schwartz: Consider building State-owned public housing as part of the State’s infrastructure. Boost State funds for public housing development with loans from large nonprofits with endowments.
4. Do you support increasing the 40B threshold from 10% to 15%?
None of the candidates supported this.
5. How will you deal with voting on bills that you do not have time to read fully?
All the candidates agreed they would try to read proposed legislation fully, would rely on legislative staff to help them, and that the process of bill dumping at the end of a two-year session needs to change. None offered details on how to change the process.
6. Why are you a better candidate than a medical doctor?
Humphrey: He brings “a clear progressive vision” and is endorsed by multiple labor unions, progressive groups, and environmental groups – organizations that work every day at the State House lobbying for legislation. ‘Almost everything’ on his website is legislation these groups have been working on. He prides himself on constituent services and constituent communications. He is also supported by several former City Councilors.
Lipof: He is a successful entrepreneur and small business owner, a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He has experience working collaboratively with developers and unions. He has been elected multiple times to leadership positions on the City Council. Newton’s Police and Fire unions support him. The seated City Councilors who worked with both Councilor Lipof and former Councilor (Dr.) Schwartz support Lipof.
Schwartz: He would be the only medical doctor in the State House. Nearly half the state’s economy is in health care or biotech. He understands how health care works and would be able to help make good policy decisions. Massachusetts faces a crisis in health care. He is supported by outgoing State Representative Ruth Balser and several City Councilors.
7. Do you support these ballot measures:
Increasing the tipped minimum wage from $6.75 to $15 per hour by 2029
Lipof: He sees both sides of the issue and is still studying it.
Schwartz: It seems like a good idea.
Humphery: Yes. Wage theft is a big problem in the state. Tipped workers fear retaliation if they complain about being underpaid.
Eliminating the MCAS requirement for graduation
Humphery: Yes. It discriminates against people with severe intellectual disability. He believes MCAS should be a diagnostic tool, not a graduation requirement. (Reibman noted there are MCAS waivers for students with severe intellectual disabilities.)
Schwartz: Before MCAS, we had students graduating who could not read well enough to succeed. He would support removing MCAS when there is a better alternative to tracking progress.
Lipof: Supports removing MCAS as a graduation requirement if an effective alternative can be found.
Allowing the legislature to be audited
Schwartz: He understands the frustration around a lack of transparency at the State House but believes there are constitutional concerns around the separation of powers. Reform should come from inside the State House.
Humphery: Yes.
Lipof: In the middle on the issue. sees the same concerns that Schwartz mentioned. There is history; there had been an audit in the past.
8. Summary points in closing statements
Schwartz: Doctor’s experience in scientific problem solving and collaboration, as well as a focus on prevention. Legislative experience from eight years on City Council, chairing two committees in a fair manner and knowing how to collaborate with people he disagrees with. Legal training from law school and working as a legislative aide.
Lipof: 22 years of experience on the City Council. A large portion of his life in public service. Elected by peers into leadership as City Council vice president. Chaired three major committees of the Council. Created the Traffic Council. Reputation on the Council of bring people together and finding a way to Yes. The only candidate who founded a business and knows how to work with small businesses.
Humphrey: Expected the discussion would be about the huge Economic Development bill working its way through the State Legislature, focusing on equity, life sciences, climate tech, small business, rural communities, consumer protection, arts, culture, and tourism. These make a huge difference for business. Massachusetts is a great place to be, and his platform makes things better for business.
