Flanagan, Knuuttila square off at debate

Senate candidates focus on regional rail line, public education, home heating costs, state Lottery funds

By Owen Boss

GARDNER — The race for the state Senate seat being vacated by longtime incumbent Sen. Robert Antonioni, D-Leominster, heated up Tuesday at Mount Wachusett Community College where a debate between former state representative Brian Knuuttila of Gardner and state Rep. Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominster, shed light on some major regional issues. The Senate seat sought by the two Democrats represents 11 towns and cities across the region, including Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, Bolton, Lancaster, Lunenberg, Sterling, Westminster, Ashby, Townsend and Clinton. Although the two candidates answered questions covering a wide variety of topics, key issues at the debate included public transportation, public education, the cost of home heating oil, and the proper use of state Lottery funding. Among the first questions asked at the debate was one regarding the commuter rail that no longer extends to the city of Gardner, and what the two candidates would do to improve the public transportation between the two cities, an initiative that both candidates understood would be an expensive and extensive project. Mr. Knuuttila said that the extension and maintenance of the current commuter rail is one of the top priorities of his campaign, and said it was through the efforts of officials in state government that the funding for the project would be made available. “Re-extending the rail link continues to be my main objective,” said Mr. Knuuttila. “I think Congressman (John) Olver’s efforts to extend it with a so-called Wachusett station is a great idea. He is also responsible for getting funding from Orange and Winchendon to Gardner, he’s been responsible for that direct line of funding as well. So my mission would be to work with the congressman, work with the congressional delegation, but also to ensure that the tracks going to Fitchburg are improved and maintained so that the increased time to go to Boston is shortened.” Ms. Flanagan was less concerned about extending the railway to Gardner, a project she said would take several years to complete, and rather focused on forming a transportation system that would get residents to the station in Fitchburg. “The transportation issue has been a long time coming and we have worked for more than 10 years to get the extension to Fitchburg, but I think we have to have long-term and short-term goals,” said Ms. Flanagan. “Our long-term goal is to get the railway extended to Gardner, our short-term goal is to get the people in Gardner and the surrounding area to the train stations. Whether that be through working with MART for increased busses to bring them down to Fitchburg or the Leominster station.” Also brought up at the debate was continued funding for public education, something that both candidates said was among their top priorities if elected. Ms. Flanagan said funding for public education was particularly important to her because she came out of the system. “I care about our community colleges and our state colleges and I care about our public education,” said Ms. Flanagan. “I am a product of public education from kindergarten through my master’s degree — I received all public education.” Mr. Knuuttila said he considered forwarding public education key to the future success of the region, and realized that producing funding for local schools and colleges was something that the next state senator would have to work toward. “I want the listening audience to understand that the next state senator, whomever that is, cannot skirt for this responsibility,” said Mr. Knuuttila. “Public education and public higher education is the most important task for the next state senator.” Another key topic was Lottery funding. Recently, state legislators have capped the limit on how much money can be distributed to cities and towns from the state Lottery account, and have been putting the majority of the remaining funds into the commonwealth’s stabilization account. Although both candidates understood that a larger stabilization account means a higher bond rating for the state, which allows for a larger borrowing potential, they did not necessarily see eye-to-eye. Ms. Flanagan, who during her time in office voted in favor of increasing the stabilization account, said although it may limit funding to cities and towns, in tough economic times, sometimes it is the right decision to make. “All of the money that comes through the state of Massachusetts is for the cities in the towns and I think the Lottery fund is no different,” said Ms. Flanagan. “It is true that we have made some tough decisions over the last couple of years to put money into the rainy day fund. I think we need to put the money toward cities and towns, but I also think sometimes we need to make that difficult decision to put the money into the stabilization fund.” Mr. Knuuttila differed in his views, and said that money generated from the Lottery is meant for the cities and towns, and that the capping of the amount available to local municipalities is unfair. “At the end of the day, the Lottery was created to assist with local aid, with Chapter 70 education funding with Chapter 90 funding to the cities and towns for roads and bridges. But the Legislature, in their infinite wisdom, capped that distribution and took the additional revenues and did whatever they wanted to do with it,” said Mr. Knuuttila. “It is called a rainy day account for a reason, and if it raining at the state, it is pouring for the cities and towns. This money is meant for the cities and towns.” One issue that both candidates recognized as an inevitable obstacle for the next state senator is the increasing cost of home heating oil, and both said that additional funding will have to be secured this winter to ensure that residents in the district will not have to make a decision between feeding their families and paying to heat their homes. In their closing statements, both candidates described why they would be the ideal selection for the Senate seat, citing both their political and life experiences. Ms. Flanagan said she was running so that she could put the best interests of communities in the district forward, and said her experience would help her do that. “I will tell you sitting on the Transportation Committee, sitting on the Public Health Committee, being named vice chair of the House Ethics Committee in my sophomore year doesn’t happen easily,” said Ms. Flanagan. “I want to be the next state senator because I care about what happens to the 150,000 people who live in the north Worcester County. I want to be the next state senator because I care about what happens to our families.” Mr. Knuuttila said what separated him from his opponent was the life experiences he was able to gain during his time as a Marine, policeman and firefighter. “I have had a lot of life experience. My opponent is a good person, she is a hard worker, but my life experience and the things I have done with my life prior to going to government and then subsequent to my time in government is really quite frankly what the Senate needs.” said Mr. Knuuttila. Residents will vote in the Democratic primary Sept. 16. oboss@thegardnernews.com

Appeared on Page 1 on 8/27/2008 (Vol. 206 No. 203)