Supporting Sheriff Tompkins
Dear Editor,
Sheriff Steve Tompkins has been our Suffolk County Sheriff for the past 9 years. He’s committed to the care and custody of Suffolk County men and women sent to its prison facilities. Sheriff Tompkins is also committed to helping people get back on their feet. Under his leadership, the Corrections Department has created many programs designed to break the cycle of incarceration and recidivism (repeating criminal behavior).
For example, in 2015, Sheriff Tompkins established the “Family Matters†program, which re-unifies individuals in custody with their children and loved ones and connects them to resources and support services in the community. Less than 4% of the participants recidivate after their release.
You can go to VoteSteveTompkins.com and play Sheriff Tompkins short but informative video. Vote Steve Tompkins for Sheriff in the Primary on Tuesday, September 6th, and the General Election on Tuesday, November 8th.
Donna Segreti Reilly and
Bill Schmidt
Regarding Senate Bill 3096
The following letter was submitted to Gov. Baker on August 4, and provided for publication.
Dear Governor Baker,
I write today urging you to veto Senate bill 3096, An Act relative to equity in the cannabis industry. While I harbor many reservations with this bill and with legalized marijuana generally, section 26 of S.3096 is particularly alarming.
Section 26 is so egregious it bears repeating in its entirety:
The cannabis control commission, in consultation with the department of elementary and secondary education and the department of public health, shall conduct a study on the possession, administration and consumption of medical marijuana, as defined in chapter 94I, at public or private schools in the commonwealth as it relates to students who have been issued valid registration cards pursuant to said chapter 94I. The study shall include, but not be limited to: (i) an examination of policies on the possession, administration and consumption of medical marijuana by students at public and private schools in the commonwealth; (ii) an analysis of existing legal, regulatory and administrative obstacles to possession, administration and consumption of medical use marijuana at public and private schools in the commonwealth; (iii) a survey of available methods of consumption, administration and storage of medical use marijuana at public and private schools; (iv) recommendations on best practices for public and private schools in the commonwealth to ensure that students have access to medical use marijuana while also maintaining a safe school environment for all students; and (v) recommendations on eliminating obstacles and expanding accommodations to possess, administer and consume medical use marijuana at public and private schools in the commonwealth. (emphasis added)
I opposed the ballot question allowing for the legalization of marijuana. I continue to believe the legalization effort is misguided and further that the United States government has abdicated its responsibility to faithfully enforce the law in this area. I accept however that the people of the Commonwealth have decided otherwise. That being said, section 26 is a bridge too far to comprehend. Slipped into the conference committee report, in the dark of night and without discussion or debate, this provision presents a clear and present danger to the safety and wellbeing of our school children. Teachers and school administrators have enough on their plates in a post Covid-19 world without adding state mandated drug use in our schools to their burden. At a time when the Commonwealth and the nation should be directing resources to making our schools safer, section 26 will do the opposite.
As a parent of six young children, the idea that we would transition from “Just Say No†to possibly mandating, and therefore normalizing, marijuana use in our schools is beyond the pale. With your veto, you can protect our children from this misguided and dangerous effort. I offer the following additional thoughts for your consideration.
First and foremost, marijuana is a gateway drug that can lead young people down self-destructive paths. Even if most children are not themselves getting high at school, placing them in an environment with others who are high can only lead to negative outcomes. Students would start to develop the belief, potentially even in elementary school, that doings drugs is completely ok. After all, if the teachers, administrators and nurses do not seem to take issue with some students getting high during the school day, then how bad can drugs really be?
Secondly, classrooms featuring students high on marijuana are less productive classrooms than full of sober students. According to the CDC, when people get high they often have trouble focusing, learning and remembering. Their thinking becomes foggy and impaired. They may become paranoid, losing their sense of time and place. In other words, people who are high often become distractions for people who are not. That is detrimental to any learning environment, especially one with young and impressionable students. Again, this simply boils down to the following question: would you prefer your child in a classroom with or without other students high on drugs?
Drugs have absolutely no place at schools or around young children. Period. This is not a fact that requires a study to determine. In fact, it was a universally held piece of common sense up until, apparently, the passage of S.3096. Governor Baker, I implore you to veto section 36, if possible, and if not, the entirety of S.3096. With your veto, you can protect our children from this misguided and dangerous effort.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Rosario Turco
State Representative
Nineteenth Suffolk District
Revere – Winthrop
Why Kevin Hayden Should Continue To Serve Suffolk County As Our District Attorney
To the Editor,
I had never heard of Kevin Hayden until he was appointed District Attorney. I knew Ricardo Arroyo. Arroyo is a household political name that has lasted at least two generations and three city councilors. I met with Felix Arroyo in 2016, and I endorsed Ricardo Arroyo when he ran for the city council in 2019.
I was therefore initially inclined to stay out of the District Attorney race or support Ricardo Arroyo. Arroyo’s political philosophy and mine are closely aligned, and he is undoubtedly a gifted politician.
But today, I am endorsing Kevin Hayden, a public servant, over the politician. The bottom line: I have seen his work. He is as dedicated a public servant as I have met, and I’ve seen him demonstrate it on multiple occasions.
As soon as he was appointed, Hayden immediately got to work. I began to get regular updates about shootings and acts of violence in my district, which includes three of the four cities that make up Suffolk County. Like Rachael Rollins, our former district attorney, he was forthcoming, upfront, and direct with his information. He made himself a resource to my office. I assumed correctly that on certain policies, he and I would disagree, but he has listened, showed me that he could change his mind, and was willing to be creative and constructive about the District Attorney’s role.
For example, I called Kevin recently, enraged after a major fire in Revere displaced 150 people. The landlord, after keeping many of the units in deplorable conditions, commenced eviction actions and changed the locks on rent-paying tenants. I remembered that in some cases (though incredibly rare), criminal charges could be pursued against a landlord. I was very happy to learn that Kevin had already reached out to the Mayor of Revere. He attended the large community meeting, shouldered the anger and frustration of the tenants with Mayor Arrigo, and committed to investigating the landlords for possible criminal wrongdoing.
When we were so close to passing an eviction sealing bill, I called Kevin again. I explained how many people need a second chance after having been evicted. I talked about how opponents were using public safety as a reason to keep an eviction permanent and public. Kevin reviewed the bill and drafted a passionate letter in support, noting that housing stability is a public safety issue. Kevin Hayden was the very first law enforcement official to support the HOMES (Housing Opportunity and Mobility with Eviction Sealing) act in the four years of fighting to get it passed. As District Attorney, he effectively countered many of the safety concerns the Governor expressed when he vetoed the bill two years ago.
It is essential that a District Attorney can see the connection between housing and public safety and even more so that the District Attorney is willing to advocate for policies that support working families. I know that when he continues to be the District Attorney, he will prosecute deadly workplace safety violations and wage theft.
Hayden is showing up to shootings in the middle of the night, and to community meetings with young people and police. He sets a table where law enforcement, community, and nonprofits can refine justice together.
For example, I recently walked in on a meeting with assistant DAs, community members, and North Suffolk Mental Health. They discussed expanding the Services over Sentence pilot program, started under Rachael Rollins. Hayden invested in the program, contributing $450,000 from the asset forfeiture fund, and expanded the initiative to include wrap-around services, from helping those taking part find housing, childcare, jobs, and recovery coaches. The program keeps participating defendants out of jail.
I have seen the coalition for Hayden. It is racially and politically diverse. He boasts support and endorsements from the entire county and people from all walks of life. I believe they see what really matters, and that is Kevin’s vision and heart, backed up by over two decades of public service work. Experience isn’t everything, but it is important. The District Attorney leads an office of almost 300 people and needs to inspire their trust. A strong record of service, experience within the office, trial experience, a commitment to just outcomes, and a fair and ethical approach to prosecution provide that leadership.
No one would accuse Kevin Hayden of being a politician that can “work the room.†But no one can deny he worked exceptionally hard to be “in the room†and to lead today.
Hayden is a compassionate Black Bostonian who cares deeply about our community. I hope voters pick the public servant who has dedicated his life to serving and protecting our most vulnerable. Please vote for Kevin Hayden on September 6, 2022.
Lydia Edwards,
Senator of the First
Suffolk and Middlesex