We as a community can no longer afford to respond to situations after they happen, we must be preventive and strike at the root of the hopelessness and violence that has engulfed our neighborhood:

More Jobs

With unemployment still hovering around 9% in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts – and in the 5th Suffolk District even higher – too many of our families have been unemployed for far too long. When people lack job opportunities, they often turn to a life of crime to support themselves and their families. As your state representative, I will work to:

-  retain existing jobs while creating new ones,
-  extend unemployment benefits to those who have lost their job through no fault of their own, and
-  invest in training programs for the jobs of tomorrow.

Quality Schools

In 2009, Sheriff Andrea Cabral testified to Congress that, “…approximately 50 percent of Suffolk County House of Corrections inmates are high school dropouts.”  Too many of our young people continue to drop out of school.  Without an education they find themselves locked out from the American dream.  As your state representative, I will work to ensure every child has access to a quality education by:

-  demanding more accountability,
-  expanding vocational training, and
-  increasing the number of mentors available to youth – before, during and after school.

Safe Streets

According to a recent program on WBUR, “drug cases take up much of the docket” at Dorchester Court. Whether smashing a window to grab a GPS unit or shooting someone for selling drugs on their turf, substance abuse is behind much of the violence we see on our streets. As your state representative, I will work to preserve funding for:

-  substance abuse prevention and recovery,
-  street workers, and
-  summer and year round jobs for youth.