Politics & Government

Gregoire Seeks to "Finish a Lot of What We've Started"

She will seek a second straight two-year term.

State Rep. Danielle Gregoire will seek a second straight two-year term, to “largely finish a lot of what we’ve started this term.”

Gregoire (D-Marlborough) is being challenged so far by Marlborough City Councilor Matt Elder, a Republican. Elder announced his candidacy at a Northborough Republican Town Committee meet-and-greet earlier this month.

The district includes Marlborough Ward 2, Precinct 1, and Wards 3, 4, 5 and 6, and Ward 7, Precinct 2; Northborough Precincts 1 and 3 and Westborough Precincts 1 and 3.

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Gregoire said Monday that she wants to continue working on home rule petitions for all three communities, and to see Wesborough’s purchase of roughly 95 acres of the Westborough State Hospital site from the state Division of Capital Asset Management completed. 

That land deal has been a “a huge effort on behalf of myself, working in a bi-partisan fashion with Rep. Beaton and Rep. Dykema. We’ve worked together seamlessly as a team on that and many other issues involving Westborough,”  Gregoire said. Gregoire, Matthew Beaton (R-Shrewsbury) and Carolyn Dykema (D-Holliston) all represent Westborough.

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“The party issue is not an issue for us.” 

And Northborough, meanwhile, has “two or three home rule petitions that would allow town government to move money back and forth from one account to another without the approval of town meeting “ but with the board of selectmen’s approval, Gregoire said.

Gregoire was elected in November 2012, defeating then-incumbent Steven Levy (R-Marlborough). She served one term before Levy defeated her in 2010. 

“The people in this district deserve a voice of someone who is looking out for them, not looking out for themselves. And I think Matt Elder is only looking out for Matt Elder,” Gregoire said.

“He ran for office almost the minute he moved to Marlborough. So, he could have landed anywhere (and) he was going to run for office. It was always something that he had wanted to do.” 

On the issue of job creation, Gregoire said that “I’ve had a good relationship with the Mass. Office of Business Development in trying to make sure that they have knowledge of what open space we have available in the district, so we can actively recruit businesses.”

On education, Gregoire said that “Marlborough’s still going through a transition” after a leadership change, “but they’re on the uprise.” 

“I’m a proud graduate of the Marlborough public schools. I have nothing but good things to say about Marlborough,” she said.

Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School is “a fantastic educational institution,” Gregoire added. 

On homelessness,  Gregoire said that that’s “an issue that I’ve been working on for years, trying to put more money into rental vouchers and rental assistance to families in transition.”

“The shelter system and the hotel system are a Band-Aid. And in order to cure homelessness or fix homelessness, it needs to be funded up front,” she said.

Gregoire said she will have a campaign kickoff in March or April. Her website is www.daniellegregoire.com.



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