In the Community Advocate | October 24, 2008

By Angela Greiner

Given the current national economic crisis, local political candidates are making the economy the top agenda item on this year's campaign trail.

Both candidates for the 4th Middlesex state representative seat Democrat Danielle Gregoire and Republican Arthur Vigeant echoed this sentiment as they outlined ideas and proposals to trim the state budget. After the recent decision by Gov. Deval Patrick to cut more than one billion dollars from the fiscal year 2009 budget, both candidates said that they supported the decision.

Gregoire, who has a law degree, has been working for the past five years in the State House as the legislative aide for former State Rep. Steven P. Leduc. She said that cuts need to be made because of the current global economic crisis.

"We have agencies that are duplicating jobs like the Mass. Turnpike authority and the Mass. Highway Department … That's like having two governors," Gregoire said.

Marlborough City Council President Vigeant has a 15-year history with the council and is a certified public accountant. He said he has been outspoken about the city's finances since Day One.

"It is time to bring some financial stability to Boston," Vigeant said. "You cannot just continue to increase taxes on taxpayers; you have to make tough decisions and then you have to live within your constraints."

He warned that the governor's initial cuts were superfi- cial and that the ones to follow in November will have a greater impact on the communities. Vigeant said he had a good financial record locally; he cited the city finances, which are currently in a better shape than surrounding communities, with an $8 million dollar reserve as an example of his work across partisan lines to show fiscal responsibility.

"I am not taking credit for someone else's record because I worked in the same building," Vigeant said.

Gregoire responded to this statement, first made during an early morning coff ee debate Oct. 15.

"I had a seat at the table," Gregoire said. "I may not have been able to vote, but I was part of the discussion."

She also explained that as an aide, her responsibilities extended to researching and writing pieces of legislation. Gregoire has secured the endorsements of selectmen from Southborough and Berlin, Marlborough city councilors, and State Sen. Pamela P. Resor, D-Acton.

"Just because I was not pushing the button does not mean I did not know the issues facing the district," she said. "This year alone I wrote the amended budget that would have brought the city over $100,000 of economic development."

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