by Tiffany L. Hill

The Republican candidate for state representative for the 27th Middlesex District spoke at the contributors meeting of the Somerville News July 16.

“Somerville is a diverse, welcoming community, and it can be a place where people want to live and want to work and raise families,” said Dane Baird, who is running against State Rep. Patricia D. Jehlen, D-Somerville.

Baird is a residential developer who has lived in Somerville for four years, he said. This is his first time running for political office.

“I decided to run for public office after I realized about a year ago that our great community is at risk. I wondered why the teachers and firemen that this city needs are getting pink slips, but our taxes are increasing. The Somerville police force needs 180 officers. It only has 90, and can’t afford to hire more,” said Baird.

The American dream is in danger in Somerville, Baird said. “Water and residential taxes are increasing. The costs are more, but the services are less. This greatly affects people who want to own a house, for example. And owning a home is a big part of the American dream, which, as a result, is falling by the wayside in Somerville.”

Baird said he did research on the city’s tax hikes and found that Somerville is fiscally dependent on the state, and the current leadership in the city lacks vision.

“Thirty-seven percent of our budget comes from the state. So when the state is seeing financial problems, Somerville is as well.

“The incumbent state representative is focused on special interests, not on the community. Special interests are important, but there needs to be a healthy balance. We need to put the community’s issues first. Amend bills to help Somerville, not to penalize the constituents,” Baird said.

“Most people are just looking for a fair deal. They understand that some taxes are necessary, and they pay those taxes to support their community. But if the taxes are going up, they deserve to benefit. We need to refocus our priorities to Somerville.”

Baird said he disagrees with Jehlen on four major issues.

The first is public safety and the anti-gang ordinance. “On July 1, we had a wonderful showing at the fireworks, and then afterwards there was, sadly, a stabbing, and the 16-year old Mr. Sullivan died as a result. We need to address that this kind of violence is a problem.

“The crime problem needs to be dealt with. We need to figure out what we can do to stabilize the community. We can be doing more,” Baird said.

The anti-gang ordinance, Baird said, targets criminals and focuses on gang members who loiter.

“It’s a good idea for Somerville, especially given the lack of police officers on the ground,” he said.

“The incumbent argues that this ordinance is a violation of the gang members’ civil liberties. It was originally put forth by the city of Chicago, and, though it was shot down at first, it has gone through in the lower courts, and it was reviewed by a member of the Supreme Court to ensure that it’s constitutional, “ he said.

The second important issue for Baird is economic development. “Being a dole society, supported heavily by the state, puts us at tremendous risk. Our long-range fiscal planning needs to be improved. We need to put forth a plan to generate revenue. That takes leadership. We must become a fiscally solvent community,” he said.

The third issue is higher taxes, he said. “I believe that you, not the government, know best how to spend your money. The person who earned the money is the best spender.

“I’m a laissez-faire, market-driven candidate,” he said.

“I’ll work hard to reduce the cost of living if elected. The incumbent believes in big government, and that government can solve the community’s problems. I trust people and have faith in individuals. And that can solve 95 percent of the problems we encounter as a community, not big government,” said Baird.

“Big government means big taxes. And we have elderly neighbors and struggling young people who can’t afford to be penalized by higher taxes and not get anything back. The incumbent has voted to raise citizens’ taxes every time she could. She just voted to raise our taxes again. Meanwhile, residential taxes are already high, and gas is $2.00 a gallon at the gas station. We need to roll back the tax rates, not increase them,” he said.

The problem with housing in Massachusetts, Baird said, is an issue of supply and demand.

“We have increasing demand, and it’s difficult to meet the supply. Until we rethink how to build supply, the cost of housing will continue to increase,” he said.

The candidate said he is against the current structure of low-income housing. “The taxpayer is currently paying for it. But if left to itself, the market will adjust for the need for low-cost housing.

“We need to develop some commonsense policies that meet the needs of housing in Somerville. Find out why the zoning laws were written the way they were, and reform them. Of course, we’ll meet with some resistance, but that’s how it works. Massachusetts loves to protest, but we have to do what’s best to maintain the American Dream,” said Baird.

Baird’s last issue is gay marriage. “I don’t think that gay marriage, as it is, is appropriate. I do not think that it’s government’s place to set social precedent. That said, a heterosexual couple gets all kinds of benefits from the government that a homosexual couple does not—tax breaks, health care—and that’s not fair. We should extend the same civil rights to a gay couple as we do to a heterosexual couple.

“We need to put forward Article 8, dismissing activist judges who legislate from the bench. We need to not amend any constitution to deal with gay marriage. And we need to immediately extend the same civil rights to gay couples as we do to heterosexual couples.
Baird praised Gov. Mitt Romney.

“He’s different from past governors. He fights for what he believes in, rather than what is politically convenient. And he’s done a lot to encourage and organize the Republican Party in Massachusetts. He’s been a true leader.”