The great 2nd Suffolk District is one of the most diverse and densely populated districts in Massachusetts, and it’s time for new leadership to take on the task of transforming this area into a thriving community.

There are many challenges facing the district, including a high rate of unemployment and poverty, a lack of access to quality health care, and a decline in local black and brown owned businesses. It’s important that we have leaders who are accountable to the people and invested in making changes that will benefit the people of our communities

Affordable Housing

We need leaders who are invested in making our community more vibrant and sustainable. Too often, we see neighborhoods decline due to lack of investment and negatively impacted due to lack of access to affordable housing. Such negative impacts include greater stress relating to food,  security, health care, retirement, transportation, environmental impacts, and overall social stability. We need leaders who are committed to reversing this trend and ensuring that everyone in the 2nd Suffolk District has a voice.

Public Education

Public education needs Transformational changes. Too often, students are left behind because their schools do not have the resources they need to thrive. We need a leader in the Senate Seat with experience in this area who is committed to ensuring that all children in the 2nd Suffolk District have the opportunity to get a quality education equivalent to the more affluent districts.

OTHER URBAN AFFAIRS

Urban Affairs is a broad term that covers various aspects of city, town, or district.  Urban issues can be related to finance, jobs, transportation, environment, housing, and other topics.  The problems that arise from urban living can be divided into two categories: macro and micro.  Macro issues are those that are present on a large scale and affect the entire city, such as infrastructure, housing, and transportation. Micro issues are those that exist on a smaller scale and may only affect an individual or small group of people within a district; this includes everything from crime and crime prevention to lack of jobs and low paying job and lack of training opportunities for advancement or even pollution or noise pollution within an area of a district.  As cited below, lack of good paying jobs, high cost of living, and high crime rates are just a few of the ongoing problems that plagued the Suffolk District which has contributed to low voter turnouts in past years.

Low Paying Jobs and Lack of Training Opportunities

Lack of training opportunities and low pay are just a few examples of the problems that have been plaguing the workforce in the Suffolk District for too long. I’m committed to working with businesses and institutes to create new training programs especially for those who may have lost their jobs or businesses due to the impacts of Covid, ensuring displaced workers have access to equal or better employment and training opportunities through the introduction of bills and legislation that will help our residents find jobs that are meaningful and rewarding to them.  Basically, I would propose legislation that creates a safety net for any workers who may lose jobs during the shift from jobs no longer needed to jobs that are needed in the very near future such as renewable energy jobs and careers in the clean energy sector.

More entrepreneurial opportunities, including funding, should exist for local black and brown owned businesses who want to reopen a closed business or start new businesses. Gentrification is a process in which existing residents of an area are displaced and replaced by more affluent or wealthier people.  A phenomenon that has been occurring for decades but has become more accelerated due to the lack of affordable housing and affordable rents for businesses in urban communities plays a huge role in keeping black and brown people at poverty levels, so something more has to be done to ensure black and brown people have all the opportunities to progress that are afforded to non-black and brown people.  Black and brown people have all the talent needed to succeed, they just don’t have all the opportunities.

Crime

It will be important to address the institutional and social structures in place that have perpetuated high levels of crime which included poverty, unemployment, low educational attainment and training opportunities, poor health care contributing to poor health outcomes, including mental health issues and other factors that have led to higher rates of crime and violence in our communities.  I cover this topic extensively in another campaign I am running simultaneously and would appreciate it if voters will attend all my campaigns to provide their input so we can collectively gather the full scope of what needs to be addressed in the Senate.   Campaign dates are forthcoming.

Opioid Epidemic Plaguing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

I want to tackle the opioid epidemic impacting our communities, head on,  with programs not punishment because of the root causes of this epidemic.  At the same time, I will ensure our communities are safe from drugs and violence. We need someone in office who is willing to fight for our district, and I’m the candidate for you.

Senior Citizens

Seniors are one of the fastest growing segments in our society. However, they are often not able to take full care of themselves because they don’t have the resources or knowledge to do so.  Seniors can be vulnerable to abuse and neglect, which is why it’s important that the state government is accountable for their welfare.  The senior citizens in our communities need someone to advocate for them whether it is about affordable housing, affordable prescriptions, social security benefits, transportation, meals, and opportunities for seniors to be involved in their communities no matter their age and health conditions. Seniors are not just people who need a handout, they deserve to have an active role in their society if they so wish which would allow them basic dignity in retirement.  Seniors want to know that their voice matters and that they will be taken care of by whom they elect for the Senate Seat and that person will be accountable by holding up his or her end of the bargain.  This is one reason why the person elected for the Senate Seat should oppose all efforts by Big Gig companies to create a special exemption from paying into Social Security, which would deny workers and retirees.

Corruption and Scandals Plaguing A Few Current Political Leaders

Corruption in politics is a major issue that needs to be addressed, and I will fight tooth and nail to make sure that the voices of the people in our communities are heard. With your help, I can make Suffolk County a truly majestic place to live!

Scandals surrounding a few current leaders have made it clear that change is necessary in our communities, and I will just leave this topic alone right here at this table. However, I am committed to being the candidate who brings about transformative change, scandal-free, and I ask for your vote on November 6th.

In Summary

The 2nd Suffolk District needs  an accountable leader in the Senate Seat who is willing to work with the community to find solutions to these and other challenges.  The voice of the people is critical in ensuring that our leaders are aware of the issues and then held accountable for resolutions. We must make sure that a leader occupying a Senate Seat is responsive to the needs of the community and working to bring about transformative change.  That’s why I am running for the Senate Seat in the 2nd Suffolk District.  I am, willingly, a voice for the people, and I’ll be dedicated to recommending and implementing the changes that will make a real difference in our communities.

James Grant – Candidate

Massachusetts State Senate -2nd Suffolk District