By Killian Maree—For the North Star Reporter
Full-time Democratic candidate Tom Melville is running to represent the 9th Norfolk District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives with the promise of showing up for the people and bringing civility back to politics.
Melville was unenrolled in politics for his entire career as a journalist. Early in his career, he was a state house reporter. This is his first run for public office. The 9th Norfolk District includes Plainville.
“A couple years ago, I saw the need for an engaged, full-time state representative for [Norfolk County],” said Melville
He said the district needs a full-time representative who can go into Beacon Hill and can bring the revenue home for the six towns of Norfolk, for the schools, and for public works projects.
“If you look at the data….There are 160 state reps in the Massachusetts House, and last year our state representative was number one in missed votes. We, in the 9th Norfolk District, did not get a vote on the $16.9 billion budget last year. Our state rep was not there to vote,” said Melville. “These six towns desperately need someone to advocate for them full-time.”
The current state representative of the 9th Norfolk District is Marcus Vaughn, who is running again. According to other news outlets in the area, including the Greenfield Recorder, Vaughn missed 22 roll calls, tied for the most missed meetings in the House of Representatives.
Melville also talked about the country’s affordability crisis, with the prices of gas, oil and electricity being driven dramatically higher. The candidate said we need to be addressing these things full time.
“I will hold office hours in all six towns on a weekly rotation. I will give everyone my cell phone number, my email address, and whether you voted for me or not, whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat. I don’t care whom you voted for for president of the United States, or state rep, it is my job to represent you,” promised Melville.
A lack of civility is what Melville said frustrates him the most about the current political landscape, that he hears a lot of “social media language” that he disagrees with.
“We can disagree with one another on issues, and we can still be in a room together and resolve them. We need to come together as a people. Republicans and Democrats, and unenrolled. and work together,” said Melville. “I also believe we, at this time, our democracy is under attack, and we at the state level need to stand up for our democracy.”
Melville recalled as a journalist how hard it is to get information out of state government. Melville believes in transparency and auditing the legislature.
On Sep. 9, Melville challenged Vaughn to a series of debates in each of the six towns of the 9th Norfolk District. Vaughn has yet to accept the debate.
When asked what topics Melville would hope to debate about, he answered, “I’ll answer any question on any topic. We need to be talking about the things that are important to our constituents. We need to be talking about education and education funding. We need to be talking about healthcare and access to healthcare and transparency in health care. And we need, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to know when we go into the doctor’s office, or into the hospital, what the procedure is gonna cost us, transparency, transparency in our government, transparency, and health care.”
Melville said that having a full-time, working state representative for the six towns of the 9th District of Norfolk would be a big change.
“I’m the dad of a public school teacher here in our district. I’m the father of a development officer for the Environmental Defense Fund. My wife is a nurse practitioner who provides primary care in nursing homes,” said Melville. “I am a career journalist who has the time, and the commitment, and the energy now, to serve the public again as I did as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer as a young man.”