FLORENCE — Meeting with Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, Sen. Jo Comerford and other supporters, Gov. Maura Healey made her way to the Sip413 Coffee Shop Wednesday morning to discuss food security, housing, federal funding cuts and other issues impacting western Massachusetts and the state at-large.
The visit to Paradise City was a stop on Healey’s campaign for the gubernatorial election on Nov. 3, where she will face off against the winner of the Republican primary on Sept. 1. The GOP race is between Brian Shortsleeve, who served as chief administrator and acting general manager of the MBTA under Charlie Baker’s administration, and Michael Minogue, the former CEO of the medical technology company Abiomed.
After Healey moved through the small crowd, shaking hands with residents and cafe staff, Sciarra introduced the governor, vouched for her reelection and thanked her for being a “wonderful partner” to the city.
“You are so engaged across the state, but how we feel it here in western Massachusetts … your cabinet has been so engaged with us. They are here all the time,” Sciarra said. “We are taking [cabinet members] to different places and talking about what’s happening here in Northampton and throughout western Mass, and that has made the world of difference for all of us.”
Describing the state’s current status as being under “hard times,” with federal cuts trickling down to the state and local levels, Healey stressed affordability in healthcare, childcare and medical research.
“When it comes to human services, you know, and issues that you have worked on for so long, we need you,” Healey said. “We need your thoughts, your voice right now, because we’ve got a Trump administration that’s continuing to hack the hell out of everything in terms of funding.”
The governor also touted her administration’s ability to bring the state to first place in education nationally, lower medical copays and spur development of more than 100,000 new homes in Massachusetts, which she noted was propelled by her signing of a $5.16 billion Affordable Homes Act.
Referring to her challengers as “MAGA Republicans” who she believes will run a $50 million ad campaign against her, Healey also requested the support of her constituents, urging them to speak out on social media and to vote for her.
“People are hurting here in Massachusetts and around the country. I just feel really fortunate — not only do I get to serve with [Lt. Gov.] Kim Driscoll, who’s fantastic and absolutely loves the 413 in all of its ways, in all of its regions, but also to serve alongside you all,” Healey said. “I know people are counting on us — families are counting on us, young people are counting on us, our small businesses are counting on us and the state is counting on us, so it’s great to be here with you.”
The governor also briefly remarked on her administration’s support for both food security following Trump administration cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and for investment in renewable energy to help the state become more energy independent.
Discussing more local issues, the governor called on the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to offer more robust support for municipalities that protect the Quabbin Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to 3.1 million people in 61 eastern and central Massachusetts cities and towns. The MWRA manages the reservoir alongside the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Healey also briefly addressed residents’ longstanding frustrations with the state’s payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) program, which features a funding formula that allegedly disadvantages rural towns with smaller populations.
Wearing a button that read “my governor is a baller,” Comerford also voiced her support for Healey, arguing that western Massachusetts has been historically overlooked by previous administrations’ policies, but the Healey administration is working to undo past administrations’ “inequitable” acts.
“From that minute when she was campaigning to this moment, [Healey] has showed up. She has seen us all equitably, and there are too many ways, and you all are living them, where we are inequitably treated or valued in this commonwealth, and Maura is overturning them one-by-one-by-one,” Comerford said. “She’s doing that through her appointments, through her executive action, through supporting legislation, through budget priorities. That’s Maura Healey, and … she’s gutsy as hell.”
