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Hanna Interviews State
Senator Sue Tucker
Valley Patriot Ace-Reporter, Hanna
 What does a state
senator do?
A senator does three things. The first thing I do is look
out for the communities that I represent in the Senate.
Those are Lawrence, Andover, Dracut, and Tewksbury. There
is no one else there looking out for those communities.
So when it comes to getting their fair share of state
money or state projects, I have to be there for those
communities. Number two is the 158,000 people that I
represent. When they call me with their thoughts, ideas
and complaints, I have to take care of their concerns.
Since being in the Senate, I have answered 13,000
constituent requests. Sometimes they want a copy of
legislation, sometimes they have a problem with an
elderly parent, and sometimes they want the law changed.
The third thing that a state senator does is to vote on
legislation.
What
is your day like?
Being a senator is really a 24/7 job. Sometimes it is
much more busy than others. This time of year when we are
in session and doing the budget, I am out speaking to
constituents a lot. This week I am going to throw out the
first ball at the South Lawrence Little League opening
day. I like to see the kids and I like to support the
Little League.
So there is no day really that is the same. It is very
interesting and if you don’t like what you are doing
in this job, just wait untill tomorrow, because no two
days are the same.
How
long have you been a senator?
I have been a senator for seven years.
What
have been some of your accomplishments?
One of the things I am most proud of is being part of the
team that ended the auto-fraud insurance scams going on
in Lawrence. I am very proud of that because it was
absolutely unacceptable. It had been going on for years
and people’s auto insurance rates have been
exorbitant.
When I was campaigning, everyone talked to me about how
high their auto insurance was. So I tried to get to the
root cause of auto insurance rates. I got involved with
Chief Romero and passed some legislation making insurance
fraud a felony. I am also proud of the fact that
people can now go to the Registry of Motor Vehicles and
like the experience because it is more efficient. But I
didn’t do it alone. I was part of a team that worked
with Dan Grabauskas on that. I am also proud of my
mercury bill. There are a lot of lakes and rivers where
you can’t eat the fish because of mercury in the
water We are gong to reduce the mercury levels so that
the fish are safer to eat.
Another thing is the work I have done on behalf of senior
citizens. I know Tommy (Duggan) has been a voice for the
seniors in a very big way and I appreciate that. So many
seniors are afraid of what is going to happen to them
when they can’t take care of themselves. I am
fighting real hard to get more options for home care. We
do need nursing homes, don’t get me wrong, but it
costs more than $55,000 a year for the state to take care
of someone in a nursing home. There is a lot of home care
we can provide for people … like nursing care and
visiting therapists who can take care of people in their
homes. I got an important bill through the Senate last
month that shifts state dollars into home care so that
people can stay in their own houses and get the care they
need without having to go into a nursing home. That is so
critical to people’s quality of life.
What
do you still want to accomplish?
This year my major goal is to help the suburbs with
school funding. I am so single minded on this, I am like
a laser beam.
Did
you know that at the Thomson School the teachers have to
buy their own copy paper?
Are you kidding me?
No.
Well, Hanna, I used to be a high school teacher and so I
know how important education is. My top goal is to help
towns like yours get the education finding they deserve.
Cities and towns suffered greatly when the economy wasn’t
doing as well. We just couldn’t afford a lot of
things. But, now that the state is doing much better
financially, we have to do better for the schools. The
schools are asked to do more and more and the state has
been giving them less and less.
The Senate announced yesterday that it will be providing
more education funding than the governor or the House has
requested. So, that made me happy because that is what I
have been screaming about for the longest time. This is
the suburbs’ year. People understand that the urban
schools need more funding, but the suburbs have been
ignored for too long and this is going to be their year
when it comes to education funding.
Why
should the voters choose you over Carlos Matos?
The people in my district know that I have a very solid
record of accomplishments. I am reliable and work for my
constituents very well. I am very focused on getting
results. So I think my record of accomplishments is
something that people understand. I am a good listener,
too.
Why are you a Democrat instead of a Republican?
I grew up in a Republican household. My father was a big
fan of Richard Nixon and he was a friend of Mitt Romney’s
father when governor of Michigan. When I gave my father’s
eulogy two years ago, I said he never quite believed he
raised a Democrat. When I was in college I went to Africa
for a semester. I was in Nigeria and I got a worldview
that was more in line with Democrats than Republicans.
But, I am proud that I was the highest rated Democrat in
the Senate by the business community last year. I have a
lot of Republicans who support me. I really can work with
everyone. I worked with Dan Grabauskas at the registry
and Mike Sullivan here in Lawrence on local issues. Back
when I first registered to vote, I registered as a
Democrat. It caused my family a lot of grief. We
had endless discussions at the dinner table about it.
What
are some of the bills you have personally sponsored or
co-signed?
Well, there were a lot of bills dealing with the elderly,
especially getting them help with prescription
costs. I’ve sponsored bills to help the
elderly with housing issues, and, as I said, home care is
very important.
What
committees are you on?
I am the chair of Elder Services. I am on the Ways and
Means Committee. I am on Telecommunications, Energy and
Health Care Financing. I am also on the Financial
Services Committee because that is banking and insurance.
I wanted to make sure that my auto fraud bills got
through committee. So now I am trying to make sure
that Lawrence drivers get more of a discount because of
the reduction in auto fraud in the city. I want them to
reap the benefits of putting so many resources and so
much energy into reducing auto fraud.
There is another bill that is going through the Senate
this week to give Lawrence drivers a big credit for the
number of claims that have been reduced over the last 18
months. What I want to accomplish with that is to give
other communities an incentive to cut auto insurance
fraud. There are seven other communities that are above
the state average on auto insurance claims. Once they
realize that reducing their auto fraud will get them a
break on their insurance rates, they will step up to the
plate like Lawrence has, and dedicate the resources to
getting it done.
Who
do you support for governor and why?
I am supporting Deval Patrick. I met with him three times
before I decided he was my candidate. I find him
refreshing and candid, and he has a fabulous background
in business. He’s a visionary. He is a good listener
and I am very excited about his candidacy.
What
have you done for Lawrence that shows Lawrencians why
they should vote for you?
Well, I feel like I am part of a team that’s getting
results in the city. The first thing is to attract
private businesses and bring jobs and revitalization to
Lawrence. This interview is a perfect example - we are
talking right now at the new Sal’s Riverwalk. Sal
did a beautiful job here. I have always said that all the
great cities have a river running through them and it is
important to take advantage of such a great resource.
That is why I expanded the Pemberton Park Riverwalk all
the way to the falls. The river is such a special part of
Lawrence.
And, I have been very instrumental in the new Lawrence
High School. Lawrence needed a new high school and they
are going to get one.
What
is your favorite book?
Sophie’s Choice was my favorite book; it really
impacted my life. It’s a book about the holocaust.
It was such a powerful story about a mother who had to
choose which child to give up. I decided very young that
I was going to fight hate wherever it was after reading
that book. I love to read. I am so glad that you like to
read books. There is really nothing more important than
reading.
Do
you have any children?
Yes. I have two boys that are all grown up.
Do
you support MCAS?
Yes, I do. I support it because a whole class of kids who
used to be ignored would have continued to be ignored
without MCAS. But now their scores count. I say, ‘What
gets measured gets managed.’ So when the kids’
scores count, they get attention. I spent ten years in
quality management and it changed the way I did my job.
It is all about measuring performance, teamwork, setting
goals, and focusing on your customers. Now I know some
people will say, ‘Hey, that’s business stuff’,’
but it isn’t. It’s government stuff, and part
of what is wrong with government is that sometimes we are
not thinking about the customer. That’s what the
registry was all about: What do the customers need and
want? Prior to MCAS there were no measurements on
progress. I know some kids aren’t good at taking
tests, but at some point there has to be a measure so we
know that the schools are doing the best job they
can.
Is
there anything else you would like to tell the voters?
Well, I have been their senator for seven years and it is
my hope that I have earned their support and trust. I
want them to know I am accessible and a good listener,
and I care about what they have to say.
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The May, 2006 Edition of
the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2006, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 8,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover, Methuen, Haverhill,
Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury and Lowell.
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