An INterview with State Rep. Candidate Linda Dean Campbell

An Interview with State Rep
Cadidate Linda Dean Campbell
Tom Duggan
07/05/06

Former Methuen Councilor Linda Dean Campbell is considered by insiders as the front runner to replace Arthur Broadhurst as Methuen’s only state representative.

As a candidate for City Council, Campbell topped the ticket in each election that she sought.

She is a former teacher, Army officer and paratrooper. She received an Army ROTC scholarship to U-MASS, Amherst, graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and received a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California while in the Army.

Campbell says that, despite the number of candidates in the race, her campaign is already in “high gear.” She received a “great boost from Methuen Democrats at the recent annual breakfast,” where she garnered 53 percent of the vote in a straw poll. The other three candidates split the remainder of the vote.

“We are also honored to have strong union support, “including our local carpenters and the endorsement of the Methuen Police Superior Officers Association.”
Campbell says she has also received the endorsement of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Sierra Club. She says this was “primarily as a result of the three-year battle we won opposing the power plant on the Dracut/Methuen line in the vicinity of Wheeler Street.”

When asked about the theme of her campaign, Campbell says that she is interested in listening to the people and their concerns, and that she will make their concerns her concerns.

“Methuen voters have been very blunt in their recommendations and concerns and this has been very helpful,” she said. “Themes repeated include: the high cost of living and housing in our area; uncontrolled growth; overcrowding in our schools; the need for a new or renovated high school; and transportation/traffic concerns. And of course, everyone is worried about health care costs and availability.”

Asked if she favors universal health care or single-payer health care, Campbell seemed to favor a government-funded system.

“The legislature took a step in the right direction, but it will be a challenge to ensure funding. We must continue to move towards a system where everyone contributes and where our health care coverage is provided independently of our employment. Our current system does not work, in part, because as a society, we frequently change employers and it does not cover part-time workers.”

Campbell says she will be a “fiscally conservative and very independent Democrat.”

“As a citizen, I cannot accept the graft associated with the Big Dig. I come from a family where we all worked and contributed in order to pursue a college education. My education was obtained in large part as the result of an ROTC scholarship. My votes will be based solely on what is best for the citizens of Methuen and our commonwealth, and this includes every dollar I vote to appropriate.”

While serving on the Methuen City Council for six years, Campbell says she was continually the swing vote on important issues, “because I am an independent thinker and I take each issue on its own merits. My approach will remain unchanged at the State House.”

What will you do to help Methuen at the State House?

“As a city councilor for six years, I was at the receiving end of state policy and funding, and I am intimately familiar with the impact on our community. We have some very specific needs in Methuen that I will be addressing at the State House.

I continue to coordinate with Mayor Manzi and Treasurer Cahill regarding funding for our high school renovations, and with Senator Baddour on the planned changes to the rotary in Methuen, an exit ramp on Pelham St, and of course, the Howe St. bridge. A top priority will be to return local aid to previous levels.”

We asked Campbell about her position on education issues: “Methuen citizens are charging me with two missions at the State House: fix the high school and provide for more teachers to lower class sizes. I have two school–aged children and I share their concerns.”

Campbell says she is a strong believer in public education. “If a school is failing or not performing adequately, let’s fix the problem at the school.” Campbell opposes the MCAS test as a requirement for high school graduation. “Many of my constituents have contacted me expressing deep concern regarding students who have fulfilled the traditional requirement for graduation from high school, but did not receive a diploma from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts because they failed to pass the MCAS. As a parent, I am very sympathetic to this concern and I do not understand how this policy benefits our society.”

“MCAS challenges both our students and our teachers – which is good. Typically, Massachusetts scores in the upper 10% of national testing. Obviously, our students need a more challenging test, so let’s use MCAS as a reward for our exceptional students by offering them scholarships to our public colleges and universities. Finally, as the first public school was established in Boston, it goes without saying that our public colleges and universities should be the best in the nation and affordable for Massachusetts’ citizens. As a University of Massachusetts – Amherst graduate, I am passionately committed to this goal.”

Campbell opposes the death penalty, supports parental notification for minors seeking an abortion, and says she opposes giving government services to illegal aliens.

“They must become citizens of our country and they should follow the same laws that apply to those legal immigrants currently seeking citizenship,” she said. She did not address whether or not illegal aliens should be deported.

The former Gulf War veteran says she generally “supports referendum petitions as they are the only vehicle that our citizens have to check judges who legislate.”

She said she feels strongly that her job is to listen and to represent, not to impose her viewpoints on her constituents.

Campbell says her most immediate concerns for Methuen are the recent state cuts in local aid. “Methuen has not yet recovered from (those cuts). Restoring this funding will be a top priority as will the high school and our transportation needs.”

“There is a critical need to stop the exodus of Massachusetts workers – and to attract new industries to our commonwealth. If we do this, our tax base will continue to erode and unemployment will continue to rise. I have specific suggestions regarding this crisis which I will be discussing during the course of the campaign.”

Campbell is running in the Democrat primary against Mike Hennessy, Chris DiBella and Ed “Hoppy” Curran. If successful she will face Republican Robert Andrew and Independent Ken Henrick in the final election.

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The June, 2006 Edition of the Valley Patriot
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