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Veterans'
Services Coordinator Seeks
to Replace Broadhurst at The State House
Tom Duggan
 METHUEN – Veterans’
Services Director Ed “Hoppy” Curran says he is
“going to surprise a lot of people” in the
September 19th Democrat primary for state representative.
Curran faces three opponents: former city councilors
Linda Dean Campbell and Michael Hennessy and newcomer
Chris DiBella in his bid to be the Democrat nominee to
replace outgoing state Representative Arthur Broadhurst.
Curran has an extensive resume in public service,
including serving a year in Vietnam where he was awarded
four battle stars and the Unit Gallantry Cross.
Curran spearheaded the fundraising efforts and
construction of the Lawrence Vietnam Memorial, taught in
the Methuen and Andover public schools, worked in the
Lawrence Department of Public Works, volunteers at
various nursing homes and prisons, and is a member of
dozens of civic and social organizations.
Curran says he is neither seeking nor accepting
endorsements from politicians or special interests.
“I know the other candidates are filling out forms
for special interest groups looking for their
endorsements and their financial support, but the only
endorsement I care about are the voters of Methuen,”
he says.
Curran says as Veterans’ Services Director for the
city of Methuen he has gained extensive knowledge of
health care and the funding mechanism for health care
services.
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“Health care is about 40% of what I do in this job,”
Curran said. “I see what the seniors and the
veterans deal with every day. There are so many seniors
who have to use their life savings to pay for health care
and when I’m elected I will work on changing the
formula to ease the cost of health care for seniors and
veterans.”
As a health care advocate, however, Curran says he
opposes universal or single-payer health care, saying the
private sector is better equipped to handle health care.
“I don’t favor universal health care. People
have insurance companies and I prefer to keep it the way
it is.”
Curran also says he is unhappy with the current state of
the legislature whereby state representatives get
full-time pay but “barely” work part time.
“When I am elected, of course I will have to resign
as Veterans’ Services Director because I believe
state reps should be full time. You see some of these
reps spend all their time during the week at their other
job. From day one, I will be a full-time state
representative because the people of Methuen deserve
full-time representation. Let me tell you why: my number
one concern besides helping seniors and veterans is
constituent services. When people call, they should get a
representative who answers their calls.”
Curran says he favors fixing up Methuen High School, but
added that “we have to do away with this open
concept; it is terrible. I go into the classrooms with
veterans sometimes to talk to the kids and when the bell
rings or announcements are made, it is really disruptive.”
Curran says he will do “whatever it takes” to
get the funding for a renovation project for Methuen
High.
“The formula has changed a bit and I know the state
is cutting back on funding. I would like to see a
reworking of that funding formula so cities like Methuen
can qualify for more state funding.”
Curran says he opposes abortion, gay marriage and
the death penalty. “ I don’t support gay
marriage, but as a state representative I would have
supported putting the issue on the ballot.” Curran
says he supports referendum petitions by the voters and
would not usurp the rights of voters. “If the people
get the signatures, it should go on the ballot. I don’t
agree with what the legislature did on this at all,”
he said.
On taxes, Curran says he will vote to roll back
the state income tax to 5% as the voters have previously
demanded at the polls. “I would vote to roll back
taxes. The tax rate is too high and the state has a
surplus. It should give that money back to the people.”
Curran also says he will vote to repeal the gas tax
in the summer months. “At least for the summer when
people are traveling more, I would repeal the gas tax to
help the economy and give people a break.”
When asked what he thought of the fact that discount auto
insurance companies can’t do business in
Massachusetts, Curran said he would support overturning
the restrictive laws that keep competition out of the
state. “Let these other companies come into the
state and compete,” he said. “Competition is
good. We should be allowing these discount insurance
companies to do business in the state.”
On illegal aliens getting government benefits, Curran
says, “If they are not here legally, they need to
get legal.” He was not clear on whether he thought
illegals should be deported, but said he opposed giving
driver’s licenses or in-state tuition to those who
have broken the law to come or stay here.
Curran says he does not like nor does he follow
conventional wisdom or what the “insiders” say
about his chances to win the race. “People follow
polls like the one they did at the city Democrat
breakfast. But those are all insiders who bring their
friends and campaign supporters to a breakfast and then
fill out a poll. It has no bearing on what the voters
want. Some of the people who voted at that breakfast
weren’t even Lawrence[Methuen?????] residents. They
were family member of one of the candidates. So, I don’t
care what the so-called insiders say about this race. I
care about what the people want, what the voters want. I
go out and knock on doors and I am listening to what the
voters want.”
Curran has been a Methuen resident for the past twenty
years and has been married to his wife, Ellen Brenan
Curran, for thirty-three years. They have two sons. This
is the first time Curran has run for public office.
Curran joined the U.S. Army at the age of 18, later
graduated from Boston State College with a BA in history
and has one year of graduate studies.
He makes frequent visits to the Methuen Senior Center and
the Nevins nursing home as a volunteer. He has also
planned and established the following monuments honoring:
Andrew Bernard, Joe Dilavore and Arthur Hilgendorf, as
well as the flagpole and monument honoring the 50th
anniversary of the Korean War.
Curran organizes trips to Washington, D.C. to visit the
WW II and Vietnam memorials.
If elected, Curran says he will hold office hours monthly
at the Methuen Senior Center so that voters can share
their ideas and concerns.
“As I have done for the last seven years, I will
continue to hold office hours at the senior center. The
senior center is a beacon of happiness and hope in
Methuen. It is a haven where people can gather to make
friends and get the most out of life. It’s viability
and safety must be a priority.”
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The September, 2006
Edition of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2006, Valley Patriot, Inc.
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