I’m voting for Mike Zullas and Nora Harrington on September 8th.

Maybe it’s because I, like both candidates, grew up somewhere other than Milton – Nora in the Bronx and Mike in Brockton. Maybe its because of the Berkshire County connection. Both Nora and Mike are Williams College graduates and I grew up minutes away in North Adams and have always had a great deal of respect for that institution of higher learning. But it is largely because I agree with them on the issues and have confidence that they will represent Milton well at the State House.

Nora is running to succeed Brian Joyce as state senator. And while we are on this subject, can we all just agree that Brian produced at an extraordinarily high level for Milton year after year AND engaged in some unbelievably unwise actions that caused him to not seek re-election? Both can be true. For now, let’s agree that he made some choices that are difficult for even his staunchest supporters to defend.

Nora, of course, is taking on Milton’s own Walter Timilty for the senate seat. Walter has served nearly 18 years as state representative from Milton and Randolph and is looking to move up to join his cousin, James Timilty, in the state senate. His campaign for higher office has been a Milton version of the Rose Garden strategy – engaging voters one-on-one at the doors but avoiding any direct interaction from his opponent. That’s just not good enough when you are asking voters for a promotion. It’s also not good when #whereswalter becomes a thing. Nora’s campaign has been hard-hitting, the kind you don’t often see in a local race. But her criticisms of his conservative voting record, his disappointing record of producing for our town, and his failure to debate are fair and completely above board. Her views and her campaign have earned my vote. She will be a strong, progressive voice for Milton.

The race for state representative to replace Walter has attracted a large field. If signs could vote (and any political consultant will tell you, they don’t), Tony Farrington, Bill Driscoll, and Mike Zullas would be neck and neck with Kerby Roberson, Denny Swenson, and James Burgess running in the second tier.

Mike has my vote because of his leadership on Milton’s School Committee. He has been a smart, thoughtful voice on that body and quickly earned the confidence of his colleagues by being elected vice-chair after only one year in office and chair the following year. His service as a Warrant Committee member has given Mike an understanding of the fiscal challenges facing Milton.

Bill Driscoll and Tony Farrington seem like upstanding members of the community and have impressive bios filled with a lifetime of service to others. Denny Swenson is campaigning as the candidate of “no” having risen to some degree of notoriety as the leader of the fight to block a Chapter 40B affordable housing development in her back yard. Her literature promises to empower other neighborhoods to say no to development. Unfortunately, Kerby Roberson and James Burgess

don’t seem to have the campaign resources needed to make their case effectively across the district.

As a town meeting member I’m definitely biased, but I prefer my state representative to be well-versed in the ways of Milton politics and town government and be willing to make hard, sometimes unpopular, choices on difficult issues. For me, Mike Zullas is the only candidate that fits that criterion.

One last comment. The title of this blog post is a double entendre – Mike and Nora would both be a welcome change in our town’s representation and it is meant as a reminder that we go to the polls this year on Thursday, September 8th. Don’t forget to vote.