Access to quality health care is the most important issue facing seniors and families today. Quality, affordable health care is still out of reach for too many families, and the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs is hurting our seniors especially. But instead of tackling the real problem, we're cutting hospital beds and laying off nurses, which means less care when you need it the most.

I've pledged not to take campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies, because it's time to get big profits out of our health care system, get control of the absurd, rising cost of prescription drugs, and focus on quality healthcare you can afford.

In the State Senate, I'll fight prescription drug price-gouging, protect women's access to health care, guarantee high-quality health care for our veterans, and invest in programs that help seniors age in their homes.

The transportation system in North Central Massachusetts just isn't working, and we need a real plan to fix it. Our roads and bridges are crumbling and in need of repair, and our public transportation system doesn't come close to meeting the needs of families. People need to get to and from work, and businesses need to efficiently move their goods to market, but excessive traffic and a lack of transportation options are holding back our economy, and costing families money and time.

We need to repair our crumbling roads and bridges and invest in better public transportation, creating good jobs and reducing traffic. That's why I support the Fair Share Amendment, which will provide almost $2 billion a year for transportation and public education by asking millionaires to pay a little more on the portion of their annual income above $1 million.

In the State Senate, I'll fight to make sure that this new money reaches our district to fund local road and bridge repairs; faster, more frequent, and more reliable commuter rail service on the Fitchburg Line, family-friendly walking and biking paths; and expanded evening MART service. I'll also work with other area legislators and state officials to ensure that we have a comprehensive regional transportation plan that allows North Central Massachusetts to grow without gridlock.

It's a lot harder for families to get ahead than it was when my husband Ed and I were just starting out. Many of the good paying jobs that families could build a future on have disappeared, replaced by low-wage work that forces families to string together part-time and temporary jobs just to pay the bills.

We need to attract good paying modern manufacturing jobs to our cities and towns, including those in the rapidly growing green energy technology and cutting-edge medical devices sectors. We should work with employers and local educational institutions to train students and adults looking for work for these 21st century jobs, and our veterans, who are often accustomed to technical military equipment, should be a priority for retraining.

In the State Senate, I'll focus on recruiting these companies and competing for state incentives to attract them to our region, and I'll fight to make sure that companies receiving those incentives pay a living wage and provide good benefits. I'll also support state policies that help low-wage workers, like raising the minimum wage, expanding the earned income tax credit (EITC), and passing paid family and medical leave insurance so that workers can take off time after a serious illness or injury or the birth of a child, without worrying about how they'll put food on the table.

The overdose rate in Massachusetts is one of the highest in the nation, and it's not getting better. We're not doing nearly enough to tackle an opioid addiction crisis that is tearing families apart, and we risk losing an entire generation. It's still too hard for people seeking recovery to find treatment, and families have to jump through too many hoops to get help for their children.

We need to ensure access to treatment beds for every single person who needs them, and make sure no one is turned away because there's no bed, no insurance card, or no one to help.

In the State Senate, I'll continue Senator Jen Flanagan's leadership in the battle against the opioid addiction crisis, work to open more treatment beds, and fight to guarantee that anyone seeking treatment can get the help they need.

Our schools are constantly underfunded by the state, and the distribution formula is unfair. It shortchanges many of our communities with inadequate funding for everything from special education to school buses. Teachers and parents spend hundreds of dollars of their own money for school supplies, and local communities are faced with the need to make cuts every year. And when students graduate, they're faced with years of debt if they want to go on to college, and not enough alternatives if they want to get training for a different career.

We need to fight for more state aid for our schools, and affordable public college and vocational programs so we can give our young people the tools they'll need for the careers of the future. That's why I support the Fair Share Amendment, which will provide almost $2 billion a year for transportation and public education by asking millionaires to pay a little more on the portion of their annual income above $1 million.

In the State Senate, I'll work to fully fund our schools, and change the broken distribution formula so that our kids get the tools they need to succeed. And I'll work to make sure that every student who graduates high school has a path to the career of their choice, whether it's though a public college education they can afford or a vocational education or apprenticeship that prepares them for a 21st century manufacturing job with on-the-job training.

As Executive Director of the local food pantry Ginny's Helping Hand, I've met many families and seniors who are struggling with homelessness and the cost of housing.

In the State Senate, I'll support additional funding for rental assistance and homelessness prevention programs. I'll also support the construction of affordable transit-oriented development along the Fitchburg Line and of more affordable housing throughout the district; especially for families, veterans, and seniors who want to age in their community.

As the federal government avoids dealing with the threat of climate change, it's critical that state leaders do more to protect our environment. Not only do we have a moral obligation to protect our air, water, and natural resources for future generations, the growing clean energy industry is a great opportunity for economic growth in North Central Massachusetts.

In the State Senate, I'll stand up to special interests and support policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption, encourage renewable energy and energy efficiency, create new jobs in the green energy economy, and protect open space in North Central Massachusetts. Massachusetts must be more aggressive if we are going to achieve the goals of the Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act to reduce emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050. I'll support policies and technologies that help reduce the carbon impact of our transportation sector, which is now the largest greenhouse gas emitter in our economy.

We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude for their service to our country, and state government should ensure that returning veterans have access to good jobs, affordable housing, and quality healthcare.

In the State Senate, I'll help win funding for affordable veteran's housing in North Central Massachusetts, break down barriers to high-quality healthcare for veterans and their families, and work to improve access to 21st century manufacturing job training programs for veterans, who are often accustomed to technical military equipment.

For too many years, we've neglected our state's infrastructure, from deteriorating roads and bridges and outdated school buildings to crumbling dams and obsolete wastewater infrastructure. The longer we put off these critical infrastructure investments, the more they will cost to repair, and the more we're putting our communities at risk of disaster.

In the State Senate, I'll prioritize investments to critical infrastructure across North Central Massachusetts. I support the Fair Share Amendment, which will provide almost $2 billion a year for transportation and public education by asking millionaires to pay a little more on the portion of their annual income above $1 million. I'll make sure that money reaches our district to fund road and bridge repairs and modern school buildings, and identify additional funding for updating water infrastructure across the state. By repairing our infrastructure, we can create new good-paying jobs and leave a better Commonwealth for our children.

I take my responsibility as an elected official personally: it's my duty to represent my constituents above everything else. I was the first candidate in this race to pledge not to serve in two elected offices at the same time.

In the State Senate, I'll open a local office in the Worcester & Middlesex District and remain accessible to my constituents with regular public events in the district. I'll advocate for policies that increase transparency in state government, and support getting dark money out of elections by overturning the Citizen's United ruling.