Pignatelli running on experience

Representative William “Smitty” Pignatelli (D-Lenox) is running for re-election to the state house of representatives on his experience and record of constituent services.

“I think probably my biggest asset is my experience,” he said in comments to The Beacon.

Rep. Pignatelli is running for a sixth term as the representative for Massachusetts’ 4th Berkshire State House District. He is being challenged by Lenox resident Lee Scott Laugenour, who is running against him as a Green-Rainbow Party candidate, in a rematch of their 2010 race.

In terms of his priorities, Rep. Pignatelli says that the economy is his chief focus.

“I think that getting people back to work and…finding that economic opportunity here in The Berkshires will be job number one,” he said.

As part of this emphasis on the economy, Rep. Pignatelli says that he’d like to see more state investment in infrastructure, particularly bridges and dams, a number of which are in need of serious repair in the 4th Berkshire District.

“I think its time for the state to step up and partner with local government to rebuild those bridges and dams,” he said.

For this reason, Rep. Pignatelli plans on pushing for an infrastructure bill that would be specifically focused on such projects.

“I think we’re going to have a targeted investment after the New Year starts,” he said.

Another area of economic importance for Rep. Pignatelli is healthcare.

He said the state did a good thing in requiring Massachusetts’ citizens to have health insurance, citing over 98 percent of Massachusetts residents now have health care, but the costs of the mandate now need to be addressed.

“What we didn’t deal with was the affordability factor,” he said, citing the health care cost-control bill that was passed by the legislature this summer as an important step forward.

Rep. Pignatelli is also a supporter of single-payer health care.

“I am a co-sponsor of the single-payer legislation; I have been for years,” he said. “Unfortunately there are less single-payer legislators than there were even five years ago.”

Rep. Pignatelli said he will continue to co-sponsor single-payer legislation, but will work on incremental steps towards improving health care in Massachusetts until single-payer can be passed.

“We can’t let perfection get in the way of performance,” he said.

On tax policy, Rep. Pignatelli cited the planned Oct. 12 visit by Rep. Jay Kaufman, chairman of the joint committee on revenues, to Lenox to discuss tax policy, as indicative of the legislature’s willingness to act on tax and revenue questions in their next session.

“We need to recognize how we tax people, not just individuals but as businesses as well,” said Rep. Pignatelli.

In terms of tax reform specifics, he said Chairman Kaufman would be taking the lead on these measures, but the legislature should look at exemptions, especially on business, in order to make Massachusetts more business-friendly.

Rep. Pignatelli also said he was unsure whether the state needed to generate a revenue increase.

“I think the best form of revenue increase we could see is actually [getting] people back to work,” he said. “I’m not sold just yet that we have to raise taxes per se.

“Would I raise the income tax? Probably not,” he added, noting he voted to raise the sales tax, but voted against raising the cigarette tax.

Rep. Pignatelli said that while he’d taken heat for raising the sales tax, the choice presented to the legislature was to raise the sales tax or the gas tax, and he viewed a gas tax increase as far more detrimental to the 4th Berkshire District.

“We can’t have knee-jerk reaction to tax policy,” he said, adding he took a look at each vote individually.

Rep. Pignatelli also said, if the constitution were amended to make it legal, he would support a progressive income tax.

On higher education, he said he’s dedicated to making it more affordable, noting he’s filed a social worker student loan forgiveness bill. He also pointed to the new science building at MCLA he helped shepherd funding for.

“My loan forgiveness bill for social workers…those are the kind[s] of creative ideas we need to deal with,” said Rep. Pignatelli, who would like to see the state spend more money on education beyond capital investments.

He also reaffirmed his support for Massachusetts House of Representatives Speaker Robert A. DeLeo.

“I don’t know what my opponent’s issue is with Speaker DeLeo,” he said, referring to Mr. Laugenour’s pledge not to vote for him for speaker. “[It] doesn’t bode well to upset the person that’s in charge.”

“All that I know personally is that Speaker DeLeo has been very good to me personally, been very good to my district,” said Rep. Pignatelli, who noted while Speaker DeLeo and he had disagreed on many issues, especially casino gambling, they have developed a good working relationship. “He hasn’t held back on rewarding The Berkshires.”

Rep. Pignatelli is also a supporter of green energy, although he would like to see more green energy incentives go to individuals and businesses as opposed to energy companies.

“I would much rather give you the incentive to put a solar panel on your own house,” he said.

In terms of the difference between having him or his opponent representing the 4th Berkshire District, Rep. Pignatelli cited his experience and commitment to constituent services.

“I don’t think my opponent truly understands what the day-to-day duties or activities of this job entail,” he said, noting he’d served as a selectman, county commissioner and planning board member before assuming office. “I don’t think my opponent has enough experience on those day-to-day operations or the relationship-building that’s required to be successful in Boston.

“I’m the last guy you’re ever going to want to interview who is a headline grabber,” added Rep. Pignatelli, who said he believed the most important work his office did was in the realm of constituent services, such as helping people get access to healthcare or a handicapped sticker.

“Some of the greatest success I have will never appear in any newspaper…and that’s the things we do for people personally,” he said.

Posted by Bera B. Dunau on October 11, 2012. Filed under Community News,News,State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry