I am focused on ensuring that the state school building authority continues to fund new schools in our district so that all parents have equal choice in sending their children to a school that is close to home. I will also continue to work closely with officials and parents to make sure that the progress of recent years in our school systems continues without interruption.

I am committed to ensuring that senior citizens and older adults living in the 12th Suffolk district and throughout the state are able to receive the care and services they deserve while preserving their independence and dignity. I am proud of the legislature's recent enactment of the Massachusetts Silver Alert system which will help ensure the safety of individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in both chambers to ensure that legislation protecting the rights and needs of elder citizens is treated as a priority.

I am eager to support a plan to increase health care coverage for uninsured residents of Massachusetts. I will continue to prioritize state assistance to keep our community health centers vital and strong. I will work closely with Carney Hospital to make sure that Dorchester's largest employer and health provider is healthy and vibrant. The Food Policy Council legislation, that recently was signed into law, will improve and enforce healthy nutrition standards in our public schools. I will continue to fight to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for all citizens, especially our senior citizens.

Prior to being elected in 2005, my career in public service was primarily focused on housing and community development. In my role as the Representative for the 12th Suffolk District and as the Chair of the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business, I continue to support funding for the state's Affordable Housing Trust as well as working with the City of Boston and the Town of Milton around development opportunities in the 12th Suffolk District. I am committed to finding new and innovative ways to allow the people who live in our community a chance to stay here with options for rental housing and homeownership opportunities that are affordable.

I support efforts to make the Massachusetts minimum wage keep up with inflation. Residents working full-time, and sometimes two jobs, who contribute so much to our neighborhoods, working in day-care centers, nursing homes and hospitals deserve to earn enough to meet the basic needs of their own families and to stay above poverty.

The Neponset River is the most precious shared natural resource in the 12th Suffolk District. For years it was neglected and abused and I have taken up my predecessor's good works to make the Neponset River a place that our families can enjoy as it flows along the border between Boston and Milton. In recent years we saw the opening of the latest amenity on the waterfront: Neponset II Park, which features a beautiful boat ramp and walking trails.

I am constantly in touch with the men and women charged with policing our community. I have listened and learned about what they need to make improvements. Partnering with law enforcement, and citizen crime watches I will continue to push for: more community policing funds to target trouble spots in and near my district; and prisoner release programs that help ex-offenders integrate back into society without disruption to our neighborhoods.

I continue to make sure that the promised improvements to our Red Line stations and to the Fairmount commuter rail line are completed in a timely and efficient manner. I have been an advocate for full funding to expand commuter rail stops in Mattapan and Dorchester. These new station stops will help ease congestion on our roadways, give our residents more job opportunities, and provide a faster trip into and out of downtown Boston. This investment makes sense and is long overdue. I will see that it happens. In the FY2011 budget, I worked with Governor Patrick to secure close to $1 million for two infrastructure improvements projects: redesign of the intersection of Morton Street and Gallivan Boulevard in Mattapan; and Elliot Street in Milton.

Our veterans and their families have undertaken one of the highest forms of sacrifice and service any citizen can be asked to endure, and as such are deserving of honor and respect abroad as well as at home. I am committed to making sure that veterans and their families have access to a wide range of resources and support in the communities in which they live. As representative of the 12th Suffolk district, I will continue to advocate for greater access to financial assistance, healthcare, housing and employment services for veterans and their families.