4th Worcester District

Natalie Higgins re-elected in 4th Worcester District

November 8, 2022 by pkzadmin

LEOMINSTER — In what would appear to be a decisive victory, Natalie Higgins has won her fourth term as the 4th Worcester District state representative.

The incumbent Democrat defeated Independent challenger John Dombrowski in Tuesday’s general election, according to preliminary election results. At press time, with 14 of 15 precincts reporting, Higgins led the district, which consists of the city of Leominster, by a margin of 6,560 to 5,762.

After the result, Higgins said she was proud of her campaign and excited to continue her tenure as the district’s representative.

“I’m grateful to be able to continue to represent this great city,” Higgins said on Fitchburg Access Television. “I’m excited to hit the ground running, to continue to bring Leominster’s voice to Beacon Hill.”

“I am very proud that we ran an extremely positive campaign focused on the issues, focused on how to build up (Leominster) and make it stronger,” she said.

Higgins said this most recent race was “different” to years past, given Dombrowski’s status as an Independent candidate. That said, the incumbent said she knew her campaign’s message was “resonating” with city residents, more so than her competitor’s, as she touched on her “strong record” of delivering to the city and its residents on multiple fronts.

“When it came to our field and connecting with Leominster voters, we did what we’ve done the last six years,” Higgins said. “We hit the doors, we reached folks on the phones, we went through the city twice to really make sure we were connecting with Leominster residents.”

Despite the outcome, Dombrowski congratulated Higgins and said he was “proud” of his team and the campaign they ran.

“We ran a good campaign, the votes just didn’t fall our way,” Dombrowski said on FATV. “Natalie (Higgins) ran a good campaign and did a great job — that’s just the way it goes sometimes.”

“I’m proud of my team, we worked hard. It’s not the result we wanted but I’m very proud of the effort we put in top-to-bottom,” he said.

Prior to the election, Higgins said, if re-elected, her focus would reside in education, prevention of sexual assault and domestic violence, mental health and “investments in our neighbors that Massachusetts will benefit from for decades to come.” She also touted her “proven track record” and ability to work with members of the Legislature on either side of the aisle.

With the election of Maura Healey as the state’s next Governor, Higgins said she “could not be more excited” to work with the new administration and said “it’s going to be a really incredible time for Massachusetts.”

Natalie Higgins wants to keep fighting for 4th Worcester District residents

October 30, 2022 by pkzadmin

Natalie Higgins wants to continue fighting for Leominster as its full-time state representative and lifelong resident (for at least three generations).

She said, “a government that works for and is accountable to the people of Leominster is on the line this election.”

If re-elected, Higgins’s priorities are an “affordable and accessible public education system from pre-K to higher education”, prevention of sexual and domestic violence including strengthened protections for survivors, ending the stigma around mental health with a “mental health care system that can support our entire community” when needed, reducing homelessness and housing insecurity, and “any policy issue that supports economic mobility.”

“These are investments in our neighbors that Massachusetts will benefit from for decades to come,” she said. “Smart investments can have generational impacts.”

She is running as the incumbent on what she believes is a strong history of success in her six years at the State House.

“I have a proven track record of bringing state resources to Leominster and working with our local, federal, and state delegations, including both Democratic and Republican leadership,” she said. “I am proud of the progress we’ve made.”

Particular accomplishments that Higgins finds notable is her leadership to update the state education funding formula with the Student Opportunity Act, meaning Leominster receives $8.2 million dollars more from the state this year than last year (which will continue to grow annually), helped secure $2.75 million in local project infrastructure improvements, taken on predatory student loan lending with the Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights, secured $6.5 million to help homeowners and small landlords retrofit properties to be eco-friendly and bring down utility costs, worked with others to bring the first trauma-informed non-congregate model adult shelter program to Leominster which helps people transition into permanent housing, and teamed up with the Republican House Minority Leader to make the State Crime Lab end Massachusetts’ backlog of 6,300 sexual assault evidence kits, leading to solved cold cases.

With a Democratic supermajority in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Higgins takes pride in being a centrist figure.

“Legislata named me one of the ‘most central’ legislators because of my ability to work with and support legislators from across the political spectrum, she said, which “comes out of representing Leominster well.”

Still, she believes “that there are solutions to so many of the challenges we’re facing, we just need the political will to fight for bold solutions, rather than accepting the status quo and tinkering around the edges.”

Accessibility to her constituents is crucial to Higgins.

“When I first ran, I wanted to make government more accessible and to ensure (it’s) better for Leominster residents. Growing up in a working-class family, with parents who are small business owners, government was not a place we got help when they were struggling. And being accessible meant being a full-time State Rep,” she said.

Higgins meets with constituents late Monday nights and early Friday mornings as part of her regular office hours and has held community forums about education, the economy, the environment, and healthcare.

She wasn’t always in government; Higgins worked in the nonprofit world, most extensively as a rape crisis counselor and then the executive director of PHENOM, an educational charity. She volunteers at the nonprofit organization Pathways for Change.

“I learned how to stretch our budget and build coalitions of unlikely allies — this is critical as a member of the House Ways & Means Committee and to be successful in getting bills passed in the Legislature and to the Governor’s desk”, she said, and saw how laws could sometimes “come up short” instead of helping the people they’re meant to be helping.

She’s also a licensed attorney. A 2006 graduate of Leominster High School, Higgins obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UMass Amherst, earned her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law, and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2014. She is a member of the LGBTQ+ Caucus in the State House.

“Law school helped me better understand how to draft policies that were effective and to be a strong advocate and lift up the stories of those most impacted by gaps in our laws,” she said.

She added, “My entire career has been focused on public service, from my work with nonprofits to my work in state government.”

Although she’s grateful for all her endorsements, more than a dozen local labor unions (including nurses, teachers, and carpenters) mean the most to her given her commitment to “standing up for workers’ rights, locally and statewide.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the current global economic crisis has heightened a lot of the challenges our community has been facing, all while the wealthiest see their wealth grow exponentially. We need an economy that works for everyone. I am going to continue to fight for solutions that lift up everyone in our city,” she said.

Higgins wants more transparency in state government, and has also been transparent about laying out all the minutiae of her policy positions on her campaign website, electnataliehiggins.com.

“I am asking for Leominster’s vote once again this November,” she said.

John Dombrowski shares independent vision for 4th Worcester District

October 30, 2022 by pkzadmin

John Dombrowski abhors party politics.

“The ongoing political divisiveness and acrimony between the two major political parties have put this country and this commonwealth in dire straits. Essentially, both parties are controlled by extremists on the far left and the far right as well as lobbyists from special interest groups. The result is political gridlock that is failing most Americans,” he said.

Dombrowski is running as an independent in the 4th Worcester District. He has not committed to caucus with either party and expressed he would caucus with both depending on the issue. He said his decisions will be based on the interests and needs of Leominster residents.

“If some of those positions fall on the Democratic side of the aisle, then so be it. If some of those positions fall on the Republican side of the aisle, then so be it,” Dombrowski said.

He added, “Party politics are ruining this country. Elected officials often do not act in the best interests of the community, but rather in accordance with the party directive … In addition, the current political climate has resulted in government leaders who are more concerned with continuing to get elected, rather than doing their jobs.”

Dombrowski is the challenger to state Rep. incumbent Natalie Higgins, but he’s not new to public office. He served as a Leominster city councilor for eighteen years, during which he said he was “instrumental” in “remedying Leominster’s drinking water infrastructure to ensure quality drinking water” and in “drafting and codifying Leominster’s zoning bylaw”, and feels a move to the state level is the “next natural step.”

“I want to help people and I want to make a positive difference in people’s lives,” he said.

Dombrowski believes his time in municipal politics prepared him for the State House, as well as his lived experiences. He has a business degree from Bentley University and a law degree from Boston University; he’s been an attorney for over thirty years, with his own practice. He’s also a divorced parent of two children (one with special needs) and is an owner of commercial and residential properties. Dombrowski is on the board for Ginny’s Helping Hands Food Bank.

“Fundamental fairness, justice, equality under the law, and honesty mean the most to me. These cornerstones must be in place before society can benefit from any government programs,” he said.

Dombrowski believes Massachusetts citizens have been overtaxed when there’s a $3 billion dollar state surplus and pledges no new taxes, including the millionaire’s tax. He is against driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants and free college tuition. He is pro-choice.

He plans to focus his energy on issues he believes matter most to Leominsterites, including inflation, public education, infrastructure, affordable housing, and improving the city’s economic outlook. Some of his ideas include using vacant Leominster buildings to fight inflation, state funding for school buses, incentivizing property owners to offer affordable housing, and fully funding all K-12 education including charter schools.

“The current political climate and priorities of the Legislature do not make any sense … There is a lack of true leadership and common sense on Beacon Hill, which will only continue and worsen if the status quo is maintained,” he said.

Dombrowski said he is “very deliberate” and analyzes all issues in detail to form an understanding, then approaches “the solution logically and with an eye for what is best for” those he represents.

He said it is “difficult to counter a well-researched logical decision that best benefits the community regardless of the current (Democratic) supermajority.”

Dombrowski has pledged not to accept any endorsements from special interest groups, but is proud of endorsements from local politicians. He’s been endorsed by Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella as well as “virtually every city councilor” he ever worked with, and said it’s “telling because they come from people who worked closely with me, despite much debate and disagreement” over the years.

For more on Dombrowski’s policy positions, see his website at dombrowskistaterep.com.

Natalie Higgins, John Dombrowski debate at Leominster High School

October 19, 2022 by pkzadmin

LEOMINSTER — State Rep. Natalie Higgins and former longtime City Councilor John Dombrowski went head-to-head at the Leominster High School last week during a debate hosted by Students for Transparency and Understanding of Municipal Politics.

S.T.U.M.P. President Ivy Sasu, an LHS senior, asked the state representative candidates a dozen questions at the Oct. 13 event that ranged from “In your opinion, which is the most important issue we face within our community?” to “What policy areas do you most want to emphasize during your time as state representative?” and “What is your plan to combat homelessness and poverty in Massachusetts and specifically in Leominster?”

State Rep. Natalie Higgins and former longtime City Councilor John Dombrowski went head-to-head at Leominster High School last week during a debate hosted by Students for Transparency and Understanding of Municipal Politics. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

The auditorium was packed with interested students from all grade levels as well as faculty members. STUMP Marketing Manager Matthew Cohen, also a senior, joined Sasu on the panel up front as the timekeeper and club advisor Larissa Murphy, a history teacher, also sat with them.

“The event went great,” Sasu said following the debate. “We had a large crowd that was able to learn more from Rep. Higgins and Mr. Dombrowski. Many students and teachers have been able to hear from both sides due to this event.”

She asked each November ballot candidate to comment on the pandemic and the ongoing effects because of it, stating that “despite losing restrictions on both the state and national level, COVID-19 is still a global issue.”

“Our society cannot go through another shutdown again,” Dombrowski stated. “It crippled many businesses and shut down many businesses.”

Higgins said in her rebuttal that “people are still falling through the cracks” and that she encourages people to “reach out to your reps.” if they are having issues related to COVID.

When asked what they would do to keep state colleges and universities affordable, Dombrowski shared that he put himself through college and law school.

“I know all too well about the hardships,” he said, adding that he has one college graduate and one kid currently in college in New York City.

“It’s $14,000 cheaper for my daughter to rent an apartment off campus than live in the dorms. That’s criminal.”

State Rep. Natalie Higgins and former longtime City Councilor John Dombrowski, pictured, went head-to-head at Leominster High School last week during a debate hosted by Students for Transparency and Understanding of Municipal Politics. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

Higgins spoke about being a student at UMass Amherst and said her parents “took on debt” so that she and her brother “could have more opportunities than they did.” She said she supports implementing an excise tax which “would fully fund our education system” and help provide “free tuition for state education,” a concept Higgins said she has “been fighting for for six years.”

“It’s important to make sure you’re making an investment in your future,” she said to the students.

Both candidates said they would support a bill to change the voting age to 16, with Dombrowski noting that it “would increase voter turnout and knowledge. I would be in favor of that.”

“You are deeply impacted,” he said before adding that he is “proud of you students for showing up to school committee meetings” and getting involved with politics on the local and national level.

“I believe you deserve to make your voice heard through a vote.”

When they were asked what they would do to combat the opioid crisis in the state, Higgins said, “we’ve gotten pretty comfortable about talking about addiction not so much about talking about mental health.”

She mentioned teaming up with Mayor Dean Mazzarella and the city police department to help “people and their loved ones get connected to resources” when it comes to addiction and substance abuse.

“We are trying to figure out where those breakdowns are,” Higgins said. “We are not leaving families and individuals alone to figure out this complex issue.”

Dombrowski told the story of a law client of his, “a kid from Maynard,” who described his own opioid addiction “as an itch he just can’t scratch.”

“It’s a really tough addiction,” the attorney said. “Physicians should only be prescribing this highly addictive drug when absolutely necessary.”

Dombrowski suggested that educators, primary care physicians, high school guidance counselors, and more “should be talking about this” issue with students and that “there needs to be comprehensive health insurance reform, especially because of this issue.”

“This, like so many other problems, have to be solved from the ground level, and what’s the ground level? Health insurance. Health insurance reform is the answer.”

They were both asked for their opinion on a Massachusetts Graduated Income Tax Amendment (Higgins is in favor, Dombrowski is not), and the final question addressed gun control laws and whether the state should have even stricter laws in place than it already has.

“I don’t think that there needs to be more gun laws and more strict gun laws, those resources can be used on a lot of the other issues we talked about,” Dombrowski said.

State Rep. Natalie Higgins, pictured, and former longtime City Councilor John Dombrowski went head-to-head at Leominster High School last week during a debate hosted by Students for Transparency and Understanding of Municipal Politics. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

Higgins responded by saying that while Massachusetts “has some of the most effective laws and is held up as the standard” there is always room for improvement.

“You all deserve to feel safe in your schools, your places of worship, at the grocery store,” she said. “Keep electing strong leaders.”

Members of S.T.U.M.P. posed for photos with the candidates on the stage following the debate. Sasu said they “appreciate the help of (Principal) Dr. (Joshua) Romano for allowing this event to happen” and that they “hope to further political knowledge of Leominster High School in the future.”

“This event is very important to students from all backgrounds,” she said. “The city of Leominster is heavily impacted by its community, and we continue to rely on our representatives to voice our opinions. Many of the students of Leominster high have the influence both on their peers and families based on what they know.

“S.T.U.M.P. continues to be the bond between the City of Leominster and its students,” she continued. “The debate allowed us to hear from both candidates in order to understand what aligns with our own beliefs. We want the candidates values known and shared.”

4th Worcester District

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