To the Editor,
As a Watertown resident, I find it deeply unsettling how little we actually know about what happens behind the closed doors of our State House. In 2024, I was among the 66% of Watertown voters —and the 71.5% of folks statewide — who voted in favor of a ballot question to finally allow an audit of the State Legislature. We spoke with a clear, united voice, yet years later, legislative leaders have consistently blocked that audit.
It is frustrating to live in a state that is consistently rated as one of the least effective legislatures in the country. To me, transparency isn’t just a political buzzword; it’s a major problem because, right now, we simply don’t know what our legislators are doing. We deserve to know how decisions that affect our families and our pocketbooks are being made. Despite the overwhelming support from people like you and me, legislative leadership continues to refuse any major transparency reforms.
This is exactly why I am putting my support behind Daniel Lander for State Senate. I’m supporting Daniel because he is truly committed to building a legislature that is more transparent and accessible to all of us. He isn’t interested in the status quo; he’s interested in making our government work for the people again.
As our Senator, Daniel will take the following steps to bring our government back to us:
First, he will support the audit of the legislature and push to subject it to public records laws. It’s hard to believe, but Massachusetts is an outlier here — almost every other legislature in the U.S. follows these laws so voters can understand what their government is doing every day. Daniel wants us to have that same clarity.
He will also push for legislative stipend reform. Right now, the system often forces legislators to choose between their constituents and leadership. Daniel wants to ensure our representatives are exactly that—representatives for us, not just for the powerful few at the top. He will also work to bring back term limits for the Senate President to ensure power doesn’t stay concentrated in the hands of one person for too long.
Beyond transparency, Daniel cares about the people who make our democracy and our economy run. He will advocate for common-sense laws like same-day voter registration to make it easier for everyone to participate. Furthermore, he will fight to support the State House union, standing side-by-side with workers seeking to organize for better conditions and fair wages.
We need a Senator who isn’t afraid to turn the lights on in Beacon Hill. Daniel Lander has shown he has the integrity to do just that. I hope you’ll join me in supporting a more open, honest, and effective government this election.
Sincerely,
Holly Cachimuel
Watertown, Mass.
It would be good to hear directly from Daniel what his thoughts
are concerning the legislative issues in Boston.
Thank you for writing this, Holly. Like you, I’m VERY concerned about the lack of transparency in our state legislature…which never ends well for the people. And it causes one to wonder what they have to hide? In this question I include the whole state government including the Attorney General, who is legally putting obstacles in the way of an audit of the legislature. It seems to me our state legislature has gotten isolated from the people, they work on what they want (instead of what I want), and they seem desperate to maintain their own power and privilege. I will be taking a serious look at Daniel Lander, and I have May 3 in my calendar.
I am a Watertown resident, property owner and taxpayer. I patronize local businesses, and I worked for a Watertown-based company for 2 years.
The AG isn’t “legally putting obstacles” in the path of the audit. There ARE constitutional issues at play about separation of powers. Just because the current federal government leadership is ignoring the U.S. Constitution on a regular basis doesn’t mean we should do the same. I don’t always agree with Will and Dan seems like a solid candidate. It’s nice to have a choice based on the real issues at play. Will has my support (as a FORMER Watertown resident, to be clear.) We need leaders who support what WE wan’t, not just what I want!
If the voters TRULY desire a “We the People” moment, every incumbent needs to go, whether they be Democrat or Republican. That said, Mr Lander sounds like a viable candidate for the office of state senator.
“We the People” means the interests of the nation, not just a select (usually wealthy few). How does throwing every incumbent out achieve that? It’s a phony argument. Support the ones you like and oppose the ones you don’t! (This from a FORMER Watertown resident, to be clear!)
The audit ballot question as written allows the auditor access to just about anything, including how committee chairs are chosen and operate, any “documents” she wants to see, and any “programs, activities, and functions” of the legislature. If Auditor DiZoglio wants to audit the “finances” of the legislature — how it spends money to operate — then I’m all for it. But I’m not willing to hand over to one ambitious politician the authority to, as she wrote in a letter to the AG, review information relating to “hiring” and “information regarding active and pending legislation, the process for appointing committees, the adoption and suspension of legislative rules, and the policies and procedures of the Legislature.” Sure, it appeals to the “all guvmint is horrible” crowd, but it reeks of overreach. As for Lander vs Brownsberger, it remains to be seen how I’ll vote — but it won’t be because of this nonsensical audit issue.