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With the luxury of running unopposed for reelection to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Reps. Christopher Hendricks and Antonio Cabral sat down with The Light to share their thoughts on the most pressing issues affecting New Bedford residents and their work in the Legislature.
Cabral, who has held his seat since 1991, said that he has made strides in both statewide and local initiatives.
“My district is in the city and my focus has been trying to effect change, bringing funding down for education, for local aid, for specific projects,” said the New Bedford Democrat, who represents the 13th Bristol District.
One of Cabral’s main priorities is education, he said, including support for the Student Opportunity Act of 2019, which increased Chapter 70 funding to public schools by $1.5 billion and provided additional aid to the state’s midsized Gateway Cities.
Cabral also mentioned fighting for projects in New Bedford, like the Harbor Walk, the Zeiterion, and the New Bedford Whaling Museum expansion.
“Those are all hard-fought fights to get resources back to my district,” Cabral said.
As the House chair of the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus, Cabral said he has focused on creating additional housing in New Bedford. He said he was involved in creating the Housing Development Incentive Program, which helps cities develop market-rate housing and support economic development.
Key election dates
- The Massachusetts general election is Nov. 3, with polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- The voter registration deadline is Oct. 24.
- The vote by mail application deadline is Oct. 27 at 5 p.m.
- The early voting period is Oct. 17 to 30.
“To attract and bring developers to New Bedford and other Gateway Cities, you gotta have the kinds of assistance, the kinds of incentives, such as the HDIP program,” Cabral said.
Question 1 on this year’s ballot would make most records in the Legislature and governor’s office public under the Massachusetts Public Records Law. The House passed a government transparency bill in June that did not include the same level of openness as a 2024 ballot measure or the pending Question 1. The bill is currently in the conference committee.
Cabral, who voted for the June bill, said that he has done extensive work in ensuring government transparency. He plans to vote yes on Question 1.
“There’s no one that has supported more transparency than me,” Cabral said.
In the past, Cabral has voiced his support for more transparency and has filed bills to allow citizens to have more access to government records and public meetings.
This session, Cabral passed a bill that would require the public to have remote access to in-person meetings.
Cabral also filed a bill this session that would create a public records division within the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. He plans to file this bill again for the next legislative session.
“The more transparency we have, the better government we’re going to have,” Cabral said. “Transparency in a democracy is fundamental.”
Cabral also said that the Open Meeting Law reform in 2009 was a result of legislation that he had filed. It put the open meeting law under the supervision of the Office of Attorney General instead of district attorneys.
Hendricks plans to vote yes on Question 1 as well.
Hendricks on energy and housing
Hendricks, D-New Bedford, has represented the 11th Bristol District since January 2019. He said that he made a campaign promise to stand up for public education and workers’ rights back when he first ran for office. Hendricks said that one of the first things he did after he got elected was to vote for the Student Opportunity Act.
“I’m really proud of the things that I’ve done on education, that we’ve done on education,” Hendricks said.
He also pointed out his history of supporting unions, such as joining picket lines for employees of National Grid, Ryder Trucking and St. Luke’s Hospital.
“I promised that I was going to get bargaining power for working-class people,” Hendricks said. “So, I’m going to continue that work moving into the future.”
This year, Massachusetts residents will vote on nine ballot questions, on issues ranging from all-party primary elections to a possible ban on the recreational use of marijuana.
Hendricks said that the ballot question system can either work for or against you, depending on the issue.
“There is an issue of how questions are worded and how special interests are involved,” Hendricks explained. “That’s always problematic.”
On energy affordability, Hendricks said he hoped for a compromise on the energy bills currently in a joint House-Senate conference committee.
The House bill aims to cut $1 billion from Mass Save, a statewide energy efficiency initiative. The Senate bill aims to preserve the state’s energy efficiency strategy, while cutting the Gas System Enhancement Program, which accelerates the replacement of leaking gas infrastructure.
Hendricks said that he hopes that the final energy bill addresses both Mass Save and the Gas System Enhancement Program.
“The GSEP program is the biggest culprit of why we have high energy costs, at least in this area,” Hendricks said.
Housing affordability, another major state issue, is also on the November ballot. Question 7 aims to allow for the construction of more single-family homes. If approved, it would require cities and towns to allow them on lots 5,000 square feet and larger that have access to public sewer and water.
Hendricks and Cabral plan to vote yes on Question 7.
In the Legislature, Hendricks noted that an economic development bond bill, currently in another conference committee, has a section that would streamline siting on the local level for commercial and residential properties.
“Once the final version of that bill comes out, we’re hoping that it includes that housing piece,” Hendricks said.
Districts lean Democratic
Write-ins are the only possible way to cast a vote for someone other than Hendricks and Cabral for state representative in the 11th and 13th Bristol districts on Nov. 3.
Both districts have a history of voting for Democrats. Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump 54%-43% in Hendricks’ 11th district and 55%-42% in Cabral’s 13th.
Hendricks won his seat in 2018 with 50.6% of the vote in the Democratic primary against opponent Robert Koczera and was unopposed in the general election. Since then, he has not faced an opponent in a primary or general election. His 11th Bristol district covers much of the eastern and northern parts of New Bedford.
Cabral’s 13th Bristol district covers the western and southern parts of the city. He last faced an opponent, independent Michael Janson, in 2018, when he won with 79% of the vote. He chairs the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
Nicole Abrams is a journalism student at Boston University, covering state government for The Light as part of the Boston University Statehouse Program. Email her at nabrams@newbedfordlight.org.
