Alan Ingram
Express correspondent
In a political forum hosted by WATD, incumbent Democrat Kathy LaNatra and Republican challenger Eric Meschino presented their cases for representing the 12th Plymouth District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. The district includes Kingston, Plympton, precincts 1 and 2A in Halifax, as well as parts of Middleborough, Pembroke, and Plymouth.
Immigration emerged as a contentious topic, with Meschino taking a hard line. “First thing I think they should do is stop funding [the migrants]. Simple as that. You know, people have a problem with illegal immigrants in this state, in our district. Kathy’s fault. She voted for that.”
LaNatra, defending her record, emphasized the need for federal immigration reform while acknowledging the complexities of the issue. “We’ve made reforms to the right to shelter law, and we will continue to make reforms,” she said, noting that some immigrants are here legally on protective status.
On affordability, both candidates recognized it as a pressing concern for the district. LaNatra highlighted recent legislative efforts, including a $1 billion tax cut package. “We did that this session. It extended the [two dependent child] cap… That significantly helps families,” she said.
Meschino, however, argued for a different approach. “What makes it unaffordable? Taxes. Everything keeps going up,” he said, advocating for less government intervention and lower taxes.
When asked about the Governor’s recent emergency preamble on the new gun law, Meschino said “Licensed gun owners are the single most law-abiding citizens in this country,” he said, criticizing the underlying bill. “Where’s the emergency? It’s nothing more than a gun grab.”
LaNatra reminded listeners about her vote against the gun law but supported the Governor’s emergency preamble. “Emergency preambles are done quite frequently, so it’s not uncommon that the governor would call that,” adding “if [the repeal folks] want to put it on the ballot, absolutely. It’s their right to do that.”
The candidates also diverged on the issue of auditing the state legislature. Meschino strongly supported the idea, stating, “The state auditor was elected to audit. I think they should open up the books.” LaNatra, while not opposed to audits, suggested an independent auditor would be more appropriate than the state auditor.
On education, the candidates discussed the potential elimination of MCAS as a high school graduation requirement. LaNatra supported the change, saying, “I do think we should eliminate it as a requirement to graduate.” Meschino disagreed, arguing, “We need some kind of standards.”
In their closing statements, the candidates summarized their positions and appeals to voters. LaNatra emphasized her experience and bipartisan approach, saying, “I’m a seasoned leader who listens, acts, and delivers.” Meschino positioned himself as an agent of change, stating, “If you want change, I can be a change agent. If you want the same thing you got now, vote for Kathy.”
The two candidates vying for the vacant 6th Plymouth District seat also squared off on WATD. The district is made up of Duxbury, Precinct 2 in Halifax, and parts of Hanson, Marshfield, and Pembroke. Republican Ken Sweezey and Democrat Becky Coletta addressed topics ranging from the migrant crisis to affordable housing during the hour-long forum moderated by Christine James and Tom Gorman.
The candidates clashed most sharply on the state’s response to the migrant crisis. Sweezey called for a residency requirement for the right to shelter law, arguing, “This is a math problem. There’s no inflammatory language here. It’s a math problem. We cannot afford it.”
Coletta countered that the focus should be on expediting work permits for migrants. “I would work as hard as our governor has been working to get work permits and get people to work. It doesn’t cost money if we have these people working,” she said.
On housing affordability, both candidates acknowledged the challenges facing the district. Sweezey estimated that a “ready to move in” home for $350,000 “doesn’t exist” in the area. Coletta suggested that an affordable apartment would cost around $1,900 per month, but added, “I don’t think it exists.”
The candidates also differed on the MBTA Communities Zoning Act. Sweezey strongly opposed the measure, stating, “This directly changes, and I would say ruins the character of our towns.” Coletta, in addition to criticizing the law, argued that it was itself deregulation “it was a Charlie Baker idea. It was a Republican principle of deregulation. Zoning is regulation of private property use. This was deregulation.”
On ballot questions, the candidates found some common ground. Both opposed Question 5, which would change how tip workers are paid. However, they diverged on Question 2 regarding MCAS testing, with Sweezey opposing the measure and Coletta supporting it.
On the one issue they’d like to be known to champion, Sweezey pointed to immigration, “the immigration issue touches so many things between budget and housing and affordability and everything. So the immigration crisis has to be solved.” Coletta highlighted affordability, “People need to be able to buy homes and live here at all stages of their life so that the communities can continue to be the diverse, welcoming places they have been in our lifetimes.”
The election for both seats will be held on Nov. 5..