Terry Meehan, state rep. candidate:

In an age of political campaigns driven by sophisticated demographic and polling techniques, Terry Meehan stands apart from the crowd. Not afraid to take unpopular positions when his conscience directs him, he will prove to be a public servant of integrity as Worcester's next Representative from the 16th District.

Terry is running in a crowded Democratic field of four candidates, three of them viable. Fatherhood advocates are hoping Terry's hard work during the campaign will pay off with a September primary victory. There is no Republican candidate for the seat being vacated by Guy Glodis, who is running for the state senate. The winner of the Sept. 15 primary will be the next Worcester Representative. With Terry in the State House, we will finally have someone who understands the issues affecting non-custodial fathers.

If Meehan's campaign has one common theme, it is that our children are our future. Too many politicians use such words as shallow sloganeering, but Meehan's concern for children is genuine; proven by the lengths he went to for his son, Terry, Jr. Meehan's pro-child platform includes legislative proposals for equal access to higher education and affordable day care for working families.

As the baby boom bubble moves into old age, the taxpayer base will be supporting a larger elderly population. Meehan supports a reduction in taxes for senior citizens and the implementation of immediate emergency assistance for the basic necessities: medical care, utilities, and housing.

Meehan has carved a niche for himself by speaking out on such sensitive issues as the rights of children to the care and companionship of both of their parents and the need for judicial reform, especially in our family courts that are straining to the breaking point under the weight of ever-increasing caseloads.

The true cost to society of a generation of children raised without the benefit of two parents is just now emerging. Meehan understands that this is a complex problem that will not yield to one-size-fits-all solutions; rather, to solve it will require wisdom from diverse sources.

Meehan believes that public servants should conduct themselves with honesty and integrity. His proposals for judicial reform include creating an elected review board empowered to remove judges guilty of misconduct.

Meehan recognizes that the institution of statewide "supervised visitation centers" for non-custodial parents is a step in the wrong direction. If we truly believe that children need both parents, we must seek to strengthen the institution of marriage. However, we must also recognize that when a family breakup is unavoidable, it is the children that suffer the most when one parent seeks to eliminate the other from having a meaningful role in their continued upbringing. Allowing visitation only at supervised visitation centers has become the path of least resistance for judges confronted by warring parents who attempt to misuse the legal system. This is a dangerous trend that must be reversed.

Terry comes from a family that has been established in Worcester for three generations. He cares about the community because it is his community, and he intends to do everything in his power to leave behind an even better community for his son, and for all the children of Worcester.

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