Read the Voter's Guide 2007 with a biography on each candidate for a contested office, and what each had to say about our question: What do you perceive to be the major issue of the office for which you are running and how do you propose to address the issue?

Here are the contested offices this year...

Board of selectmen:

• Alan Flowers
• James M. Casey
• Tim Egan
• Joe Distasio
• Charles Ryan

Planning Board:

• Walter R. Cartwright III
• William J. Grove

Moderator:

• William P. Sweeney
• Albion R. Fletcher, Jr.

Education:

• High School: Boston Latin School
• College: BBA – University of Massachusetts-Amherst
• Graduate: MBA - University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Occupation:

• Bank officer

Community Service:

• Town meeting member – Precinct 4
• Finance Committee member
• Braintree School Fund Committee, Inc
• Granite Park Association

Question: What do you perceive to be the major issue of the office for which you are running and how do you propose to address the issue?

The major issue facing Braintree today is its financial condition. It appears doubtful now that a level services budget can be balanced with current revenues. As a selectman I would work to eliminate the trash fee and replace it with a prop 2 1/2 override that would offset the trash fee for the average homeowner. The resulting tax increase on commercial property would enable us to maintain a level services budget.

Education:

• Northeastern University, Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and management

Occupation:

• Retired from Gillette Company
• School Bus Driver, Braintree Public Schools

Community Service:

• Board of Directors, Marge Crispin Social Service Center.
• Former Chairman: Board of Selectmen, Municipal Light Board, and Greenbush Mitigation Committee.
• Former: Town Meeting Member andPresident and Director, Braintree National Youth League.

Question: What do you perceive to be the major issue of the office for which you are running and how do you propose to address the issue?

As Braintree moves from a selectman/town meeting government to a mayor/town council government it is imperative that policy and financial decisions over the next nine months do not undermine the foundation of our new government before it has a chance to take hold.I offer well over a decade of experience and proven leadership to manage the towns business during this historic change to make this transition as transparent as possible.

Education:

• Cathedral High School,
• Berklee College,
• Clark University CCIE, Microsoft MCSE 2003

Occupation:

• Principal Regional Analyst, Fidelity Investments, Boston, MA.

Community Service:

• Past Chairman of the Board of Selectmen
• Planning Board
• Parks Commissioner
• Conservation Commissioner
• Fair Housing Board member,
• Director and volunteer for many sports organizations, civic associations and other activities within the town.

Question: What do you perceive to be the major issue of the office for which you are running and how do you propose to address the issue?

I believe that fiscal responsibility continues to be the major issues that we face as a community. As a Selectman I would be an advocate of:

• reducing the costs associated with the running of our government,
• the reduction of our dependency on one time sources of funding for governmental services and,
• providing the experience and leadership required to ensure a smooth transition to our new form of government.

Education:

• Graduate Wentworth Institute of Technology, Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Cum Laude

Occupation:

• Owner, D&B Tree Service

Community Service:

• Town Meeting Member, Precinct 11 Member
• South Coastal Workforce Investment Board
• Chairman, Career Centers Subcommittee 2006
• Recognized as a Veteran-Friendly Employer for Gulf War Veterans and Military Reservists
• Donated arborist services to the town mall restoration project and historical society

Question: What do you perceive to be the major issue of the office for which you are running and how do you propose to address the issue?

The transition to the new government. We need a board of selectmen that will make the tough choices ensuring a smooth transition and benefiting Braintree today, not after the mayor/council takes over. We shouldn’t pay for a trash fee and we need to work with our town departments to ensure that we continue to have essential services (police, fire, schools). When elected I will keep Braintree a great place to live and raise a family.