NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There was a good crowd on Thursday morning at Bailey's Bakery to meet with lieutenant governor candidate Kim Driscoll.

 

The mayor of Salem stressed the need for "thriving and vibrant communities" and highlighted her own experience working at the municipal level to collaborate and work on social and economic issues. 

 

"That's where that work starts. And I want to be that champion, as someone who's been in local government, managed the city through COVID both in crisis response and recovery," she said. "I feel like I have really good experience to work with our next governor, do good things and improve the quality of life and the places where people live."

 

She was formally endorsed by Mayor Jennifer Macksey, who introduced her as a  "dear colleague and mentor" who had called the new mayor of North Adams the morning after her election to offer her help and support.

 

"I am confident that she will support us and municipalities across the commonwealth," Macksey said. "She is a strong leader. She is a collaborator, and I know you won't forget where you came from. ... 

 

"So for me as a new mayor, it's great to know that we will be represented in Boston. She is dynamic in the sense that she knows what municipalities need and she understands us."

 

Driscoll jumped into the lead in what had been a crowded field for the lieutenant governor nomination by pulling in 41 percent of the votes at the Democratic State Convention on June 4. While Driscoll got the endorsement of the party, state Rep. Tami Gouveia of Acton and state Sen. Eric Lesser of Longmeadow also drummed up enough support to make the ballot. 

 

Out of the running is the Berkshire's own state Sen. Adam Hinds, who failed to get the 15 percent of delegates needed, as is businessman Bret Bero of Boston. Hinds officially called his campaign quits on June 6 with a post on his Facebook page. 

 

"I'm genuinely excited to find other ways to fight for the big issues that got me in this race," he wrote. "And I am so grateful for all of the support so many of you provided along the way."

 

Hinds had, of course, a lot of support here in the Berkshires and some of those have now turned their attention to Driscoll.

 

Thursday morning's gathering included former state representative Daniel Bosley, City Councilors President Lisa Blackmer, Marie T. Harpin and Peter Oleskiewicz, former councilors Benjamin Lamb and Diane Parsons, and School Committee member and Governor's Council candidate Tara Jacobs, as well as a number of community and business leaders.

 

Driscoll's been re-elected five times and says that's put her in a position to help her city be "hip, historic and vibrant."

 

"It instills in me a real belief in local government and the power of what happens in cities, in communities at that local level. We're educating your kids, we're keeping your community safe. We're investing in those places that you make memories that you really care about," she said. "I think it's where the rubber hits the road. So I may not be the hometown gal, but I really care deeply about home towns. ...

 

"This is where we solve problems around housing. This is where we tackle climate change. It's not going to happen in Washington. It's not going to happen in Boston."

 

She noted that while the state came through the pandemic in good fiscal shape, that wasn't true for all of its citizens. Unemployment's at 3 percent but rising costs are increasing the food pantry lines again and the state has to look at where it targets monies in a post-pandemic recovery.

 

"As we think about what's going to be happening in 2023, we're going to need to hit the ground running," she said. "We're going to need to recognize what's happening on the ground in places where people are impacted. ...

 

"That's the work I do. It's the language I speak. I really look forward to partnering at the local level, being a strong voice to make sure not only that North Adam isn't forgotten, the work of cities isn't forgotten."

 

Driscoll is Salem's 50th mayor, winning in a three-way race in 2006 against the incumbent mayor and city councilor. Originally from Lynn, she studied at Salem State University and earned her law degree from Massachusetts School of Law. She's worked in the Salem Planning Department and as a chief legal counsel and deputy city manager in Chelsea. Driscoll served on the Salem City Council before stepping down in 2003 to run for mayor.

 

IBerkshires asked the candidate her thoughts on the creative economy, east-west rail and where she thinks the state's surplus revenue should be targeted.

 

"So many people I don't think fully appreciate the role that art and culture has in the connection to the economy," said Driscoll, whose city is a well-known tourist destination and the home of the more than 200-year-old Peabody Essex Museum. "We need to make sure we're spending money on promoting and marketing, working with local districts on strategic plans to bring both the public sector, the private sector and local government together in an aligned way to create a vision around promotion and marketing."

 

Salem has invested its local rooms and meals taxes into promoting the city, Driscoll said. "Sometimes people think of art as, yeah, light and fluffy. We're talking about jobs. We're talking about putting food on the table for people every day, not just folks in the service industry. ... It's much broader and robust."

 

She's a strong supporter of passenger rail, noting Salem has one of the busiest commuter stops on the MBTA system.

 

"I know the value of what having a rail service can mean in your community. And frankly, we need housing, we need growth, but we don't need more cars," the mayor said. "So the opportunity to have a rail system that could get you in and out of Boston and make stops along the way, right? Pittsfield, North Adams, Springfield. These are places that you'd love to be able to get to easier."

 

Just as important is being able to move around within a community, she added. "I hope to be able to work and influence ways that we can support better public transit in all corners of the commonwealth."

 

As to where the state can invest, Driscoll said the main things she's been hearing in her campaign travels are affordable housing, transportation and climate change. 

 

She'd like to add a fourth: universal pre-kindergarten. 

 

"We expanded early age pre-K in my community, it's been a godsend for family members and we know it helps our youngest learners," she said. "I think that's one place that would be a good investment for longer-term economic prosperity, and that the braided together issues of housing, transportation and climate change need strong investment."