NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Maura Healey was in the Berkshires on Monday to rally support for a second four-year term as governor. She spoke at a meet and greet on Main Street, visited small businesses on North Street in Pittsfield, and planned to stop in Great Barrington on Tuesday.

 

Speaking with dozens of supporters at the new Main & Mill restaurant, the Democrat ticked off successes over her term and challenges ahead in education, energy, healthcare and housing.

 

"I go around the state and I talk to colleagues around the country. People are hurting. You know, they can't afford gas, groceries, rent. Everything it seems has gotten more expensive," she said. "We got a president who continues to cut and make things more expensive and more difficult for all of us.

 

"I mean, except for the very rich and the very powerful, it didn't work out really well for a lot of people across this country right now, which is why state leadership I think, is all the more important."

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey, who hosted the meet and greet, said Healey "gets what it is to grow a community, and she has supported me for the last 4 1/2 years." 

 

"No matter where you sit or who you represent, you are important to Governor Healey, and I know that firsthand because we talk often about the work that we do, the work we do in the weeds, the work we do at higher end, but Governor Healey gets it," she said, adding at a walkthrough of the Greylock School project later that she supports Healey and her running mate Kim Driscoll "150 percent."

 

Healey touted her role in being the "first governor in 20 years" to cut taxes, pointing to increases in tax credits for seniors and families, and signing the $5 billion housing act that allows accesory dwelling units by right and offered incentives for converting office space.

 

"Over the last 3 1/2 years, we've built or have under development 100,000 homes. That's a lot, you know. Now we're not done. We've got a lot more to do if we're going to get rents down and housing costs down, we got to find ways to build," Healey said.

 

She pledged to fight any attempt by utilities to raise energy rates and to support alternative energy, and battery storage facilities "in the right places with the communities on board."

 

The American healthcare system is broken and part of that is the difficulty in finding primary and mental health care, and not helped, she said, by President Trump and the Republican Congress cutting a trillion dollars from health care.

 

"I cut copays and deductibles ... I ordered my Division of Insurance to get rid of prior authorizations, so that you don't need to get permission from the insurance company before you get your insulin," she said. "I found ways last December to make sure we kept 300,000 households insured through their ACA plan because I can't have people lose health care coverage. ... we've got to work against sometimes the federal administration that's making it harder."

 

In response to questions, Healey supported a recalculation of state Chapter 70 aid and acknowledged that affordability was critical to ensuring people had healthcare in terms of both wages and high premiums. 

 

"She knows where Western Massachusetts, and she visits here," said state Rep. John Barrett III. "More importantly, she understands what's going on in people's everyday life. I am very proud to say, governor, that I believe this entire crowd endorses you today for re-election."

 

Colton Andrews, a Clarksburg Select Board member, endorsed Healey in his role as business manager for Laborers International Union of North America Local 596. Andrews recorded an endorsement prior to the meet and greet and later accompanied Healey on the tour of Greylock School, where members of his union were working.

 

"I got a great working relationship with Governor Healey. She's been great with the building trades, great with great with the Labors union, so it's been a been a good partnership," he said. "We're looking forward to four more years of the Healey-Driscoll administration and continue on the good work we've you know been able to accomplish in these last four years."

 

The crowd included city councilors, North Berkshire select board members, city and school employees and superintendents, leaders of local nonprofit organizations and candidates for election. 

 

In Pittsfield, Healey toured established businesses that have become community "anchors," as well as a new venture that signals a hopeful resurgence for downtown.

 

There were a lot of businesses considered for the tour, but officials narrowed it down to three — Carr Hardware, Paul Rich & Sons Home Furnishings and Design, and the ribbon-cutting of Aura Coffee and Cocktails — in the hopes of spotlighting both established and new businesses, Mayor Peter Marchetti said.

 

Businesses are an essential part of the community, creating jobs, supporting local economies and providing places for people to connect, Healey said. 

 

"It's great to be in Pittsfield, great to be in Berkshire County. What I love today is going into businesses and seeing how well they are doing, and talking to the business owners, talking to the entrepreneurs, and giving them thanks and gratitude for what they do," she said. 

 

Her first stop was Carr Hardware, which has been part of the Berkshires for 100 years, first owned by Sam Carr, then purchased by Marshall Raser and now his son, Bart Raser. Over the century it has grown to operate five locations in Berkshire County and one in Avon, Conn.

 

The governor's work in affordable housing and workforce training has helped businesses in hiring and retaining employees, said Bart Raser, which has been a challenge businesses face because of the high cost of living, especially in Southern Berkshires. 

 

Marchetti highlighted Healey's collaboration with the city in its efforts in obtaining funding for affordable housing development. 

 

Raser and the Riches — Tom, Pam and Harry — pointed to the state making the sales tax holiday weekend permanent as being especially beneficial to businesses. Customers like to purchase big-ticket items those two days because they know they don't have to pay sales tax, Raser told Healey. 

 

"Ensuring the tax-free holiday continues, which is a really important weekend for us, and it's very important that continues, and other opportunities to even make that a biannual holiday would really buoy business in this area," said Harry Rich, who'd like to see it happen twice a year.

 

After 43 years in business, Tom Rich has witnessed downtown’s many ups and downs, with businesses opening and closing. 

 

"So, in some ways, that hasn't changed. I just think we are now ripe for a big up, a resurgence in the downtown and I think there are signs of it, and it just has to keep going," he said. 

 

The work Healey does can help with that resurgence by creating funding opportunities for  growth and increased services in the downtown, where a lot of the services are located, Pam Rich said. 

 

Megan Gomez, owner of Aura Coffee, said it was nice to have support from someone who can see the challenges businesses face not only in the Berkshires but the state as a whole. 

 

"She sees struggling areas in businesses all over Massachusetts and allowing us to be able to give our input on what we're experiencing here, it means a lot to us," Gomez said. "She talked about that they are coming up with a lot more funding for small business."

 

Healey and Driscoll are running unopposed in the primary; they will face off in the general election against the winner of the Republican primary — Michale Minogue or Brian Shortsleeve — for governor and Shawn Oliver for lieutenant governor. 

 

"My opponents are basically rubber stamps for Trump/Vance. I say that because they voted for him, not once but three times. They donated to him, and the other thing is they're very down with all the Trump policies," Healey said. "They haven't thought it to be a problem when he's cut healthcare or when he sets ICE loose in our communities. You know, wreaking havoc on families and our economy, taking away women's access to healthcare. 

 

"This election is going to be about a choice for Massachusetts. I know who I stand with ... I stand with you. I stand with the people of Massachusetts. I may not always get it right. People don't always agree with the stuff that I do, but you've got to know whose side I'm on, who I'm fighting for. I was that way as your attorney general, and I continue to be that way as governor, creating the growing opportunity for everybody. So I stand with you. My opponents stand with Trump. It's as simple as that." 

 

Staff Writer Breanna Steele contributed to this report.