Meet the two Dems competing for Barnstable, Islands state rep

Thomas Moakley of Falmouth and Arielle Faria of West Tisbury are the two Democrats running on the Sept. 3 primary ballot for the state House of Representatives seat for the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket District .

There are no Republicans running for the seat on the primary ballot.

The Barnstable, Dukes Nantucket District covers Falmouth precincts 1, 2 and 6, as well as Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, West Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard, Gosnold, and Nantucket.

Nomination papers were finalized on May 31. There will be only two contested races affecting Cape Cod voters in the primary: this race and the Republican race for the Plymouth, Barnstable Senate seat.

But the general election on Nov. 5 is heating up locally.

The deadline to register to vote in the primary is Aug. 24 .

Here is candidate information, listed in alphabetical order by last name.

CANDIDATE: ARIELLE FARIA

AGE: 44

TOWN OF RESIDENCE/LENGTH OF RESIDENCE THERE: 15-year resident of West Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard

WORK: Island Housing Trust

EDUCATION: Berklee College of Music/music production and engineering & music business (certification in MP&E and music performance)

CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Co-chair, Coalition to Create a Martha’s Vineyard Housing Bank (a grassroots organization); board member, Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation; former board member, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital; former committee member, Task Force Against Discrimination in West Tisbury; former tenant representative, Dukes County Regional Housing Authority Board, Visioning Committee member for the town of West Tisbury (part of development of a town master plan).

FARIA: What are key strengths and weaknesses of this district?

The Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket District represents the best the commonwealth has to offer. From its scenic beauty to its vibrant tourist scene, the Cape and Islands community welcomes those who live here year-round aswell as those who join periodically throughout the year.

Despite a robust local economy, there are ways in which the district can become even more affordable and accessible to all of our communities. As your next state representative, I will prioritize the often-forgotten members who reside here.

Having worked as a housing advocate for nearly 15 years, I know that affordability is a key issue for those in the district. Our district has been hit particularly hard with skyrocketing prices that have emerged throughout the state. As someone who has worked closely with tenants, I know firsthand the challenges that emerge when rent suddenly increases overnight. We must advocate for tenant-friendly policies to keep our low-to-middle-income residents in the district. If elected, I will be a proud voice for these historically underrepresented communities in their fight for affordability.

FARIA: If elected, what are the top 3 issues you want to address?

If fortunate enough to be elected, I would focus on bringing down costs to ensure families can afford to live and stay here, addressing the effects of climate change like coastal flooding to protect homes and businesses, and fighting for more education funding so every child can reach their full potential.

Each of these issues is not only important to me personally but are the issues that come up time and time again with voters across the district. As an elected official, I will always prioritize the needs of my constituents and these needs are the most critical at this time.

The issue of affordability is crucial as we aim for families to take root here and build generational wealth for themselves and their future children.

When it comes to climate resilience, this is an issue that matters to all of us, especially those who are reliant on the vibrant coastal industries and businesses throughout the district.

For education, we want all our children to succeed and for that to happen we need equitable distribution of funds regardless of the zip code in which our children are born.

FARIA: If elected, how do you plan to address those issues?

As a housing advocate, I am keenly aware of proposed legislation that would lower barriers and create opportunities for homebuyers and renters. If elected, I would not only vote for these bills but would also work with our regional House delegation to advocate for their passage.

In terms of climate resilience, this is an issue where if elected I would not only advocate but would lead discussions in the Massachusetts House. Our district has the unique opportunity to be the statewide leader on issues like offshore wind power and the only representative with constituents on actual islands must be at the forefront of these discussions.

For education, the key issue here is funding. We need to actively advocate for policies like the Fair Share Amendment that help level out the playing field when it comes to generating revenue that can, in turn, be used to fund our education system. There are several bills currently being considered in the legislature that close corporate loopholes and I would fight hard for these bills, especially those that generate revenue that can be directly applied to education funding.

FARIA: How are you different from your competitor?

As a queer woman of color, I have a unique opportunity as an elected official to advocate for historically marginalized communities. Through my experiences, I have come to understand the intersectionality of historically disadvantaged communities and the longstanding systemic barriers they face.

The district’s next representative must be able to advocate for those who have previously had access to the halls of power as well as those whose voices haven’t been heard. My lived experience makes me the only candidate in this race to understand this dynamic and have a plan to address these historic inequities.

I am running to give voice to those like me who may feel helpless due to difficult situations. I am proud to share my story on the campaign trail and my lived experience of overcoming adversity has only strengthened my resolve to pay it forward to the next generation.

As a mother of two remarkable boys, I know that the generation is looking to us to lead. If elected, I will do everything in my power for them and their peers in the district to have the type of opportunities that I myself never thought possible at their age.

CANDIDATE: THOMAS MOAKLEY

AGE: 29

TOWN OF RESIDENCE/LENGTH OF RESIDENCE THERE: Lifelong resident of Falmouth

WORK: former Cape and Islands assistant district attorney

EDUCATION: Graduate of Georgetown University and Suffolk Law School

CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Eagle Scout, Falmouth Town Meeting member.

MOAKLEY: What are key strengths and weaknesses of this district?

The key strengths of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket District are the natural beauty of the communities that comprise it and the ingenuity with which its people have adapted to the looming threats of climate change and rising costs; however, as these problems increase in magnitude, the Commonwealth needs to step in both to support local efforts and develop a statewide vision of stewardship, protecting natural resources and enabling working families to thrive.

Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Gosnold and Falmouth need representatives in Boston who can dispel the veil of paradise and tell budget writers and policy makers what living here year-round is really like, and that our needs are just as great as other regions of the state.

MOAKLEY: If elected, what are the top 3 issues you want to address?

I am running to prioritize the issues that are critical to the region as a whole but are also disproportionately impacting my generation: climate change, women’s reproductive rights, and affordability.

Each of these things are existential issues at some level, as we struggle to protect finite resources from sea level rise and extreme weather, abortion access remains extremely limited on the Cape and Islands, and families are constantly facing displacement-level costs.

Ultimately, the role of government is to take on challenges like these that require us all to pull in the same direction to overcome. I believe if we shift the tenor of politics from personality to policy then Massachusetts can be a leader to the rest of the nation in how we address these urgent issues.

MOAKLEY: If elected, how do you plan to address those issues?

Climate change: with inaction on the federal level, Massachusetts needs bold moves in environmental stewardship. I advocate for expanding the scope of the state climate bank, establishing a pilot program for a state civilian conservation corps, investing in energy storage and continuing to develop renewable energy sources and storm-resilient microgrids in our communities.

Women’s Reproductive Rights: I support the ROE Act and will fight to expand reproductive health services. Though our current state Supreme Judicial Court recognizes the right to choose, we may not be so lucky in 100 years. Therefore, I will also support an amendment to the state constitution to embed women’s reproductive rights in our foundational document.

Affordability: The affordability crisis requires progress in housing, child care and wages. I will join the fight to create housing banks on the Islands and enact a seasonal communities designation so we can access funding currently barred due to AMI calculations that do not take into account local cost of living. I support Common Start to make high quality childcare and early education accessible to all families, and I will fight alongside organized labor and small business to ensure those who work full time are able to make ends meet.

MOAKLEY: How are you different from your competitor?

I am the only candidate with state government experience. In my role as the sole assistant district attorney for the Martha’s Vineyard Juvenile Court and Edgartown District Court, I was responsible for about 850 criminal cases annually, handling each from arraignment until final disposition, including jury trials.

Like the role of state representative, as the ADA I had to maintain positive relationships despite competing priorities among police, defense attorneys, and court staff. Just as a legislator contemplates each bill, I tried to handle each case with fairness, efficiency, and open communication.

In the spirit of collaboration that is essential to getting things done, I joined Judge Benjamin Barnes, DA Rob Galibois, Sheriff Bob Ogden, the probation department and others to lay the groundwork for the island’s first recovery court, taking a holistic approach to public safety and treating those suffering from addiction as individuals.

I have also served my hometown as an elected town meeting member. I believe in the value of public service and the power of good government. I intend to show that mine is a generation not content to stare at our phones but one that cares about the future and is ready to fight for it.

Heather McCarron can be reached at hmccarron@capecodonline.com .

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Meet the two Dems competing for Barnstable, Islands state rep