Candidate Mary Jane Hillery Wants to Return State House to People

Mary Jane Hillary is running for Senate to return the State House to the people.

Army-Navy veteran Mary Jane Hillery is on a mission: "I've been wearing a badge that says 'Mission One-Massachusetts,'" said Hillery. "That mission is to return the State House to the people of Massachusetts so their voice is heard and their votes count."

Her first time running for state office, Hillery, who lives in Sudbury, is challenging incumbent Democrat Pamela P. Resor for State Senate in the Middlesex and Worcester District.

"I see the will of the people ignored," said Hillery. "I am referring to the statewide referenda overwhelmingly supported by citizens to reduce state income taxes to 5% and to permit charitable donations as deductions. The Democrat legislature says, 'so what?'
"I see a state budget presented to the Governor five months after it is due. I see the Democrat leadership maneuvering to adjourn to prevent a vote on the Protection of Marriage Amendment. And this is only the beginning. But it is enough to tell citizens of this state that they have lost the democratic process founded and fought for in the state in which I was born and grew up."

Hillery said she wants to restore two-party government to Massachusetts to provide healthy debate. She pointed out that the incumbent, Pamela Resor, voted to fund needle exchange programs while voting against reimbursing police officers 50% for their bullet proof vests and against increased funding for the Soldiers Home in Holyoke.

Hillery discussed with MassNews her positions on some other issues:

Protection of Marriage

She supports the Protection of Marriage Amendment. She said there is no question that marriage is a union between one man and one woman. "People can set up house with other arrangements," she said, "just don't call it a marriage."

Taxes

Hillery is on the side of Citizens for Limited Taxation and agrees that taxes should be rolled back. She opposes new tax increases. Regarding Carla Howell's ballot question to eliminate the income tax, Hillery said her immediate reaction is to say yes, but she would like to know more about how it would work. "If New Hampshire can get along without a state income tax, they're right next door to us, I'd be certainly willing to look at what they are doing and how they are managing."

Abortion

Pro-choice-"It's between a woman, her conscience, and religion," she said. She opposes partial-birth abortion. Supports "right to know" laws where women have to give informed consent before an abortion. She also wants minors to get parental consent.

Mary Jane Hillery is giving the voters in the nine towns in the 7th Middlesex Senate District, which stretches from Sudbury north to Chelmsford and over to Waltham, a real choice this year against incumbent Pamela R. Resor.

Supports the Second Amendment as well as Article 17 of the Massachusetts Constitution guaranteeing the people's right to keep and bear arms. She has a "Good" rating by the Gun Owners Action League. Disagrees with the Massachusetts gun law (Chapter 180) giving police chiefs arbitrary power over licensing. "I do not agree with arbitrary decisions and I think that the law has to be consistent across the state," said Hillery.

Hillery said she is well qualified to comment on bilingual education. She is fluent in Spanish and taught English as a second language to migrant farm workers adjusting to life in the states. She also taught Spanish, and handled all travel and visa arrangements for a Cambridge company doing business in South America.

Hillery opposes bilingual education. She favors English immersion. She said she had many classmates who were first generation Americans who had no problem learning English without bilingual education programs. "Kids pick up the language very quickly," she said.

Hillery said that in contrast to the incumbent, she has a record of accomplishment and proven leadership. "I bring a background of long time, public and community service, as well as service to country. I have established several woman 'firsts.' I am not afraid to tackle the tough jobs. I was appointed liaison officer to West Point when it first opened its doors to women, first woman appointed military aide to the Governor of Massachusetts, first woman assigned to the Special Forces, first woman on the Massachusetts Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve," she said.

A native of Boston, Hillery spent four years in the navy and two in the navy reserves. She later received a commission in the U.S. Army Reserve as a public affairs officer and is now a retired Lt. Colonel. She served on active duty during the Gulf War performing high level public affairs work at the Pentagon for which she was decorated, and served with the Special Forces editing the history of the Green Berets. She also served as a liaison officer for West Point. She edited a Sudbury newspaper, worked for Pan Am and did volunteer work with migrant workers and work as a veterans agent, among other accomplishments.

Hillery has experience on the Sudbury School Committee, Business Advisory Board, Chair of the Town Report Committee, Memorial Day Committee, and Administrator to the Selectmen in Maynard. She is a graduate of Command and General Staff College and studied at Northeastern University.