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It's a replay of two years ago for votersIncumbent state Rep. Stephen Canessa, D-New Bedford, defeated then incumbent Mark Howland, of New Bedford For voters in the 12th Bristol District, it’s a replay of the election for state representative two years ago. Incumbent state Rep. Stephen Canessa, D-New Bedford, is fending off a challenge from Mark Howland, also of New Bedford, who lost the seat to Canessa in 2004. The 12th Bristol District includes precinct 4A in Taunton, precincts 2 and 4 in Middleboro, precincts 2 and 3 in Lakeville, and parts of Freetown and New Bedford. Howland, an unenrolled candidate, was the district’s state representative for one term from 2003-2005. In the last election, he ran in the Democratic primary against Canessa and George Rogers. Canessa took the primary by 10 percentage points and won the seat because there was no Republican challenger. Canessa, a 26-year-old New Bedford resident, described his first term as “extremely effective and successful.” “I love my job. I have the opportunity to go to work every day and help people and I will continue to focus on the issues of concern for my district, which are public safety, anti-crime, education, affordable prescription drugs,” said Canessa. “As our seniors get older they shouldn’t have to worry about how they are going to afford to live. That’s on the forefront of my mind on a daily basis.” During his first term, Canessa pushed anti-gang legislation that included a statewide witness protection program and brought $$1 million dollars in funding to the district. “I’ve also worked on legislation for the public education system to decrease the dropout rate, we’ve seen increases to the local school budget and I’ve worked to preserve the environment with invasive weed legislation to protect our water,” he said. Howland said he has more experience than Canessa and is running again to complete unfinished work he left at the Statehouse. “I have a better understanding of the district as a former selectman of Freetown from 2000 to 2003, my years on the Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Open Space Committee, Police Commission,” said Howland. “These are tools I bring to the Statehouse and a better understanding of how to represent the district, plus I am a business manager and environmental consultant.” He said he wants to focus on environmental justice and “quality of life” efforts. “I want to help minority communities who can’t fight back. It’s a fact that low-income communities don’t have the tools and finances to give them a better environment and they deserve to have equal say in their quality of life,” he said. Howland said that, if elected, he hopes to work on an anti-litter bill to clean up highways and a bill to give Massachusetts college graduates financial incentives to find jobs in the state. Howland said he is not “focusing” on his opponent, but called Canessa a “puppet of special interests.” “He crossed three different picket lines and has taken a lot of money from special interests. When I was in the Statehouse I wouldn’t let a lobbyist in my office,” Howland said. Canessa denied giving special treatment to campaign contributors. “Some people want the title. I want the job, and for me it’s a full-time job. I take the responsibility very seriously,” he said.
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