Schiavi Formally Kicks-off State Senate Campaign

NC_CCBMedia_AnthonySchiavi_120915HYANNIS – Republican Anthony Schiavi formally kicked off his candidacy for the Cape and Islands State Senate seat Wednesday night at the Yarmouth House restaurant.

Schiavi, who resides in Harwich, was the first candidate to announce a run for the seat after Dan Wolf (D) said he would not run for re-election.

In his first interview since his announcement, Schiavi told the CapeCod.com NewsCenter that he believes he has a unique skill set for the seat.

Schiavi retired as a Brigadier General with 30 years of service of the Air Force and Massachusetts Air National Guard and was the commanding officer of the 102nd Fighter Wing and 102nd Intelligence Wing at Joint Base Cape Cod.

He currently serves as the town manager and police commissioner in Ashland. According to the MetroWest Daily News, Schiavi will resign from that post in January.

“I have a great passion for public service and I felt this was the right time to get into this race and go after the senate seat because I think I have a lot to offer,” Schiavi said. “It’s really about creating a bright future for Cape Cod.”

Schiavi said he wants to ensure a strong future for his grandchildren in Harwich along with making sure the senior population on the Cape is secure.

Schiavi believes there are several issues on the Cape and Islands that he would like to address as state senator.

“I want to see our state government be more accountable to its citizens and its residents be more responsive,” he said.

Schiavi said jobs and the economy needs to continue to be a focus.

“Job creation and growth, especially year-round jobs here on the Cape, is critical in order to have young people and young families want to move here and stay here to raise their families,” he said.

Along with keeping and getting more young people on the Cape, Schiavi said public education needs to also be a focus and that schools are getting equitable funding.

Schiavi said taking care of the large senior population needs to be a priority.

“I want to make sure that they can continue to live their lives here on the Cape and enjoy everything the Cape has to offer,” he said.

Schiavi said he is a huge proponent of public safety and keeping citizens safe will be a focus “whether it’s the opioid crisis or other issues that are facing our nation, cities and towns.”

The substance abuse issues on the Cape and Islands continues to be a major focus and Schiavi said he supports Governor Charlie Baker’s efforts.

“I think it really needs to be a multipronged approach and I think state government plays a role in it,” he said. “I think nonprofits play a role in it and certainly public safety and education because anything with this complexity doesn’t have a single silver bullet answer to it.”

He said the solution needs to cover everything from education to treatment to after care for those that are addicted.

“It not only affects them. It affects their families. It affects public safety. It affects the healthcare system,” he said. “As a state legislator I would be advocating for legislation that would help those organizations better deal with this issue and get these folks help and really try to get it solved.

Schiavi said it is going to take a long time to get it done but the process needs to start now.

The district is diverse economic and socially from Barnstable to Provincetown and the Islands and Schiavi said his first goal is to get out and meet residents from all of the towns to understand the unique issues for each.

He said the Lower and Outer Cape face different challenges with tourist economies and mainly second home owners.

“We have to find ways to bring young people and keep young people in our communities,” he said. “I’m anxious to get out there and talk to them to help try to come up with ways to solve those issues.”

Schiavi said as you move across the Cape housing remains an issue.

“If you bring year-round jobs you need to have housing that is able to support that workforce and be housing that they can afford,” he said.

Schiavi said it is important to ensure the Cape has housing that is affordable to live in or else the region will fail to bring in younger residents.

And as a veteran, Schiavi said that supporting the 25,000 veterans that live on the Cape is a personal issue.

At least one other Republican, Barnstable Town Councilor Jim Crocker, is considering a run for the seat. Orleans Selectman John Hodgson is also mulling a run. Democrats expected to run include Barnstable County Commissioner Sheila Lyons, Juilian Cyr of Truro and Brewster Selectman Ben deRuyter.

By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter

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Comments

  1. “The General” (who suddenlly relocated and changed his legal residence on October 27th from Ashland to Harwich) is only one of several interesting State Senate candidates, including some like Jimmy Crocker who are axtually “real Cape Codders.”

    RON BEATY, Conservative Candidate for Mass GOP State Committeeman, Cape & Islands District

  2. Changed his address and threw his name into the race after settling a few police lawsuits and costing the town of Ashland A LOT of money, reaping the large pay increase he awarded himself, ignored allegations of indecent assault by a troubled officer, ignored police attacks at the vfw and did all this to keep the police union happy. Not the candidate I would vote for.

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