Read this 'My View' piece from Julian in the Cape Cod Times.
Affordable housing, environment top priorities for Cyr
As a Truro native, I grew up working in my family's seasonal restaurant, like many of the small businesses on the Cape and Islands. Building a good life through hard work, as my family did over several decades, has become increasingly difficult. The lack of a secure retirement has made it more challenging for our seniors to stay in the same community where they built their lives. Our region has become profoundly unaffordable, with the high cost of housing the primary barrier for people building a life here. We need a state senator who will work with local and state leaders to craft solutions that prioritize affordable rentals and give opportunity to prospective first-time homeowners.
My background has prepared me to succeed in the state Senate. As director of policy and regulatory affairs for the Bureau of Environmental Health at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, I stood up to Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth to get the utility to pay for potassium iodide pills for our towns and kept our commercial oyster beds open for summertime harvest when the federal government threatened to shut them down. As state senator, I will promote clean water and protect our fragile environment -- because out here, clean water and a pristine environment are our business.
My work in public health on Beacon Hill gives me a strong understanding of the epidemic of opioid addiction our region faces. Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard have the highest rates of death from opioid overdose in Massachusetts, with Nantucket not far behind. We have a severe shortage of services. We have no inpatient beds available for Islanders, and it’s been a decade since new residential rehabilitation beds were added on the Cape. We need a state senator with the background, leadership, and track record to tackle our top public health crisis.
Our campaign has gained tremendous momentum in the last few weeks. Our candidacy is resonating with voters who depend on thoughtful, effective, progressive leadership in the state Senate. I am humbled to be endorsed by organizations representing nurses, health care workers, environmentalists, unions, and advocacy groups – from the same coalition that got behind Dan Wolf’s successful bid for state Senate in 2010. I am also honored to be endorsed by numerous elected officials, including Barnstable County Assembly members, selectmen, a sitting state representative, and voters like you from across the region.
Beyond our given natural beauty, I believe what truly makes the Cape and Islands a singular, unique region is the composite of individuals who are drawn here from all walks of life, unified by sense of community and appreciation for the place we live in. The regional scope of our economy, the interdependence of our resources, and the challenges we face are unmistakable. Change is never easy and certainly inevitable. I firmly believe that we can best generate tangible solutions and effective policy results across town lines. We cannot let economic tides reshape our community of their own volition; we need to guide its direction. As your state senator, I will be a progressive voice in the Massachusetts Legislature who will always put the priorities of the Cape and Islands first.
Together, we will chart a sustainable future for all residents of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Visit www.JulianCyr.com to learn more. I humbly ask for your vote in the Democratic primary on Sept. 8.