Election 2018: Candidate Profile Of Paul Ferro

A former Marlborough city councilor hopes to oust incumbent Democrat Danielle Gregoire from her seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 4th Middlesex District.

The 4th Middlesex District consists of Marlborough, Ward 2: Precinct 1, Wards 3, 4, 5, 6, Ward 7: Precinct 2; Northborough, Precincts 1, 3; Westborough, Precinct 1, 3.

Patch reached out to all of the contested candidates with a series of questions to help introduce voters to those candidates. Today we introduce readers to Paul Ferro, a Republican, who is a graduate of Marlborough High School and has a BA in political science and minor in history from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He has two nephews, 15 and 5, and one niece, 5, and is president of Vertex Strategies, a direct marketing firm.

As a kidney transplant recipient who was on Medicare for just longer than three years, Ferro said the most pressing issue for him is healthcare.

"I paid the full cost of my private insurance before then and have paid the full cost of private insurance since," said Ferro "I have see healthcare from every angle over the past decade. American healthcare isn't just why I'm running; it's why I'm here. Right now, healthcare consumes 40 percent of the state budget. We need a legislator who has experience in our healthcare system from all angles to know how to fix our broken healthcare system."

Ferro, who was a city councilor in Marlborough for eight years, said the main difference between him and Gregoire is that she has "voted with the Speaker 100 percent of time. Conversely, she has voted to override 100 percent of Governor Baker's budget vetoes. Ask yourself a simple question. Is there anyone with whom you agree with 100 percent of the time? Is there anyone who disagree with 100 percent of the time?"

He lists Baker and Lt. Governor Karen Polito as longtime friends, and argues that he is the independent voice needed to help reform state government, making it more transparent and accountable to the public.

"Gregoire has failed to lead on the opioid crisis," Ferro told Patch. "While our neighbors struggle with addiction, and far too many have died, the incumbent has spent her time wining and dining on lobbyists dimes, including over $5,000 spent at fancy Boston restaurants. We need leadership, not a blindly-loyal bench backer."

The issues that define his campaign, he says, include fiscal responsibility, healthcare and education. All three being "interrelated."

"Being fiscally responsibly ensures we can provide both the best quality education and great healthcare for those in need," said Ferro. "I want every resident to have the same access to a quality public education and life saving healthcare I have had, and that's what drives me."

Ferro pledged as a candidate for council to cut his own pay by 10 percent, and said he ultimately was able to get it cut by 11 percent. It's among the accomplishments he's proud to list.

"My first year as a city councilor, the City of Marlborough had zero cash reserves, and was an estimated $1.7 million away from having to have a property override to pay its bills," he said. "I spent eight years on the Finance Committee, keeping spending in check. During that time, I personally made 80 percent of all the motions to reduce city spending. The result? Eight years later, when I left the council, the City had almost $20 Million in cash reserves, and was nearly $20 under our tax levy limit. In fact, that year Bloomberg News chose Marlborough as both 'the best place to live and raise a family' and the 'most affordable place to live' out of all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts."

During the time as councilor, Ferro said he widely published his email and cell number and urged residents to contact him when they needed help.

"I responded to constituent needs while I was traveling in New Hampshire and Virginia. I will bring that same dedication to office as State Representative," he said. "As a fifth-generation resident of this district, this has been the home to my family for a century plus. I am invested in this district and Commonwealth. I want to give back to this district as much as it has given to my family for more than a century."

Photos submitted, used with permission