001we're outside the Ashlin polls with Senate President Karen spilka Senator uh Happy election day thank you happy Election Day to you too you're on the ballot again uh I am so what this will be what you're if successful today uh it'll be what term number um I'd have to since I've been a senator since 2005 2005 so so 19 years 19 almost 20 years all right great yeah and quite you're the Senate President so a lot has changed since you know when you I remember first meeting you on the Asen school committee now you're the my words the most powerful person in the in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts talk to me why election day is important well I think election day is so important because as we all know uh we are a democracy and
002every person's vote is their voice and their voice means a lot particularly in the United States of America because we are a democracy it sounds sort of circular but it's true and their vot their vote is their voice which tells uh people how they want the country to go how they want the state to go how they want the city and town the direction um and and they have to realize that how important it is for people to hear their voice uh and that is you know so important to me to know where people stand and it's not just Election Day election day is important but it's important for for people to let uh folks know what's important to them what their issues are what are their concerns what are their what things are are
003going well but what things are not going so well it's really important that it helps set for me the agenda for the Senate you know what are the important issues facing my district whether it be housing Transportation uh getting debt-free college or being able to afford and go to some sort of college uh child care that is one of the most expensive in Massachusetts it's because of listening to so many people that I've focused on reforming it and lowering the cost of child care making it more accessible for young families which allows them to send their children but it also frees up their parents to go back to work if they want to go back to work which we know so many people were out of work particularly after covid so we need to take
004advantage of people if they want to go back to work so all of those issues you know I hear on a day-to-day basis by by listening to the people of my district you know I think you brought up a good point and it be it's okay if you don't disagree I mean you and I have known each other for probably 25 years fair to say that we probably don't agree on everything but you and I can talk to each other we can work stuff out we can kind of go like this but at the end of the day we can still Shake our hands and you'll take my phone call and I'll certainly take your phone call you know you here about so much discourse in the United States do you do you see it
005or is it a lot of it media driven and if you do see it how do we fix it I think it's both I think it does exist I do think it exists more on a national level than a state level um and that is really sad to me uh and you're right people should be able to disagree I you know whether you're Democrat Republican I mean even amongst the Democrats in in my Us in the Senate we surely don't always agree and sometimes it's pretty vehement disagreement and so same thing with the Republicans there are times that you know I I sit down with the Republicans in in in the Senate and talk about what their issues are and what they're you know they feel they want to get done and we work together
006and you're right when we disagree we disagree but move on because there's so many so many more areas and issues that we agree upon so and we're all here for the same thing to make uh and improve the quality of life for the residents of Massachusetts and and make Massachusetts an even stronger more affordable more competitive more Equitable State talk real quick cuz I think it's wonderful the Community College stuff that you pushed through and got done talk about how that's going to benefit everybody in Massachusetts okay um well for decades enrollment in Community College was declining enrollment in our state universities and new Mass was declining by making Community College universally free just since September just since September it's now November Community College enrollment has gone up 14% wow 14% that is amazing for
007the first time so many students so many people who live in the wealth who never thought that any sort of public high any higher ed was possible whether they had to work they couldn't afford it they didn't think they were capable whatever and so they just didn't even try suddenly that door is open so their dreams in fact um I remember talking to Jose from LEL had been a brick mason for 14 years he's now going to uh middle sex community college to get a degree in uh Health Sciences life sciences and he has a job waiting for him good salary living wage and his 14-year-old daughter he said he she said I could see she's just so proud of her papa and for the first time she is thinking of going to college so
008it's an intergenerational thing so it will help these these families who are now struggling to get a get an education fill some of the workplace gaps in healthare education um and so many other areas that we have in Massachusetts we need workers and so their families will be better off and then the next generation's families will also be better off always been on the same page with this special needs in the Mental Health crisis what what's the state working on now cuz you know as I've talked to you my biggest concern is coming out of Co is even like kids that go to school here they were the most impacted people by the covid crisis you know uh what's the state working on now to uh kind of combat the Mental Health crisis well a
009lot of things um I I hope you know that um you know I helped push through Advocate and push through the M most major mental health Reform Bill two two years ago uh propelling Massachusetts to be first in the nation but we also have a new program where we are opening up out clinics in various areas across the state and there are some in Metro West so that people can go to get outpatient Health um you know when a lot of people put you know local priority money I have put money towards my schools to be able to get more funding for for mental health behavioral health in whatever way they feel it's necessary but when uh we had arer dollars for example knowing that schools and other places we're having a hard time finding
010social workers counselors behavioral counselors I put $400 million towards uh tuition and loan repayment for people who went into these mental health behavioral health and promised to come out and work in public service mental and Behavioral Health so hopefully we will be seeing and I've been talking in increase in the number of people going into these fields and I've been talking to some of the local uh colleges and and universities across the state about providing more programs so that people we have more people going into all the more reason why we need access to education in the state Senate President Karen spilka always a pleasure great to see you here at the polls today thank you thank you