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Democrat launches Poirier challenge
 Matt Trowbridge announces his candidacy at Box Seats in North Attleboro Thursday. (Staff photo by Tom Magurie)
Top Headlines Candidate criticizes incumbent over Registry
NORTH ATTLEBORO - Democrat Matt Trowbridge says if he is elected state representative he would be more pro-active on issues like the closing of the local Registry of Motor Vehicles office than incumbent Rep. Betty Poirier has been."A service was cut and jobs were lost," Trowbridge, said Thursday in formally announcing he is running against Poirier, R-North Attleboro. As a result of the closing, local residents have to travel to places like Taunton and wait in line three hours to renew a license, he said. Trowbridge made his announcement in front of about 30 supporters at Box Seats, a restaurant in Tower Square off Route 1. In a separate interview, Trowbridge said he would have handled the issue differently than Poirier. He said he would have stayed in touch with registry officials before they made a decision to close the North Attleboro branch office so he could fight to protect the local service. He also said Poirier caused her district to be "severed" from the service by attacking state officials instead of working with them. After closing the office in North Attleboro, the registry agreed to open a smaller branch in downtown Attleboro at the urging of state Rep. Bill Bowles, D-Attleboro. Trowbridge, 23, said he knows he is taking on a well-entrenched incumbent, but added he hopes to raise $40,000 to fund his campaign. The challenger said jobs will be the top issue in the campaign. If elected, he said he would meet with industry leaders to entice them to local in the district. He said unemployment is too high and many other workers are "underemployed" at jobs that do not match their qualifications. "It's time to put people back to work," he said. Several supporters spoke at the event to vouch for Trowbridge's character and work ethic. The Rev. Carole Baker of Central Congregational Church in Attleboro Falls said she has known Trowbridge since "he was knee-high to a grasshopper." She said even as a child, he was asking difficult theological questions and wanted to attend adult services rather than Sunday school for children. He became a junior deacon as a child and is now an adult deacon and Sunday school teacher at the church, she said. Claire Naughton of Foxboro, a Democratic State Committee member, said she knows Trowbridge from working on campaigns with him and through their involvement with the Stonewall Democrats, a gay rights group. She said he is diligent, hardworking and can always be counted on to complete a task on time. Eliza Beringhause, another state committee member, said Trowbridge reflects community values of the district. The election is not until November of next year, but Trowbridge said he wanted to get an early start on campaigning.
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curmudgeon wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:56 PM:
I wonder why that was. I don't see any reason to reduce an opposition voice just because... "
reality check wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:30 PM:
If you think this kid will get something done or could have saved any RMV you are wrong. If Matt ever got to Beacon Hill he'll be getting lunches for the Speaker - they won't even recognize him. Ask Bowles.
BTW - we should be thanking Rep Poirier, she and the rest of the local delegation carry Bowles around the district. He's the one taking cheap shots. The most effort he's exerted was to reach around and pat himself on the back after crediting himself with saving the RMV.
We don't need another waterboy for the tax-happy Democrats. This kid doesn't have a calling to serve, he needs a job at the state trough with some sweet benefits.
Give me Poirier any day. She shows up, she works hard. She won't vote away our hard earned money. "
Paul Couturier wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:03 PM:
HE'S A TAX-AND-SPEND DUMBOCRAT!!!!!!!!!
I saw it with my own eyes this past Monday at the semi-annual RTM meeting...when the Town Clerk was counting the votes for the NEW MEAL TAX here in North Attleboro, matty PROUDLY stood up and voted FOR this NEW TAX!!!!!!!!!!!!
NEED I SAY MORE???????????????????? "
skeptic wrote on Oct 23, 2009 4:09 PM:
hardhearted wrote on Oct 23, 2009 4:00 PM:
How many people voted for Obama because they did not like the Bush administration. Forgetting, it seems, that Bush did not run. And here we see people who post comments indicating they will vote for Trowbridge simply because he is not Poirier. Although the many small minded usually have to slip a personal insult against Poirier. "
kd40 wrote on Oct 23, 2009 2:49 PM:
What's so real about this person, besides HATE?
Everytime he says something, he swings more vote to the Democrats??? "
common sense coordinator wrote on Oct 23, 2009 1:54 PM:
You are quite correct. Sometimes I forget that common sense does not always (or often) prevail. Luckily for me it helps me earn my title! "
bigred12 wrote on Oct 23, 2009 1:53 PM:
I don't know you but I'm going to assume you are a decent guy. Do yourself a favor and go get a real private sector job. We don't need another body in the pension system. "
realist wrote on Oct 23, 2009 1:31 PM:
Common Sense Coordinator wrote on Oct 23, 2009 1:07 PM:
kd40 wrote on Oct 23, 2009 12:31 PM:
Good Luck Matt!!
I know a lot fo folks who are working for you!!! "
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 23, 2009 12:13 PM:
hardhearted wrote on Oct 23, 2009 11:44 AM:
If he wants to impress me he would run as an independent.
And to Claire Naughton -- you're not helping by citing his work with a group of Dems that already has a specific agenda. "
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 23, 2009 11:18 AM:
Gate City, VA The ACLU of Virginia today asked the principal at Gate City High School to honor the free speech rights of students who plan to protest the ACLU at the school's football game tomorrow night.
The students are reacting to a September 15 letter from the ACLU of Virginia telling school officials that a sectarian prayer delivered over the public address system at a football game was unconstitutional. According to news reports, the students have now produced more than 1,000 t-shirts, which they plan to wear to this Friday's game. The front of the t-shirts shows the school's initials, a cross, and the words, "I still pray" On the back is, "In Jesus' name."
"Religious liberty demands that the government not impose religious views on anyone," said ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis, "and free speech demands that the government allow individuals to express their views. This means that Gate City High School officials may not permit sectarian prayers over the public address system at football games, but that they must allow students to protest the ACLU's effort to stop those prayers."
Interesting "
Edmund.Dantes wrote on Oct 23, 2009 11:17 AM:
Failing to make it equal representation (and please don't bring up the false argument of ours being a Christian nation - that's nowhere in the Constitution) means that, to avoid alienating non-majority faiths, there needs to be the more rigid separation of church and state. Otherwise, you risk the charge of religious indoctrination or unilateralism. Faith is an issue best considered personally, not as part of the school day where academics are supposed to be the focus. The option for those seeking greater faith inclusion in their academic lives is obvious and has been part of the landscape for centuries - religiously affiliated schools. That prevents unintended religious influence over children. "
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 23, 2009 11:12 AM:
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 23, 2009 10:49 AM:
kevin h. wrote on Oct 23, 2009 10:38 AM:
September 17, 2009
ACLU: Prayer At Football Game Unconstitutional "
common_sense wrote on Oct 23, 2009 10:13 AM:
common sense coordinator wrote on Oct 23, 2009 10:12 AM:
And, lastly, Rep. Poirier has done much good for her district regardless of whether you agree with her religious beliefs. Keep in mind this is a local State Representative's races not a national one. Rep. Poirier has worked hard to get and maintain funding, grants and other essentials for her district. "
late to the party wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:58 AM:
1-20-2013 wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:57 AM:
Whaddaya say we start by not allowing Muslim Hijabs and Sikh Turbans ?
OOOPS !!! I said it !
Here in PC Edu-World, one can't wear a baseball cap, but of course, some are more equal than others. "
Duffman wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:39 AM:
How is he going to entice business to move here? We already elected someone to the highest office who told us that he would do things but didn't tell us how.
(I am not a Betty supporter) "
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:34 AM:
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:28 AM:
common sense coordinator wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:22 AM:
I want to hear specifically what Matt is going to do different/better than Rep. Poirier. We do not need another lemming, like Rep. Bowels from Attleboro, that conforms to the wishes of Democratic leadership on Beacon Hill.
Lets hear from a fresh thinker...for once! "
curmudgeon wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:21 AM:
As for the RMV story, lets now in hindsight look at the facts, the RMV closed all of the higher rent office that were in private buildings, all of them, and with a annual rent of over $100K in North Attleborough, that office was marked for closure.
The great democratic leader form Taunton Sen. Pacheco, just killed of the continuation of the contract between the AAA of New England and the RMV to preform certain RMV function in their offices. A democrat protecting the status quo ante, and doing the bidding of the state union leaders.
Does young Mr. Trowbridge have a position on that?
And again why the lack of basic information in this story? Could it be that they might be negatives? "
kevin h. wrote on Oct 23, 2009 9:18 AM:
How about a student in class saying "Oh, my God." Do you give your permission for that?
Please, by your grace, accept the request to teach about 911 even though it is about religion and religious differences.
The First Amendment is about freedom to, not freedom from. For example, a football team voluntarily saying a prayer before a game is not government writing a law respecting an establishment of religion. But the liberal athiest get their knickers in a twist about these types of things stating the infantile excuse "separation of chuch and state"
Why, I ask then, do millions of voters use churches as polling places? "
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 23, 2009 8:47 AM:
realist wrote on Oct 23, 2009 8:33 AM:
Mr. Trowbridge should realize the RMV office cuts were made by the Democratic Governor's appointee.
He will meet with employers and entice them to the district? This rhetoric about how he will talk to employers about bringing jobs here sound like more "Change I can believe in." "
IShouldBeMayor wrote on Oct 23, 2009 8:25 AM:
Where is the plan? Where is even ONE single idea on how to bring jobs back besides adding more public sector jobs and increasing taxes? I don't see one.
Who will step up to the plate with a gut to say something useful and be a real candidate? Time will tell. "
kevin h. wrote on Oct 23, 2009 7:33 AM:
As in:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;..." "
ps911fan wrote on Oct 23, 2009 7:19 AM:
ps911fan wrote on Oct 23, 2009 7:18 AM: