Ed Dombroski: 2022 State Senator Candidate Profile

WAKEFIELD, MA — Republican Ed Dombroski will be one of two candidates on the general election ballot later this year seeking to represent the 5th Middlesex District in the state senate.

The 46-year-old is running for a seat in the legislature against incumbent Sen. Jason Lewis. Dombroski has served as a Wakefield town councilor for the past six years, serving as chair between 2019 and 2020. He previously spent three years as a member of the Wakefield Finance Committee.

Outside of town government, Dombroski works as a family law attorney and managing partner at at Travers | Dombroski in Boston.

The 5th Middlesex District will include Reading, Wakefield, Stoneham, Melrose, Malden and parts of Winchester for this year's election.

Dombroski lives in Wakefield with his partner and their dog. Dombroski graduated cum laude from Union College with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1998. He then obtained his juris doctor degree from Boston University School of Law in 2002.

Dombroski moved through last month’s state primary without a Republican opponent, triggering a general election race with Lewis, a Democrat. The general election is set for Nov. 8.

Dombroski and Lewis are set to debate on Monday in an event hosted by Wakefield Community Access TV in Wakefield. That event will take place at 7 p.m. at Wakefield's Galvin Middle School.

Patch sent candidate questionnaires to each of the candidates running in this year's 5th Middlesex District state senate race.

Here's how Dombroski responded:

Campaign website

www.EdforMA.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’m running to be our next State Senator because I know we can do better. We can do better when we put partisan bickering aside and remember who we serve.

Over my six years as a Wakefield Town Councilor, I’ve seen the impact that can be made in my community through commonsense leadership. So many people are struggling right now, as record inflation and the rising cost of living are making our communities unaffordable for too many. Residents, especially those on fixed incomes, are having to make tough choices as they face higher prices at the grocery store and gas pump, crippling home heating and utility costs, and high property taxes.

As a local elected official, I understand the challenges our neighbors face every day. I’ve lived and led on these experiences, with a record of successfully fighting for tax relief for my constituents. I want to go to Beacon Hill to be a voice for everyone. There is so much potential to be realized by having committed leadership and a fresh perspective to advocate for us all.

As a small business owner, I also bring a unique perspective on the issues small business owners face, while approaching budgeting through the lens of smart, sustainable spending. As an attorney, I’ve spent more than 20 years advocating for my clients and understanding the challenges every family faces at home, around their kitchen tables. I want to bring my lived experiences and perspectives to Beacon Hill to be an advocate for the residents of Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and Winchester.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Affordability. At a time when the state has a record budget surplus – of billions of dollars -- residents in our district are struggling to make ends meet. This is a problem, as more and more people, especially those on fixed incomes are finding it harder to stay afloat. We need to get surplus tax dollars back in the hands of the taxpayers.

I have called for tax relief that provides residents with more of their money back in their pockets to meet their living expenses. I also support more local aid to cities and towns – our communities are currently relying too much on higher property taxes as the primary source of local revenue and that is simply too heavy a burden for residents to shoulder.

I also support targeted tax relief that helps small businesses and grows our local economies, which are the heart of our communities. I am equally committed to finding ways to address high housing costs, which are shutting out many people from home ownership.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

There are many differences between me and Jason Lewis. I have consistently fought to make living here more affordable; my opponent has consistently voted to make it more expensive. For example, he voted against surplus funding being provided to local communities, voted against gas and sales tax holidays, and co-sponsored an 80% tax increase for seniors, home sales, and small businesses. I have voted for tax relief and against water and sewer rate hikes in my community and voted for increased senior tax relief.

My opponent is a far left progressive who only votes with his party. I am a moderate Republican, similar to Governor Charlie Baker, who has endorsed me in this race. I am an independent-minded leader who approaches every issue with a commonsense perspective and works across the aisle to get things done. There is far more that brings us together than divides us.

My experience on the Wakefield Town Council and Finance Committee has helped me understand the issues facing each of our cities and towns. I am a proven fiscally responsible steward of my constituents’ tax dollars.

My opponent is a career politician. I am an accomplished attorney and small business owner working in the private sector for over 20 years. I approach budgeting in my elected position the same way I do with my own business: spending within your means, always looking for greater efficiencies, and ensuring every dollar is well spent and accounted for. Senator Lewis voted himself a big pay raise. I would never do that – this is a position of public service, not for personal gain.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

As a far left progressive, Senator Lewis’ agenda is out of touch with the priorities of the majority of residents in our district, who are not interested in partisan politics. While my opponent is an ideologue, I'm a practical public servant and independent-minded thinker who understands the everyday needs of our community and has delivered for those I serve. And, a two-party system is an essential part of good governing and benefits us all.

For the current state budget, my opponent didn’t file a single budget amendment to earmark funding for any project in our district. This means that, unlike the other state senators who are advocating hard to get more dollars for the communities they represent, Sen. Jason Lewis didn’t even bother to fight for us. He has relied on his colleagues in the House of Representatives to secure some project funding for their constituents and then he attempts to share the credit for work they did, not him, on our behalf. But, he did vote himself a big pay raise, benefitting him, not us.

Jason Lewis has been on Beacon Hill for 13 years now. We deserve better. It's time for a change. As your next state Senator, I am committed to listening to what matters most to YOU, going to Beacon Hill to be a strong voice for YOU, and advancing legislation focused on delivering results for YOU in our cities and towns.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

In addition to tax relief and a focus on affordability, I believe we need to reevaluate the current state school funding formula, known as “Chapter 70.” The communities within our district continue to feel the pressures of inadequate state resources to support the quality education our children deserve. This has forced our local property tax base to make up the shortfall, which is too heavy a burden.

For too long, we’ve forced students through the same outdated system, somehow expecting better outcomes. I support individualized education paths for each student to realize their full potential. I believe every child who wishes to pursue a vocational/technical education should be granted enrollment. We desperately need expanded access to vocational training, as student demand currently far exceeds capacity. For example, at Northeast Metro Tech High School, which serves all six communities of our district, there are more than 600 students who wish to enroll but cannot be accommodated. Those are opportunities lost for so many talented students.

I am also a strong proponent of expanding Early College Programs, where high school students take college courses to earn credits, at no cost, helping to make college more affordable. We have so much growth potential for these programs in our state, as we lag behind others.

We must review and overhaul the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) school funding project formula, as the burden is currently too high on our cities and towns. But, more immediately, we need to secure additional funding for projects already underway, to cover staggering, unanticipated cost increases that will otherwise cripple local taxpayers.

I will advocate for more state funding for our deteriorating roads and sidewalks, an impactful part of our everyday lives. We are woefully underfunded to improve our roadway and sidewalk networks, compromising multi-modal transportation opportunities.

Fighting for more local aid is a high priority. The closer funding is directed to the issues within a community, the better administered those dollars are towards finding the best solutions, locally.

I strongly support women’s reproductive rights and health care. I was very discouraged by the recent Supreme Court decision that understandably created feelings of fear, uncertainty, and anger for so many. As Massachusetts already codified these rights, women can be assured they will have access to safe, high-quality care. Massachusetts has been a leader in protecting many individual rights and I expect us to continue to be a beacon of hope, opportunity, and equality.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have spearheaded and supported a number of projects and initiatives including: a major downtown economic revitalization project (“Envision Wakefield”) that is underway, tax incentives to encourage businesses to relocate to our community, construction of a renovated and expanded Public Safety Building, a comprehensive roads improvement initiative, townwide shade tree climate initiative reversing an annual deficit to a projected surplus, and first of its kind regional summit bringing all surrounding communities together to discuss priorities, strategic opportunities, and collaboration.

I have also run and grown a very successful small business, a downtown Boston law firm, for the past fifteen years.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My grandfather once asked early on in my time in elected office, “Are you doing the right things?” I responded “Yes.” He replied, “Well, that’s all that matters.” I’ve taken that advice to heart and used that question as my personal “check” with every decision I make for my constituents. It has served me well and I am forever grateful for the sage wisdom.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Outside of elected office, I am a marathon runner and sprint triathlete. These are satisfying experiences, teaching me the power of perseverance, resilience, and determination – all attributes that have helped me in both my career and in public service. I am also a proud parent of an 18-year-old Puggle (a Pug-Beagle mix) named Dublin, who my partner Glen and I have raised together since she was a puppy.