Crighton: I will hit ground running

LYNN – Brendan Crighton said who he is today is a direct result of an amazing family and the community he hopes to represent, should he win the race for the 11th Essex District seat in September.A product of the Lynn Public Schools from grades kindergarten through 12, he said he took part in every after-school program and played in every park and playground.”Really, everything I am is based off our community,” he said.With nine years at the State House under Sen. Thomas McGee, first as a staffer and now his chief of staff, and four and a half years on the City Council, Crighton believes he is uniquely qualified for the state representative job.”I have the ability to hit the ground running,” he said. “I’ve built relationships with staff and legislators, which you need to get things done.”During his time on Beacon Hill, Crighton also banked time working with McGee on the Transportation Committee, veterans, and labor and workforce development.Locally he served on the Waterfront Steering Committee and, unlike his opponent Aikaterini Panagiotakis Koudanis, he supports the master plan developed for the area. He said the plan was developed after dozens of public hearings, and it includes a boardwalk, mixed-use buildings with residential and retail, and a number of different water uses. He said he would also support high-rises, to which Koudanis is specifically opposed, because the plan calls for some protected sight lines that would still allow for public views of the water. Both of Crighton’s opponents, Koudanis and Charlie Gallo, faulted Crighton for supporting a salary increase for the mayor, boosting the salary from $82,500 to $145,000, which, in turn, gives city councilors a raise as well. Koudanis and Gallo argued that since other departments are taking a financial hit, it is not the right time for an increase, but Crighton said he stands by his vote. He said the new salary puts the Lynn mayor, who is in charge of the city of 90,000, in line with like-sized communities, adding, “It didn’t double our salary.”He said the new salary for councilors reflects the combination of their previous pay plus a stipend for expenses. Councilors are no longer be eligible for expenses.Crighton said he believes the biggest challenges facing the city are job growth, educational opportunities and infrastructure and economic development. He cited the new Marshall Middle School and the playground at Lynn Tech as a good examples of investing in infrastructure, but he said there are too many neighborhoods that have been neglected for too long.He said he also believes that transportation issues have been let go for too long. Crighton said he would support indexing the gas tax to inflation. He said he views it as essentially a user fee for the roads.”It hasn’t been raised since 1991,” Crighton said, adding that even that, in the end, won’t likely fully fund transportation needs because the move toward more energy-efficient vehicles will eventually cut gas sales.He supports a proposed casino at Suffolk Downs in Revere because of what it might mean in terms of jobs and development for Lynn; believes “the Blue Line is still alive, baby”; and supports keeping Union as a full-service hospital.Crighton lauded the blossoming downtown arts and culture district as a creative way to try and grow the economy and defended his idea to rezone the Boston Street corridor. Largely zoned currently for only heavy and light industry, Crighton said the area from Washington Street to Flax Pond would be better off zoned for retail, residential or mixed use.He also defended legislative support for Market Basket workers in their bid to have Arthur T. Demoulas reinstated as chief executive of the local supermarket chain.”I don’t think it’s overstepping by providing local support,” he said. “It’s a privately owned company, but I do think it’s in the scope to support the workers.”Crighton said being a Democrat means sticking up for people and working hard for the middle class and