Joseph McGonagle – Everett Leader Herald

September election showdown

Alcy v McGonagle Measures Power of New Everett Rising Over Old Everett

**Rep Joe McGonagle at Glendale Park.** (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

**Guerline Alcy at Glendale Park.** (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

By JOSH RESNEK

Representative Joe McGonagle will be facing city activist Guerline Alcy in a winner take all primary in September.

Alcy announced last week.

McGonagle stands right now at the peak of his power, with no candidate able to beat him for years despite some solid efforts being made.

Former councilor Gerly Adrien took him on for representative several years back and was beaten soundly.

Alcy will be the second Haitian candidate to take on the incumbent in what might turn out to be a significant race if both candidates get out their vote.

The Haitian community has been showing a great deal of political activity in recent weeks.

Revelations of the racist memes and talk by city officials and especially by Councilor Anthony DiPierro and the mayor’s chief of communications Deanna Deveney have tended to unite the Haitian community.

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Partial Payment of Driver’s Fines Being Driven by Rep. McGonagle

An Antidote to Suspension, Revocation

By Josh Resnek

Have you ever racked up fines that got so high your driver’s license was suspended and you weren’t allowed to drive and your life virtually came apart as a result?

If Everett Rep. Joe McGonagle has his way, a bill he has co-sponsored with Senator Sal DiDomenico on the senate side of the aisle, will allow for partial payment of fines instead of relying only on suspension and revocation.

The matter was taken up last week at a Joint Committee on Transportation.

McGonagle appeared before the committee.

Rep. McGonagle said he spoke from personal experience, having former employees who faced continuous roadblocks of not having their licenses due to their owed fees. He says the breaking point came a few years ago when a constituent approached him about his issue and reached out to DA Marian Ryan to see what could be done.

DA Ryan also spoke before the committee.

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DiDomenico and McGonagle do the right thing

A recent bill filed by State Senator Sal DiDomenico and supported in the House by State Rep. Joe McGonagle to allow those who owe the Registry of Motor Vehicles fines an opportunity to pay them back over time instead of having their licenses revoked is big news as far as we consider it.

This is the type of bill that separates Senator Sal and Rep. Joe from the pack of big feeling public officials who think it is OK to take away a person’s license to drive because they owe money to the registry.

If this hasn’t happened to you, think about it – losing your license to drive because you owe state fines.

It tends to ruin the lives of near person this happens to, and it is wrong, wrong, wrong, for the state to have the right to suspend a driver’s license or registration because you can’t pay the fine in one lump sum the way a millionaire can pay for his boat fees or golfing membership.

If this has happened to you, you know how devastating a situation you find yourself in.

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Rep. McGonagle and the new speaker

The truth be known, Rep. McGonagle misses former Speaker Robert DeLeo, who retired last month as the longest serving speaker in Massachusetts history.

However, we are pleased to report that Rep. McGonagle has shown his ability to change with the times.

He has a great working relationship with the new Speaker Ron Mariano.

In fact, McGonagle is Mariano’s type of guy.

Mariano is a people person. He has a strong work ethic.

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McLaughlin issues debate challenge to incumbent Rep

Massachusetts State House. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

As we enter the final month of the 2020 State Representative campaign and seeing that nothing is of the normal that we could have imagined in February when nomination papers became available.

Seeing that the voters of Everett should hear directly from Representative McGonagle and I on the important issues facing our city and state.

I today put out a challenge to State Representative McGonagle that we both work together to see a one hour debate can occur and be shown as often as possible on ECTV and covered by the local news media over the next 30 days.

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