This interview was originally published in a winter 2006 newsletter.
Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr., was elected to the Massachusetts Senate in 1996, and is serving his fifth term. Representing 48 cities and towns in the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin District, Sen. Nuciforo has worked to enhance elder services, promote economic development, strengthen public education and protect the environment.
Sen. Nuciforo serves as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Financial Services. He is Vice Chair of the Elder Affairs Committee, and is also a member of the Higher Education, Consumer Protection, and Election Laws Committees.
As Senate Chair of the Financial Services Committee, you are charged with reviewing and acting on various auto insurance proposals. What are some of the reforms you think the Legislature could adopt to make auto insurance work better for consumers?
I believe we can make our auto insurance market more competitive without sacrificing important consumer protections. We need legislation that fights fraud and theft, and reduces the high incidence of traffic accidents in the commonwealth.
We must also fix the so-called residual market (i.e. the place where high-risk drivers get auto insurance) so that all of the auto insurance companies share losses in an equitable way. I do not believe that Massachusetts law should allow insurers to set rates using criteria such as credit history, occupation, marital status and education level.
I’m sure you’re hearing about high energy prices from your constituents. What are you advising them to do to deal with this problem?
In response [to my constituents], I have supported, and the Massachusetts Legislature has passed, a bill providing tax credits and tax deductions to those meeting eligibility requirements—the Home Energy Assistance and Tax Relief Act.
This, along with state and federal programs, such as Citizen Energy Oil and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), will provide temporary relief to those most affected by high costs.
However, this energy crisis calls each of us to re-evaluate how we consume energy. An energy audit can be helpful in recommending improvements that will conserve energy resources and help create a home environment that is efficient. Collectively, each person’s conservation efforts will go a long way to help control energy costs.
And with the Bush administration pushing for policies that favor big, polluting, profitable energy companies, what can the Commonwealth do to get on the track toward a cleaner energy future?
When the Bush administration proposes giving away $7 billion in royalties to the oil and gas industries, as they did in February, we had better take it upon ourselves to address clean energy solutions. Frankly, we missed an opportunity earlier this year when the governor opted out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Moving forward, we always need to be focused on conservation efforts and should instill this upon our children through educational outreach. We also need to actively engage efficiency programs, as we did recently in the Legislature by passing energy efficiency standards and tax credits, promoting green building design, and instituting a $1 million Fuel Cell Initiative.
Identifying new sources of clean energy is truly a unique opportunity for the United States, and Massachusetts is well positioned to lead that effort.
What are the issues that top your agenda right now at the Statehouse?
I’ve been working closely with my colleagues to provide meaningful health care coverage for all residents of the Commonwealth. I am also focused on securing additional resources for the Brownfield Redevelopment Fund, which has been extremely successful at reviving contaminated sites in cites and towns across Massachusetts. I have also authored a bill to require the state pension fund to divest its holdings from companies that do business with the Sudan. And, as mentioned, I look forward to addressing many of the shortcomings of the auto insurance situation.
What role do groups like MASSPIRG play in the debates about clean energy and consumer protection?
MASSPIRG continues to play an active role in keeping the legislative spotlight on key environmental and consumer issues. My staff and I interact frequently with representatives from MASSPIRG, who provide us with fair and accurate information, which I very much appreciate. The organization has also had tremendous success at mobilizing support on the grassroots level. Like my colleagues, it’s critical to hear from my constituents about their positions on the issues.
