Robert B.

McCarthy, of Watertown, Announces Candidacy for State Senate

WATERTOWN - October 25 -- Robert B. McCarthy, a Watertown Democrat, announced today that he is a candidate for State Senate in the Second Suffolk and Middlesex Senate District, which includes Watertown, Belmont and parts of Cambridge, Allston-Brighton, the Fenway and the Back Bay. The seat was vacated earlier this month when State Senator Steven Tolman resigned to become the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. "Senator Steve Tolman, and his brother Warren who preceded him as Senator, both earned reputations as passionate and outspoken advocates for the people in their district," said McCarthy. "I look forward to carrying on that tradition and being a staunch supporter of the issues that matter to the 160,000 people of the Second Suffolk and Middlesex Senate District." "I will be a full time State Senator," continued McCarthy. "I have spent my entire adult life standing up and fighting for working families of the middle class. As a public employee retiree, I see day in and day out the slow demise of the middle class and the ongoing struggles that families and retirees encounter." "My priorities will be the immediate development and implementation of sound job opportunities for all who want and need a job, to improve the quality of life for the people of the district and the Commonwealth, to fight for additional funding for municipalities to assist them in providing quality municipal services including more state and federal financial assistance for fire, police and school districts to assure the Constitutional rights of public safety, public education and public welfare to the constituents of the district." Except for serving as a Town Meeting Member, Bob McCarthy has never sought public office. "I pledge that if elected to serve as State Senator I will serve only two full terms for a total of 60 months in office. I also pledge that I will donate 50% of my total compensation received as State Senator yearly to programs for senior citizens and children of the district." "This is not about the money or a career in public office. I'm running to be a voice for those who need a voice, for those who want a voice, and more importantly for those who have no voice," concluded McCarthy. Bob McCarthy is a third generation firefighter and lifelong resident of Watertown. A Vietnam era Veteran who proudly served in the United States Navy Submarine Service, USNR, on active duty from 1966 to 1968, he was appointed to the Watertown Fire Department as a firefighter in 1967 (while he was in the service) and retired as a Fire Captain in 2001. In 1985 McCarthy was elected to the position of Legislative Agent for the Professional Firefighters of MA, a statewide union of 200 local fire unions representing more than 12,000 professional firefighters. In 1987 he was elected to the office of President; he served in this role until he retired in January of 2011. He worked tirelessly at the State Capitol with the Legislative and Executive branch of

State Government and was successful with numerous pieces of legislation that were enacted into law that placed firefighters on a higher scale of skill and efficiency and established financial grants to all fire departments for safe staffing and safe equipment. He currently is one of seven Commissioners of the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission, an entity that promulgates rules and regulations for the 105 State, District and Municipal Retirement Boards in the Commonwealth. McCarthy graduated from St. Patrick High School Watertown. He received an Associate Degree in Fire Science from Massachusetts Bay Community College and attended and completed courses at the Harvard University Trade Union Program. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Fitchburg State University from 1990 to 1999 and also served on the Board of Trustees at the University of Massachusetts from 2000 to 2009. Robert McCarthy, 66, is a homeowner in Watertown with his wife of 43 years Dotty (Maurer) McCarthy. They have three children and five grandchildren. ###