PEABODY — They do not share the same party affiliation, but that does not mean Democrat Joyce Spiliotis and Republican Martin Scafidi have widely divergent views.
The two candidates for state representative in the 12th Essex District actually have a lot in common. Both support casino gambling as a revenue raiser for the state, though their ideas for what gaming in Massachusetts should look like differ slightly.
Spiliotis, the incumbent who is seeking a fifth term, prefers one resort casino and two "racinos," a reference to racetracks licensed to house slot machines.
"I don't know if Massachusetts can sustain three (casinos)," she said, arguing that competition from casinos in surrounding states would soften the demand for such establishments here. Spiliotis sees one casino somewhere in the central part of the state.
While that casino is being debated and built, Spiliotis favors a quick implementation of slots. "With the racinos, at least you can bring revenue in within a few months," she said.
Scafidi believes the state should have one racino that can generate revenue while two casinos are being developed. He envisions a casino in the western part of the state that could draw business from Connecticut and New York and another facility in Boston, maybe at Suffolk Downs or in South Boston.
"The one in the Boston area would probably bring more conventions into the state," Scafidi said. He is making his first bid for public office to represent a district that includes all but one of Peabody's six wards.
Scafidi and Spiliotis see eye-to-eye on health care insurance plan design. Many city and town officials, including Peabody Mayor Michael Bonfanti, want plan design to be removed from the collective bargaining between the city and its employees. That step, the mayor and others argue, would give the city unilateral authority to control and reduce its insurance costs.
But Scafidi likes the existing arrangement and said other cost-saving measures should be explored.
"I think that when you have an agreement with somebody then that should stand," he said. "When you have a contract and people come into the job knowing that this is what they are going to get, then you have to provide that. ... You need to honor your contracts."
Spiliotis pointed out that during the last round of contract talks the city won concessions that increased city employees' share of health care premiums. She expects that more inroads will be made during negotiations on a new contract.
"I'm assuming that that's on the table now," she said. "I'm sure at some point that the unions and the city will come to some agreement on that."
Neither candidate supports raising the retirement age for state workers, a pension reform measure discussed by the gubernatorial candidates. The minimum age now is 55 for certain groups of employees, 65 for others.
"I think leaving it as it is, is fine," Spiliotis said.
"I haven't given that a lot of thought, to be honest with you," Scafidi said. He would oppose adjusting the age for existing employees but would be open to making a change that would impact only newly hired workers.
"Pretty much everything is on the table for new workers," he said.
Spiliotis will vote against Question 3 on the ballot, which, if approved, would trim the state sales tax from 6.25 percent to 3 percent.
"It would be devastating," she said. "At least 30 percent cuts in every program across the board would need to be made. It would affect public safety, home health care, Meals on Wheels, a lot of things that are very vital to our community."
Scafidi will vote in favor of the tax reduction, though not because he wants the percentage to fall to 3. He supports the question's passage as a way to bring down the tax to 5 percent, a level that provides consumers some relief but also lets the state fulfill its financial obligations.
"I could go with 5 percent but that's not what it says on the ballot," Spiliotis said.
Though it's on the ballot in other local communities, not Peabody, Spiliotis said she would support legalizing and taxing marijuana.
"I hadn't thought about it just because it's not on the ballot," she said. "(But) I don't have a problem with it, honestly. What's the difference between that and drinking?"
Scafidi agrees with the decriminalization of the drug, but nothing beyond that.
"I don't know that I'm for legalizing marijuana," he said.
