{"id":2425,"date":"2026-06-10T23:34:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T23:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=2425"},"modified":"2026-06-10T23:34:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T23:34:16","slug":"facing-wu-connected-challengers-two-state-senators-defend-opposition-to-some-of-her-beacon-hill-priorities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=2425","title":{"rendered":"Facing Wu-connected challengers, two state senators defend opposition to some of her Beacon Hill priorities"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Two Boston-area state senators facing challengers with connections to Mayor Michelle Wu defended their opposition to some of her legislative priorities on Beacon Hill, saying that their role is to be both a partner and a check on City Hall, while their opponents argued for more collaboration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more R.I. lawmakers vote to ban new charter schools for three years<\/a><\/p>\n

Wu-influenced dynamics hung over a dual candidate forum Tuesday featuring both incumbent state Democratic Senators Will Brownsberger and Nick Collins, and their primary challengers. Daniel Lander, a former Wu aide, is taking on Brownsberger, while Latoya Gayle, a Wu-backed first-time candidate, and Juwan Skeens, a former city of Boston youth worker, are challenging Collins. <\/span><\/p>\n

Both Collins and Brownsberger havepublicly clashed with Wu over her push to temporarily shift more of the city\u2019s property tax burden onto commercial real estate in order to soften a spike in homeowners\u2019 property tax bills. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

In back-to-back events hosted by Boston\u2019s Wards 4 and 5 Democratic committees atBerklee College of Music,the conversationsranged from how to tackle the city\u2019s housing and affordability crises to increasing funding for public schools. But the candidates most clearly split on the role they believe Boston\u2019s state senators should have in advocating for Wu\u2019s priorities, many of which have died on Beacon Hill amid opposition from the city\u2019s own Senate delegation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Both Brownsberger and Collins acknowledged the ongoing tension between themselves and the mayor after they fought to kill her property tax legislation, during which Collins accused Wu of using \u201cfear and manipulation\u201d in a bid to get the proposal through the Legislature. Brownsberger described his relationship with Wu as \u201ca little bit strained,\u201d but insisted he\u2019s not harboring any lingering negative feelings. Collins said he and Wu continue to be \u201cin a debate.\u201d (Wu did not attend the forum.)<\/span><\/p>\n

But they argued that state lawmakers\u2019 role is not simply to acquiesce to local leaders on issues that can have ramifications beyond those cities and towns. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are one Commonwealth, there are 351 cities and towns \u2014 it\u2019s entirely appropriate that there should be statewide rules on things like taxes, transportation,\u201d said Brownsberger, a Belmont Democrat who represents parts of Boston. <\/span><\/p>\n

Wu has expressed increasing frustration that many of her legislative priorities \u2014 from creating a local option for rent control to setting a tax on high-dollar real estate transactions \u2014 have met dead ends at the State House.<\/span><\/p>\n

Collins, a South Boston Democrat, Tuesday argued that state lawmakers should not blindly support City Hall-backed policies. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are times where you\u2019re working closely together, and sometimes you\u2019re debating, and that\u2019s the important part of this job,\u201d Collins said. \u201cIt\u2019s not to be a \u2018yes\u2019 person. It\u2019s not to do everything somebody asked you to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lander, Gayle, and Skeens countered that Boston\u2019s senators have not done enough to support Wu\u2019s efforts to tackle issues such as housing affordability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Boston police arrest 8 after protesters disrupt City Council vote on $4.9 billion budget<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve asked for state support, we\u2019ve sent up home rule [petitions] for things like a transfer fee to invest in affordable housing, and the answer from my opponent is, \u2018No, those things do not get a vote,\u2019\u201d Lander said. \u201cWe need much more collaboration in the state Senate with cities, all across the district.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Gayle and Lander both framed their races as a choice between the status quo and more urgency. While Wu has backed Gayle, she has not publicly weighed in on the race between Brownsberger and Lander.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe share constituents,\u201d Gayle said of Boston\u2019s senators and Wu. \u201cYou get more things done when you\u2019re working together and not in conflict and fighting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Skeens also agreed there\u2019s room for more partnership between City Hall and Beacon Hill. \u201cThe state could be doing a little bit more to support the city of Boston,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

All the candidates agreed in part on some policy issues, including subjecting the governor\u2019s office and the Legislature to public records law. All five said they would support it to some degree, with Brownsberger saying he believesthe Legislature should agree to it \u201cin some form.\u201d Collins and Brownsberger also defended state lawmakers\u2019 efforts to increase transparency, while acknowledging there is room for improvement. <\/span><\/p>\n

All five also said they oppose a proposed ballot question that would cut the state\u2019s income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent. <\/span><\/p>\n

But on some policies, they split. Brownsberger said he opposes both creating a local real estate transfer fee and allowing for rent control, while Collins said he would support local municipalities\u2019 ability to opt into both, rather than settinga statewide policy. Lander, Gayle, and Skeens said they firmly support both. <\/span><\/p>\n

Michael Holmes, a 25-year-old Boston resident and member of the Ward 5 Democratic committee, said the debate did not settle who he plans to support. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re public seats, and at the end of the day, that\u2019s what\u2019s important, is we kind of keep pushing the needle,\u201d Holmes said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Trump again shrugs off high prices amid war with Iran<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mayor Michelle Wu has endorsed Latoya Gayle, who is challenging incumbent state Senator Nick Collins, but has not weighed in on the race between one of her former aides and state Senator Will Brownsberger. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nFacing Wu-connected challengers, two state senators defend opposition to some of her Beacon Hill priorities - Boston Relocation Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=2425\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Facing Wu-connected challengers, two state senators defend opposition to some of her Beacon Hill priorities - 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