Q&A from today's Salem News...

Published: February 02, 2008 06:31 am

Q&A with candidates for 8th Essex District

Questions:

1. If elected, would you support casino gambling in Massachusetts?

2. What do you see as the most important issue facing voters in the 8th District?

3. Do you favor elimination of the state income tax? Why or why not?

4. Has MCAS testing improved our public schools; or has it diverted resources from other areas important to the education of our children?

5. Do you favor a proposal that would allow individual communities to impose an additional tax on restaurant meals and hotel room rentals?

Tanya DeGenova, Republican

Age: 58

Address: 13 Taft St., Marblehead

Family: Widow; has two grown daughters, Alexandra and Anastasia

Occupation: Retired FBI agent, security consultant, specializing in national security and civil rights

Education: Nottingham High School, Syracuse, N.Y.; Syracuse University (B.A. in Education and French Lit); Master's from Georgetown University (International Relations)

1. Would need more information on how much money from revenues will be earmarked for our district (and impact on public safety).

2. More state aid, would like to see tax dollars come back to the communities to provide quality education for all law-abiding citizens and newcomers of our district, to provide better infrastructure and public services (public safety), and clean up our environment. We need to develop our economy and create more jobs and affordable housing to retain our young work force.

3. Yes, as I believe in a small and efficient state government.

4. I believe in a standardized national exam at the completion of secondary education like they have in France. Absent that, MCAS is a good start, but should not detract from an individualized education of core subjects with periodic measuring steps. We can achieve such a system if we dedicate our "education budget" on our own law-abiding citizens and newcomers, instead of squandering our tax dollars on those living outside our laws and who do not contribute to our tax base.

5. Maybe for hotel rooms, but not restaurants where our own constituents go.