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Our commonwealth is known for progress and innovation, where people are drawn to imagine and shape the future. But in the first few decades of this century, Massachusetts has become the least affordable state in the country. A broken system reduces quality of life and robs our children of their future. Corporations, lobbyists, and political action committees have far more say in our government than voters.
As the September 1 Democratic primary edges closer, voters are looking for a political shift that tackles the affordability crisis. But change has come slowly in our state. An analysis by Fiscal Note in 2023 put the Massachusetts State House as the least efficient in the country. Taxpayers are left wondering: How do we fix a broken system? Lack of transparency at the State House makes it difficult to understand why the legislature is ineffective and unresponsive to its constituents.
State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville) is making a bid for Massachusetts State Senate, and her work to improve transparency on Beacon Hill is resonating across party lines. Constituents are surprised to learn that committee votes at the State House were done in secrecy up until June of last year. Our elected officials voted but we never knew how they voted. There was no way to hold anyone accountable for why a bill passed or failed. After years of advocacy led by Uyterhoeven, committee votes are now public information.
However, “yes” or “no” roll call votes in the general assembly are still rare. Bills often pass (or fail) on a voice vote; the loudest side wins and there is no record of how each elected official voted. In working to change that, Uyterhoeven stands apart from other candidates who quietly let legislation expire at the behest of leadership and corporate lobbyists. That’s why some establishment Democrats are upset with her push for more transparency. This begs the question: Who benefits from the current system?
Uyterhoeven is not alone in her commitment to transform the broken system. Only 28% of residents viewed the state legislature favorably in a March 2026 poll. Although residents voted overwhelmingly for a ballot question in 2024 to increase transparency of the state legislature through regular audits, the promised formal audit has been actively blocked by the same establishment Democrats.
Uyterhoeven’s push for more transparency came to a head late last year when House leadership dropped a 100-plus page bill written by Eversource on legislators’ desks. They were told they had 30 hours to read and vote yes on the bill. Uyterhoeven teamed up with environmental justice groups to parse Eversource’s bill. She learned that it would give the company another 30-year monopoly, green light rate-hikes, and gut Mass Save, which is a program to reduce our carbon footprint.
When the bill came to a vote, Uyterhoeven challenged it. To ensure the bill’s defeat, she asked for a roll call vote. Every legislator had to vote on record, and the bill was defeated. That is what leadership looks like.
But establishment colleagues were unhappy that Uyterhoeven forced a public vote. The reasons are evident. In Massachusetts, the crisis of accountability is compounded by State House leadership who yield excessive power. Leadership decides who is elected to which committee, which in turn determines how much money they make and how many aides they can have. If elected officials step out of line with leadership they risk losing income and staff. To ensure elected representatives can vote according to their conscience, we must reform the State House's hierarchical power structure. To increase accountability and transparency, Uyterhoeven’s push to replace routine voice votes with mandatory roll call votes is an essential first step.
Whether in housing, education, or healthcare, the fate of our communities is intertwined with the decisions made on Beacon Hill. Uyterhoeven’s work to bring transparency to the State House benefits working families and individuals while restoring trust in government. Her message resonates across party lines because it challenges corporate greed and establishment politics. As the face of a growing movement to reform state government, she is running for state Senate to continue her fight to ensure Beacon Hill serves the people, not corporate interests.
We, as residents and taxpayers in Massachusetts, want to make sure these important issues concerning the Massachusetts Legislature and its representatives are widely understood.
Susan M. Akram – Belmont
Elaine Hagopian – Cambridge
