Rita A. Mendes

Supports affordable housing funding (real estate transfer fee, doubled deeds excise tax), tenant protections (rent control, just cause eviction, right to counsel, eviction sealing, social housing), and opposes shifting brokers' fees to tenants; as a real estate broker she says she avoids rentals because of the burden of those fees.

“I don't do rentals because I don't agree with the broker's fees that landlords are no longer paying and that fee is now transferred to the tenants. ... this broker's fees adds a huge burden to tenants that are already the disadvantaged party.”

progressivemass.com

Supports the Safe Communities Act, which limits local and state police collaboration with federal immigration agents, and the Work and Family Mobility Act, removing immigration status as a barrier to applying for a driver's license or learner's permit.

“YES. YES. YES. YES. I can't wait to see this become law in Massachusetts. Finally.”

progressivemass.com

Supports public education and public higher education; supports the Common Start early education proposal, ending MCAS as a graduation requirement, keeping the cap on charter schools, ending state receivership of schools, comprehensive sex education, and anti-racist/ethnic studies curricula.

“Public education and public higher education is an issue close to my heart. I'm a product of public education.”

progressivemass.com

Advocates for working families and unions; top campaign priorities include prioritizing the working class and better jobs. Supports eliminating the subminimum tipped wage, holding businesses accountable for subcontractor wage theft, wage transparency, fair scheduling, prohibiting mandatory arbitration, paid vacation and paid family/medical leave, opposing gig-economy worker misclassification, and State House employee unionization.

“I decided to run for State Representative as I am an advocate for working families and issues which affect the hard-working Union Members. Having toiled and worked all my life, I understand the importance of Unions.”

progressivemass.com

Supports requiring health insurance plans to cover all pregnancy care, including abortion care, without cost-sharing; supports an uncompensated care program for abortion providers; and supports repealing the under-16 parental consent/judicial authorization restriction with caution.

“YES. I answered yes with caution. Parents have a right to be involved when important decisions like this are made. However, a lot of times that young teen is the adult in the house and cannot count on their parents.”

progressivemass.com