When we elect a state representative, we choose someone to safeguard public funds, scrutinize multi-million dollar state budgets, and ensure our local communities receive every dollar of state aid they are due. That role demands relentless attention to detail, proactive inquiry, and a commitment to basic oversight.

Recent events in Greenfield have highlighted what happens when that oversight fails.

With more than $3 million in free cash left uncertified, a $1.97 million variance in city books, and taxpayers footing $75,000 for an emergency outside audit, the city was recently forced to rescind 10 capital projects it had prematurely approved. 

While administrative turnover likely caused the initial bookkeeping backlog at City Hall, the City Council — as the city’s legislative branch — is responsible for fiduciary stewardship. A council’s most fundamental duty is checking whether funds legally exist before spending them. Under the leadership of the current City Council president, who is running for state representative, the council voted to allocate millions in free cash without confirming whether the state Department of Revenue had actually certified those balances. Asking for proof of certification before voting to spend taxpayer dollars is Municipal Governance 101.

If this level of legislative inattention can derail basic municipal appropriations in Greenfield, we cannot afford to replicate it on Beacon Hill. The 1st Franklin District needs a representative who understands that oversight is not passive, but an active, daily responsibility.

That is why Corinne Coryat is the clear, superior choice for state representative.

Corinne understands that representing rural and small-town western Massachusetts requires rigorous diligence. When towns in our district navigate tight municipal budgets, regional school funding challenges, and Chapter 90 road repair allocations, they need an advocate who reads the fine print, anticipates administrative bottlenecks, and holds government agencies accountable before crises emerge.

Corinne brings:

  • A commitment to diligent governance: She recognizes that effective lawmaking requires asking the tough, specific questions before authorizing policies or spending, rather than reacting after funds are frozen or misallocated.
  • Proactive advocacy for small towns: Municipalities across the 1st Franklin District run on lean administrative staffs and tight margins. Corinne will be a watchdog on Beacon Hill, ensuring local aid distributions and state grant formulas work for small towns rather than against them.
  • Independence and accountability: She offers a fresh, focused perspective that prioritizes structural competence, transparency, and public trust over business-as-usual complacency.

Our next state representative will oversee billion-dollar state budget negotiations, advocate for regional infrastructure, and protect our communities’ financial health. We need a legislator who treats public dollars and statutory responsibilities with the care they demand.

Corinne Coryat will bring the work ethic, scrutiny, and accountability our district deserves on Beacon Hill. I urge voters across the 1st Franklin District to support Corinne Coryat for state representative.

Danielle Letourneau is a former Greenfield city councilor and chief of staff to former mayor Roxann Wedegartner. She lives in Greenfield.