PICARD

WOONSOCKET — Rep. Roger A. Picard, D-Woonsocket, says that he counts on his constituency heavily to determine how he votes and what kind of bills he works on during the legislative year.

Picard, who is serving his eighth term in House District 51, says one of the reasons he is running for Senate District 20 is that it would give him the opportunity to serve a larger number of people and he would have more of them to talk to, to bounce ideas off of, more direction, he says. He says he would go from 13,000-plus constituents to more than 26,000.

“A large constituency gives me more information from which to base my voting upon,” he says.

He is serious about getting feedback from his voters. Picard, 51, holds “constituency nights” different times of the year where he opens up his house on Mendon Road to the people of his district. Over soda, cheese, crackers and coffee they talk about what kind of hardships or issues they might be facing. Recently it’s been mostly about the state’s economy and the shortage of funds for programs, he says. The most people who have attended an open house at one time is 28, he says.

“There are concerns about local issues. In Woonsocket, the city is thinking about shutting down World War II Park. People were concerned about that. People wanted to talk about education reform, welfare reform. It’s a myriad of topics,” he says.

Picard has been an attendance officer/social worker for the Woonsocket School Department for 11 years. He is mindful of his work with the schools as the state cuts back on aid to communities to make up a large state deficit. “Both communities are facing level-funding. The costs still increase so when you get level-funded you create a deficit situation,” Picard says.

“I’m trying to make sure my two communities are addressed properly. This is going to be a tough year with funding for education and making sure people with severe needs are taken care of,” he says.

His priorities are getting state aid for communities and for education and ensuring care for the most vulnerable children, seniors and families, he says.

Picard says he is proud of his work with other legislators to help Woonsocket get through the bond issue so it can begin construction on two middle schools.

Married with three daughters, Picard says he looks at his legislative job as similar to the man who coaches a Little League team or the woman who volunteers to be a den mother for the Cub Scouts. They are serving their communities.

tpina@projo.com