Polish Native Won't Return To Socialism By Ed Oliver September 2002 Print Edition Republican Jerzy Jachimczyk, Southbridge, was campaigning door to door when one resident asked him, "Jerzy, shouldn't you be a Democrat?" Jerzy answered him, "If you went through what I went through in Poland under socialism, you'd never be a Democrat." That, in a nutshell, are Jerzy's politics. Jerzy is challenging Incumbent State Representative Mark Carron (D-Southbridge) in the 6th Worcester District. Jerzy ran against him in the last election, but Carron won with a little over fifty percent of the vote.

Jerzy is working hard to lower taxes. Jerzy has a wife and four children.

"My opponent is basically a rubber-stamp liberal," said Jerzy. "He approved every tax that was proposed by the legislature and particularly by Mr. Finneran. I am not going to play that game and say it is the fault of the Speaker of the House. Every Representative including Rep. Mark Carron had his active role in this massive $1.2 billion tax increase. He needs to get all the credit for increasing all the taxes for this area."

Jerzy said that two days after passing the tax increase, the legislature said they are not done yet and would be coming for more.

"That's shocking when the government can't live within their means, can't control their spending, and can be so bold and arrogant about everything they do," said Jerzy. "I want to be part of a new wave that will affect the outcome. We can't support a massive government that lives on our back. It's too oppressive."

Jerzy, 49, is married with four children. Born and raised in Poland, Jerzy was active in the Solidarity movement in Poland before he moved to the USA in 1981. A machinist by trade, he took advantage of the opportunities that America offered by working two jobs while his wife worked as a nurse. They eventually bought an acre of land with their savings and built their dream home by hand as time and money permitted.

In the mid-nineties, Jerzy started his own business, "IMC Machining," in Southbridge.

Jerzy's first political involvement locally was to organize neighbors into successfully blocking the placement of a medium security prison in their neighborhood.

His next political venture occurred after he "flipped out" one day when he saw his property tax bill had gone up to $17.60 per thousand. He decided to run for town councilor in 1995 in order to change things. He served four years working to lower the rates by more than two dollars per thousand, where it still is today. "It's a small success, but also something I'm proud of," he said.

While he was a councilor, Jerzy said he worked to defeat the establishment of an adult entertainment zone in his precinct, something he said his opponent Mark Carron supported while he was also a town councilor.

Jerzy said that in Poland, there was real fear. "You had to look over your shoulder all the time," he said. "Here, I can live an ordinary life and get involved without fear of the government spying on me."

Yet, socialism is creeping in various ways, he said. "The massive government, the bureaucracy, the heavy load, the responsibility of the worker to support that system and the growing control of the government over every aspect of one's life are similarities that are striking in my view," he said.

"I'm absolutely for small government and less interference in ordinary citizens' lives. If you legislate too much in every aspect of someone's life, you literally rob them of their liberty and they will be like a robot," said Jerzy.

"I don't want the government to place restrictions, to limit my dreams and my potential, said Jerzy. "I believe that the government has already to a greater or lesser extent interfered in the process, where they limit, or make it more difficult for the average person for example to start a business, to expand and to prosper. I see those things intuitively in relation to taxes and regulations and so on. I want to make a difference. I want to change things. I want to affect things in a positive way to preserve the noble things that this country has."

MassNews asked Jerzy where he specifically stands on some issues:

Taxes

Jerzy said he personally collected over 1200 signatures for the CLT petition that voters approved to roll back income taxes to five percent.

Regarding Carla Howell's current ballot question to eliminate the state income tax, he said he needs to study it, but if it is a good proposal, makes sense, and goes through the debate process, he has an open mind.

Second Amendment Rights

"I would support the Second Amendment in any way I can, because it is an American Constitutional right, and should never be taken away," said Jerzy. "It wasn't designed for hunting rabbits. It was designed for protection and to sustain one's liberty and freedom. The founding fathers thought, just in case, in the future there might be an oppressor of some sort, some unjust government or oppressor of liberties."

Jerzy said the Second Amendment would be a positive thing to deter outside invaders as well. "If Poland had a Second Amendment, the Russians would think twice about invading it. Hitler would think twice about invading it, because the nation would have been strong. They would pay dearly for invading the country."

Abortion

"I consider myself a pro-life candidate," said Jerzy. He does allow for exceptions, though, such as rape and the health of the mother. "Not for convenience. Not because 'I feel like it,'" he said. He said he definitely opposes partial birth and late term abortions.

Protection of Marriage Amendment

Jerzy said he signed the Marriage petition and would vote in favor of it as a State Rep.

"Every child deserves a mother and a father," said Jerzy. "I support traditional marriage of one man and one woman. I would not support gay marriage."

Bilingual Education

Would limit it to one year.

The 6th Worcester District includes Charlton, East Brookfield, North Oxford 2, Southbridge, Spencer 1 & 4.