Richard Tisei Seeks Second Highest Office in State

By Timothy J. DeFeo
One of the Commonwealth’s Realtors® is running for the second highest office in the state, to become the next lieutenant governor. State Senator Richard R. Tisei, broker-owner at Northrup Associates in Lynnfield, is seeking the seat as a Republican, alongside Charlie Baker, on the top half of the ticket.

Although Massachusetts’ law does not technically permit a tandem ticket, they plan to combine forces throughout the campaign.

“Most Realtors® know that one of the biggest problems facing the state is that so many people are moving out,” said Tisei. “Making Massachusetts more affordable, and stopping the exodus of people, is really important to our long-term future.” There is a whole host of solutions according to Tisei, including keeping the tax rate down and “making sure that Massachusetts has a housing stock that is diverse enough so that we have affordable housing for people. The high cost of housing is one of the reasons why people have left the state, especially younger people.”

A Dedicated Realtor®
Tisei has been with Northrup Associates since joining the brokerage in 1992 as a salesperson. He became the broker-owner of the 58-year-old, North Shore firm in 2000 and has successfully grown the business into one of the region’s largest independent real estate offices over the past decade. The nearly 30-salesperson brokerage was founded in 1952.

Tisei has also been very active in the real estate community. He is the 2010 president of the Eastern Middlesex Association of Realtors®, and in 2009 that association bestowed him with its Realtor® of the Year Award. He also serves on the Board of Directors at MAR and is a member of the Professional Standards Committee of the North Shore Association of Realtors®.

Tisei is not a newcomer to Massachusetts politics. In fact, his achievements in the state’s political arena have, in many ways, surpassed his stellar real estate career. He won a seat at the Statehouse in 1985 at the age of 22, the youngest Republican representative in the state’s history. After five years in the House, he won the senate seat representing Middlesex and Essex counties. Tisei worked his way up the seniority ladder and became the Minority Leader in 2007, a post he currently holds. He serves on several joint committees, including Elder Affairs, Mental Health,  Municipalities/Regional Government, State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, and Tourism.

A Fiscal Conservative
Tisei has fashioned himself as a fiscal conservative and has tried to reform state government, while being severely outnumbered by senate Democrats. He carries one of the highest ratings by Citizens for Limited Taxation, having never voted for a broad-based tax increase. During the most recent legislative session, Tisei fought against passage of the sales tax increase, advocated spending reform, and attacked the Turnpike’s mismanagement.

He has also garnered praise from many statewide business groups, such as the Associated Industries of  Massachusetts, the Mass High Technology Council, and the Massachusetts Federation of Independent Business.
Among many awards, Tisei received the Housing Families’ 2009 Community Hero Award for his efforts on behalf of homeless families.

Tisei is 47 years old and a resident of Wakefield. He attended Lynnfield Public Schools and graduated from American University with a Bachelor’s degree.