Biography of Representative Harriett Stanley


Representative Harriett L. Stanley

2nd Essex District	Assistant Vice Chair, House Ways and Means Committee

Home Page Biography Legislative Awards Our Communities In the News 2000 Delivering to the District Critical Concerns Staying in Touch Massachusetts State Seal	Harriett L. Stanley was born in Arlington, Virginia in March 1950. Her earliest memory is hearing President Harry S. Truman on the radio and Truman has remained one of her political heroes. A product of the public school system, Harriett attended The College of William and Mary, graduating with an A.B. in government and being named an "Outstanding Senior Woman." Later, she earned an M.S. in journalism from Boston University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. During most of the 1980's, Harriett worked as an investment banker, commuting between Massachusetts and Wall Street. A transportation finance specialist, her job was to structure large capital projects, as well as analyze their economic impact on states and regions. It turned out to be ideal training for her job as a State Representative. Although she had long worked in partnership with government, Harriett made her first run for local political office in 1992, when she became treasurer of her hometown of Merrimac. Harriett's next foray into elected politics was running for State Representative from the Second Essex District, which is made up of six small towns and part of the city of Haverhill. After defeating a Haverhill city councilor in the Democratic primary, Harriett faced off with another incumbent -- a five-term Republican with deep roots in the district. In 1994, a heavily Republican year all over America, Harriett Stanley was one of only 33 Democrats in the country to defeat an incumbent Republican. Harriett quickly distinguished herself as one of the most productive and well-respected members of the House. In May 1996, she was rewarded with a seat on the House Ways and Means Committee, one of the first freshmen ever appointed to the committee. Eight months later, she achieved another first by being named Assistant Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. The position puts her third in command of one of the legislature's most powerful committees and makes her one of a half-dozen legislators with major input into the state budget. Harriett has also served as a budget "conferee" or member of the final budget negotiating team for the last four years. As a legislator, Harriett is known as someone who gets things done. Given her budget orientation, it's not surprising that Harriett points to several accomplishments during her tenure:
	A substantial increase in all types of funding to the Second Essex District About $50 million in new school construction directly to the district Overseeing legislation abolishing county government (which saved the Commonwealth more than $1 billion dollars) Creation of a permanent trust fund to protect most of the state's $8 billion tobacco settlement
	When she is not working in the House or her District, (which is seldom) Harriett rides horses and cares for animals in need. She and her dog -- Kearney -- and stray cats live in West Newbury.