FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media contact: Jessica Eshleman | 617.955.0080                     

jessica@unionsquaremain.org 

Small Business Questionnaire Reveals State Office Candidate Legislative Priorities Ahead of the September 1 Primary

SOMERVILLE, MA, August 24, 2026: Building on six years of work representing the small business community through questionnaires for candidates for office in Somerville, Union Square Main Streets, East Somerville Main Streets, Somerville Chamber of Commerce, and the Davis Square Merchant Association is proud to publish responses to its first questionnaire for candidates for state office. 

The goal of the questionnaire is to help voters, many of whom own, work at, or rely on local businesses, better understand where each candidate stands on the economic, cultural, and policy matters that shape daily life in Somerville and its neighborhoods. 

This state focused questionnaire includes questions that highlight complexities that impact urban business districts like the overlapping authority (e.g. federal, state, city, MBTA) of transportation infrastructure and the importance of cross municipality collaboration. The questions represent the issues that affect the small business community and what our elected officials can do to impact them. 

“How candidates engage with challenges and opportunities that impact small businesses matters a great deal at the ballot box. It matters to expanding economic opportunity in our state and it matters to upholding the high quality of life in Somerville, Cambridge, Medford, and Winchester,” said Jessica Eshleman, executive director of Union Square Main Streets. “The 2026 edition reflects current conditions, new priorities, feedback from our partners citywide, and input from the robust business communities served by each of the organizations that contributed to authoring it.”

Candidates from the State Senate, 2nd Middlesex District and MA House of Representatives in the 26th and 34th Middlesex District races were asked to share their small business legislative priorities and visions through the questionnaire. Responses to the 6 point questionnaire are published on Union Square Main Street’s website www.unionsquaremain.org.

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About Union Square Main Streets 

Union Square Main Streets (USMS) is a nonprofit organization that works to strengthen the dynamic neighborhood of businesses and people in Union Square. USMS achieves this mission by promoting and celebrating the unique and spirited character of Union Square, advocating for and assisting local businesses, working to create welcoming public spaces, and fostering connection and collaboration among diverse stakeholders and partners. For more information, visit unionsquaremain.org. 

About East Somerville Main Streets 

East Somerville Main Streets (ESMS)  is a nonprofit organization that works to promote a vibrant and diverse commercial district in East Somerville. ESMS achieves this mission by providing direct assistance to local businesses, celebrating the neighborhood’s remarkable cultural heritage through community programming, and creating a unique neighborhood identity by enlivening public spaces.

About Somerville Chamber of Commerce

The Somerville Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to serve its membership while enhancing Somerville’s quality of life. Somerville is a place to visit, live, work and play.