Southbridge Evening News, August 27, 2007

by Ryan Grannan-Doll

Helping the needy as a victims advocate, a probation officer, and now as a Democratic State Representative, Geraldo Alicea puts people first.

Alicea's typical day begins in Charlton, where he has lived since 1994, by helping his kids through their morning routine. He leaves Charlton for Boston at approximately 9 a.m. Mandy, his legislative assistant, maintains a to-do list for him. He checks his e-mail and tries to respond to as many messages as possible.

Alicea sits on three committees, including Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Mental Health. On any given day, he could have committee hearings or meetings with various people. He also uses his work time to research issues and how they will affect his district.

He said he has bettered his district, but continuing his mission during his first term has been a learning process. He has focused mainly on decreasing youth violence and assisting veterans. That effort included obtaining $100,000 for the "Cops and Kids" program in Southbridge, coordinated by the police and school system to keep kids busy and out of trouble. The program provides sports activities for kids and included a July 31 trip to the State House. The program builds trust between youth and the police, said Alicea.

"It's had a great success," said Alicea.

It's been so successful that Alicea obtained another $100,000 to continue the program next year.

The bureaucratic side of his job also takes place in his district. Alicea tries to maximize his time in his district, which brings him closer to constituent concerns. He said he feels Charlton's water and sewer problems are its biggest concern. Charlton currently taps into the Southbridge water supply, but a better solution is being sought, said Alicea. He claims the problems are hindering Charlton's growth, but said he can help solve those problems from the state level.

Bringing constituent concerns to the Boston political scene is his favorite part of the job.

"I really enjoy the interaction," said Alicea.

Every job has a downside, however. Knowing not everyone will always agree with his positions or votes is the least favorite part of his job.

His political career began with a belief that government should work together with citizens. His first political position was on former Worcester County District Attorney John Conte's 1994 re-election campaign. He worked with a team of people promoting Conte's name through phone-banking.

One campaign led to the next, when he worked on state Sen. Richard T. Moore's 1996 campaign. He also worked on a campaign for state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer.

He moved on to politics on a grander scale in 2002 when he worked on Shannon O'Brien's gubernatorial campaign as a district coordinator. He organized meetings between town leaders and was involved with campaign volunteers.

"It was a very big job," he said. "Government can do great things when you have the right person."

The freshman representative, born and raised in Southbridge, originally aspired to attend law school, but his path guided him elsewhere. After graduating from Southbridge High School in 1982, he attended North Adams Community College for one year before transferring to Westfield State College. He graduated from there in 1987, with a criminal justice degree. His education continued with night classes at Anna Maria College. He graduated in 1996.

His first job put his degrees to work. In Sept. 1987, he became a victim's advocate for the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. Obtaining treatment and other services for sexual assault victims filled his days. After a year in the harsh world of criminal justice, he transferred to the Worcester County District Attorney's Office where he did the same job for nine more years.

His drive to rehabilitate people didn't stop there, when Alicea became a probation officer for the Worcester Superior Court in March 1998. He helped sex offenders re-enter society with many night and weekend visits with them.

In June 2006, he took a leave of absence from his job as a probation officer to run for the Sixth District of Worcester County seat. The district includes Charlton, East Brookfield, Southbridge, and parts of Oxford and Spencer. He was elected by a 10-percent margin and began his first term on Jan. 3.

He would still be a probation officer if he wasn't elected, said Alicea. That may not be in his future because he would consider running for a state senate seat.

Despite his long hours, constituents can find him at the YMCA when he is not representing his district. He keeps himself lean and fit with a regular regiment of cardiovascular and weight workouts.

In his spare time, he said he infrequently finds time to watch "24," "The West Wing," and "Prison Break."

He married Rose Marie Alicea in 1999 and has three young children, Lauren, Michael, and Katherine. He said he loves reading stories to them. Rose works as a forensic interviewer in the Worcester County District Attorney's office.

His political life doesn't leave much time for family when Alicea works weekends and holds office local office hours at night. The Alicea family finds time to vacation in Centerville.

"It works for us," said Alicea.