After serving as a Selectman, Planning Board member, Conservation Agent and volunteer in her town, state representative candidate Sarah Hewins (D-Carver) hopes to address issues affecting the 2nd Plymouth District.

Hewins, who has been involved in her community for nearly two decades, said she’s running for state representative because change is needed.

“I’m tired of having representation that really isn’t working for the district,” said Hewins. “We need a state representative who will actually take action on the issues...rather than talking about them for 14 years.”

If elected on Nov. 8, Hewins anticipates making strides on the opioid epidemic, fixing how schools are funded by the state and making the renovation of the Middleboro rotary a priority.

“Many other issues have remained unaddressed for far too long, from affordable housing to land preservation to protecting our precious and economically essential aquifer,” she said. “Our state representative needs to have the local knowledge, on-the-ground experience, and an understanding of local challenges to do the job right.”

Tackling these problems requires a concerted effort, she said. If elected, Hewins said she would coordinate with leaders in the district’s three towns to take a regional approach to finding solutions.

She noted her experiences on a joint task force that dealt with regional land development and commissioner with the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District led her that conclusion.

Hewins, who is originally from Philadelphia, moved to the Carver 24 years ago. She became interested in local politics after seeing town meeting-style government in action.

“I was impressed that anyone could speak up and that everyone’s opinion mattered so much,” she said.

Hewins said she would speak up for district residents at the state level with a focus on affordable housing, education, transportation and agriculture. The cranberry industry, in particular, could use a boost, she said.

“We need to keep our working farms,” she said. “We have to create incentives for Massachusetts farmers.”

Regarding affordable housing, Hewins said it’s an issue that’s close to her. She helped pass zoning bylaws that require new development to include quality affordable units in Carver.

During her tenure as Conservation Agent, Hewins said she brought more than $2 million in state and other grants that preserved approximately 500 acres of land. She said she saved taxpayers money by negotiating residential curbside trash and recycling collection at 50 percent off the going rate, cut the town’s electricity bill by 11 percent and the street light bill by 34 percent.

“In my 18 years as a town official, I’ve delivered on every single one of the promises I made to voters in each of my five election campaigns,” she said.