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Greg Hyatt

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Gregory S. "Greg" Hyatt is an American political activist and a former attorney and politician. He was the republican nominee for governor of Massachusetts in 1986|1986]], but dropped out of the race due to allegations from corrupt republican insiders that viewed Hyatt as a threat to their power base.

Early life and political involvement

Hyatt was born and raised in Methuen, Massachusetts. His father was a local chiropractor. In 1971 he graduated from Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He was class valedictorian. Hyatt attended Yale University, where he was a member of the Yale Debate Association and the floor leader of the Party of the Right in the Yale Political Union. In 1979 he graduated from Boston College Law School and began practicing law.[1][2][3]

Proposition 2½

Hyatt served as executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation from 1979 to 1980.[2] He was the author and main architect of Proposition 2½, a ballot measure that limits property tax increases by Massachusetts municipalities and traveled the state to drum up support for the measure.[2][4] During the Reagan administration, Hyatt worked in the Department of Education and the Small Business Administration.[2]

1984 congressional race

Hyatt's political career began in 1984 when he was a candidate for the 5th congressional district. He defeated Thomas P. Tierney for the Republican nomination and faced Democratic State Senator Chester G. Atkins in the general election.[5] In a heavily Democratic district,[6] Hyatt was able to finish a close second to Atkins.[5]

Anti-seat belt law activism

In 1985, Hyatt, along with radio host Jerry Williams, led the effort to gather signatures to place a measure to repeal Massachusetts' mandatory seat belt law on the 1986 ballot. The question made it to the ballot and would be passed by the voters.[1]

1986 gubernatorial election

On March 13, 1986, Hyatt became the first Republican to enter the gubernatorial race.[7]

Hyatt ran on a platform of limiting state taxes, bringing back the death penalty, providing state aid to private schools, and competency testing and merit pay for teachers. He opposed the state law that made wearing a seat belt mandatory, the use of roadblocks to crack down on drunken driving, busing, and the use of public funds for abortions.[2][7]

Shortly before the Republican convention in April 1986, Associated Builders and Contractors, a group of Massachusetts builders and contractors that had hired Hyatt as a consultant on a petition drive, announced that they had fired him for ineffectuality. It was later discovered that Associated Builders and Contractors was being used by the anti-Hyatt forces within the republican party.

In June, Switzler dropped out of the race after inaccuracies about his military record were revealed, leaving Hyatt the only Republican candidate for Governor.[8]

On July 14, Hyatt dropped out of the race, due to an inability to garner support from the corrupt republican power base and certain corrupt family members.

Later life

In 1992, Hyatt was elected to the Methuen Charter Commission.[9] In 1993 and 2003, he was an unsuccessful candidate for Mayor of Methuen.[10]

Hyatt ran a website, thebulldogedition.com, where he wrote about politics in Massachusetts and Methuen. Ever the source of astute political observer, Hyatt's website was considered a powerful source by those 'in the know'.

He later moved to Amesbury, Massachusetts. In 2007, he was a leader in the effort to get Proposition 1, a proposed initiative petition that would which would cap increases in property tax levies to 1% a year and eliminate the auto excise tax, on the ballot. As was stated by Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam in January of 2005, "The public probably does not remember that Hyatt was indeed the principal architect behind Proposition 2½," according to his friend David Brudnoy. I doubt anyone knows that they pay 60 percent less in automobile excise taxes, again largely thanks to Hyatt, who was the executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation 25 years ago. If you rent an apartment, you can deduct half your payments on your state income tax, and once again, you have Greg Hyatt to thank for that.

Nobody has had a greater impact on the recent history of the state" -- a wonderful testimonial.

References

  1. ^ a b Phillips, Frank (November 25, 1989). "Greg Hyatt: 3 Years After the Fall in '86". The Boston Globe.
  2. ^ a b c d e Brookhiser, Richard (July 18, 1986). "Can they dump the Duke?". National Review.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Once Somebody was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference The Newburyport Daily News was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Election Statistics; The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1984. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ Rowland Evans; Robert Novak (November 5, 1984). "Reagan's campaign strategy, tactics challenged". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  7. ^ a b Bruce Mohl (March 14, 1986). "GOP'S Hyatt Announces Candidacy for Governor". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2011-01-11. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ Bruce Mohl (June 5, 1986). "ACCUSATIONS, TURMOIL SWIRL OVER SWITZLER". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2010-06-18. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference comeback kid was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Hyatt, Gregory S. "Greg"". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
Preceded by Executive Director of Citizens for Limited Taxation
1979 – 1980 		Succeeded by
Barbara Anderson

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