Here are the eight question and their answers summarized:

No. 1: Do you favor abolishing or changing 40B, the state law intended to foster affordable housing?

None of the five favored abolishing the law. Worden said the law needs to be “seriously amended” to “help people who are really up against it.”

Thielman said the law’s intentions are good, but cited a 40B project in Billerica that is one-third occupied. “We don’t want that,” he said.

Garballey referenced his work supporting the East Arlington Good Neighbor Committee dating back seven years. He suggested considering 40R, a state law seeking to encourage “smart growth.”

O’Brien, who said he does not oppose affordable housing, recalled a time when there were rooming houses in a town. “We have to end restrictive zoning,” he said.

Valeri said, “We do need 40B in one form or another.”

No. 2: How would you increase local aid?

Thielman said a representative must build coalitions to increase state aid, and he cited his experience doing that in Arlington. He said a $300 million net gain and the closed tax loopholes proposed in the governor’s budget are insufficient.

“It one of my pet issues,” Valeri said. He said the 28 percent returned to cities and towns is not enough. “We need to have 35 to 40 percent returned.”

Worden said local aid is the key to “turn things around.” He suggested the current process is backwards – that local aid should be determined first, instead of the way it is now – after other budget items are determined.

Garballey said he has taken a proactive approach as a School Committee member and made clear he supports Gov. Patrick’s Municipal Partnership Act, which would close telephone-tax loopholes and raise revenue via a meals tax.

O’Brien said, “Some of our revenue is never coming back. Gas-tax revenue is going down.  We need to think outside the box.” He noted advertising along roads raises local revenue in California. “We need to paint our parking lots with advertising,” he said.