By Gal Tziperman Lotan, News Staff

Aaron Michlewitz, a 2001 Northeastern graduate, said he was disappointed when the Huskies lost in the Beanpot Final Monday. But he did not let it bother him for too long because he had more important things to worry about:’ running for the third Suffolk seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
The seat, which Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi resigned from Jan. 27 because of allegations of corruption, serves a district encompassing the North End, South End, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop. Michlewitz, a 31-year-old lifelong North End resident, filed his nomination papers Jan. 28, the first candidate to do so.
With three Boston politicians ‘- DiMasi, State Senator Dianne Wilkerson and City Councilor Chuck Turner ‘- accused of corruption since October, Michlewitz said the public’s trust in government needs to be restored. Michlewitz said he would support Governor Deval Patrick’s ethics reform if elected.
The governor’s proposed reform includes changing the state’s conflict of interest laws to give the Attorney General more power in prosecuting politicians suspected of corruption. It would also give the Attorney General power to wiretap state politicians.
‘There is a black cloud over Boston politics at this moment,’ he said. ‘It’s a travesty because there are a lot of people in government that do good things and work hard for their constituents. It’s a shame to see the public’s trust be abused.’
Michlewitz studied journalism at Northeastern and was the sports editor of The Northeastern News from 1999 to 2000. After a co-op in the sports department at The Patriot Ledger, a daily newspaper in Quincy, he decided journalism was not for him and went into politics, he said.
‘I love government work,’ he said. ‘The government is supposed to be there to help people. I’m a strong liberal democrat in the sense that I believe we are only as good a community as our weakest link.’
He worked in Boston’s Arts, Tourism and Special Events office for three years after graduation, then served as director of constituent services for DiMasi for four and a half years. He was elected vice president, then president of the North End and Waterfront Neighborhood Council from 2005 to 2008.
Both the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority and the Massachusetts Highway Department, which carry billions of dollars in debt, will likely be major issues he would like to see addressed in the coming years, Michlewitz said.
‘We have a broken system, and we have to have some fresh ideas and some new policies in order to progress,’ he said.
Michlewitz said he would support a tiered gas tax, which, unlike the flat-rate 27-cent tax Patrick is currently pushing, would fall as gas prices rise and vice versa. Some of the revenue should be used to pay off debt from the Big Dig, he said.
He said he would also support measures to increase affordable housing to keep young people living in the city.
Despite being relatively young, Michlewitz said he has the necessary experience for the seat, partly in thanks to the co-op program.
‘Being in the co-op program provided me with early experience in dealing with professional life,’ he said. ‘Without that, I wouldn’t be as far along in my career as I am today.’
Susan Passoni, a South End resident and two-time City Council nominee, announced she was also running for the seat in an e-mail to potential supporters Monday, according to local media reports.
The three most important issues in the coming years will be education, affordable housing and economic growth, Passoni’s e-mail said.
‘As a Commonwealth we cannot possibly have economic expansion without industry; we cannot attract industry without a growing, well educated population, and we cannot keep smart and talented residents, college graduates and professionals if there is no affordable housing,’ the statement said.
Passoni has worked in both the public and private sectors for more than 20 years, and said she believes her financial experience has prepared her to handle the state budget.
She is also president of the Ellis South End Neighborhood Association.
Passoni did not return calls from The News for comment.
Lucy Rivera, a former aide to State Senate President Tom Birmingham and Representative Michael Capuano, has also filed nomination papers. She could not be reached for comment.
The primary election will be May 19 and the election June 16.

‘- Peter Petrin contributed to this report.