When you ask Cindy Harris what she is passionate about – her immediate response is preventing any further tax increases and tax shifts onto homeowners and tenants.
Harris is seeking re-election as a City Councilor At-Large. She currently serves as chairperson of the Personnel Action Committee, and is a member of the Natural Resources and Charter and Rules committees, and acts as a liaison with the Cultural Council.
Harris is married and has four adult children who graduated from Westfield High School, Westfield Technical Academy, and Saint Mary High School. She also notes she is a daughter of a Korean War casualty.
Harris has lived in the city most of her adult life and considers Westfield “an open, generous and accepting
community.”
“Many of our mayors were not originally from Westfield and at present, approximately half of the city councilors also were not originally from Westfield,” she said.
Harris is a graduate of Agawam High School. She received a B.A. in Psychology, summa cum laude, from Westfield State University, and a Master’s degree in Guidance and Psychological Services from Springfield College. She is currently a human resource professional/consultant.
In addition to her professional life, Harris has served in several other roles in the city over the years, including as assistant assessor, an assistant basketball coach for the Westfield Park and Recreation Department and the Catholic Youth Organization, and as a long-time volunteer for the Saint Mary school system.
Harris said her attention to detail on council matters is an important asset that she takes pride in.
“Everyone on the City Council prepares in a conscientious manner for every meeting,” she said. “That doesn’t mean we all agree on all issues. I have not voted with the majority on many occasions, but we all try to work together.”
Harris said she currently has billboards on the North Side and South Side, carrying a clear message to the voters: “No tax shift onto homeowners.”
“Goals I am most passionate about for the city include preventing any further tax increases and tax shifts onto homeowners and tenants, no excessive spending while fully supporting our Public Works Department (i.e., road and sidewalk repairs), and police and fire departments,” she said.
Harris also said she is passionate about maintaining our “great educational system” which would include low pupil-teacher ratios and strong administrative support for the classroom teacher.
“I consider myself to be a kind, thoughtful and deliberative person, but most of all, I believe in following the law,” she said.
Harris said she will continue to bring her message to constituents across the city and through advertisements, especially explaining the split tax rate – residential (homeowners and tenants) and the commercial/industrial business rate.
“For over 30 years Westfield has had a split tax rate,” she said. “Residential taxpayers pay 72.33 percent of the total Westfield real estate tax bill of $65.38 million. I have opposed the efforts to eliminate or modify our split rate system.”
Harris said that if the city changes to a single rate system now, all at once, a homeowner would see a tax increase of 14.7 percent while the commercial/industrial owner would see a tax decrease of 38.6 percent.
“This split tax rate system has worked, as evidenced by all of the major companies located in Westfield and those who continue to locate here,” she said. “This is why we are right now business friendly. Hopefully, we will be able to offer a residential rate to our very few small businesses who own real estate in the near future.”
As Election Day nears, Harris will continue to meet with as many constituents as possible to address this issue that she feels so strongly about.
“My door-to-door campaign will continue until Election Day,” she said.
