Candidates for State Rep. Republican Dan Allie, left, and Democrat John Velis, right participated in a debate sponsored by The Westfield News and the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce at the Lang Auditorium where an estimated 70 residents gathered. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD — The two candidates seeking to replace former State Rep. Don Humason (R-Westfield) sparred last night over taxes and tactics in a final debate ahead of Tuesday’s special election to represent the 4th Hampden District. The debate was sponsored by The Westfield News and the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce.
Before an audience of about 70 people at the Lang Auditorium at the Westfield Athenaeum, Democrat John Velis and Republican Dan Allie used the opportunity to make their cases to the voters before Tuesday’s special election to fill the 4th Hampden District seat vacated when Humason became the new State Senator for the 2nd Hampden District.
The event’s format slated both men three minutes with which to give an opening statement, which was followed by a question and answer segment between the two candidates.
More than 70 residents watch a debate between candidates for State Rep. , John Velis and Dan Allie, at the Lang Auditorium last night. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
After their Q & A, Allie and Velis would then be asked several questions by debate moderator Patrick Barry, president of The Westfield News Group, and would be given two minutes apiece to respond. Barry’s questions would then be followed by three minutes apiece during which to give their closing remarks.
During the hour-long debate, the two House of Representatives hopefuls stuck to their guns, with Allie hailing his anti-tax platform and a pledge to work in unison with Humason, and Velis pledging never to sign any special interest group pledges, and to vote in the best interest of Westfield alone.
“I’m disgusted by the political process in this country and that’s why I’m in this race,” Velis said in his opening statement while also speaking of his time as a Captain in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. “This seat is made up entirely of the City of Westfield. I would have a singular focus of what is in the best interest for this city. If a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent comes up with an idea, I don’t care. If it’s good for Westfield, I’ll support it.”
Allie began his opening statement with a moment of silence for Boston firefighters Edward Walsh and Michael Kennedy, who passed away in a nine-alarm blaze in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood Wednesday, before stating his own consistent talking points.
“I’m a father of three, a grandfather of three, a small business owner, an Army veteran, a homeowner, a concerned taxpayer, and a Westfield City Councilor,” Allie stated, adding that he “is the only candidate in this race to sign pledges to stop automatic gasoline tax hikes and the No New Tax Pledge.”
“Massachusetts doesn’t have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. Voters can trust me to protect their wallets,” Allie said.
The two candidates then began a verbal sparring match that lasted for much of the debate, with Allie attacking Velis for not signing the gas tax petition, and for endorsements by organizations such as the Massachusetts Teachers Association, and accusing him of a lack of clarity on his positions.
“Up until 11 days ago, there were no issues listed on your website,” Allie said of Velis. “This is a tactic right out of the handbook of liberal groups like MoveOn.org.”
Velis then called his Republican opponent out for a series of attack pamphlets and robo-calls that have circulated around the district.
“A constant refrain I hear from these robo-calls is that ‘I’ll raise taxes.’ What evidence do you have that I’ll raise taxes?” Velis asked. “I have no record at all. Why are you telling people that that’s not the truth?”
Allie then asked whether a small business owner better understands how to help small businesses, Velis replied “no.”
“Do I think experience helps? Absolutely.” Velis said. “I’m going to rely heavily on small business owners in Westfield to tell me the issues that affect them. But just the fact that, having been a small business owner, you’re more equipped to help business and create jobs, no, I don’t agree with that.”
Allie spoke of his own extensive small business acumen, and bragged that “every pro-jobs group in the state” endorses him. Velis then brought forward a questionnaire from the Mass. Teachers Association in which he showed he disagreed with two questions regarding increased taxation.
Allie stated that the MTA’s support of Velis is due to his status as a Democrat.
“If Abraham Lincoln was running against Mr. Magoo, and Mr. Magoo was a Democrat, they (the MTA) would support Mr. Magoo.” he said.
While Allie spent most of the night on the offensive, Velis chose to sit back, absorb the hits, and focus on his own platform.
“John Velis will never sign a pledge to a special interest group,” he said when confronted about his alleged reference to Westfield taxpayers as a ‘special interest group.’ “My only loyalty is to the people of Westfield. Once you sign a pledge to a special interest group, your loyalties shift.”
Velis stated that he has taken the high road regarding campaign mudslinging, and confronted Allie as to why his “libelous” materials didn’t even have Allie’s name printed on them.
“(These materials) aren’t libelous,” Allie said. “You aren’t required by law to put anything on here. It’s pretty obvious it comes from Dan Allie.”
A topic that the two candidates differed sharply on was minimum wage, with Allie coming out against an increase, which Velis supports.
“I don’t believe raising the minimum wage creates jobs,” Allie said. “Minimum wage tends to be for entry-level jobs. We need students to be able to get those jobs, get that experience, get that training.”
“Talking to several businesses in Westfield, these businesses are already paying people over the minimum wage,” Velis said. “So the notion that it’s (a raise in minimum wage) going to be so detrimental to business is just not accurate. But there’s another side to this. It’s the people that need to earn a living wage to get by on a daily basis.”
Following their six questions, the two candidates answered several questions from the moderator on issues ranging from loyalty to their party, heroin addiction, gun rights, and military spending.
“I was raised a Democrat and became a Republican in 1989,” Allie said. “I believe in the Republican caucus, but I’m an independent, reform minded person.”
“I’m getting a lot of Republican and Independent support,” Velis said. “I have made it abundantly clear that 100 out of 100 times, I will vote for what is in favor of people of Westfield.”
Both candidates agreed that criteria for lawful ownership for guns in the state is “strict, complex, and convoluted to the point of being almost incomprehensible”, and that they would both work with law enforcement officials to help combat the rise of heroin addiction in the city, with Velis adding that treatment needs to be more readily available.
Regarding Governor Deval L. Patrick’s recent signing of a bill authorizing $177 million for improvements of the state’s military bases, including $9 million for Barnes Air Base in Westfield, Velis said he would’ve “absolutely” supported the bill, while Allie said while he supports the military and veterans, he didn’t know all the details of the bill.
In closing remarks, the two candidates gave their final pleas for the votes of the people of Westfield.
“I strongly believe with my business experience, serving on the City Council, being a longtime community volunteer, and while serving overseas and being a family man, that I am the person who can represent the interests of the people of Westfield,” Allie said.
“This is a critical election because Westfield only has one state representative,” Velis said. “At the end of the day, my message to the people of Westfield is that my only loyalty is to the people of Westfield. I am going to put Westfield first regardless of political party.”
Replay dates and times for the State Representative Candidates Forum on the Westfield Community Programming Channel 15 are today at 4:30 and 7:00 p.m.; tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., and 2:00, 6:00 and 8:30 p.m.; Sunday at 8 and 11 a.m. and 2:30, 4:30, and 8:30 p.m.; Monday at 10 a.m. and 4 and 9 p.m.; and Tuesday, election day, at 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The debate can also be seen on www.vimeo.com
