City Councilor Cindy C. Harris
WESTFIELD – Cindy C. Harris is seeking a third term as At-large City Councilor in the Nov. 7 election. Harris is also the chair of the Personnel Action Committee, and a member of the City Properties Committee. She is the assigned City Council liaison to the Cultural Council and the library.
Harris said she plans to continue to be an advocate for the homeowners in Westfield. “In November, 2016, I promised to recommend a Pro-Homeowner’s Tax Shift Factor. I made this motion at the City Council Tax Shift meeting in December, 2016. It was successful, and resulted in a tax reduction,” Harris said. She said she plans to do the same thing this December using Free Cash, Stabilization Funds and a homeowner-friendly tax shift factor “to achieve the same result.”
Harris said she has been opposed to the efforts to eliminate or modify the split tax rate system which has been in Westfield for over 35 years. “If we change to a single rate system now, all at once, a homeowner would see a tax increase of approximately 16%,” Harris said, adding that the increase would be in addition to the 2 ½% allowed yearly by Proposition 2 ½ and the assessor’s office.
Harris has a bachelor’s in psychology from Westfield State University, where she graduated summa cum laude. She is a former assistant tax assessor in Westfield. Currently, she is a human resource manager and human resource consultant. She is also a partner in the development of a “market rate housing” apartment complex on Broad Street, she said.
Harris refers to herself as “a proud Gold Star daughter of a Korean War casualty.” “Along with my concern for our homeowners, a priority for the next (2) years would be – as a Gold Star daughter – to increase the real estate tax exemption for our Wounded Warriors, as that exemption has not kept up with inflation,” Harris said. She said she would also continue to work on an increased exemption for “our older population who are in the same situation.”
In her personal life, Harris home-schooled a child to fifth grade, and is a long-time volunteer, including teaching at St. Mary’s School. She was married to former attorney and Westfield Mayor Michael O’Connell who recently passed away, and they have four children who are graduates of Westfield High School, Westfield Technical Academy and St. Mary’s.
