To the Editor,
As a mother, grandmother, and former business owner, I am concerned with the financial future health of our residents. During the years I served on the Westfield City Council I voted consistently to reduce increases in our budget. I have a 12-year record that confirms my conservative approach to controlling city spending. Westfield is fast approaching its “levy limit”. That is the cap on the amount our legislators may tax its citizens based on real estate and personal property values. We will be in real trouble if we do not curb city spending now. I promise to carefully review all budgetary increase requests and I promise to vote with the goal of achieving financial balance. To be clear, our city’s government cannot seek to manage its internal affairs by imposing undue burdens on the backs of its citizens.
I am also involved in the fight to bring clean safe water to Westfield. I have spent countless hours working on this issue. During shutdown of the Granville Reservoir in 2013 and 2014, Ward Four residents were supplied with water from city wells 7 & 8. We now know that the water from these wells was not safe. During the past two years, I have traveled to Boston and Washington DC to meet with legislators and have attended state and federal congressional hearings. I have done this as a private citizen and at my own expense. I have done this for you, for me and for our families. My opponent, on the other hand, who served on the Westfield Water Commission from February 2013 through December 2017 neglected his duty to oversee water quality. He did nothing to solve the water crisis. When facts surfaced to make the issue undeniable – he took efforts to minimize the crisis. On October 23, 2017 my opponent issued the following public statement “The water issue has been addressed and corrected”. If only that were true!
I also believe that educating Westfield public school students should receive the highest priority. I am the daughter of two Westfield educators. My mother, Mary Lawry, was an English teacher and Guidance Counselor at the South Middle School. My father, Bill Lawry, a World War II veteran who served in the European Theater, taught automotive mechanics at the then Westfield Trade School. We cannot allow our city government to manage its finances so that it ends up in a position where it is forced to cut programs that benefit our students because it has thoughtlessly allocated its resources to satisfy long term contract obligations from which it cannot extricate itself.
I pledge to continue to work hard for you. I will give each vote my full consideration and best efforts. I humbly ask for your support and for your VOTE on November 5, 2019.
Sincerely,
Mary O’Connell
Candidate for City Council Ward 4
