WESTFIELD – As Richard Neal (D-MA) prepares for the election in November, he feels that he still has goals to accomplish in the coming years.
That’s why he is seeking another term as US Representative of the Massachusetts first congressional district, which is made up of cities and towns including Westfield and Southwick and the surrounding hilltowns. He said that he knows what is important to the area and what is needed to keep it going in the right direction.
Neal has strong ties to the area, making his representation a personal one in many ways. He was raised in Springfield, where he also attended college and taught high school, and also served as a city councilor and mayor of the city, each for three terms.
“I think that the most important issue facing America is economic growth and jobs and obviously, in addition, I think that part of that is tied to what has become a very inefficient tax code,” Neal said.
Neal, who is part of the Ways and Means Committee in Congress, helps to oversee the economic portions of the federal government, including social security and Medicare—the latter of which he said is integral to Baystate Noble and Westfield.
Neal said that the Ways and Means Committee has an extensive job, and an integral one that can benefit from his experience. And experience is also why he stands against term limits, which is a topic that surfaces during every major election.
“I’ve always been against term limits,” he said. “I think the public is fully capable of deciding who to vote for we already have term limits—they are called elections.”
He also said that through his reelection, he can continue to try and make advancements on his platform to try and fix the “inefficient tax code” he sees and help to improve the economy.
“We are making some incremental improvements but it’s important not to miss the point that the American tax code is riddled with loop holes,” Neal said. “I think America needs a big infrastructure initiative.”
Some of the incremental improvements Neal mentioned included making earned income tax credit and IRHA rollover permanent. Still, Neal feels he has more to offer, as does Congress. He feels that his initial goals have been reached as a congressman, and now his role and duty is expanding.
“I think it’s like anyone else, once we reach our potential our potential expands,” he said.
