WESTFIELD – Westfield native Rudy Musterait is running for City Councilor At-large.
In addition to vast knowledge of the city, Musterait brings to the table three decades of small business expertise.
Musterait has owned Rudy’s Greenhouse for 30 years and said he has learned a lot about running a business, budgeting, and spending within your means.
“You have to know how much you’re spending and how much you’re taking in, and it’s the same with the city,” he said. “It all comes down to managing money.”
Musterait said the city needs to “get a grasp” on its finances.
“At some point, you have to reign in expenses and take a hard look at what you’re spending,” Musterait said.
Musterait is a self-professed down-to-earth, blue-collar, hard worker. And that is who he wants to serve.
“You can be sure I’ll be for the small business owners and the workers – from the Park & Rec workers who maintain the parks to the teachers,” he said.
Westfield needs to be more business-friendly, said Musterait. He said owning a small business in this city has been challenging at times because of how the city works.
“The big box stores get the tax breaks, and while small business can get some grants, they need tax breaks,” he said.
Musterait said he would like to see small business and light industrial expansion. He also said he would support a third tax rate – for what he called an enterprise zone – for people who live and run their business in the same space.
“They would be taxed at a higher rate than residential, but not as much as commercial,” he said.
After graduating from Westfield High School, Musterait went on to study biology at Westfield State College. With that degree, he worked at Stanley Park and learned more than he could imagine about greenhouses and growing.
“I started my own business selling plants in my garage and it grew from there,” Musterait said.
Small business is what will save the city’s downtown, he said.
“Westfield should entice businesses to move here while downtown is struggling for an identity,” Musterait said.
The Rail Trail is a help to downtown as well, he said. He said that will bring people into downtown, but more small businesses there will get them to stay in downtown and spend money in the city.
Musterait said he believes the city could reduce spending by cutting some high-paid administrative positions, especially in the school department.
“Westfield High has a principal and three vice principals,” said Musterait. “When I was there, we had one principal and one vice principal. We need to cut spending in the administrative areas, not the lower level employees who do the hard work.”
Musterait said now is the time for change.
“I’m very hopeful for the City of Westfield if the right people get on the city council,” he said. “I think it’s time for a chnage and I want to be part of that change.”
Musterait and his wife Deb raised their daughter Marilyn, a junior at Syracuse University, on St. Paul Street.
“We enjoy living here and want to stay,” he said.
