Hello Ward 3, and the rest of Westfield. With elections Tues., 1. Vote do not let the nasties on line scare you away… Halloween is over and the sunlight is back. 2. Speaking of which I do not keep up with the stuff on line, especially the Westfield site. Why because NASTY tends to be the way of things and that is so dysfunctional. One candidate complained that if there is a 4 year term for mayor, off year elections would have terrible turn out. The real problem is that, and it has been researched, the more negative the campaign and political env., the fewer people turn out. Turned off by the negatives, they tend to reject the process. Hasn’t our democratic process suffered enough with 2 parties having usurped civil authority (us) from the process, and all we feel is that by voting we are rubber stamping the results. I know local politics can be rough and dirty; been around and actively involved too many years not to know that. But, our mutual needs often rose above the mess. You are voting for them, to rep us and our city…are the nasties who you want.
Next, while on this tirade, why are candidates having the Mass. Republican State Committee (MRSC on the stamped area) doing their mailings. This is a non-partisan election. And, while I know people use their political affiliations to bolster their campaigns, my belief for a local office; if you cannot raise funds here and purchase services here, why are you running here. While I do not think this is illegal, for me, as with the above, as I see it as slick, but unethical. Thank goodness that there are Republicans running for office who do not need to do this to run. Also, check with the Clerk’s Office you can see, who is funding whom and from where. It is interesting what people say and what they do are 2 very different things.
The next, next… the last City Council meeting. Those who complain about spending putting off a request by Mayor Sullivan to attend a meeting to go line by line on $1.5 in reductions with the dept. heads present to these items. No show. How serious are they about cutting the budget? Remember, I mentioned a while back, that those opposing budget spending did not offer up cuts. Are they preferring the on camera moment to make their case, and not in private when it counts? Then, at the Council meeting played well used politicians’ game to put it off from consideration until after the election!? The old school of political hypocrisy is alive and well. Hey it is your tax money and your vote think about the first before you do the second.
Last, on a different note; I want to express my personal deepest sympathies especially to Cindy Harris over the loss of her husband. R and I sat next to each other for a year. She is a very competent, caring for her city, tenacious fighter for her beliefs, and principles, while at the same time a very sincere and caring person. We agreed at times and disagreed at times, without malice. While I do not the O’Connell family, and had not known Michael very well, we did talk, and I knew him to be a good man.
That is it folks… Ward 3, see you Tues afternoon at the polls, I will be at one of the two for most of the afternoon, say hi… Your former Ward 3 City Councilor, Brian Hoose, [email protected]
