I wish everyone a happy and Blessed Easter. Enjoy the day. God made it.
For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I would like to thank the Westfield Evening News for the opportunity to communicate directly with people with regular articles. Formats for interaction, questions and discussion between voters and candidates, such as candidate forums have become increasingly rare, and are strictly controlled. This serves no one, including many Westfield seniors.
Since running for city council I have listened to the concerns of residents; worked to understand important issues that impact our daily lives, and inform people of the underlying cause for higher taxes and reduced services. I believe people deserve to receive the services they have paid for in taxes and fees.
Local control and limited government is being threatened and replaced by state and federal governments that increasingly burden people, small business, our schools and local government with too many regulations, broken promises and unfunded mandates.
Rules and taxes are passed in the dead of night, the middle of summer, or written by unelected bureaucrats, lobbyists or international agencies. For example, the International Code Council now writes our state building code after seizing control from national fire and building safety organizations.
Common Core was in our schools before we knew what it was. Pearson, a British company now has near monopoly control of the American education system through a federal takeover of standards, curriculum and exams, including student, teacher and district performance. David Coleman, “the most influential expert no one has ever heard of” and the architect behind Common Core, is now rewriting the and serving as President of the College Boards.
When I decided to run for city council in April 2013, I visited our state legislators in Boston. The state was on track toward a 900 million dollar budget surplus. Governor Patrick was not running for re-election and pushing for a billion dollar tax increase. Facing re-election, the legislature approved a half billion-dollar tax increase as part of its 32.4 billion dollar 2013 budget.
Even with the extra $1.4 billion dollars, Governor Patrick retaliated by cutting $100 million to cities for Chapter 90 funding for roads; money later restored by Governor Baker on his first day in office.
Cuts of 125 million dollars a year to Local Aid, may have been necessary to balance the state budget in 2009-11, after the financial crisis. But what was the justification for not restoring Local Aid with a $900 million surplus in 2013? Governor Patrick had promised to lower property taxes. Cuts to Local Aid cost Westfield taxpayers $1.25 million each year, and represent fifty percent of our property taxes increases.
And if that was not enough, in July 2013, while everyone was enjoying summer, the legislature voted to increase the gasoline tax, and snuck in automatic future increases tied to the consumer price index. Less than 4% of Massachusetts’ residents knew what had happened.
Within weeks, volunteers began collecting signatures to repeal Automatic Gas Tax hikes. It was the first successful all-volunteer effort in over 20 years to place and win a statewide ballot question. As I collected over a thousand signatures in Westfield, the most common response from people when I told them what the state had done was, “You are kidding me, right?” or “Thank you for telling me” and “Where do I sign?” I will always put my faith in the common sense and goodwill of informed voters.
Opponents of our ballot question, including the Chamber of Commerce and AAA, told the public that if gas taxes did not increase automatically our roads and bridges would fall apart. This lie was only exposed after Gov. Baker’s investigation revealed that much of the gas tax increase was being diverted to the MBTA.
After 3 years, Gov. Baker has had modest success in increasing local aid and funding to cities for road maintenance. Despite the state passing a 12.5 billion dollar transportation bond bill and our current 40 billion dollar state budget, Massachusetts is still a long way from providing property tax relief, or maintaining our crumbling roads, especially here in western Mass and Westfield.
People move to Westfield or want to live here, for many reasons. One reason is Westfield does not feel like a city. Another reason is people regard Westfield as a very safe place to live, work, start a business, play and retire.
Much of the credit and thanks belong to the men and women who keep us safe every day serving as police, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, teachers and administrators in our schools.
As an Army veteran who served overseas for 2.5 years, and grew up watching my uncle Jeff Allie work with others to build the ambulance service and retire as Fire Chief in my hometown, I can understand and appreciate the dedication, hard work and service required.
After the Army, I lived in Holyoke and worked with others to build a school playground, and restore 2 parks, including a small park on the corner of Beech and Appleton Streets, called “Peasant’s Park.” On a stone with a brass plaque is a dedication to “police, firefighters and veterans, and other ordinary citizens who do extraordinary things.” Living across the street on the Saint Patrick’s parade route, we were twice voted as “Best Crowd.”
I want to apologize to anyone concerned by comments I have made regarding unfunded mandates or cuts in state funding. Let me be clear on this point. I have no issue with the Quinn Bill, and I fully support providing our people with the best training and education possible. I have a real problem when the state breaks its promise to any of our citizens, and especially to those in public service. It was not my intention to offend anyone, but rather to make it clear to as many people as possible, where budget shortfalls exists. Over time, these shortfalls get absorbed into budgets, swept under the rug, and over time people tend to forget. I do not see many politicians or the media taking up these issues. We have got to control spending, stop taxing our residents and businesses at such high rates, and burying our children in worthless currency and debt.
I usually follow up my comments on cuts by the state on local funding for education, roads, etc. by asking, “How does this help our teachers, police, firefighters and taxpayer?” The answer is it does not. It affects all of us and does not make any of our lives better.
I have worked in support of 4 ballot questions in the last four years; repeal Automatic Gas Tax hikes, increase Local Aid and funding for roads, and Ending Common Core. This year, I hope people will oppose extending the term of Mayor because it will adversely affect “regularly scheduled elections” and voter participation. I was the only City Councilor to vote against “this casually offered measure” because not a single compelling reason was given by any of the councilors pushing this question, that will appear on the November ballot.
Politicians never do anything without a reason.
For the first time in nine years, property taxes will not go up in Westfield. Many votes on the council have been close and some controversial programs and policies have been rejected. This is the result of having a thoughtful and independent City Council, willing to work with the Mayor, but not just be a rubberstamp. I am sure some of the things discussed and exposed have made some in government, both in and outside of the city “uncomfortable”.
Extending the term of Mayor to 4 years, will lead to low voter turnout in off year elections. In 2011, less than 20% of eligible voters voted when Mayor Knapik ran unopposed. Can you imagine what would happen to voter turnout in the years with no mayoral election?
Do you really want 15% of voters to decide who will be on your City Council? What could possibly go wrong?
He Is No Fool Who Gives Up What He Cannot Keep, To Gain That Which He Cannot Lose! – Jim Elliot, an evangelical Christian missionary killed with four others trying to share the Gospel with a remote Ecuadorian tribe. Two years later, Jim’s wife returned to that same village and many accepted Jesus, including some who took part in the killings.
