Key Issues
Our schools, creating a business and industry friendly environment, maintaining public safety services, and standing up to fight against the Landfill Expansion, and protecting our seniors, especially those on fixed incomes.

We Need a New School
The story of Easthampton schools is the story of a missed opportunity.
Not since 1975 has Easthampton invested in a new school.  Meanwhile new or newly renovated schools have been built in nearly every city and town around us.  In Southampton, the Norris School, Hampshire Regional in Westhampton, In Northampton, Bridge Street school, JFK, Northampton High school, in Hatfield, a brand new elementary school, and in Chicopee. Chicopee High and Chicopee Comp.  The leadership in those communities sought and received reimbursement from the state between 80% and 90% of the cost of construction.  Now the price tag of a new school will be much higher and with state reimbursement hovering between 60-64%.
While there are many reasons why students and their parents choose to go out of district through school of choice, it is clear that one of the reasons is parent perception that our schools are not updated or attractive and that this is indicative of a lack of concern for education in our community.  While I would strongly argue that our teachers, staff and programs are as good, if not better, than in any other community, one must acknowledge that the perception seems to force many parents to go elsewhere, draining our schools of precious financial resources.  The latest figures show a net loss of school of choice dollars to the community of $1,000,000 per year.   This drain of resources creates a downward cycle.  The more who leave, the less money schools have to keep good programs and to spend to maintain our schools.  For example, the Whitebrook Middle School pool, once the pride of the community, has now been closed for years due to a lack of money spent to maintain the pool and the heating and ventilation system. 
I do believe we have missed an opportunity and now Easthampton must play catch up in order to compete.

Landfill Expansion over water supply
Let me clear up some misleading comments by the Mayor.  First the Maloney well is not poisoned; it has some manganese and arsenic in amounts that are well under state guidelines.  Most wells have some levels of contaminants, including arsenic, but this is why the state sets guidelines as to how much is too much.  No water is completely pure.  Even if the amounts of these elements exceeded state guidelines, there are methods for treating these which would remedy the situation.  I repeat, the Maloney well is drinkable and the Mayor knows this because he is in contact with the Water Dept.
Second, for four years I have never wavered, or hesitated in my opposition to the expansion of the Northampton landfill over the Easthampton water supply.  If the incumbent had taken the positions I had taken four years ago, I believe Northampton would not be pursuing the landfill expansion. I have stated on numerous occasions that  ”Landfills and Aquifers Just Don’t Mix.” I rallied the Easthampton city council to two unanimous votes opposing the landfill.  However, the mayor at that time did not take this stand with me.  He did not go to Northampton when I spoke before their City Council numerous times to oppose the plans to put 50,000 tons of garbage, waste, trash, pharmaceuticals, etc. on top of our drinking water.
    I have met numerous times with Smith college geologist, Dr. Robert Newton, the premier expert on the Barnes aquifer who happens to live in our city with his family.  He told me that water is our most precious resource and that over time, clean water will become even more scarce and more valuable.  He said we have good, drinkable water now and we must protect it.  
     I invited Dr. Newton to visit our city council to make a presentation, which he did, and the council joined with me voting unanimously to oppose the landfill expansion and also to respectfully request Northampton take the matter before BAPAC (Barnes Aquifer Protection Advisory Committee), which is the organization which oversees all development over the aquifer.
Dr. Newton and I have traveled  to Boston to meet with the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection to share our concerns and to shed light on the subject.  Other advocates for clean water joined us.  At this meeting we confronted Northampton’s Mayor Mary Claire Higgins who has advocated for the expansion.  I will continue to go toe to toe with any  Northampton mayor who would foster a plan which threatens Easthampton’s most precious resource.
 
Rte 10 corridor
It makes no sense to gain a tax base on Northampton St. but lose tax income through store closings in our downtown.

Easthampton has a unique set of resources. What works for Hadley, for West Springfield, and for Northampton may not work for Easthampton.  We need to decide, as a city, what works best for us given what we already have. What have a very precious and historic downtown with a beautiful pond in the center of our city. Shall we let this downtown core wither away or do we want to preserve it? 
At one time there were places like Grants, and other large stores and a post office which served as major anchors in our downtown.  Grants is now gone, the post office has moved out and the only anchor left is Big E’s, a local grocer whose gift-giving back to the community may rival that of the  Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream company. We are fortunate to have Big E’s and our downtown is fortunate to have this anchor store. Without this anchor, other stores, which also donate locally to many good causes, may very well close their doors.
What we really need to develop is another anchor, another major reason to shop downtown; perhaps a shopping center the like of a mini Thornes in Northampton, or a Wilson’s department store, like in Greenfield, with places to buy shoes, clothes, pots and pans, specialty items.  We should examine the remaining downtown spaces and look to pursue such a possibility, perhaps somewhere near the pond, which is another jewel of a community resource.  Such a new shopping area should be designed to generate additional foot traffic in our downtown. 
Whatever businesses we place on Northampton Street should be complimentary to our downtown.  While we look to grow our tax base outside of our downtown, we must work hard to protect what we already have. 

Reductions in state aid
We need to address the issue of reductions in state aid from many directions.

1) We need to implement plans which will stop the leaking school of choice dollars to other cities and towns.
2) We need to build our tax base by  encouraging complimentary  new businesses and light industry to come to our city and to work consistently on retaining those businesses which are already a part of Easthampton.
3) We need to write as many grants as we can. 
4) We need to meet with other cities and towns to determine what goods or services we could share to reduce costs.

In terms of the unions we need to improve communication and trust between the mayor’s office and these unions.  I am pleased to have the endorsement of both the Police and Firefighters unions.  I have been negotiating real estate sales for 25 years and I believe that this experience has taught me how to bring opposing forces together to work as a team.