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Courchesne to face Wagner in primary election

Date: 9/5/2014

CHICOPEE – Park Commissioner William Courchesne may surprise some people on Primary Day, as his name will be on the Democratic ballot running against incumbent state Rep. Joseph Wagner.

Courchesne sent out an email to the press on Sept. 2 announcing he will be on the ballot challenging Wagner.

He explained to Reminder Publications this is his third run for public office having been a candidate for the Ward 7 City Council seat.   
   
He explained that he didn’t want to announce too soon for fear of be “forgotten” by voters.  He also rejected the idea of lawn signs and said, “I am deeply concerned about using them because they are unsightly, raise traffic safety concerns, and they add a countless amount of non-degradable plastics to our already distressed landfill.”
   
He described his campaign as “very grassroots.”
   
Courchesne worked as a retail manager for 20 years and was appointed to the Parks Commission in 2013. He noted he was partly responsible for the grant making the recent renovations to Nash Park possible.
   
He said improving Nash Park was “my first campaign promise and I made good on it.”
   
He said that voters in Chicopee “someone to listen to them” and cited how referendums concerning the sales tax were ignored by the Legislature in the past.
   
Courchesne also criticized Wagner for being a “DINO” – a Democrat in Name Only  – for his support of Mayor Richard Kos in the last mayoral election.
   
“If you’re going to be a member of a party than you should support that party,” Courchesne said. He added he was “the only true Democrat.”
   
He was critical of the casino legislation that Wagner helped create and said the referendum to make sure Commonwealth voters wanted expanded gambling should have been the first step of the licensing process.
   
“Do a vote before MGM puts $10 million into Springfield,” he said.
   
Of particular concern to him is Wagner’s attendance record. Courchesne said Wagner  “ranks in the bottom five out of 155 state Representatives for roll call attendance.”
   
He believes voters expect their representatives to go to work.
   
Courchesne said he would work on either eliminating the western tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike or at least to make sure that money comes back to western Massachusetts. He would also make lowering the gas tax a priority.
   
“Working together, we can bring increased public safety to our city. Better dialogue with the governor’s office, eliminate the tolls on the turnpike in the western part of the state, water and sewer rate stabilization, respecting and listening to the voters on the casino question on the ballot in November, addressing environmental concerns, addressing closed bridges, and bringing the city of Chicopee more resources and state money so we can have an enhanced quality of life for all,” he said.