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Vega has a head start as a freshman legislator

Date: 11/14/2012

By Katelyn Gendron

katelyn@thereminder.com

HOLYOKE — Government is all about networking and that's something State Rep.-elect Aaron Vega believes he's already got in his back pocket, even as a incoming freshman member of the House.

The two-term Holyoke city councilor attributed his win over Linda Vacon and Jerome Hobert on Nov. 6 to his dedicated volunteers and supporters who've been with him since his first run for City Council. Vega took more than 9,500 votes to earn the right to represent the 5th Hampden District.

"As a freshman state representative I'm lucky
I'm going in with those relationships. The governor and lieutenant governor know me by my first name. It's all about relationship building," he told Reminder Publications.

Vega said such important personal and political friendships would aid him in tackling "the big three — education, job creation and transportation." He added that he is committed to lobbying for funding to increase educational opportunities for those in the Valley, which will in turn, aid in the development of young entrepreneurs and job creation.

An entrepreneur himself, Vega called Holyoke a great place to do business and one that is garnering more attention thanks to the Massachusetts Green High Computing Performance Center and the city's growing creative economy.

"The Computing Center is the calling card for Holyoke. Holyoke was 'green' before it was a catch phrase," he said, adding that the city also recently received a $30,000 for it's creative economy.

"The artists are one strong tool to turn this city around," Vega said, noting that the city provides artists with sizeable studio space downtown at affordable prices.

The representative-elect was quick to point out that Holyoke still has a long way to go "in dealing with the negative reputation from the 1970s as 'The Arson Capital,' as well as any negative impacts a Springfield casino many have on the city.

"We'll have to watch for those quality of life issues such as the possibility of increased crime or traffic," Vega said of the casino.

There will also be positive impacts to quality of life, he added, noting a gaming center's job creation and the possibility of employees "taking advantage of Holyoke's great housing stock."

Vega said he also plans to lobby for greater transportation and education funding for Western Massachusetts so that graduates may have affordable student loans and the ability to travel to work to pay them off.

"We want to make sure that those in Western Massachusetts aren't forgotten," he explained.

When asked where he might open his district office, Vega replied that he's still exploring his options at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, and at Holyoke Community College but would maintain his campaign office downtown.

Vega will officially begin his work as state representative after being sworn in at the beginning of the next legislative session.