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Date: 5/25/2022
LONGMEADOW – Voters will take to the polls on June 14 for the Annual Town Election. There are four candidates on the ballot for a seat on the Select Board and four candidates vying for two seats on the School Committee.
Reminder Publishing reached out to all the candidates and asked them the following questions ahead of the election. The answers are in the candidates’ own words.
Select Board
Candidate Andrew Berke released this statement to Reminder Publishing:
“Please do not vote for me! Approximately six weeks after I submitted papers to stand for election to the Select Board, I was offered an administrative position at my work that I could not pass up; a position that is directly related to my teaching and research. I do not believe it would be fair to my family, my work, or the town of Longmeadow for me to attempt to divide my time between the three. Thus, I have withdrawn myself from the race for Select Board. My name, due to the timing, will still appear on the ballot on June 14. I realize this may cause some confusion but please do not vote for me! Despite the abrupt end, I am ever grateful to and for the people who met with me and worked on my behalf at the outset of this election cycle.”
The remaining candidates are Richard Foster, Mark Gold and Daniel Zwirko.
Reminder Publishing: Longmeadow’s taxes are advancing toward the “tax ceiling” of $25 per $1,000 property value. What should be done to address this while maintaining services?
Richard W. Foster: When Longmeadow split with East Longmeadow during the late 1800s, we started on a path where we find ourselves today. East Longmeadow took the developable land and Longmeadow stayed with the non-business residential development. We can’t develop or build ourselves out of this dilemma because we simply lack the land. We have less than 4 percent commercial tax base in town, so unlike Springfield when they hit the tax cap several years ago, changing the tax rate on commercial property will not remedy our problem. We only have two realistic choices; reduction in non-essential services or ask for legislative approval to raise our tax rate. The scenario in which our property values will continue to increase yearly and offset the need to increase our tax rate is unsustainable. In addition to the tax cap issue, we are still underfunding our retirement programs in the millions of dollars.
Mark Gold: The pending proposition 2-1/2 tax ceiling is one of, if not the, largest threats to the town’s ability to maintain services to its residents. This is not a spending issue; The town of Longmeadow’s annual budget has been increasing at one of the lowest rates of all communities within the commonwealth since the passage of Proposition 2-1/2. For the past two years, I have helped the Select Board develop a budget that only increases taxes by 1.75 percent, short of the 2.5 percent allowed. This pending tax ceiling is a property valuation issue. The value of properties in Longmeadow (and throughout Western Massachusetts) have been rising at a rate far lower than those in Eastern Mass. Although our last review projects that the town will not hit that tax ceiling until fiscal 2026 (July 1, 2025), an economic downturn that depresses property values by as little as 4 percent could find the town facing this tax ceiling earlier. As currently written, Proposition 2-1/2 does not allow town residents to vote for a local override to this ceiling. If the tax cap is reached, all spending will be frozen, including salaries for schools, as well as road maintenance and social services. The best way to address the pending tax ceiling is the one I have been advocating for the past two years. Our Town Meeting must authorize the town to submit a Home Rule legislation request to the state Legislature that would allow our community to exceed the $25 per $1,000 evaluation “ceiling” while staying at or below an annual 2-1/2 percent maximum yearly tax increase. There are only two alternatives to legislative relief: cutting services or converting tax-based services to fee-based services. Neither of these alternatives is desired. I urge residents to support the legislation as the preferred means for providing relief from the pending Proposition 2-1/2 tax ceiling.
Daniel Zwirko: If Longmeadow hits the “tax ceiling,” our services and schools will inevitably be affected since our revenue will be capped. We must avoid this and consider all options, with community input. I have met with town officials and members of the Finance Committee, and I agree with slowing the tax rate below the 2.5 percent cap to 1.75 percent, as the Tax Ceiling Task Force has recommended. We should investigate whether an exemption from Proposition 2.5 percent is possible and makes sense for Longmeadow. I worked in the MA Legislature and have strong relationships with our local and state legislators which may help with these conversations. I also understand these changes take time, so we must expedite these discussions.
Reminder Publishing: What do you think should be the top three goals of the Select Board in the coming year?
Foster: The number one concern for our community in the immediate future is solving the tax rate issue which may involve legislative support from Boston. I believe our number two concern is a review of our current form of government in consideration for the adoption of a more fitting form of local government for the 21st century. Our current Open Town Meeting disenfranchises so many of our residents. We have elderly citizens who may not want to go out at night for a variety of reasons. We have young parents with children needing care, and people working night jobs, etc. It is just not right in this age that you must show up at a certain place at a certain time for your voice to be heard. The (coronavirus) pandemic made it clear that the Open Town Meeting can handicap the town. In addition, many of the issues before our town today are far more complex and interwoven to be adequately explained and debated on the town floor with the restrictions associated with a Town Meeting. At our last meeting where our $76,513,613.33 (budget) was approved, we had less than 1 percent of our registered voters present for the last warrant article. Unlike a council form of government, our disenfranchised voters have no way for their voices to be heard while issues are resolved. My third priority would be the establishment of a long-term program that prioritizes meeting the escalating needs of our underfunded facilities repair program along with massively expanding our grants and volunteer programs.
Gold: The top three goals for the Select Board in the coming year are: 1. Grow revenue from sources other than property taxes such as the development of solar facilities on available town land and implementation of town-owned broad-band internet services. 2. Implementing and integrating changes to the structure and management of the DPW (Department of Public Works) to improve efficiency and services of that town department as outlined in the Collins Center study. 3. Support the School Committee in the pursuit of a solution to middle school facilities in response to the invitation by the Mass School Building Authority.
Zwirko: I have knocked on over 1,000 doors in town and the Longmeadow residents have helped shape my ideas on the following goals:
1. Better communication. Many residents work full time and have families. We must increase and diversify our communication strategies. Importantly, we should use more technology and digital platforms, including social media, mobile applications, and digital postings of key announcements.
2. Maintain our budget through sound fiscal management while ensuring we are still providing the services that make Longmeadow a special place. My experience in the MA Legislature, which taught me about local funding, and my current role in enterprise software sales, will help with our budgeting and forecasting areas of concern to address.
3. Identify creative ways to increase our revenue outside of residential property taxes. With community input and a fair process, looking at parcels of land that could be redeveloped or re-zoned, if appropriate, to help reduce our residential tax burden should be a priority. I will work closely with the Massachusetts Municipal Association and partner with other similarly situated towns to identify innovative ideas in this area.
Reminder Publishing: If the Eversource pipeline is approved by the applicable state agencies, should the town take legal steps to intervene and block the pipeline and metering station? What options are open to the town?
Foster: To comment on the pipeline issues at this time is premature. This entire process is still unfolding. The town has for the past two or three years solicited the help from outside sources to not only evaluate the possible threats of this program but to keep us apprised on our legal options. Accordingly, a public discussion on the direction our town may be taking in the future on this issue is inappropriate.
Gold: The town has been advised by its special counsel that should the Eversource gas pipeline be approved by state agencies, the town’s ability to take further legal action to intervene and block the pipeline are limited. Although legal action is always an option, the town’s resources are limited and the determination to enter what may be a prolonged and expensive legal challenge will need to be balanced with the probability for that challenge to the state’s Energy Facilities Siting Committee (EFSC) ruling to be successful.
Zwirko: I oppose the siting and construction of the pipeline and metering station. A regional effort will be one of the most effective ways to prevent the pipeline. At the same time, I am not ignorant to the limited options that avail us should the state or federal agencies approve the project. First, we must start with improving transparency on this issue. I will make the pipeline a standing item on our meeting agendas and request forums to be held in Longmeadow with Eversource.
If elected, my role is to ensure that every dollar is spent in a way to benefit the residents. We already approved legal funds at Town Meeting that we could use for the pipeline issue. The recent state mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 gives us a credible argument that the pipeline is in opposition of these goals and should be opposed by the state. Right now, this is a hypothetical question; however, I will be transparent and will support the most feasible legal response possible, as needed, on behalf of the town and with resident input.
School Committee
Scott G. Bombardier, Julie Heaney Margetta Morgan, Carissa Ann Rosenblum and Zachary Verriden are running to fill one of the two available seats on the School Committee.
Editor’s Note: Bombardier and Verriden did not respond as of press time.
Reminder Publishing: The district is going through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) funding process to renovate or replace the middle schools. In your opinion, should the schools be combined into a new, single school or is there value in maintaining the separate schools?
Julie Heaney Margetta Morgan: The future of the middle schools is one of the biggest issues facing Longmeadow Public Schools in the next few years. I think the decision on whether to maintain separate schools or combine them should not be made until we receive the results of the feasibility study and get more feedback from the community. If elected to the School Committee, I will evaluate any proposal for new school infrastructure first in terms of its impact on student learning. School facilities can have a meaningful impact on our kids’ educational opportunities by providing them a safe and comfortable place to learn and allowing educators to implement important practices like digital learning and small group settings. I will also look at any proposal in terms of its long-term impact on the Longmeadow community. Any new school facilities will be with us for decades to come, and we need to make sure they are sustainable, practical, and flexible to our community’s changing needs.
Carissa Ann Rosenblum: While an argument can be made for combining the middle schools, students, staff, and moreover this community will excel further academically by optimizing the two-school model currently in place. Time and again in education, the evidence shows smaller schools yield greater scholastic achievement. Smaller class sizes and individualized teacher-student relationships provide the support students need to realize learning potential. The community that offers smaller schools truly values its students; families know one another, lifelong friendships are formed, and the schools bind the community together. Consolidation risks losing the pride that Willams and Glenbrook families feel. Let’s empower our students to succeed and update the schools we have now.
Reminder Publishing: The district’s budget will continue to tighten as the town approaches the tax ceiling. How can Longmeadow Public Schools maintain or grow staffing and programs in the face of financial constraints?
Morgan: The quality of the school system is one reason why my family chose to live in Longmeadow. Our schools are a huge asset, and it is in all of our best interest to continue to invest in them. But there are no easy answers when it comes to ensuring the level of funding necessary for our schools. We will need to work within the town’s fiscal constraints while maintaining the critical elements that make our schools great, like high quality teachers, small class sizes, and support services for a variety of student needs. If elected, I will work closely with the Finance Subcommittee of the School Committee and the Select Board to ensure that school funding is a priority and that Longmeadow’s schools get the resources they need.
Rosenblum: The challenge in tough times is managing our district assets, appropriately minimizing costs and maximizing benefits across the community. Communication is essential at all levels to identify what budget items work and what items need to be reworked. Students, parents, teachers, administrators can all help making sure we’ve considered inefficiencies, hidden costs, and outdated processes. We will ensure that allocated funds grow our programs and attract invested and innovative educators for our students. This is only possible with transparency and accountability. Engaging with all of our stakeholders – administrators, academic leaders, community members – we will increase confidence and buy-in to support the district’s strategic goals.
Reminder Publishing: What makes you uniquely qualified to serve on the School Committee?
Morgan: I have spent much of my career working in education policy. I taught education law and public policy at Boston College Law School, and I have worked on federal policy in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Department of Education. These experiences have given me some unique skills that I believe would benefit our schools in Longmeadow. I have learned how to take the best research on building high quality schools and translate that into policies and practices. I have also learned how to work with people who have different views to find common ground and to compromise. Most of all, my experiences have taught me how to make sure that the voices of community members are heard and integrated into decisions. If elected, I will work hard to make sure that students, families, and other community members’ needs are at the center of our work.
Rosenblum: Blending 10 years of a diverse, education-focused pedigree has prepared me to speak to the issues from multiple viewpoints: as a classroom teacher, an educational coach, a college instructor, a statewide curriculum and instruction consultant, and most importantly as a parent. I have worked with a diverse set of schools in some of the poorest and some of the most affluent, high-achieving regions of our country. My comprehensive experience in education will be an asset to solving the issues facing Longmeadow Public Schools. If not apparent, I have a deep passion for education. I earned my bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees, all in the field, and I love working with students, teachers, and administrators to ensure that students are exposed to the best educational opportunities possible. I have two young children who will attend the public schools here – for them, and the rest of the children in Longmeadow, I will work to make sure the educational opportunities here are positive and memorable experiences.