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Mayoral candidates square off in debate

Date: 10/12/2011

Oct. 12, 2011

By Katelyn Gendron

Assistant Managing Editor

WEST SPRINGFIELD — A man of the law squared off versus a man of the drafting compass at the mayoral debate on Oct. 4 at Town Hall.

Lawyer and Town Councilor Gerard Matthews and architect Greg Neffinger called particular attention to the correlation between their vast professional experiences and their dedication to public service to this community of approximately 30,000 people.

“I expect the people at Town Hall to be responsible for their actions in every situation,” Matthews said of his philosophy of accountability that he would implement as mayor. “There’s no pandering for votes. You say what you believe in and you live and die with that.”

Neffinger said he’d bring his “unique qualifications” as a small businessman, homeowner and architect to the mayor’s office. He plans to implement “a blue tarp campaign” to rid the town of the tarps covering tornado-damaged properties, repairing the buildings for future use.

When asked his opinion on the building of the new public library at Mittineague School, Matthews said the $6 million in state aid added to the $2 million pledge from the library trustees and the Friends of the West Springfield Public Library make the project a great option for the town. “It’s hard to turn your back on that kind of proposal. We’ll have no problem absorbing debt for the library and the [new] high school and as a community, I think we should do it,” he added.

Neffinger said he “wasn’t against the new library” but he believes “moving the library from downtown will hurt downtown.” He also voiced his concerns regarding the tax burden such new building projects as well as increasing fiscal year budgets would have on residents.

Neffinger said he wasn’t in favor of the budget increasing $20 million throughout the past eight years, when similarly sized communities such as North Attleboro have significantly smaller operating budgets. “We don’t have a tax or a revenue problem. We have a spending problem,” he added.

Matthews disagreed, adding that he didn’t believe any spending was wasteful. He noted the budget has increased due to unforeseen costs such as a 10 percent increase in health insurance costs, $8 million worth of federally mandated repairs to the levy system and $400,000 for the Quinn Bill.

The two candidates also debated their economic philosophies. Neffinger called for “a more business-friendly community” and additional tax incentives, while Matthews noted the various measures the town has already taken with the implementation of tax incremental financing.

The man who will take over for 10-year Mayor Edward Gibson will be decided on Nov. 8. For polling stations and hours, visit www.westspringfield.ma.us.



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