Lysak, Davila to run

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD Two city residents who ran for office during the last election have announced their intentions to seek office during this year's contest.

John Lysak, who had run against State Representative Benjamin Swan (D-Springfield), is running for City Council, while Victor Davila, who had placed sixth out of 10 candidates for the School Committee during the last election, is making a second bid for the Committee.

Lysak told Reminder Publications that too many members of the Council have served too long and it is "time to replace them."

"The state will not take us seriously, the Control Board won't take us seriously, until we replace the Council," he said.

Despite the fact that while the Finance Control Board is running the city's budget and the City Council has diminished responsibilities, Lysak noted that "Springfield is not going to stay in the condition it's in" and the Council's role will return.

Lysak said he believed that city councilors should be working with the Legislature to get needed funds for the city.

"No one seems to be working together," he said.

Lysak is in support of making changes in the Police Department to put more officers on the street and said he believes the police chief's job should be a contractual position, instead of civil service.

"All department heads should be accountable," he said.

Lysak is also concerned about the cleanliness of the city and the conditions of the city's streets.

"There's a lot that could be done," he noted.

The proposed Proposition 2 1/2 "under ride" is "not a wise move" at this time, Lysak said. He doesn't see anything wrong with reducing taxes and could possibly support such a reduction in the future, but not at this time.

Lysak is married and has four children. He is the operations manager for US Security Associates.

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Despite the sweeping powers of the Finance Control Board, Victor Davila believes the School Committee must "function as an advocate."

As the father of an eight-year-old boy who attends public schools, Davila is concerned about recent actions of the Committee.

"I don't like the way the School Committee has been behaving lately," he told Reminder Publications during an interview on Hot Talk with Tony Gill over WAIC last week.

Davila made his run formal with an announcement on June 3.

Davila, who is a counselor with Gandaras Mental Health Center, said that he would not accept the stipend that is paid to members of the Committee for serving and urged other candidates to make a similar statement.

He said he would work hard to reach an equitable contract with teachers.

"They have received the fuzzy end of the lollipop for way too long," he said. "We have not only a legal but a moral contract to honor."

Davila would also work to establish ward representation for the School Committee and said that as his campaign progresses he will reveal a plan to do so that "will not cost the city a single penny."

He, too, would not support the "under ride" at this time.

"It would further throw the city into a deeper hole," he said. He added that does not support an increase in property taxes, either.

Davila said he is in favor of the boundary school plan that would reduce bussing for racial integration "in concept," however he added, "The reality is that Springfield still has a lot of work to do with disenfranchised people in the city."

He said that the priority must be good education and that every school building in the city must be "up to code" and have good teachers who are helping students meet state-mandated standards.

"Given the history the School Department has with minorities, I have some concerns how this [the boundary school plan] is going to play out," he said.