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Managing Editor SPRINGFIELD - If the first week is any indication, Springfield will have a lively mayoral campaign. City Councilor Domenic Sarno may not have mentioned incumbent Mayor Charles Ryan by name at his announcement event on May 1, but he touched on several topics that clearly referenced the mayor. Sarno's event at The Cedars now the unofficial location for campaign events in the city attracted about the same number of people as did Ryan's event several weeks previous. Public officials who attended the event as Sarno supporters included Hampden County District Attorney William Bennett, City Council President Kateri Walsh, City Councilor James Ferrera, and State Representative Angelo Puppolo. Other notables included former Clerk of Courts Rose Mazza and Democratic City Committee Chair Henry Twiggs. Sarno was introduced by Denise Jordan, the daughter of Raymond Jordan. The elder Jordan, long-time HUD official and former state representative, who was also in attendance. Sarno has had a career of almost 20 years in public service, he said. He started his career as an aide to Mayor Mary Hurley, worked in the district attorney's office and has been on the City Council since 2000. Sarno is currently the executive director of the South End Community Center. Dressed in his standard suit with suspenders and surrounded by his wife and two daughters, Sarno spoke of his love for the city and its people and his dedication to making it a better place. "Because, for me, public service is a labor of love," he said. He acknowledged the past few years those in public service have had "a trying time." He said that Springfield was at "a crossroads, yearning for a new vision," which was motivating his candidacy. He referenced the Ryan administration several times. "To create this new future, we need a mayor who has the energy to inspire our people to join hands together, emphasize our positive attributes, and provide a vision inclusive of all our residents, based on the fundamental principles of economic and social justice for all," Sarno said. He added, "A Sarno administration will not tolerate even the appearance of racism, prejudice, or indifference. All city employees, residents, taxpayers, will be treated with the respect they deserve. Additionally, I will insist on the highest ethical standards in my administration. This will be achieved by a better system of checks and balances, so to prevent any appearance of any wrongdoing whatsoever." Sarno received cheers when he announced he would over-turn the trash fee and that he would work to remove the Finance Control Board before its tenure in the city has been planned to end. "The Control Board has served its purpose. It is now time for it to end," he said. He also criticized the economic development efforts by the Ryan administration by asking his audience if the city needed "experts" to tell them about developing the Gemini site in the South End or the need to demolish the York Street jail. Sarno has long defined himself as a supporter of the police and he said that he would work with Governor Deval Patrick to get funding for more police officers on Springfield's streets. The next day, Sarno sat down with Reminder Publications to expand on some of his statements. Noting that Patrick has extended the term of the Finance Control Board one year until June 30, 2008 but has not yet named his three members of the five-person board Sarno said he has been in touch with Lt. Governor Tim Murray about his feelings concerning the Control Board. Sarno, if elected, would have to interact with the Control Board for six months of his two-year term. When asked how he would negotiate with the governor about ending the Control Board before its term, Sarno said that he "would work with Governor Patrick and with the [Western Massachusetts legislative] delegation for a smooth transition." The city must "realize that transition for us to really stand on our two feet." Sarno served on the Control Board with Ryan when he was president of the City Council and recalled how he worked "shoulder to shoulder" with Ryan. Sarno added that he would also work with the Commonwealth to reach a payment plan for the $52 million lent to the city by the state. He said he would look for a "reasonable extension." He would also seek means to raise revenues in the city to help pay for the loan. One of those revenue generators would not be a trash fee. Sarno said he has been reviewing the state's Department of Revenue assessment of the city to determine the city's fiscal standing. Sarno did not offer at this time a substitute for the approximately $4 million the trash fee would bring to the city in balancing its budget. He said the issue of the trash fee was "completely mis-handled" by the city and that a trash fee would be "difficult to implement in an urban center." When reminded the Springfield trash fee has been described as an intermediary step to a pay-as-you-throw plan - similar to the one Worcester has had in place for over a decade - Sarno said that if the city had to implement a trash fee, officials should have introduced the pay-as-you-throw plan "right off the bat." Sarno confirmed his comments on making sure his administration was free of racism was a direct reference to Michelle Webber, Ryan's chief of staff who resigned after charges were made she has made numerous offensive remarks. He said that he was the "only non-minority elected official" who called for an investigation into Webber's remarks. "I'm not going to tolerate that," he said. Ryan said there has been a "disconnect with the average citizen" with the city government. "You can't get to the Control Board. It's difficult to get to the mayor. The City Council has become the whipping boy and girl," he said. He said the report by the Urban Land Institute about the city's priorities for economic development was "good" because it brought an outsider's look at the city, however many of its recommendations "were already put across." Sarno said that residents previously knew the need to demolish the former jail and to develop the Gemini property on Central Street. He called the lack of development of the former Court Square Hotel at 31 Elm St. "a travesty." Sarno called for local developers and urban planners to be involved in the city's redevelopment. Sarno said his campaign would not be negative, but that he "will not be afraid to draw the differences" between him and Ryan. | ||||||
