Lone Republican sets sights on winning state representative

Date: 9/7/2010

Sept. 8, 2010

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor

SOUTHWICK -- Life on the campaign trail has been very busy for Selectman Nicholas Boldyga (www.nickboldyga.com), the lone Republican in the race for 3rd Hampden District.

Boldyga will take on Independent candidate Attorney Anthony Bonavita of Agawam and the victor of the Democratic primary between incumbent Rep. Rosemary Sandlin and Mark Del Negro on Election Day.

"My campaign over the past couple of months is really about putting people before politics and this is the year we have to do that," Boldyga said, noting he visited more than 2,000 households in the district last month.

The issues haven't changed from the last election cycle, he said, adding that increasing taxes, governments' overspending and joblessness are still the more prominent issues concerning voters. Boldyga noted his 2008 campaign against Sandlin, while ultimately unsuccessful, garnered him 48 percent of the vote, something he's hoping to build on this time around.

He said, if elected to the House, he would lower state, income and business taxes, create tax incentives to attract and keep businesses in Massachusetts, spearhead pension and healthcare reform and implement local aid resolutions.

"We're working a lot harder and keeping a lot less of our own money," Boldyga said of life in Massachusetts today.

When asked why voters should choose him on Election Day, he replied, "I will fight at every turn to reduce the tax burden so people can keep more of their own money. I will do everything that isn't being done by our current representation such as refusing to implement local aid resolutions and refusing to cut spending."

Boldyga noted, "We haven't increased taxes one bit in Southwick. I opposed local meals tax. We made sure that this year we had every department head [submit budget's] that we're 10 percent less [than last fiscal year]."

Tough economic times dictate fiscal conservatism, he added.

Boldyga will participate in the West of the River Chamber of Commerce's debate at Agawam Middle School on Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m.