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Date: 10/26/2021
HOLYOKE – Unlike the recent City Council Candidate forum which had little disagreement, candidates for mayor Michael J. Sullivan and Joshua A. Garcia fleshed out several topics they have differing viewpoints on during the recent Holyoke Spanish Language Candidate Forum.
The forum, co-sponsored by OneHolyoke CDC, The Greater Holyoke Chamber and The Flats Community Building took place on Oct. 21 and featured the candidates offering an opening statement, followed by six questions that were developed by members of the public and subsequently a closing statement. Each question and candidate reply was translated into Spanish.
The first question discussed home values in the city, which in turn has caused property values to increase. The question asked what Sullivan and Garcia would do to keep homes affordable in Holyoke, and how would they work with the City Council to address the increasing tax rate.
Sullivan explained that he feels there are two ways to approach this issue – reducing spending and making necessary cuts where possible to keep the budget in control. He also explained that by expanding the city’s housing base to have more housing and develop more affordable housing, the tax base would be spread equitable over a group of homeowners. “They key right here is managing our finances and managing our municipal budget and attracting new residents to the city,” Sullivan said.
Garcia replied to the question, stating that though it’s great that property values are going up in the city, he alluded that in a community that is managing their finances properly this concern would be mitigated. He noted that in contrast to Sullivan, he doesn’t feel there needs to necessarily be cuts, but there is “a lot of spending in areas where we need to take a deeper dive.” He noted that this issue is a “symptom of a bigger problem” and, alluding to Sullivan, said that though it’s “great” that the city has had a volunteer on the City Council that has been working on this issue, he said he has been doing this job for years working for the town of Blandford.
The topic of choosing volunteers for boards and commissions was discussed, and the candidates were asked what their message as mayor would be to new and existing members of those groups, as well as what their ideas for growth are.
Garcia explained that his platform is based on responsible management and good governance. He stated it was important to him that boards and committees reflect the population that they serve, noting that whether it be in income or in the language that they speak. He said that “equity and inclusion” should be on the forefront. Garcia then noted that he feels this issue separates him from his opponent, Sullivan, and recalled a comment he said Sullivan made on another forum stating that there “was nothing the mayor could do to help with equity and inclusion.” Garcia said he respectfully disagreed and said that the mayor has a critical role in the community regarding inclusivity and equity.
When it was Sullivans turn to answer the question, he said he didn’t appreciate what Garcia stated. He said he felt that Holyoke has always been a diverse community, and as mayor, he would “of course” look for diversity in all of their boards. Sullivan noted that throughout the city there is a “very diverse population” and he said he thinks the city has done a good job in diversifying and that it has been up to the department heads to do so. Sullivan said as far as the boards go, he would like to see more people who are trained in the workforce and have practical experience that they can bring to the boards they’re serving on. For example, he noted that someone who might be looking to serve on the Historical Commission might have a background not only in construction, but also cultural knowledge of the City of Holyoke.
Question three discussed fiberoptic internet and asked the candidates if they thought the digital divide was a problem in Holyoke. The question also asked if they support municipal fiberoptic services through Holyoke Gas and Electric.
Sullivan said he absolutely supported a “build out” by Holyoke Gas and Electric for fiberoptic internet. He said fiberoptic internet is an “integral piece of our infrastructure.” He noted this service is as important as sewer and electricity, especially during the pandemic. He noted this was something the city could phase into gradually. Right now, Sullivan said, the city is providing the “back bone” for services in other communities, and now that Holyoke Gas and Electric is experienced in it he believes that as mayor, this is something he would support. He stated there are funds in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money the city has received that could “speed this along.”
Garcia agreed with Sullivan on this point, stating that he believes the digital divide in the community is “very real.” He stated that the city has communities that are “very vulnerable” and having access to broadband is a human right. Garcia shared that in the town of Blandford, as the Town Administrator, he is working on implementing locally owned broadband. He said they are “lighting up every corner of the town,” stating that it has been a long three- or four-year process, and that it has been costly and time consuming. He shared they’re in the construction phase working with Whip City Fiber, which is counter to Holyoke Gas and Electric, and that the project is being completed. Garcia stated he looks forward to working with the council and Holyoke Gas and Electric on moving forward on this.
Question four was in regard to safety of residents, specifically near Veterans Park, who have voiced concerns with people “begging for money.” Candidates were asked how they would address safety concerns.
Garcia first noted that he felt “no member our public shall ever feel unsafe or harassed,” and that in his administration they would not tolerate harassment. He said this, however, was separate from people who are struggling with issues surrounding homelessness. Garcia then said he and Sullivan disagree on this issue, citing a quote from an unnamed newspaper where Sullivan allegedly stated, “Don’t feed the animals, lock them up,” in regard to those struggling with homelessness. Garcia said he would be sure to work with and collaborate with the necessary stakeholders on issues around mental health and addiction to uplift those having these types of struggles. He did, however, note again that any form of harassment will not be tolerated and that he would work with the local Police Department. He suggested the city, “take the human approach.”
Sullivan addressed Garcia’s quote of him, calling his word choice at the time an “inappropriate remark” that was born out of frustration. He explained he felt there should be more education from the public to curtail the situation. He then stated that “90 percent of the people we see out there are not Holyoke residents, they’ve come to the city for the availability and cheap access to heroin. I hope everyone understands that.” Sullivan said people are being drawn to Holyoke because of this, and that there needed to be more “feet on the street” from the Police Department. He said he did not want to see children that are not safe walking to school or businesses suffering because people are afraid to go downtown because they don’t want to walk on High Street for fear of being accosted.
Regarding ARPA funding, the mayoral hopefuls were asked if they were satisfied with the way current Acting Mayor Terrance Murphy has distributed the first round of funds, and when there is a second disbursement that the future mayor will be able to allocate, what their priorities would be.
Sullivan said that he felt Murphy has done a “tremendous job” allocating the first set of funding and said it went to good causes. He said in the next round, he would focus on infrastructure in the city. Sullivan explained further, stating that with everything the city is looking to accomplish in the future – new schools, new houses, new businesses – the foundation of the city needs to be rebuilt to support. He said the projects he is referencing are not glamours, they include repairing water lines in the city that have failed during fires, existing water and sewer separation projects, which he noted would be vital going forward as the city faces the challenges of global warming. “If we’re going to be successful as a city we need to rebuild the foundation so we can move forward,” Sullivan stated.
Garcia agreed that they had to give appreciation and thanks to Murphy for stepping up in an unusual time under these circumstances, referencing the pandemic, however he did note that he would have allocated funds differently. He said in the first round of funding, he felt there should have been merit pay to first responders, police and firefighters who had to serve the community during the heights of COVID-19. He said since it wasn’t prioritized in the first round, he would prioritize this in the second. Garcia then added that he felt local rapid recovery efforts will be critical, and anything they can do to help local businesses build up from what they lost during the pandemic will be a “win for the city.” He said that the small businesses are the backbone of Holyoke. On a final note, Garcia said he didn’t agree with the infrastructure issues Sullivan indicated, however he “felt good” knowing that coming down the pipeline there are infrastructure funds coming from the federal government.
The final question of the forum brought up unpaid property taxes, and how some property owners in Holyoke are not up to date on their taxes – some with unpaid debts back to several decades. The question asked what strategies the candidates would use to address this issue and how they would encourage more economic development within the growing downtown.
Garcia explained that an important component to his platform is to bring management into the local government. He said this is an unfortunate situation, and that the taxes not being collected is a symptom of a problem with the internal structure of the government. Garcia explained the city relies heavily on the revenue to elevate the quality-of-life issues they spoke about earlier in the forum. He stated this isn’t anything different that he isn’t already doing in Blandford, and that there is a system in place so that if a property owner goes delinquent, they’re put into a tax payment program and the tax title process starts right after. He said this is important to the greater economic ecosystem that they’re trying to create in Holyoke.
In his answer to the question, Sullivan reflected on his time on the City Council and that one of the items that he has sponsored and put through is the city demolition supervisor position. He explained that there is now a person who can go into an abandoned building and prepare them for demolition. He explained this has sped up the process of taking buildings and potentially putting them into receivership programs to be put back on the market. He said this individual identifies these properties and subsequently separates which ones are viable and which can be moved into the receivership program. Sullivan said that there are properties that can be rehabilitated or taken down and made way for new development, new industries and new employment. He then segued saying that employment is key, and if there are good jobs available youths won’t turn to guns, crime and violence. Providing the opportunity, Sullivan stated he would go after the issue with the Legal Department, the Board of Health and the full weight of the mayor’s office to put a stop to the tax issue.
In their closing statements, Sullivan thanked the audience and exclaimed how great it was to see the revitalization in the community in the Flats, as the forum took place at the Flats Community Building on Canal Street. He said he’s learned a lot about the city in his six years on the City Council, and noted it’s been a “tough haul” learning about he city’s infrastructure and the finance. He said what separates himself from Garcia is that, though Garcia has had experience in Blandford, “Blandford is a lot different than Holyoke.” Sullivan alleged that Blandford has “no Fire Department, no Police Department, no public schools,” and that he has the experience and the know-how to tackle being the mayor of Holyoke.
Garcia described the forum as “a great experience” and said he hoped it was “enlightening” for residents. “I think Mike Sullivan is a very nice guy. So am I. I think – I know – he’s helped a lot of people in his own capacity. So have I. We can share our resumes of how nice we are and how many people we’ve helped, but it doesn’t qualify you to be the mayor of Holyoke,” Garcia said. He then took a shot at Sullivan stating, that it was “very respectable” that Sullivan has had six years on the City Council, but it “doesn’t quality [Sullivan] to be a mayor.” He added that Sullivan alleged Blandford didn’t have schools, a Fire Department or a Police Department, which Garcia said is not true. He added while he and Sullivan agree on issues regarding economic development, safety and schools, he believes their management styles and values are “very different.” Garcia then said he feels his three years working for Blandford is more experience running a community than Sullivan has.
For those who would like to watch the full forum, head to Holyoke Media’s YouTube page. The mayoral election is set to take place on Nov. 2.