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Date: 8/24/2021
SPRINGFIELD – The picnic grove at the Lodge of Elks was transformed once again into a political mosh pit at which candidates, elected officials, members of the press and potential supporters spend the afternoon eating, drinking and, most of all, talking.
About 1,400 attended this year’s fundraiser for Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi at an event he inherited from former Sheriff Michael Ashe.
The picnic is a prime stop, especially for people who are seeking state-wide office and are looking to establish name recognition.
Reminder Publishing once again teamed up with Focus Springfield in speaking with as many officials and candidates as possible.
Three came over for an interview: former state Sen. Ben Downing who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor; state Rep. Dr. Tami Gouveia who is running for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor; and state Sen. Adam Hines who is considering a run for the Democratic nomination for lt. governor.
How the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) should be used was a recurring question for candidates and for members of the Western Massachusetts statehouse delegation. There is not only debate in the municipal side how monies allocated to communities should be used, but also discussions underway in the House, Senate and the Baker Administration.
Since the ARPA funds are next expected to be allocated all at once, the next governor will undoubtedly have a hand in how part of the funds are spent.
Downing said he would allocate 80 percent of the funds to climate change goals, an answer consistent with the platform he has established.
“We have to be using those resources for our transportation needs, our housing needs and to rebuilds our economies in Western Mass., in Gateway Cities,” he said.
Even in the face of climate change issues such as the wildfires on the Pacific coast, Downing said, “We have the solution.” What is missing he asserted is “political leadership with a sense of urgency.”
He called for more off-shore wind projects as well as solar projects across the state.
Downing agreed with recent statements from Gov. Charlie Baker about welcoming Afghan refugees to the commonwealth and added Haitian refugees who are dealing with a devastating earthquake.
He added, “We ought to be offering a greater level of service to our veterans and their families, those who have lost loved ones, those who are trying to provide the care and comfort to those who have come home with physical and mental health challenges.”
Hines represents the biggest district in the commonwealth in the Senate with parts of Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and even Hampden counties represented – an area about the size of Rhode Island.
Hines has not yet formally announced his candidacy and has spent the summer, he said, exploring the possibilities of running for the lt. governor position. He explained his motivation by saying, “This is a big moment.”
There are opportunities because of the effects of the pandemic to address various issues at this time, Hines noted.
Speaking about the use of ARPA funds, he said there are some sectors in the economy such as restaurants and arts and culture that need assistance now. He also explained that improving access to childcare has been discussed in the Senate. He added that with the changing forms of work and potentially more people working from their homes, childcare becomes even more important.
Hines said that employers and employees agree on the need for greater childcare and said before the pandemic, “It was a broken system.”
Gouveia has a strong background in social work and said, “I believe we can do more in our state to put the health and well-being of every single resident at the center of the ways we are making decisions, whether we’re talking about workforce development, the climate crisis, the opioid crisis or how we are going to navigate through the pandemic, there is so much more we can do by our small businesses and working families. That’s why I’m running for lt. governor.”
A native of Lowell, she said she understands diverse, working-class cities and the lags in economic development between different parts of the commonwealth. She noted it’s her eighth visit to Western Massachusetts as a candidate and she has “leaned into her roots” when visiting Gateway Cities here.
She contended the state government has abandoned the Gateway Cities – which include Pittsfield, Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and Westfield – and her approach to developing new solutions would include asking residents of those communities what are their ideas.
In terms of her background in public health issues, Gouviea said in response to the steps taken to curb the pandemic, she would give the people of Massachusetts an “A-” and give Baker a “C-.” That grade was warranted because she asserted Baker did not take the pandemic as seriously as he should have in the early days; for allowing local communities to develop their own policies; and for the confusion from the roll-out of the vaccines.
To see all the interviews, go to https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLolIYDZfz1YIV1rq4yfspYDCZY4nSrNHU.