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Date: 10/26/2023
SPRINGFIELD — With less than two weeks until the election and only five seats open in a 10-person contested race, City Council at-large candidates are in the final push to get their message out and ensure that it resonates with voters before Nov. 7.
What can be described as a friendly and well-organized candidate forum took place on Oct. 18 at the South Congregational Church, hosted by four neighborhood councils — the Armoury Quadrangle Civic Association [Metro Center], McKnight Neighborhood Council, Maple-High/Six Corners Neighborhood Council and South End Citizens Council.
All 10 at-large candidates attended the forum, which consisted of questions prepared by the co-hosts.
Each candidate had the opportunity for an opening remark before moderator Linda O’Connell began asking a series of questions.
“Many candidates have campaigned on lowering residential and commercial property taxes. However, the city budget projects that expenditures will continue to outpace revenue in the near future, driven primarily by non-discretionary spending. Now, the council does not have the authority to initiate budget expenditures — only to cut broad line items — the question is, how will you address this revenue challenge and what are your spending priorities?” O’Connell asked.
Juan Caraballo said small businesses should be a focus area, along with how money is being distributed throughout the city.
Incumbent Kateri Walsh said one of the most difficult things they do as city councilors is set the commercial and residential tax rate, which is not as easy as it seems, because so much of it is based on formulas and state guidelines. “You can’t always do things you’d like to do and lower things to make it easier for the residents because you have to follow formulas,” she shared.
Walsh agreed with Caraballo that the city should be looking at small businesses, however, the current focus area should be making sure the city is safe so that residents and businesses want to stay here, she added.
Incumbent Sean Curran said some bonding can be taken out on infrastructure which will create relief from property taxes and can also be used for community projects.
Gerry Martin said the best way to increase revenue is to use zoning laws accordingly to spur new development – particularly housing – based on the shortage in the city.
Incumbent Tracye Whitfield shared, “We are in the best fiscal position in the city of Springfield that we have been since the Financial Control Board left, so we are not revenue shy.” She noted that the city has revenue including grants from MGM Springfield and American Rescue Plan Act funds that could have been spent on infrastructure.
“We don’t have to approve a budget that would give nine years in a row of property tax increases to our residents in the city of Springfield,” Whitfield said. Through a large settlement from Eversource, she said those funds can be used to reduce the tax revenue and over time, the city can be creative to make sure the tax revenue stays low for residents to afford to stay in their homes.
O’Connell asked a question about divisiveness, as it strains government on every level. “How will you personally work to build true consensus and get things done with your council colleagues and with the other entities that influence the state of our city — the mayor, the School Committee, the state and federal legislative delegations?”
Walsh said to be a successful city councilor, you must have relationships. “Over the years, I have developed not only positive relationships with my colleagues but with department heads and people in the neighborhood councils,” she explained.
Jose Delgado shared that this question is what his whole campaign is about: bringing people together.
He went on to say that he is “tired” of the divisiveness at the federal level, where folks do not support something if it is a Republican or Democratic idea. “How about we support something that’s a good idea for the people and the residents of the city of Springfield?” he questioned.
Will Naylor shared that he used to do community outreach for the homeless and individuals that were “cast aside,” providing critical health services. Therefore, he said he understands what it means to work with individuals on all levels.
Whitfield said when she first ran in 2017, she thought just like Delgado, however, working collaboratively is not always the case. “We’re not [going to] agree on everything. We have different backgrounds that form different opinions, but we’re [going to] try our best. When it comes to being transparent and accountable and doing fair government, that’s what I stand on.”
She went on to say that her job is to tell the truth to the constituents, whether or not people like what is said.
Curran went off Whitfield’s point and said the City Council as a whole is a collaborative body that is committed to the same thing — “marching the city of Springfield down the path of progress.”
Regarding voter turnout, O’Connell said Springfield is consistently one of the lowest of municipalities across the state. “How do you explain this lack of voter engagement? What effect does it have on the city of Springfield and its government and how can the City Council work to improve voter turnout?” she questioned.
Martin said he believes it comes down to a sense of civic understanding and a lot of the younger generations have been let down in that regard. He noted that it starts with teaching civic classes and government courses at an early age — high school years — and “jazzing up” people — getting them excited about government.
Brian Santaniello said it is a civic responsibility to go out and vote and not let a handful of people dictate how the government is going to be run. He also mentioned the idea of involving youth by putting them on boards and commissions so that they are role models for younger people.
Juan Latorre said he is a strong advocate for new people joining the council — such as himself — becoming involved and bringing people into the political process for the first time.
Nicole Coakley said it is important to start with community outreach and making sure residents know who you are.
As a mother of five, she shared that children learn at home first, so voter information starts there as well.
Caraballo’s answer was communication and reaching out. He said that every two years candidates show up at residents’ doors, send out mailers and host forums, but in between those two years, he asked how often those city councilors are seen. He added that the city councilors should host coffee hours and be out there — like everyone has been doing — throughout the tenure.
“The City Council is the legislative body of the city and develops ordinances that guide the city government. If newly elected, what is the first piece of legislature you will introduce? For the incumbents, what is one piece of legislation you wrote and introduced during your last term and what will be the first in your next term?” O’Connell asked.
Delgado said he would like to write an ordinance that tackles the housing problem, to make it less hard for developers to provide building opportunities to increase housing in the city.
Martin said one of the first things he would like to accomplish is to create a small business working group. He said there are a few current councilors — Whitfield and President Jesse Lederman — that have created these working groups with a specific goal in mind. Through a small business working group, he would like to bring in members of the Chamber of Commerce, civic association leaders, small business owners — past and present — and city councilors to create productive business plans, then use the ability and power of ordinance to section off and spur economic development.
Coakley said as a mother she would like to work on many things, such as making sure students do not have to walk to school during the winter and in the heat. Outside of that, she shared that she would like to make sure resources are being sent out to the community so that they understand what is being written and how to apply for different grants.
Coakley also mentioned the idea of creating a youth advisory board or council so that young people can start becoming involved early on.
During Walsh’s time on the council, she said she introduced the legislation to fill vacancies on the City Council. She was also chair of the Rules Committee and looked at and updated rules that had not been updated in over 50 years.
O’Connell asked, “How will you ensure that all residents feel ownership in the city’s future and encourage young people of diverse backgrounds to stay in Springfield and contribute to its success?”
Curran noted that the city took some hits over the last years, such as Smith and Wesson and MassMutual moving out of Springfield, resulting in job loss and having a negative affect on the city.
He went on to say that the city and every councilor should focus on how to increase economic mobility and opportunities because that is what will keep people here. Curran said they will have to come up with some plans and predicts that this is what the commitment of the body will be in 2024.
Latorre, a lifelong Springfield resident, said he graduated from high school with people who went off to college and never came back. He recognized the several colleges in Springfield which he said makes the city “blessed” with reasons to stay.
Latorre added that a “big piece” is finding out what families are looking for.
Caraballo’s response to this question was communication and economic development. He recognized the loss of jobs and said businesses should be enticed with tax incentives or otherwise.
Naylor said he believes his candidacy has been an inspiration to many young people, because people did not think he would even be sitting at this table.
“I’m a man of action,” Naylor said. One of the first things he would work on with his colleagues is doing infrastructure improvements.
Santaniello said the city is facing a dilemma because it is about to hit another recession. With the unemployment rate in Springfield at 5.3%, he noted that this number will only climb when the recession hits.
Betsy Johnson asked about speeding and what steps each council member would make, if elected, to reduce it.
Delgado said speeding is a problem in neighborhoods too, not just the main roads. He shared that he would like to see people get ticketed more and work with the officers to do a ticketing operation.
With raised crosswalks or speed tables, if someone hits it going fast, Delgado said the driver would need to change their muffler or something similar and will then think twice before speeding in that area again.
Going off of this point, Naylor said the officers would have to be careful how they dispense tickets because it can provide “hardships” in certain areas throughout the city.
Walsh expressed her amazement at the amount of people who do not stop for school buses when they are stopped and lights are blinking, along with the lack of people who do not move over for ambulances. Therefore, she said there are some people who deserve tickets because they are endangering other people’s lives.