Valley Advocate: "Northampton's mayor leaves office prematurely and with controversy swirling"

I encourage you to read Tom Vannah's commentary in this week's Valley Advocate. Here are excerpts from "Between the Lines: Classic Higgins - Northampton's mayor leaves office prematurely and with controversy swirling".

As even people who reside far from Paradise City may have noted, Clare Higgins left her job as mayor of Northampton on Friday, Sept. 9, handing off the job to City Council president David Narkewicz.

Higgins will become the new executive director of Greenfield-based anti-poverty agency Community Action, a job she began on Monday, Sept. 12. Higgins left her post as mayor four months before the end of her sixth term and less than eight weeks before the fall elections. The move puts her political ally Narkewicz in the interesting, perhaps enviable position of serving as acting mayor in his mayoral bid against Higgins' 2009 challenger Michael Bardsley…

At the time, Bardsley said he felt the move created an unfair advantage for Narkewicz, "but that's the way it goes. I've anticipated that this was going to happen for some time now." In fact, Bardsley predicted that Higgins wouldn't serve her full term even before she defeated him by 344 votes in 2009. The issue came up during a mayoral debate that fall, with Higgins saying she planned to serve her full term…

It is unfortunate that Narkewicz now finds himself saddled with the extra baggage of Higgins' badly timed departure. No matter how unfair it might be, Narkewicz will appear to some voters as Higgins' man, as her clone or crony. To the degree that he is sincere in his desire to make Northampton City Hall a healthier, more transparent and publicly accountable place, being saddled with baggage from the Higgins administration will, even if he is elected, make the job of healing deep and widening divisions in the polity more difficult…

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Letter to Gazette: "No one should have 'leg up' in election"

Today's Gazette has this letter from Hill Boss of Northampton:

To the editor:

An article in the Gazette Sept. 1 noted that the Governor's Council appeared to oppose the nomination of William Rosen as interim Hampshire County Registry of Probate. (Rosen has since withdrawn his name from contention.)

A major argument cited in the article against Rosen's appointment was that it would give him a "leg up" in an eventual election for a full term. One member of the Governor's Council was quoted as saying "it would look like we're rigging an election for someone who would otherwise not be able to make it on his own."

When former Mayor Clare Higgins resigned and City Council President David Narkewicz became acting mayor, it gave him an advantage which he might enjoy in November's mayoral election. How would this advantage be different from that which Rosen might have enjoyed?

Northampton voters would be wise to consider this issue of unfair incumbency when they vote for mayor in November.

You're Invited to the Bardsley Birthday Bash on September 24

An Open Letter from the Communications Workers of America to Verizon

I have been proud to walk the picket line this summer with the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. They seek respect and fair pay for Verizon employees, as do I for everyone who works in Northampton.

Back in June, I also stood with our school employees as they protested the withholding of promised wage increases. The wage increases were part of the union's contract with the city, but my opponent as a member of City Council voted to skip them nonetheless. I particularly remember the anger of teachers who had previously campaigned for the most recent property tax override--in large part to maintain the quality of our schools. They feel betrayed by the city establishment, and I can't blame them.

I would like to share this open letter from the Communications Workers of America. It is addressed to Lowell McAdam, President and CEO of Verizon.
Letter From CWA to Lowell McAdam

Video: What Distinguishes Me from My Opponent

Here's a brief YouTube video where I address what distinguishes me from my opponent, and why I'm better qualified to be mayor. This video was recorded yesterday at the Florence Civic Center.