In Northampton, MA the preliminary election is quickly approaching and mayoral candidates continue their fight to make it on the municipal election ballot.
There are four candidates actively running for mayor in the preliminary: Shanna Fishel, Roy Martin, Gina-Louise Sciarra, and Marc Warner. The fifth candidate, Rosechana Gordon, will be on the ballot, but she has dropped out of the race. Only two of the five candidates can be on the municipal ballot on Nov. 2.
At a forum hosted by Climate Action Now, the four mayoral candidates presented their plans to address the issue of climate change and its impact in Northampton, as well as other plans for the city.
“A vote for me is a vote for livable economies and a housing first model… [for] better pay for teachers, [and] investment in mental health services,” said Shanna Fishel, who is currently working as a social worker. Fishel is committed to supporting small businesses, improving transportation, expanding justice-oriented educational programming and implementing a “municipal Green New Deal.”
At the forum, candidate Marc Warner discussed the management aspects of running a city such as deadlines, legal issues and budgeting. “These are things that do require somebody who has the management skills,” he said. “I have those management skills.” Warner is the president of Warner Transportation Consulting, Inc. and his priority, if elected, is to have “a well-run city.”
Roy Martin, a Marine Corps veteran, is currently making his 10th run for mayor. He criticized the other candidates, claiming that they were all saying the same things and said that the mayor alone does not run everything in the city. He emphasized that there are departments and other figures who influence decisions in the city. “We can all do it together,” he said, “just because you’re the mayor don’t think you have the right to have everything done the way you want to do it.”
”Northampton should be a place where anyone can make a life for themselves,” said City Councilor At Large and Smith alumna Gina-Louise Sciarra, who is an advocate for more affordable housing and the rights of renters. Sciarra aims to make Northampton carbon neutral before the 2050 deadline laid out by the Climate Resilience and Regeneration Plan. She also wants to revitalize the downtown, and is working towards implementing municipal broadband.
“I’d like to find somebody who wants to get back to some of those human services priorities,” said Emily Sparkle, a Leeds resident who is planning to vote this Tuesday. “Any mayor that comes and works in this town is gonna have a lot of chances to make things different and better.”
Northampton residents are concerned about a variety of issues, such as affordable housing, services for displaced people, worker safety, fair wages, accessibility for disabled people and the revitalization of the downtown.
“I’m concerned about what’s happening downtown and the storefronts being empty,” said Andrea, a Northampton resident who chose not to give her last name. “I’m concerned about LGBTQ issues and equality and inclusion, and I want to try to make sure our city government has a budget that’s realistic and supports all of those things,” she continued.
Along with the mayoral preliminary on Sept. 28, there is also a preliminary to narrow the field for city Councilor At Large candidates from five to four. The five candidates are Marissa Elkins, Jamila Gore, David Murphy, Michael Quinlan and Michelle Serra.
The results of this election will give an idea of what voters are looking for going into the municipal election on Nov. 2. When asked what she is hoping the new officials can do for the city, Sparkle said, “I just sort of feel like we need to go back to focusing on the people of Northampton.”
[Image: Northampton City Hall (Photo by the Hampshire Gazette)]
