Posted by Ed on April 13, 2007, 10:39 pm Rome Capobianco for Town Selectman 1. I envision the growth and continuance of our Yankee Doodle town, with its premium on education, business development, culture, recreation, and sports. While Billerica is celebrated for its baseball players, it has also produced exceptional tradesmen, educators, business owners, and other professionals who deserve exceptional government. To ensure this, we must be fiscally responsible, and expand our tax base with industrial tenants who would value our talented workforce and supportive government. We need to breathe life into Billerica Center with the optimum mix of tenants. I would elicit support from our citizens by explaining the benefits of banding together for our common good. 2. We have to develop and implement innovative ideas to stretch our income, and learn from other municipalities as well as from our own dynamic citizens. We could earn hundreds of thousands of dollars from the sale of compost, dirt, wood chips, and gravel from our town and neighboring towns if we had a proper composting facility like the Town of Lexington has. The Town of Groton has a municipal electric company which saves its residents substantial amounts in their monthly bills. Billerica needs to generate its own power, and could utilize windmills as in the Town of Hull and solar power in such an endeavor. We need to solicit bids for services such as insurance for town employees, rubbish disposal, and equipment. 3. I believe that if there were a threat to the environment and quality of life that we enjoy here, that the citizens would band together to fight for their Town. I would devote my energy, time, and resources to defy any group that wanted to permanently alter Billerica. We would need to earmark funds from our municipal budget to ensure that the health and welfare of our current and future residents is paramount. If Billerica goes into a downward spiral, it will be more costly to reverse such a decline than to prevent it in the first place. Posted by Rome Capobianco on April 11, 2007, 3:25 pm Rome Capobianco for Town Selectman 1. I envision the growth and continuance of our Yankee Doodle town, with its premium on education, business development, culture, recreation, and sports. While Billerica is celebrated for its baseball players, it has also produced exceptional tradesmen, educators, business owners, and other professionals who deserve exceptional government. To ensure this, we must be fiscally responsible, and expand our tax base with industrial tenants who would value our talented workforce and supportive government. We need to breathe life into Billerica Center with the optimum mix of tenants. I would elicit support from our citizens by explaining the benefits of banding together for our common good. 2. We have to develop and implement innovative ideas to stretch our income, and learn from other municipalities as well as from our own dynamic citizens. We could earn hundreds of thousands of dollars from the sale of compost, dirt, wood chips, and gravel from our town and neighboring towns if we had a proper composting facility like the Town of Lexington has. The Town of Groton has a municipal electric company which saves its residents substantial amounts in their monthly bills. Billerica needs to generate its own power, and could utilize windmills as in the Town of Hull and solar power in such an endeavor. We need to solicit bids for services such as insurance for town employees, rubbish disposal, and equipment. 3. I believe that if there were a threat to the environment and quality of life that we enjoy here, that the citizens would band together to fight for their Town. I would devote my energy, time, and resources to defy any group that wanted to permanently alter Billerica. We would need to earmark funds from our municipal budget to ensure that the health and welfare of our current and future residents is paramount. If Billerica goes into a downward spiral, it will be more costly to reverse such a decline than to prevent it in the first place. Ansewers to our three questions from My vision is for a Billerica that honors its past and has hope for its future. A Town that, while rich in diversity and opinion, speaks for all with fairness and respect. A Town that seeks to provide efficient and superior municipal services within the limits of Proposition 2 ˝. A Town that continually strives to improve the quality of life for all its residents. I have always sought to do what I can to make a difference and to remain focused on my vision for Billerica. For example, while serving on the Board of Selectmen, I recall a resident asking me why there wasn’t a kidney dialysis center in Billerica. Three times a week, rain or shine, many residents traveled quite a few miles for this life sustaining procedure. Through my efforts, a kidney dialysis center is now located in Billerica providing a significant positive impact on the quality of life for countless Billerica residents. Working together, we can make a difference. 2.Times have changed and most residents today are no longer in the financial condition which they were ten years ago, how would you realistically attempt to manage the towns finances in a much more tight economy when some still want to have the luxuries of the 90”s? If you disagree with the scenario please explain. Recent demographic data points to a different economic level for the average Billerica resident. Reports indicate an average household income in the mid sixty thousand dollar range. Yet despite this reported data, many live on tight budgets. Those on a fixed income are particularly vulnerable. Through my efforts, in 1999, a Senior Citizen Tax Relief Program, providing up to Five Hundred Dollars in property tax relief, was implemented. In 2005, the maximum was raised to Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars. It is my understanding that, on the basis of participation in this program, Billerica ranks second state-wide! Additionally, I successfully fought to increase property tax abatements, by sixty percent, for the elderly, widows, the blind and disabled veterans. Working with our Town Assessor, I was successful in raising asset limits and decreasing age requirements – thereby qualifying more for property tax abatements. Thus, while property taxes rose I sought to do all that could be done to assist those most vulnerable by escalating property taxes. In October 2005, I fought against the adoption of a Water Enterprise Fund (The MWRA is a Water Enterprise Fund) as all the facts were not known to make an informed decision. The impact on water rates was not clear. Town Meeting agreed and formed a study committee to report the facts back to Town Meeting. My record of fiscal independence and results is clear. 3.If compelling evidence was presented to you about a project which could possibly lead to “America’s Yankee Doodle Town” becoming a place where you and your fellow citizens would no longer wish to live, how much of your resources and the town’s resources would you be willing to utilize to prevent such a thing from happening? A few years ago, I recall a number of Riverhurst residents, concerned about a developer’s plans to build in their neighborhood, contacted me for assistance. The neighborhood was divided with some supporting a rezoning of the property to allow for the construction of an office building. Fearing the alternative was a potential 40B development, the residents sought help from their elected officials. I agreed and worked for the rezoning of this parcel. The rezoning failed twice at Town Meeting, but not for the lack of effort! Today, as a result of a 40B development, nearly Three Hundred apartments occupy the site. Nonetheless, along with a number of others, I worked on behalf of this neighborhood. Having said that, it is imperative to note that we must be flexible and open to healthy dialogue on any issue/project. We must work within the system for the benefit of all residents. I have said many times that it’s just as wrong to accept a bad project as it is to reject a good project. To insure this doesn’t happen, we need to engage all sides in healthy dialogue. We need to be open and accept opposing points of view. We may not like every decision, but we can do our best, through this dialogue, to be certain the decision is an informed decision. Thank You Mr. Correnti 1.Since I moved to Billerica 32 years ago I have seen many changes, 3.The simple answer is an absolute YES Thank You Mr. Hurd
24.34.144.49
Posted by Rome Capobianco on April 11, 2007, 3:25 pm
24.128.141.63
24.128.141.63
Thank You Mr. Copbianco
Posted by ed on April 12, 2007, 12:42 am
24.34.144.49
Bob Correnti for Town Selectman
1.What do you envision for the Town of Billerica and how would you attempt to go about achieving your vision?
Here is Selectmen Candidate Ed Hurd
some for the good and some for the not so good. I have seen
Billerica go from a town with no direction and bad reputation, to a
community that has set out with a vision for the future and
reputation as an up and coming community. The question is do we have
the forbearance to stick with the town Master Plan. When I saw an
attempt to place Home Depot in the center of our town, I testified
at the Planning Board hearing and wrote Letters to the Editor, I
believe you must take a stand on all issues that effect our town. I
would use my position as Selectman to insure any change to the
quality of our town be debated and I will always use a leadership
role in defending the future of our town.
2.I believe the towns budget is out of control, spending has
increased at a level far above inflation and far above the average
taxpayers income. I would attempt to control the increases in town
spending.
Thanks
Ed Hurd
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