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> Special Sections > Special Features > Politicians 'dance' around issues at Ashe's annual fundraising picnic
Politicians 'dance' around issues at Ashe's annual fundraising picnic
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UMass Basketball Coach and Springfield native Derek Kellogg is seen with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno at this year's Sheriff Michael Ashe's fundraising picnic. Reminder Publications photo by G. Michael Dobbs
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By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
News Analysis
AGAWAM This reporter didn't arrive at Sheriff Michael Ashe's annual fundraising picnic on Wednesday until about 3:30 p.m. and I missed the potential drama of Sen. John Kerry coming face to face with his Democratic challenger Ed O'Reilly.
Such confrontations or dances to avoid such confrontations are typical at the annual picnic that is undoubtedly the premiere political event in Western Massachusetts.
O'Reilly has been trying to get Kerry to agree to a series of debates, and according to press release issued Friday there has been a meeting between the two camps to see if an event could be arranged.
What Kerry did see was quite a number of O'Reilly stickers, buttons and T-shirts. I can't remember seeing many such items identifying Kerry supporters.
Local, regional and state politics all are the subjects of conversation and debate over a beer or at the bingo games at the picnic. Predictions are routinely made and two elected officials told me they expected Sen. Barack Obama to pick Sen. Hillary Clinton as his running mate. I told them that if they were right I would herald them, but if they were wrong I'd protect their identities.
A reporter has to protect his or her sources on occasion.
Candidates working the crowds are part of the picnic experience. Longmeadow Selectman Brian Ashe is running against Springfield City Councilor Kateri Walsh in a Democratic primary to determine who will compete against another Longmeadow selectman William Scibelli to replace retiring State Rep. Mary Rogeness.
Although Ashe acknowledged Republicans have long held the seat, he didn't think the district was not necessarily Republican. Longmeadow is the key community in the district, he said, and noted the Select Board hadn't had a Democratic member for years until his election over eight years ago.
Ashe, who has worked as a manager in the Sheriff's Department for over 15 years, said his advantage over Walsh is his knowledge of the communities in the district. As a member of the Select Board and Longmeadow's representative to the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority's Advisory Board, he has worked not only with members of the Legislature, but also with representatives from other communities in the district.
Ashe called himself a "fiscal conservative" whose experience on the Select Board has been to "do more with less." He added, "Any waste in these towns [in the district] has been squeezed out."
He has set up a Web site at www.voteforbrianashe.com.
He said that if he won the primary, he would be facing Scibelli, which he said is "not an ideal situation as Bill's a great guy." Ashe is convinced the district is ready for a Democrat, though.
Another Democrat seeking to win over another Republican seat in the House is Brian Hoose of Westfield, who is looking at the spot currently occupied by Don Humason.
"We need someone on the Democratic side of the aisle to bring resources to Westfield," Hoose said. He used the 30 years it took to get funding in place for the new bridge project in Westfield as an example of a lack of recourses for the Whip City.
He said that State Sen. Michael Knapik can "wheel and deal a bit" but that Humason is "locked in his ideology."
A shift supervisor in the Department of Mental Retardation, Hoose has been active in Democratic Party politics on both the local and state level for more than 40 years, he said. He said his election wouldn't mean "brand new guy walking in," but rather someone who would get something moving on Day One."
Hoose would work to get funding for the widening of Routes 202/10 to encourage more economic development and for a spur to link Westfield to the proposed Hartford/Springfield commuter rail line.
Hoose also has a Web site up, www.brianhoose.org.
There were more than candidates attending the picnic. Among the elected officials I spotted were Springfield City Councilors Kateri Walsh and James Ferrera, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette and Agawam Mayor Susan Dawson.
Springfield School Committee member Antonette Pepe was also at the picnic and reported that with the new school year almost here she has received not more than 50 complaints about the new school uniform policy that she helped develop.
She said the overwhelming response has been "from people who say we love it."
She also noted Dr. Alan Ingram, the new school superintendent, embraced the idea and made sure there was a person in the School Department to help parents in need access the funds to help pay for the uniforms.
The highest elected state official attending this year was Lt. Gov. Tim Murray who said that he and Gov. Deval Patrick were waiting to see the revenue figures that will be released in October. These numbers should indicate whether or not the state government would be faced with mid-budget cuts. He explained the governor's vetoes of many of the earmarks placed in the current budget were motivated by fiscal responsibility.
He said, "Generally, Massachusetts is better than the rest of the country, but we'll know in October."
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