SPRINGFIELD – Chris Doughty has a plan for Western Massachusetts.

The Republican candidate for his party’s gubernatorial nomination said at a press conference at Riverfront Park last week the region “feels forgotten and left behind. We felt that. We heard that.”

This was his third campaign swing through Western Massachusetts and he said he is planning more.

Doughty recently released a plan for Cape Cod, as well.

Doughty and his running mate Kate Campanale have issued a plan for the region that includes the building of a new courthouse for Hampden County, removing the tolls on the Mass Pike and increasing the budget to promote tourism in the four western counties.

Doughty is a businessman who owns Capstan Atlantic, a precision manufacturing company in Wrentham, which has 300 employees. Campanale is a former state representaive with a business background, who after leaving government became a teacher.

Creating and maintaining jobs in Massachusetts is a key part of his platform. Doughty said, “We will look at every decision through the prism of jobs, jobs, jobs.”

He believes availability of good jobs “solves so many societal problems.”

He is very interested in bringing a chip manufacturer to Massachusetts, he added.

Doughty said with tourism, if elected, “right away we’ll turn that around.” He noted Massachusetts used to be in the top 10 of the tourism industry in the nation, but now ranks 21st. He believes the commonwealth must invest more money into tourism.

Campanale noted that with a Doughty/Campanale Administration “municipalities will have a voice in the corner office.”

East-west rail is a project Doughty likes, but he believes the problems with the MBTA must take priority.

With the effort to grow housing in the state, Doughty said his plan would include asking cities and towns to change zoning ordinances to allow for more housing; simplify the permitting process for developers; and create tax incentives for high density housing.

Points from the plan on his website (http://chrisforma.com) include:

“On Chris Doughty and Kate Campanale’s first day in office as governor and [lieutenant] governor, they will direct all executive departments to provide recommendations for how they can better serve Western Massachusetts.

• “Chris will see himself as the ‘Top Salesperson’ for the state and will begin courting decision makers looking to expand their U.S. footprint or relocating their jobs. His plan is to create 250,000 new jobs in his first term and promote 10,000 new startups across the State. Massachusetts will become ‘The Easiest State to Start a Business.’
• “As governor, Chris Doughty will replace, not repair, the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse in Springfield. For a long time, Hampden County has needed a new courthouse. A results-oriented businessman, Chris will get this long overdue project done.
• “Chris and Kate are the only team committed to increasing state aid to local governments. Keeping this promise to the cities and towns in Massachusetts will help lower property taxes throughout the commonwealth – and even more important in Western Massachusetts where there are so many small, rural towns.
• “As governor, Chris Doughty will take the tolls off the Mass Pike from West Stockbridge to Springfield, make Massachusetts more affordable – and restore the fairness for Western Massachusetts residents initiated by [Gov. Bill] Weld and rescinded by [Gov. Deval] Patrick.The high cost of energy is a significant hindrance to economic growth in Western Massachusetts. This has led to the loss of manufacturing jobs in the area and the loss of investment dollars as companies locate good manufacturing jobs to other more affordable states. As a comparison the Commonwealth of Virginia average commercial electric rates in 2021 were $7.25 vs $19 in Massachusetts. The high cost of energy also impacts our agricultural industries. As governor, Chris Doughty will reduce costs by expanding the supply of energy through an increase in clean natural gas pipeline infrastructure, hydropower from the North and investments in local roof top and close to use renewables.”

Doughty said he is very willing to debate his opponent Geoff Diehl and there have been nine offers by news outlets and other organizations, but so far, the two have only met to discuss issues on the Howie Carr radio show.