The purpose of this report card is to encourage voters of New Bedford to make an informed decision about the candidates running for office for mayor and City Council elections on November 7th, 1995. Candidates were asked questions at a series of public debates about issues of concern of C.I.V.I.C. member organizations:
This document can be used as a referral during elected official's terms to insure that the candidates are held accountable for their stated positions. Remember, power concedes nothing without a demand! C.I.V.I.C. wishes to express thanks to several New Bedford organizations and businesses who have made these debates possible:
WBSM; Channel 46-New Bedford Government Channel; Howland Place; New Bedford Sport's Club; Buttonwood Warming House-NB Recreation; Moose Hall; Sixth's Bristol Club; Ben Rose Gardens-N.B. Housing Authority; TV World; David Antunes Sound Company; D.J. Mark "Lucky Dogs" Pereira
Report Card produced by GET-UP, Grassroots Empowerment, Training and Unity Project, a C.I.V.I.C. member.
Ward 2 Debate held October 12, 1995
Questions posed:
Does the candidate Support...
1. Needle exchange for HIV prevention
2a. Proposed Wampanoag Casino
2b. Gaming in neighborhood business establishments
3. Healthmobile with TB testing, STD info and needle exchange
4. Condom distribution for teens at High School
5. Reduction of paperwork to make the City's microloan pool
more accessible to small businesses
6. Reduction of water and sewer rates for neighborhood businesses
7. Will welfare reform increase crime and youth violence?
8. Support establishment of a detox center in New Bedford
9. Support the concept of a mobile police sub-station
10a. Support opening youth centers
10b. after school programs
11. Support waived fees for community groups to hold meetings
and functions in City schools and buildings?
12. Should drug treatment programs be made available at the
Bristol County House of Correction?
13. Support programs for teen parents; education, parenting
classes, counseling
14. Work to develop North End retail district as an
"International Marketplace"
15. Get rid of parking meters in downtown and North End
16. Do you feel teen violence is a problem?
17. Support establishment of a Drug Court
18. Both candidates commute daily to work in the Boston
area-would their schedule allow adequate time to devote
to City Council duties?
19. Address problem of abandoned properties on Acushnet Ave.
20. Should mayor control Health Dept. decisions on public
health matters
Candidates for Ward 2
Carlos A. Pinhancos Paul Koczera
Question Pinhancos Koczera
1. yes yes
2a yes yes
2b. yes no no
3. no no
4. no no
5. yes yes
6. yes yes
7. yes no
8. yes yes
9. yes
yes
10a. no yes
10b. yes yes
11. yes yes
12. yes yes
13. yes ye.s
14. yes yes
15. no yes
16. yes yes
17. yes yes
18. yes yes
19. yes yes
20. no yes
Ward 4 Debate held October 17, 1985
Questions posed:
1. Work to improve access to city Microloan pool
2. Support waived $45 fee for community groups to hold
meetings and functions in City schools and buildings?
3. Would candidate participate in Neighborhood Association
meetings?
4. Support a Healthmobile with TB testing, STD info and
needle exchange
5. Should mayor control Health Dept. decisions on public
health matters?
6. Address drug-dealing problem at Ben Rose and Bay Village?
7. Support programs for teen parents; education, parenting
classes, counseling
8. Meet with local banks to provide more loans to neighborhood
businesses
9. Improve access to City Hall of neighborhood business concerns
10. Favor condom distribution for teens at High School
11. Support greater integration of waterfront economic
development plans with Ward 4
12 Support Rep. Cabral's bill to use 20% drug confiscated
moneys for treatment
13. Should D.A.'s office have to account for confiscated
drug moneys?
14. Support establishment of a Drug Court
15. Support efforts to rehabilitate abandoned buildings
16. Favor demolition of Morse Twist Drill building
17. Support sex education in grades below High School
18. Assure that local small businesses benefit from the
proposed Casino.
WARD 4 Candidates
I =incumbent
Joseph "Jo Jo" Fortes Ramona Silva (I)
Question Fortes Silva
1. yes yes
2. no no
3. yes yes
4. yes yes
5. no no
6. yes yes
7. yes yes
8. yes yes
9. yes yes
10. yes yes
11. yes yes
12. no yes
13. yes yes
14. yes yes
15. yes yes
16. yes yes
17. yes yes
18. yes yes
Ward 6 Debate held October 23, 1985
Questions posed:
1. Support lowering property tax rate
2. Favor rehabilitating vacant lots
3. Should the city fund violence prevention for youth?
4. Support establishment of a Drug Court
5. Support plans for a recreation area at Fort Rodman
6. Should Victory Park be designated as open space?
7. Do you favor opening public schools for supervised
youth activities?
8. Support a Healthmobile with TB testing, STD info and
needle exchange
9. Do you have a plan to assist micro businesses in Ward 6?
10.a Would you support more foot patrol/community policing
in Ward 6?
10b. Would you work with the mayor to establish foot patrols?
11. Do you think welfare reform will increase youth crime
and violence?
12. Should the mayor's politics be involved in Health
Dept. decisions?
13. Do you have ideas on how to bring Casino visitors
into Ward 6 businesses?
14. Do you favor siting a needle exchange program at
Gifford St.?
15. Support waived $45 fee for community groups to
hold meetings and functions in City schools and buildings?
16. Support Rep. Cabral's bill to use 20% drug confiscated
moneys for treatment
17. Favor condom distribution for teens at High School
18. Would you give Working Capital businesses more of a
voice in city government?
19. Would you be willing to attend Cove St. Neighborhood
Association Meetings?
20. Does New Bedford have a gang problem?
Candidates Ward 6
Leo Pimental Victor Pinheiro
Question Pimental Pinheiro
1. yes yes
2. yes yes
3. yes yes
4. yes yes
5. yes yes
6. yes yes
7. yes yes
8. yes no
9. no yes
10. yes yes
11. yes no
12. no no
13. yes yes
14. yes no
15. yes yes
16. yes yes
17. no no
18. yes yes
19. yes yes
20. yes yes
WARD 5 Debate held October 20, 1995
Questions posed:
1. Are you aware of community policing and how it it working
in New Bedford?
2. Support a Healthmobile with TB testing, STD info and needle
exchange.
3. Favor condom distribution for teens at High School
4. Are you familiar with Working Capital , would you be
willing to meet with its members to address concerns of
microbusinesses?
5. Do you favor the current plans to rebuild the Buttonwood Zoo?
6. Should mayor control Health Dept. decisions on public
health matters?
7. .Should community groups be charged $52 per night for
the use of school buildings for meeting and functions?
8. Meet with local banks to provide more loans to neighborhood
businesses
9. Do you believe there is a need for improved night
security of Buttonwood Park?
10a. Do you support the establishment of a drug detox
in New Bedford?
10b. Do you favor the use of drug confiscation moneys
to fund a detox?
11. Meet with local banks to provide more loans to
neighborhood businesses
12. Do you feel the city has a responsibility to implement
violence prevention programs for teens?
13. Do you have a plan to include small and microbusinesses
in opportunities presented by the proposed Casino?
14. Do you believe that the casino will lead to an increase
in negative behaviors, i.e. crime and gambling addiction?
15. Support establishment of a Drug Court
16. Do you think welfare reform will increase youth crime
and violence?
17. City microloans require 3 years of tax and business.
Do you favor reducing the requirements for business start ups?
Ward 5 Candidates
I=incumbent
Jane Gonsalves (I) Barry Starr
Question Gonsalves Starr
1. yes yes
2. yes no
3. yes w/sex education no
4. yes yes
5. yes no
6. no no
7. no no
8. yes yes
9. yes yes
10a. yes yes
10b. yes yes
11. yes yes
12. yes yes
13. yes yes
14. no no
15. yes yes
16. no no
17. yes yes
Ward 1 Debate held October 26, 1995
Questions posed*:
1. Do you oppose plans to construct a coal-fired plant
in Ward 1?
2. Do you have a plan to help local small/micro businesses
attract visitors from the proposed casino?
3. Should the city tackle teen drug use in Ward 1?
4. Support a Healthmobile with TB testing, STD info and
needle exchange
5. Do you support the establishment of a community policing
sub-station in Ward 1?
6. Are you familiar with Working Capital , would you be willing
to meet with its members to address concerns of microbusinesses?
7. Support establishing youth programs in the North End of New Bedford
8. Should mayor control Health Dept. decisions on public
health matters?
9. Would you support a new bus company with expanded service
to meet the needs of New Bedford residents?
10. Do you have a plan to assist neighborhood businesses in
Ward 1?
11. Do believe teen violence is a problem?
13. Do you support Rep. Cabral's bill to use 20% of drug
confiscation moneys for drug treatment?
*Fewer questions posed due to abbreviated debate format for this debate
Ward 1 Candidates
I=incumbent
David Gerwatowski(I) Denis Hanks
Question Gerwatowski Hanks
1. yes yes
2. yes yes
3. yes yes
4. yes no
5. yes ?
6. yes yes
7. yes yes
8. no no
9. yes yes
10. yes yes
11. yes yes
12. ? has not seen text of the bill yes
Mayoral Debate
Held October 30, 1995
Questions posed:
1. Do you have a figure of how many $500 to $25,00
microloans have been made by the New Bedford Corp.?
2. Will you guarantee that New Bedford residents will
get jobs at the proposed casino?
3. Will you provide city matching funds for the
AmeriCorps program?
4. Are you still in opposition of the Healthmobile/needle
exchange for law enforcement reasons?
5. City's microloan program requires 3 years of tax
and business record for start-up businesses. Would you
be willing to revisit this application criteria?
6. No you feel that the community policing program is
accomplishing its mission?
7. Will city youth have a position/voice in your
administration?
8. 80% of House of Correction inmates have a
substance abuse problem-do you favor drug treatment
during incarceration?
9. Would you favor extending the concept of "one-stop
shopping" (streamlined regulations/permits) to include
microbusinesses?
10. Will you work closely with Neighborhood Associations?
11.a. Are EPA plans to store PCB's in permanent, Confined
Disposal Facilities (CDF's) a case of environmental racism?
11b. Do you favor placement of CDF's at the foot of Sawyer St.?
12. Do you support greater accountability for
confiscated drug moneys?
Candidates for Mayor of New Bedford
I=incumbent
Rosemary Tierney(I) Fred Kalisz
Question Tierney Kalisz
1. no no
2. yes yes
3. yes yes
4. yes no
5. no yes
6. yes yes
7. yes no
8. yes yes
9. yes yes
10. yes yes
11a. no no
11b. no no
12. no yes
Councilor-At-Large Debate
held October 5, 1995
Questions posed:
1. Do you support a Healthmobile to provide hepatitis/TB
screening, STD education, needle exchange and drug
treatment referral?
2. Should the City Council play a role to curtail youth
violence and drug problems?
3. Do you have a plan to support neighborhood small
businesses?
4. Should the city hold owners of abandoned properties
accountable?
5. Do you support peer leader/youth programs and be
willing to expand them?
6. Do you support increased accountability of the
D. A.'s office for moneys confiscated in drug raids ?
7. Do you favor the elimination of parking meters
in the downtown and North End retail districts to
attract more shoppers?
8. Would you support opening up school buildings
after hours to provide more supervised recreation
for young people?
Councilor-At-Large Candidates
I=incumbent
David Alves (I) Denis Lawrence Jr
David Andrade Kellie Martin-Luiz
Henry Carriero Ed Pacheco
Brian Gomes (I) John Saunders(I) Thomas Hodgson(I) George Rogers (I) not
present ( in the hospital)
Question Alves Andrade Carriero Gomes Hodgson Lawrence Martin-Luiz Pacheco Saunders
1. Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y
2. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
3. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
4. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
5. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
6. Y Y Y N N Y ? Y N
7. N Y N N Y Y Y Y Y
8. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y