News

State Representative Campaign Announcement 

City Councilor Aaron Vega

 February 14, 2012

 Thank you for joining me here today. It is great to be surrounded by so many friends and supporters as we stand together and declare our love for Holyoke on this Valentines Day.

I’d also like to thank my family for being here and supporting me…

My wife Debra has become my constant companion in life and work. She came with me to Holyoke very early in our relationship and instantly fell in love with the character, culture and charm that has attracted people here for over 150 years. Soon after, she and I decided it was time to plant our roots and opened up a small business in downtown, right across the street at Open Square. Without you by my side none of this would be possible, thank you.

And, my father Carlos who instilled in me the deep love that I hold for our city today.

When I was young I hated meetings because he would drag me to them, who knew that I would have grown to be someone who attends more meetings than he ever imagined.

Moving to Holyoke as a young child, his was one of the first Spanish speaking families living here. He spent over 40 years working tirelessly to improve the lives of his neighbors through civic engagement and political action, paving the way for so many. And to show how far along Holyoke has come, soon you can visit the Carlos Vega Park in South Holyoke and then explore his archives and collected works at Wistariahurst Museum. I’m happy to announce that they have recently received a NEH grant to preserve this collection for generations to come. Dad, you are more responsible than anyone for me standing here today, thank you.

My journey began many years ago on Park Street, what is now Clemente Avenue, only a few blocks away from here. Growing up in South Holyoke I attended Morgan Elementary School and eventually Holyoke Community College. Completing my Bachelors degree, with a concentration in film, at Keene State College, I soon became a film editor, working on projects for Ken Burns, PBS, and HBO.

This experience taught me how to work collaboratively, how to execute a vision and allowed me to grow personally. When I came back to Holyoke, after opening Vega Yoga and Movement Arts, I turned to serving on civic boards.  Eventually I decided to jump into the fray and run for City Council.

Four years ago when that decision was made I could not foresee being here today in Heritage Park, the soul of our downtown, on the banks of the canals that gave Holyoke the energy it needed to become the “Queen of Industrial Cities” and that now are the key instrument for our rebirth, to announce my candidacy for State Representative for the 5th Hampden District.

I am running to be your State Representative not only because of my deep-rooted love and respect for Holyoke but because, as a downtown business owner, I recognize the need to capitalize on the excitement and attention being focused on Holyoke.

As your City Councilor, I see firsthand the issues facing residents every day and how the State impacts them.

Most importantly, as an engaged citizen I know there is great momentum, energy and spirit here in Holyoke, and I’m ready to bring that energy to Beacon Hill.

We are living in a time of great opportunity. Having worked tirelessly for the past three years with a wide range of community leaders, public officials and other residents, I have a unique understanding of the challenges and potential facing my hometown today and what it will take at the State level to keep moving Holyoke forward.

As part of the Morgan School Turnaround Team I worked directly with school officials, educational experts and parents as we submitted a plan to the state that was approved and today Morgan in on an upswing, a full service community school that address the whole child.

While this improved the lives of the children at school, the neighborhood they live in, South Holyoke is plagued by blight, violence, and worse, apathy.

That is why this past year I joined the South Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative with a goal of creating a safe, healthy & economically viable neighborhood.

While this focus on South Holyoke is important, the truth is when Holyoke as a whole is lifted up, so will all its residents…

In order to play a part in lifting the city up, in 2008 I teamed up with a number of other Holyoke enthusiasts to form Citizens for the Revitalization and Urban Success of Holyoke, or CRUSH. We created an online social network and organized events like our parties with a purpose covering a variety of topics from local history to small business development.

It was working on the CRUSH Community Conversation that I began to think about running for City Council. A group of us wanted to create a peoples agenda, by the end of that process, after hearing the needs of so many members of the community I was inspired to run, and sure enough was elected as an at-large member. 

As your city councilor I have worked to improve the lives of the people who live and work in Holyoke by focusing on three main points, Increasing Civic Engagement, ensuring economic success, and demanding Clean and Safe Streets.

By introducing a public comment period at the beginning of each regular council meeting the general public has a new tool to engage with their elected officials. Every resident has the opportunity to address the full council, at each meeting, on any topic they feel is important for the health of Holyoke.

To ensure the economic success of our city we have worked on a number of measures, most recently a 20 year TIF. This allows businesses, large and small, new and old the ability to expand while at the same time promoting job creation and reducing taxes through expanding our revenue base.  As Chair of the Redevelopment Sub-Committee I was happy to work with my colleagues in getting this passed.

Most important to me is the quality of life in every neighborhood, to that end the council recently passed the Clean and Safe Streets Act a product of nearly 12 months of work with Department Heads, Community Leaders, Business Owners and citizens.. By simplifying language, strengthening laws, and streamlining enforcement, city officials now have the ability to address the overflowing dumpsters, gang graffiti, and trash strewn streets that have defined the perception of Holyoke for far too long.

My time on the Council has also demonstrated to me the importance of building consensus and the need for compromise in order to govern effectively. Many of the orders that I have filed had been attempted in the past by others, but failed.

The passage of these important laws was only possible by working with my 14 other councilors, looking past our personal ideological differences and focusing in on what will be best for the city.

While these victories will certainly improve the lives of Holyokers, there is still more to be done in order to keep Holyoke moving forward.

Holyoke needs to ensure the renaissance we are experiencing is more than a flash in the pan.

People and developers from all over this state and possibly this country have their eyes on us.

When elected I will work each day to make sure that we take advantage of every opportunity and guarantee that this positive momentum is sustainable. By introducing and advancing relevant legislation, and identifying ways to leverage state resources Holyoke will once again be a shining example to the rest of the Commonwealth.

The first step is to add new jobs. The best path out of the crushing poverty too many of our residents experience today is a decent living wage and adequate benefits.

This will not be accomplished by the panacea being promised up by casino developers, it will come from Smart development that uses new models for collaboration, where public and private partners create a localized economy that offers sustainable jobs and revenue.

We must use the resources already in Holyoke and the surrounding areas to create an economic driver that will spark the mixed income development needed.

Currently there are students from the area colleges studying in Holyoke everyday. Imagine what could happen if a dorm was opened in downtown, placing hundreds of college students with disposable income in our urban core. Restaurants, retail and other job creators would follow. It would also be a good re-use of vacant space that exists in our historic mill buildings.

An economic driver such as that, combined with a Residential Tax Abatement program, would encourage economic success in Holyoke

While those are big ideas, there are specific pieces of legislation that are equally important to Holyoke, The Expanded Bottle Bill being one.

By placing a 5 cent deposit on bottles used for water and juice, like we already do for soda and beer, it would take tons of trash of the streets.

Our own DPW has said that no other bill being discussed right now would have such an impact on saving taxpayer money and keeping our streets clean. In fact, over 70% of Massachusetts residents are in favor, but this bill has been held up for years due to the influence of corporate lobbyists. 

During this time the streets of Holyoke have become littered with plastic and glass, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in additional costs. 

We cannot allow this culture of corporate influence to continue, that is why I promise to never take one cent of money from corporate PAC’s or Lobbyists.

While this may not allow me to raise as much money, it is a commitment I hope that every candidate across the Commonwealth makes.

It also means that I am going to have to work even harder to get our message out.

I hope I count on your help

I have been honored and humbled by the outpouring of support from every corner of Holyoke. 

I’m also encouraged… 

Encouraged that hard work pays off and that the fine people of Holyoke are listening and do care about our city. 

Encouraged that when people take pride and ownership of their community great things can happen.

Encouraged that the democratic process is alive and well here in Holyoke. 

Still, there are people who say this campaign will divide the city, that there has been too much change and what we really need it to stay the course, that we should not take this bold step. 

To them I say, let us be bold.

Let us work together as a voice of unity and of determination, just as our city’s founders did over 130 years ago when they harnessed the power of the mighty Connecticut River to build the paper city.

This campaign will not rely on the politics of fear and divisiveness; it will be about hard work, and a clear vision of what Holyoke can be. 

A Holyoke where every school child has a path to success.

A City that guarantees an excellent quality of life, no matter where you come or how long you have been here.

A Holyoke that every resident is proud to call home.

You have entrusted me twice to be your representative on the city council and now I ask you to let me represent you in Boston.

As your State Representative I will bring experience, leadership and fresh ideas to the position, and will always continue to listen to all the residents of Holyoke. 

I look forward to meeting and working with you this campaign season and I hope to gain your support in representing one Holyoke. 

One Holyoke.

Not new Holyoke or old Holyoke, one Holyoke.

I ask you to tell your fiends, tell your Family, and tell your neighbors to Vote Vega to be your State Representative on September 6th. 

Thank you.