Few candidates in this year's Somerville city election

[ron_newman]

Yesterday was the deadline for candidates to return signatures if they want to run for city office this November.

Looks like it's going to be a fairly boring election. Nobody is running against Mayor Curtatone. All incumbent alderman and School Committee members are running for re-election. The Somerville Journal reports that only four non-incumbent candidates are running for anything:

- Jim Campano is challenging Rebekah Gewirtz for Ward 6 alderman
- Luis Morales, pastor of Vida Real church on Winter Hill, is the only non-incumbent running for Alderman-at-Large
- Christine Rafal is challenging James Norton (of the Somerville News) for Ward 4 School Committee
- Anna Lavanga is challenging Mark Neidergang for Ward 5 School Committee

Because so few candidates are running, there will be no September preliminary election in any ward. I don't recall this ever happening before in the 25 years I've lived here.

Comments

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

Newman '09!

[ron_newman]

Thanks but no thanks. I think Rebekah's doing a fine job.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

Move to Ward 7!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

You beat me to it!

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Was there anything different about the procedures or publicity for becoming a candidate this year?

[ron_newman]

Not that I know of. The city has had an announcement about the election calendar on its website for several weeks.

This press release from the Elections Department explains why there will be no preliminary election.

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming Anna Lavagna resides in Ward 5, and not at the Hall Avenue address listed online, and by the SJ article.

BTW, there's a complete lack of anything on Ms. Lavagna on the Interwebs: how is this even possible in this day and age?

[jamesnorton.livejournal.com]

She lives on Hall STREET, not Hall Ave...

[ron_newman]

The Somerville Journal article that I linked to says Hall Street, which is at the foot of Spring Hill, and does not meet or intersect Hall Avenue at any point. (Where is this 'listed online' that you are referring to?)

Also, can someone please tell me the correct spelling of her name? The Journal article says 'Lavanga' once and 'Lavange' twice. The NewsTalk column of the News says 'Lavagna' which is the more typical spelling I would expect for an Italian.

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

Whitepages.com helpfully lists her address at 25 Hall (no suffix given), I assumed it was the one around the corner, and not the one *almost* around the corner. My bad.

An aside - my hometown passed an act back in the early 80s to rename certain streets where duplication or confusion would occur (why was the street renamed to Properzi Way on both sides of the railroad tracks?), in order to assist public safety officers and firefighters. Just sayin'

[ron_newman]

I recall hearing a conversation recently with someone who would like to rename the part south of the railroad tracks back to Vine Street.

If I look up Anna Lavanga in WhitePages.com it says '25 Hall St' and shows a correct map as well. If I look up Anna Lavagna I get the result you saw (but the same map). Very confusing.

[elements.livejournal.com]

I think it's also a case of people who might in other years have chosen to run not being able to make it work this year. I've talked to a lot of politically active people who said maybe another year, but that this year they can't make the financial and time sacrifices necessary to launch and run a campaign.

I plan to strongly support Rebekah and Mark in holding their seats - they've both been doing great jobs. I've met Christine Rafal and like her a lot, so will probably support her. Don't know anything yet about Luis Morales.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

I will support Anna Lavagna regardless of how her name is spelled, or which 'Hall' she lives on (Niedergang was a resident of Ward 4 and looking for a race when he decided to move to Ward 5 to run). I have found him to be dishonest and sneaky, neither of which are characteristics I can respect. And by the way, why is it a problem that her life is not a public record on the internet? Some people still live private lives, or lives where their work has been in person and not online!

[ron_newman]

Could you explain what you mean when you say that Neidergang is 'dishonest and sneaky' ? (I do not live in Ward 5 and, being childless, don't closely follow School Committee issues. However, Mark is a member of my shul and seems to me an all-around nice person)

I'm harping on the spelling only because it reflects very poorly on the two newspapers, who should be able to report basic facts properly.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

I would not be comfortable repeating things publicly. Suffice it to say, I am not impressed by his:
~lack of knowledge of the Somerville School Department.
~lack of attendance at various school events.
~agenda.
~appearing to at times favor the charter schools.
~Honesty (and I think several of his colleagues would agree with this).
~Lack of openness concerning his past employment with the city.
~making untrue statements to voters about his opponent.
I was particularly offended when he showed so little respect for the Somerville High School graduation that he appeared in a short-sleeved shirt, no tie or jacket, and wearing a baseball cap! That was, in my opinion, inexcusable.

[ron_newman]

Again, I don't follow school issues closely, but Mark has always struck me as an honest and open person.