Mayor Mary Clare Higgins continues her magical mystery budget tour through the city's seven wards. Strong allies in her tour are some of the parents in the public school system. Note the turnout as reported in the Gazette at the Finn-Ryan Road School briefing of 200 citizens as juxtaposed with the relatively scant turnout in Ward 5 of only about 30. This is a clear indication of the political power present in the school system.
As well, the PTO listserv of which I am a member has actively promoted Higgins' budget briefings, which seem to be de facto override campaign rallies according to second-hand reports I've received.
The Northampton Education Action Team (NEAT), loosely affiliated with the Northampton Education Foundation (NEF), as lead by parent and Ward 4 city council candidate Pam Schwartz, has been very active in this regard. Ms. Schwartz is as much as a shoe-in for the Ward 4 seat, and she will undoubtedly continue in the vein of former ward councilor Rita Bleiman and current councilor Narkewicz in supporting Higgins' agendas. Look for Schwartz to rely on Higgins' departmental appointees in forming the rationale for her council votes and, like Bleiman and Narkewicz before her, she will likely not rise to challenge the mayor on policy issues in a significant way. On the contrary, Schwartz will likely serve to run interference should anyone on the council question the mayor as she's familiar with the playbook and will be a good fit on the Higgins' council. As Ward 4's heir apparent she will likely (that's a lot of "likely-s") be endorsed by Bleiman, Narkewicz and Higgins and some others from the powers-that-be camp. I'm sure her lawn signs will be sprouting before too long. Moreover, her cordial relationship with the local media is sure to work to her advantage. If you're thinking of running against Ms. Schwartz, keep thinking.
The NEF for its part boasts some other very prominent players in Northampton politics as well, all trying to do benificent works. Current Ward 4 councilor David Narkewicz is one of those prominent players in an organization that grants money to Northampton schools to supplement their educational offerings. In turn, the NEF folds its funds into the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, an organization Smith College Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Ruth Constantine is involved with through her seat on its investment committee. If you check out the link you will find other notables involved with the Community Foundation, people like Elizabeth Scheibel, Northwestern District Attorney, Alfred Griggs, Northampton Development Corporation, Charles DeRose, former owner of the Gazette, David Starr of the Springfield Republican, and Attorney David Wilensky, former Planning Board member.
So you see, as I've opined here before, the Northampton educational system serves as a very powerful political support system for Higgins and her followers and Ms. Schwartz, who has been developing in Northampton's political farm system as it is, is now poised to take advantage of the environment of fiscal, "crisis," as she preps for the big time. Big time indeed.
