Candidates for the Congress, Massachusetts House, Governor's Council and Hampshire County Sheriff participated.
Participating in the League of Women Voters of Amherst Candidates Forum on Wednesday were, from left, Stephen A. Chojnacki, Republican candidate for Hampshire County sheriff, Robert J. Garvey, incumbent county sheriff, Moderator Joan Temkin, Michael Franco, candidate for 8th District Governor's Council and Thomas T. Merrigan, Governor's Council incumbent.AMHERST - Daniel M. Sandell, a Republican challenging State Rep. Ellen Story, D-Amherst, questioned her “flip-flopping” on her support for casinos, while Michael Franco, a Republican challenger for the Governor’s Council 8th District, took issue with incumbent Thomas T. Merrigan’s recent support for a judicial appointment.
Those were some of the points of contention at the League of Women Voters of Amherst Candidate Forum on Wednesday night for those seeking office in the Nov. 2 election. The forum included candidates running for the U.S. 1st Congressional District representative race including incumbent John W. Olver, and Republican challenger William L. Gunn, Jr. and Independent Michael Engel as well as Daniel E. Melick an Independent also running against Story and Sandell for a state representative.
Hampshire County Sheriff Robert J. Garvey and his Republican opponent Stephen A. Chojnacki also spoke and addressed questions at the forum moderated by league member Joan Temkin.
Story had objected to casino gambling in the past but said she came to support it this past year.
“It seemed like it was inevitable,” she said. The measure had the support of House Speaker Robert DeLeo and she was a member of a group that met with him regularly. She also said that “the House was full of unemployed construction workers (who were asking) for us to vote for it.”
But Sandell, who supports casino gambling, said she only supported it because of DeLeo.
He said that people “have the right to engage in those activities" and that $220 million is lost to Connecticut when that money could stay here.
Melick, meanwhile, said he opposes building casinos here because “I don’t think it would create jobs in the long run” and it would hurt existing businesses.”
Franco said that Merrigan should not have been involved in the recent appointment of Judd J. Carhart to the 25-member Appeals Court. He said Merrigan’s father worked for Carhart when he was Northwestern district attorney.
“That’s totally inappropriate. This kind of thing has to go,” he said.
Merrigan said his father worked for Carhart 17 years ago, which he disclosed to the council, and said he didn’t think he had to recuse himself for the appointment.
Chojnacki, meanwhile would like to see members of the sheriff’s department take a more active role in helping financially struggling communities. He said he would have had members of the department assisting during the ice storm several years ago and during the spate of arsons in Northampton last December.
Garvey said however, that the sheriff’s department role is operating the jail and correctional facility.
Chojnacki also said its important to be proactive to go into the schools and “to work with the youth before they get to (jail.”)
Garvey pointed to his 26 years of experience as sheriff and the recognition for service his department has received.