Tyer Makes Final Campaign Push
 Tyer was joined by supporters Saturday to emphasize her plans for the city of Pittsfield. |
On Saturday, Tyer called a press conference intended to "set the record straight" heading into the final days. Incumbent Daniel Bianchi has criticized the challenger's plans saying the initiatives would be costly or a duplication of programs he already started. Tyer, however, said she says her plans for education and public safety can be achieved with a mixture of funding sources and reprioritizing existing funds.
"We want to reiterate that a lot to he initiatives we've been discussing can be done in the existing structure of government if we have different priorities and better collaborations." the current city clerk said.
For example, Bianchi recently sent out a mailing which claimed Tyer was going to hire 27 officers to build the police force up to the 120 number recommended by the police chief. Tyer says that is not true but that she will make a focus on building the Police Department over time.
"When we talk about hiring more police officers, it is my goal to take a long-term strategic look at how over the course of five years do we build up the personnel in our Police Department," Tyer said. "I have never said I would hire 27 police officers on the first day of my administration. My plan is to be strategic, to reallocate existing resources to make sure the priorities that I have been talking about over the course of this campaign and the priorities the people of Pittsfield believe in are being met."
For example, the city spends some $800,000 for scheduled overtime for patrol officers. Tyer said that number could be reduced and used as a resource to hire additional officers.
"Overtime is a piece of a possible resource. Part of what we are experiencing is because we are understaffed, we have to constantly mandate shifts for our existing police officers. When those shifts are mandated, it is at time and a half. If we had more men and women and used that overtime resource as part of the strategy, we would have the city covered in a way that is more effective. We would not have police officers who are overworked and over tired," Tyer said.
Tyer has also criticized the mayor in the past over spending on things such as polishing the floors in City Hall or moving inspections services to 100 North St. She said those expenditures were cases of financial mismanagement.
She says in the first three months after taking office, she will put together a plan to expand the police force. She has campaigned with public safety being atop her priority list, saying she'd like to expand the police force with the creation of anti-gang and traffic bureaus.
"Mayor Daniel Bianchi has has different priorities that I have and that is the distinction. I have been constantly talking about these new priorities," Tyer said.
Another emphasis has been on early education. Again the mayor has said expanding public preschool would be expensive but Tyer says that isn't accurate. She says the plan is to bring the state, city, professional educators, the private early education institutions, and the business community together to find a way to expand access to programs.
"I am committing to saying it will be a combination of city funds, state resources, private funds and maybe we will get some support from private financial institutions. It does require everyone at the table and making a financial commitment," Tyer said. "We can be creative and grow a unique community with a partnership of many."
Tyer was flanked in her East Street office with an array of supporters including Gloria Schilling, former City Council Presidents Kevin Sherman and Gerry Lee, community organizer Shirley Edgerton, and Ty Allen Jackson. She hopes to show that she has the ability to pull together various groups to form coalitions.
"When people are looking at the support of the two candidates, I feel like I have a deep, broad coalition going into Tuesday," Tyer said.
Tyer said she's create a welcoming and collaborative government and with those priorities move the city forward.
"Until we are ready to be creative and tackle theses things, we are going to stay right where we are," Tyer said. "I don't think Pittsfield believes that. Pittsfield wants a path forward," Tyer said.
She called her plan a "progressive, positive plan."
Tags: #PittsfieldElection, candidates, election 2015, mayor,
