Man About Canton: Where are the Candidates?

DID YOU KNOW …

Where are all the candidates for Canton town offices? There was a time when Canton was a “hot” political town, a time when there would be four or five candidates for selectman. In fact, when MAC ran for selectman years ago, there were five other candidates running for selectman — but not in the past ten years or so. Has voter apathy become Canton’s fate and destiny? Once again, our town election will be a quiet, lackluster affair. This year, we have only one contest, which is a step up from last year, when there was no contest for any of our town elective offices. This year, all incumbent candidates will have another “free ride” back into office.

This year, we have only one contest for the vacant seat on the Canton Housing Authority. In a surprise development, Board of Health member Paul Alfano has decided to leave that position and run for the Housing Authority against former Housing Authority member John McSweeney.

The price of oil has surged 15 percent in the past six weeks and has raised the price of gasoline toward the $4.00 mark. It is also making diesel and jet fuel costlier for shippers and travelers. This will put a crimp in the recent modest growth in the economy. Things are not getting better.

The Canton School Committee has submitted a $32.25 million budget to the Finance Committee, which is 65 percent of the overall town budget.

John “J.R.” McCourt is the new president of the Canton Town Club. Ed Tomasello was elected vice president, and Rich Hagerty was elected secretary.

Ed McDaid, Jr., founder and president of South Shore Staffing in Canton, was recently elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce.

The Canton Association of Business and Industry recently elected Gene Manning as its new president and Paul Clark as its vice president. It is interesting to note that at the CABI board meeting, the board of directors unanimously voted to oppose the Community Preservation Act, which would add a 1 percent real estate tax surcharge on businesses and homes in order to create a local preservation fund.

In a recent letter to the editor, joggers and residents were warned that coyotes can be aggressive and have been spotted along Elm Street and Greenlodge Street. Additionally, MAC recently spotted a large coyote at the end of Edward Street (off Route 138). Both areas abut large tracts of woodland.

Olivia Murphy, a senior on the Canton High School girls’ basketball team and one of the Hockomock League’s most dominant players, recently poured in 91 points while collecting 44 rebounds over a three-game span. Olivia had 33 points and 20 rebounds against Sharon High, leading the Bulldogs to a 57-53 win.

Peter Lewis, an Ohio billionaire, has bankrolled the entire expense (to the tune of $525,000) to pay professional signature gatherers to guarantee the question on the state’s November ballot “supporting the medicinal use of marijuana.” Lewis has supported similar efforts in Ohio and Washington.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our noses and ears never stop growing.

You aren’t wealthy until you have something money can’t buy.

This is all for now folks. See you next week.

Joe DeFelice can be reached at manaboutcanton@aol.com.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=11942

Posted by Joe DeFelice on Feb 29 2012. Filed under Featured Content, Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.