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WEATHER TONIGHT Mainly clear. Low of 16.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014
VOL. 83 NO. 272
City Council seeks tax levy input tonight By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The City Council will conduct a public hearing tonight “relative to the determination of the percentages of the local tax levy to be borne by each class of real and personal property for the Fiscal Year 2015.” The hearing allows residents and businesses to argue their case to shift some of the burden of property taxes onto the other class of tax payers. The city has a bifurcated tax structure, with one rate for residential property and a second rate for commercial, industrial and personal (CIP) property. A residential factor of 1.00 would set one tax rate for all property classes. As the shift increases residential tax rates, per $1,000 of value, decrease and commercial, industrial and personal property rates increase. Typically the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and several business owners attend the hearing requesting that the council move the shift factor to lower the commercial tax rates, which results in a higher residential tax rate. And typically several residents petition the council to adopt a shift factor to lower residential rates, which results in a higher commercial rate. Those increases are not proportional because residential property comprises about 80 percent of the city’s total property tax assessment. Property in the city is divided into two classes, residential, which, in 2012, accounted for 83 percent of the total assessed property value in the city, and commercial, industrial, personal (CIP) property which accounts for 17 percent of all taxable property in the city. The current residential tax rate is $18.18 per $1,000 of value, while the commercial, industrial and personal property rate is $33.84 per $1,000 of value. The City Council voted to adopt a residential shift of 1.63 last year, the last factor in the formula that will be used to set the tax rate for all classes of property. That tax rate formula includes a number of elements: the amount of the tax levy increase, up to 2 1/2 percent is allowed under Proposition 2 ½; use of stabilization funds to lower the amount of revenue needed to be raised through taxes, state and federal aid; and the residential shift which can more tax burden to one class or the other. All of those elements fit into the tax rate formula that needs to generate enough revenue to cover the budget adopted in June. The State Department of Revenue recently certified that the city has $6.2 million available in its free cash account, which could be used to buffer any tax increase See City Council, Page 8
greatness where there is not simplicity.” — Leo Tolstoy
75 cents
More cuts to local aid sought by Governor A city man died after he was apparently caught by a conveyor belt at the Cargill Salt facility on Union Street late Wednesday morning. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
Industrial accident claims Westfield man By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A 33-year-old city man died late yesterday morning in an apparent industrial accident at Cargill Salt on Union Street. City police and firefighters responded to Cargill Salt at 163 Union Street after a 10:49 a.m. caller reported to an emergency dispatcher that a man was found hanging from a conveyor belt at the deicing salt facility and was unresponsive. The caller said that the victim was believed to have been hanging from the belt for about a half hour before he was cut down. The caller could not find a pulse and could not tell if he was breathing. The outdoor conveyor belt services a salt pile. Officer William Ullrich reports that he arrived to find firefighters performing CPR on a man near a large conveyor belt who was immediately transported to Noble Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The manager of the facility identified the victim as Robert A. Crossetti Jr., 33,
of 94 Holyoke Road, a seasonal employee of the company. Ullrich reports that the man displayed visible injuries to his right arm and right cheek. The manager said that he believed Crossetti’s upper arm had become caught in the conveyor belt which dragged him a short distance. Detectives Roxann Bradley and Todd Edwards responded to the scene of the accident and notified the coroner’s office and the State Police detective unit attached to the Hampden County District Attorney’s office. The state officials assumed jurisdiction of the incident. Edwards reports that the man’s family and all relevant agencies were notified. Crossetti’s wife came to Salt City and was then transported by police to Noble Hospital. The federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating. A Cargill spokesman said the facility is leased to another party but said of the death it’s “truly a sad day in Westfield.”
Westfield State community rallies around ailing profesor By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – For students and faculty in Westfield State University’s Ely Hall, the sight of Dr. Henry O. Wefing, Jr. is always a welcome one. A professor in the university’s Communication Department since 1985 and a former newspaper reporter and editor in New Jersey and North Carolina, Wefing, 73, is viewed by many to be one of the school’s foremost voices regarding journalism. See Professor, Page 8
By HOPE TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – Southwick-TollandGranville Regional High School students will perform the classic “Guys and Dolls” this weekend. Director Peter Follet said he chose the show because it would give a number of students “a chance to shine.” “It has a large cast and since I’ve been here I haven’t done a classic Broadway show,” said Follet. Senior Rachel Grzelak plays Sarah Brown and said she loves the role. “This is one of the best shows we’ve done,” she said. “You don’t question your character. You know who it is.” Grzelak is a four-year member of the
By Peter Francis Staff Writer BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration ordered nearly $200 million in immediate spending cuts yesterday while asking lawmakers to approve reductions in local aid and other accounts to help close a state budget shortfall. The gap, currently estimated at $330 million, has been triggered by a number of factors including an automatic change in the Massachusetts income tax scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor said. The tax cut, from the current 5.2 percent to 5.15 percent, is expected to cost the state about $70 million over the final six months of the fiscal year. Patrick exercised his authority to make $198 million in unilateral spending cuts in the executive branch of state government, Shor said. “We have done our very best to protect investments that are critical to the commonwealth’s future and avoid negative impacts on the most vulnerable of our residents,” he said. While much of the spending cuts will come in the area of health and human services, sensitive agencies such as the Department of Children and Families will not be affected, Shor said. State aid to public school districts known as Chapter 70, pre-kindergarten education and public higher education are among other unscathed programs. The state’s total budget is $36.5 billion. In a letter to state lawmakers yesterday, Patrick said he See Local Aid Cuts, Page 3
Homeless woman arrested, possible companion escapes
school drama club who plans to pursue acting after college. She said “Guys and Dolls” is her “hands-down favorite” production the school has performed. Fellow actor Joe Sullivan plays Nathan Detroit and agreed the show is a favorite for him. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said. Cassie Peterson, a senior, portrays Benny Southstreet and said there’s an improv quality to the script. “The characters really bounce off each other,” said Peterson, who plans to major in a theater program in college. Erica Paul choreographed the show and said after graduating she hopes to return to
By Carl E. Hartdegen Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Although a Holyoke woman who caused a three-car crash when she fled from police was ultimately arrested, a man who may have been with her escaped after confusing and intimidating two juvenile boys who live in the area. The incident began Friday evening when Officer Michael Gibbons ran a routine check on a vehicle seen operating on Main Street which revealed that the registration plates on the car had been reported to be stolen. Gibbons activated his cruiser’s lights and stopped the car on Main Street but, while Gibbons was requesting an additional officer, the car suddenly accelerated and fled down George Street. Gibbons gave chase and reports that the operator of the fleeing car extinguished the vehicle’s headlights before turning left on to Meadow Street at a speed Gibbons estimated to be about 50 mph. On Meadow Street, Gibbons reports, the fleeing Hyundai Sonata struck a westbound BMW sedan which, in turn, collided with an eastbound Jeep. The fugitive continued a short distance before abandoning the car and fleeing on foot to Williams Street where she was apprehended in a backyard by Officer Richard Mazza. Daisha Serrano, 19, of no fixed address in Holyoke, was arrested for reckless operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, failure to stop for police, operating a motor vehicle without illuminated headlights, speeding, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, receiving stolen property valued less than $250 and for a number plate violation to conceal identification. Gibbons found that the fleeing woman had abandoned a Chihuahua dog in the car and animal control officer Kerri Francis responded to transport the dog to the municipal animal shelter. At the accident site, an occupant of the crashed BMW was trapped and firefighters responded to extricate the victim who was then transported to Baystate Medical Center where she was treated and subsequently released. Unbeknown to the officers at the scene, at about the
See Guys, Dolls, Page 8
See Homeless Arrested, Page 5
WSU Prof. Dr. Henry Wefing (right) at the University’s commencement 2014 ceremony. (Submitted photo)
Southwick HS presents ‘Guys and Dolls’
Students from the Southwick-Tolland Regional High School drama club perform a dress rehearsal for the upcoming performance of Guys and Dolls which will be staged in the school auditorium, November 21-23. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
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