José Tosado’s announcement of his candidacy for mayor

January 27, 2011

Good Afternoon!

Thank you for those kind words and thanks to all of you for joining me
this afternoon as I announce my plans for continued leadership of this
great city.

First, let me thank my family who are here today, either in body or in
spirit, and without whose love and support I would not be standing before
you this day.

I am joined in spirit by my parents, Jose and Josephine, whom I owe a

debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. It was their pioneering spirit that
brought our family to Springfield in 1955. My parents had a vision for
their family and in Springfield they saw a place where that vision could be
realized.

I am further joined by my wife and partner in life, Irma. Together we

have raised three children who are our pride and joy.

I have other members of my family here, sisters and brothers, nieces,

nephews and in laws. I’m proud of my family, they reflect the social and
ethnic fabric of America and of the City of Springfield; my life is richer
because of them.

In my life I have been blessed by a loving family, caring friends and loyal
supporters. You have believed in me like I believe in the potential of our
great city.

Those of you who are here today and many others who could not join us
this evening began this journey with me in 1999, when after serving four
years on the Springfield Police Commission we ran for and won a seat on
the School committee.
In 2003, you again took that journey with me and together we made
history through my election as the City’s first and only Latino elected to
an all at-large City Council.

Today my friends, we will embark on another journey together.

BUT FIRST………
I want to challenge you; I want to challenge ALL the citizens of
Springfield. I challenge you to BELIEVE…..to believe that ANOTHER
SPRINGFIELD IS POSSIBLE!

It is hard to remember a time when sidewalks downtown were so full of

shoppers that you had to walk in the street. When our public schools,
parents and neighbors worked together and took joint responsibility for the
success of our children; when take home salaries were sufficient to raise a
family; when neighborhoods fostered a sense of belonging and security.
Today, for many of us it is hard to remember a sense of opportunity in this
City or even a time when violence wasn’t a constant concern. And for
young people it is IMPOSSIBLE, they have NEVER known such a time in
this city.

I believe that one of our most profound challenges is; to overcome the
tragic lessons we have learned just by living, to not take for granted
economic decline and cycles of poverty and the violence that surrounds
us. To not simply HOPE that the era of federal corruption probes are
over; to not simply HOPE that our children survive their teenage years.
We must expect more FOR our City, and more OF our leaders.

I BELIEVE……
ANOTHER SPRINGFIELD IS POSSIBLE

ECONOMY
We are a city that is high in poverty and that has experienced a decline in
the middle class. That is not an uncommon occurrence in older mid size
cities. It is something that was created by decades of disinvestment
brought on by the decline in manufacturing and by the flight of the middle.

However, Springfield has not adapted and restructured its economy the
way other cities have. City officials have continued to embrace and
employ the same failed strategies for economic development and have
achieved the same poor results.

Springfield needs to capitalize on the growth of small business. Small

business employs 83 % of all workers in the Greater Springfield area, but
they are not a priority for this administration.

Small, locally owned businesses--particularly those that are minority and

women owned--do not receive the support they need. They don’t have
access to the affordable capital and credit that is needed for growth, and
they aren’t part of the neighborhood planning process.

We must take advantage of emerging economies. Springfield’s future is

the green economy, the creative economy, the knowledge sector.…
These are opportunities that create local jobs for Springfield residents,
create a healthy environment, and bring vitality back to our city.

Springfield’s young people and our vibrant ethnic populations are crucial
to the city’s future. Yet they are not represented in the City’s economic
development strategies. Young people talk about leaving Springfield as
soon as they can. We need to encourage and support our young people to
stem the trend of “brain drain” and “reverse migration” as they leave
the City in search of better opportunities.

YES…. ANOTHER SPRINGFIELD IS POSSIBLE

 PUBLIC SAFETY
The surge of violent crime, particularly among young people is
unacceptable. A generation of young people in this City is growing up
learning that violence is a normal part of life. SEVENTEEN
MURDERS A YEAR IS NOT NORMAL!

Let’s be clear; FUNERALS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND

REST IN PEACE DECALS ON REAR CAR WINDOWS ARE NOT
NORMAL !

There is no substitute for a consistent and professional police presence.

Residents tell me how drug dealers have taken over, selling drugs and
carrying guns in the open. We do need more officers on the street
working in partnership with our community.

While Police presence is important; public safety cannot be addressed in

isolation, as it has been. Police Officers themselves will tell you that they
do “mop up” for a system that is broken. We need to address the root
causes of violence; which is often embedded in poverty. Prevention and
mentoring programs, after school, work and recreation programs as well as
summer jobs are also public safety strategies. I want to see the expand of
meaningful mentoring relationships with our school children. I want
stronger partnerships with colleges and community organizations to ensure
that gyms and parks throughout the City are open and safe to residents.

ANOTHER SPRINGFIELD IS POSSIBLE

EDUCATION

I am a product of the Springfield Public Schools and I know that we have

great, committed teachers; yet despite their heroic efforts, our education
system is broken. Ten of the State’s level 4 chronically underperforming
schools are in Springfield. Three of those schools are in a single
neighborhood. Parents, business and community leaders are outraged.
Federal law requires formal turnaround plans for these schools and when
the plans are approved $500,000 of new funding per school will be made
available.

However, neither the outrage, the turn-around plans nor the additional
financial resources are going to produce the transformation we urgently
need. Parents must have meaningful roles in the planning and decision
making process. The turnaround plans require that scores of dedicated and
talented educators be fired rather than addressing known structural
barriers; and the new funding will simply bankroll these misguided
plans.

It is time to move from conversation about change to action! We need a

bold and ambitious multi-sector approach that assumes ultimate
responsibility for every student from pre-natal through college. We must
take personal responsibility for keeping young people on track; we already
have the resources, what we need is the vision, leadership and
commitment to create real transformation.
ANOTHER SPRINGFIELD IS POSSIBLE

CONCLUSION
Springfield is a city of “gatekeepers”. To protect their own interests, they
want to keep things just the way they are…in decline. New people and
new ideas are threats.

THE GATEKEEPER ERA MUST COME TO AN END!!

Springfield must join the national conversation about the future of

metropolitan America. We must be in the forefront when it comes to
cities reinventing themselves. We need to be innovators and draw on
examples of success.

These are exciting times and Springfield can not be on the sidelines
anymore.
We need to think regionally; regional integration is a prerequisite for
Springfield’s renaissance. We need to work in partnership with the
suburban and rural communities of our region. This “us or them” thinking
simply doesn’t work.

We need to cultivate a new generation of leaders from the ranks of regular

citizens from throughout the City. That is why I fought to bring WARD
REPRESENTATION to our City!

President Obama said this and I will say it to you tonight: WE ARE THE
LEADERS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.

TODAY I AM ANNONCING MY CANDIDACY FOR MAYOR OF

THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD.

If you believe as I do, then join with me. to make

ANOTHER SPRINGFIELD IS POSSIBLE

THANK YOU!