Keep Holyoke Affordable For ALL

08/15/2026

Time for an audit of our Treasurer's office?
Where is the free cash?

08/07/2026

TAXPAYERS WANT TO KNOW:

Mayor is getting his CAFO- but according to the city council president, he's been here for over a year already advising the mayor...

Did the consultant-now CAFO- recommend keeping the unqualified Treasurer who is still making big bucks while a private contractor cleans up the office?

We still have a Treasurer with no financial education or background.

The city council abrogated its responsibility after voters approved a ballot question calling for the city council to appoint a Treasurer.

What will the next Treasurer appointed by the Mayor bring to the office?
Garcia has ignored the qualifications established for Treasurer by the city council

The Treasurer's office has been problematic for years. We need an experienced Treasurer with a successful track record ready to run the office on Day #1.

It is said we get what we pay for. We shall see.

And.. where is the auditor? Only one applicant put forth - with what audit experience? Is salary $112,000 or $120,000 - what is she doing? Let's have an update.

Taxpayers want to know.🤨

08/04/2026

Recipe for Big Government:

INGREDIENTS:

1)Appoint an unqualified Treasurer-
2024, 2025, - no free cash, accounts not reconciled

2)Keep the unqualified Treasurer - still here due to mayor appointing for 3 - 60day periods

3)Ignore voters-2025- voters approve the question for the city council to appoint a qualified Treasurer. Mayor tells HR not to post it.

4) Exert influence of local elections November 2025-Mayor pays & campaigns to push his chosen candidates to be elected.

5) 17% turnout-City Council election gives mayor a super majority on most votes. Also results in OCPF fine for mayor due to violation of campaign law.

MIX WELL & BAKE

5)New City Council refuses to appoint a qualified treasurer as voted by citizens.

6)New city council approves adding new high cost positions-not one-three! CAFO-$187,500, Comptroller $115,000 & Director of Technology $100,000

REMOVE FROM OVEN & COOL

Still no 2024 or 2025 reconciliation or free cash
Still no QUALIFIED Treasurer
Selection of a highly paid CAFO $187,000, just increased from the originally recommended amount provided this spring by our- consultant-TJ Plante- Now CAFO TJ Plante

PREPARE FROSTING

So the mayor who ran to clean up Holyoke's, finances, created a financial crisis, then used it to build himself a "bigger mountain" of local government giving himself more power & control, while ignoring the will of the voters!

ADD FROSTING - Sprinkle with tax payer pennies....all they have left after paying for the baking of the cake!

Local government is supposed to work for us!
No Kings👑

New Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

1) Speak out to keep your taxes affordable

2) VOTE For City Councilors & Mayor who will represent YOU!

07/27/2026

https://theshoestring.org/2026/07/27/bump-set-spike-will-holyoke-residents-block-developers-proposed-sports-complex/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTUuttleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7JxunVTZ_CiSxeFHSTTNv9Z57764Y6OTaGJd76XZ7NuuiAeZpjniYUWufUXQ_aem_7fqIKGAOmbb4qpxMB-BXiQ

Interesting Read.

Garcia and Ruiz, a love story.

Despite much initial fanfare, residents have been told that there are no formal plans for the project. But the city’s been busy, and some Holyokers have united in resistance against a developer wit…

06/29/2026

$213M Budget- only $45,000 cut
Rubber stamp, spend & tax city council, approved Mayor's budget 10/2
-hang on to your wallets!

06/17/2026

Will Mayor Garcia Veto the Data Center Ban?

Governor Maura Healey supports the expansion of data centers as essential for the state's artificial intelligence and innovation economy, but she requires these facilities to be self-powered and environmentally friendly to protect ratepayers. She strongly opposes statewide bans on such infrastructure.Core Policies & StanceNo Moratoriums: Unlike counterparts in neighboring states, Healey refuses to support bans on data center development, arguing that such measures would hinder the state's economic future.Strict Energy Requirements: She has drawn bright lines stating that any new data centers must power themselves and minimize community or ratepayer impact.Tax Incentives: She signed the Mass Leads Act into law, which provides qualified data centers with sales and use tax exemptions on equipment, construction costs, and electricity.State AI Hub & InfrastructureHealey is heavily pushing Massachusetts as a global leader in applied AI. A focal point of this initiative is the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) located in Holyoke. The administration selected technology partners to build out the Artificial Intelligence Compute Resources (AICR) environment at the Holyoke facility, establishing it as the backbone of the state's AI network.Current Regulatory ProgressWhile Healey is a proponent of the technology, the exact rules and guidelines governing the siting, environmental impacts, and final tax break allocations are still being finalized through Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) and energy committees to balance corporate expansion with environmental justice.

06/14/2026

Corrupt politics. What does the Mayor get in return from Councilors he paid mailings for? Rubber Stamps. Rubber stamp politics leads to more corruption. It is the cycle of life and culture for future corruption at City Hall in all its ugly forms. Just remember if you're not a recipient of the corruption, you're the payer.

Holyoke Mayor Garcia’s campaign was fined $1,000 for failing to timely report mailers supporting council candidates. Garcia said the spending was legal but missed a reporting deadline amid changes to campaign finance law.

06/12/2026

Well, Well, Well!
See letter below posted on Office of Campaign Finance website.
Mayor Garcia fined $1,000.00 for his back room support - thousands of dollars in mailers -to help his 8 rubber stamp city councilors get elected. Do you remember the postcards for Mimi Panitch, Ann Thalheimer, Israel Rivera, Richard Purcell, Jenny Rivera, Patti Devine & Tessa Romboletti? So much for transparency & following our laws while calling out others=no trust

06/05/2026

One more meeting: Item #1=Public Comment City Council Budget Hearing June 10, 2026 6:00 pm City Hall Holyoke
536 Dwight St, Holyoke 01040

Agenda
Contact Information
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025,
notice is hereby given of a
Holyoke City Council Budget Hearing

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

6:00 PM

Meeting will take place at Holyoke City Hall
536 Dwight St
and can also be accessed remotely via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86874214137?pwd=1askfP04xlZOKrAjmPaFPEWrsmUMZR.1
Meeting ID: 868 7421 4137 Meeting Passcode: 646098 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with same Meeting ID and Passcode

Agenda

Public Comment
Building
Weights and Measures
Retirement Board
Conservation
Library
Planning
Community Development
Police Department

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

06/05/2026

ZOOM Planning Board Meeting
5:30 pm Remote ZOOM Information
PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026 @ 5:30 P.M.

Zoom.com – Meeting 836 3939 8493: OR CALL IN: 1 646 558 8656
(all meetings are being recorded)

Special Permit (Sec 4.6.3.2) Exceed Fence Height – Rafael & Sheila Rivera, 230-232 Beech Street (SP 2026-7)
Special Permit (Sec 6.4.6.4) Increase in Sign Size & Multiple – Stack ~ Holyoke & Main LLC, 679 & 689 Main Street (SP 2026-8)
Zone Change, Irfan Raheel, 172 Sargeant Street (060-06-001), BG to DR (ZC 2026—6)
Zone Change (1/20/26 PANITCH)
Comprehensive Plan Revisions Pkg, Ph1 Orders #1- #41, (04/14/2026, 05/12, 05/27) (ZC 2026 -5), Items PLANNING BOARD

PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026 @ 5:30 P.M.

Zoom.com – Meeting 836 3939 8493: OR CALL IN: 1 646 558 8656

(all meetings are being recorded)



ZONE CHANGE / SITE PLAN REVIEW/ SUBDIVISION/SPECIAL PERMIT



Special Permit (Sec 4.6.3.2) Exceed Fence Height – Rafael & Sheila Rivera, 230-232 Beech Street (SP 2026-7)
Special Permit (Sec 6.4.6.4) Increase in Sign Size & Multiple – Stack ~ Holyoke & Main LLC, 679 & 689 Main Street (SP 2026-8)
Zone Change, Irfan Raheel, 172 Sargeant Street (060-06-001), BG to DR (ZC 2026-6)
Zone Change (1/20/26 PANITCH) Comprehensive Plan Revisions Pkg, Ph1 Orders #1- #41, Items #1-5


PLANNING BOARD BUSINESS



Executive Session
a.) Topics related to an Open Meeting Law (OML) Complaint dated May 30, 2026, received June 1, 2026. To discuss the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual, or to discuss the discipline or

dismissal of, or complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual.



Project Updates/Old Business/New Business
a.) Section 7.10 Ma*****na Facilities, ma*****na review ( #2), Riverside Cannabis, 1 Cabot Street



3.) Meeting Schedule (tentative):

June 23, 2026 – SP Sec 6.4.6.4 Schermerhorn’s; SP Sec 6.4.6.4 Holyoke Mall Co, LLP, Pyramid; SP Sec 4.6.3.2, 187 W Franklin; ZC Cont. Comp Pln Rev Pkg, Ph1, Orders #1- #41 (ZC 2025-5)

July 14, 2026 – no meeting

July 28, 2026 – ZC Signs, BG;

Aug 11, 2026 – tbd



4.) Other Business:

a.)



Minutes: (tabled from 05/26) 2/24/26 PH ZC Data Centers; 4/14/26 Planning Meeting, PH SP Holyoke Community Charter School Pylon Sign, PH SP Sign Dicks Sporting Goods, PH ZC Establish Operating Times for Cannabis Dispensaries, PH ZC Comprehensive Plan Revisions Package 1; 4/28/26 Planning Meeting, PH ZC Native Plants; 5/12/26 PH ZC Comprehensive Plan Revisions Package; (new from 05/27) 8/27/24 Planning Meeting, PH SPR 209 South St, PH SPR N’ton Street Dev, PH SPR South Holyoke Homes, ZC Short term Rental, Executive Session; 9/24/24 ZC Group Homes, PH SP Lighthouse, PH SPR Self Storage, SPR BESS, Planning Meeting; 3/25/25 SPR Florence Bank, PH SP Multiple Principal Florence Bank, ZC Short Term; 4/8/25 SPR PH Holyoke Landing BESS; 5/13/25 SPR PH Holyoke Landing BESS; 7/8/25 SPR PH MIFA Victory Theater, SP PH MIFA Victory Theater Parking, SP PH MIFA Victory Theater Signs, SP PH MIFA Victory Theater Temp Fence; 8/12/25 Planning Board Meeting; 12/2/25 Planning Meeting; 12/16/25 Planning Meeting, PH SPR MIFA, PH SP Parking MIFA, PH SP Sign MIFA, PH ZTC Tiny Homes, Executive Session; 5/26/26 ZC Comprehensive Plan, ZC Native Plants, SP PH Florence Bank Sign, Planning Board Meeting.

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