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Politics & Government

Mosso Promises to Cut Mayor's Salary, Establish Fund for Residents in Need

Get to know the mayoral candidates before election day on October 4.

Leading up to election day, Marlborough Patch is publishing a series of interviews with each of the three mayoral cadidates.

Mayoral candidate James Mosso has been a Marlborough resident for 17 years. His decision to run for mayor as an Independent stems from his desire to see Marlborough move in a new direction, noting how strained relations have become at .

Mosso has not previously held an elected position, but is involved in the community. He has worked with Helping Hands Monkey Helpers for the Disabled for seven years training capuchin monkeys to work with the disabled. He volunteers for Voices Against Violence and with FISH, which provides rides for the elderly in Marlborough. Mosso is a member of the Hudson Gun Club, Providence City Wide, and an active member of the Mormon Church.

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"We need a mayor who is not a desk person. We need someone who is able to get out there and meet with residents walking down Main Street and stop in a coffee shop. I want to be a mayor who is not afraid to meet with parents at a bus stop. With my management skills and budget experience, I feel I am the best candidate," Mosso stated.

Mosso claims his first priority if elected mayor is the contract, focusing on it being a "reasonable cost to the city while looking to the future by hiring new fire fighters."

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Included in Mosso's platform as his top priorities are senior citizens. "We need to see that the moves forward, allowing them to continue their daily activities and contributing to the community," noted Mosso.

Regarding , Mosso stated he will focus on creating smaller class sizes, cutting down on waste and working to ensure Marlborough has the best possible teachers. Mosso claimed he will also concentrate on making sure the police have all the necessary tools to do their jobs safely.

"Business is important to me, and it's important to our city," said Mosso, further explaining he wants to give businesses a voice and help them grow.  "We must work at filling out commercial space. We need to bring down the commercial tax, work on improving relations with city council, and be sure there is open communication with all. We also do not want to increase any taxes on the residents," Mosso continued. 

When questioned on how he proposes to make adjustments such as new books and materials for schools with an already strained budget, Mosso responded that he plans to strip down the budget and start over. Cutting a lot from the budget under expenditures and drawing in new business will "free up some money and fix the fire department overtime," stated Mosso.

He also claimed that if elected mayor, he will cut the mayor's annual salary from $78,000 to $50,000 and not opt into the health care plan but rather keep his current insurance plan. The money saved from the salary cut ($28,000) will be placed in a fund for residents in need, explained Mosso.

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