August 13, 2005     < back to news
Police union out to unseat Mayor Kalisz
By AARON NICODEMUS, Standard-Times staff writer

NEW BEDFORD -- The police union, locked in a bitter and drawn-out contract dispute with the city, has launched a campaign to convince voters that they should not re-elect Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr.
The police union's political action committee is called the Committee Against the Re-election of Frederick M. Kalisz Jr.
The committee began its activities several weeks ago by handing out blue fliers giving people reasons "not to re-elect" the mayor. The fliers list a number of decisions the mayor has made, including closing two police substations, taking a fire engine out of service in the North End and building a new Keith Middle School on contaminated soil. The fliers also criticize the mayor for failing to bring an oceanarium and a casino to the city.
"We're not just doing this because we can't get a contract," said Sgt. Robert Richard, a member of the union and the committee. "The entire city would be better off voting for anybody but Kalisz."
On Sunday, at the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, the union paid for an airplane to fly a banner over the parade that stated, "Kalisz Bad for New Bedford Vote for Change." Union members also wore shirts with the same message, and followed Mayor Kalisz along the parade route with signs.
Sgt. Richard said members of other unions -- the firefighters union, the teachers union and the municipal union that represents city workers -- have joined their campaign. But he said so far, its core members are police officers.
Union member and Police Officer Graciano Pereira said the effort consists of "a handful of guys looking to encourage a vote for change."
"We're not backing any particular candidate," said Sgt. Thomas Flood, also a union member and part of the new committee. "We're not for anybody, we're only asking for people to consider a change."
The police union has regularly confronted the mayor over the contract impasse, perhaps most memorably at a Kalisz fundraiser held at the Century House in Acushnet in May. But this step into the political realm is a new phase, one that goes beyond the contract, police union members said.
"This guy has closed two police stations, moved us to an inadequate police headquarters, raised our taxes, our water and sewer rates, tried to close schools and is laying off teachers," Sgt. Richard said. He said a $1.9 million Homeland security grant, meant to pay for training and new equipment, has not resulted in either.
"We've no training, no equipment, other than the boat," Sgt. Richard said, referring to the emergency response boat the police department recently launched.