Martelle Running On Lower Taxes, Jobs

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Robert Martelle got angry over some of things said at the recent Proposition 2 1/2 information meetings about raising property taxes. Instead of just stewing over it, he decided to run for mayor.

"I'm doing this to stir things up," said the 54-year-old homeowner on Monday. "People can't take it. They can't take the taxes."

That's what he heard when he stood outside Big Y getting signatures on his nomination papers, voter after voter telling him that taxes are too high. He got 75 names in an hour and a half.

Martelle, who has worked at Berkshire Anodizing and its predecessor, Modern Aluminum Anodizing, for 20 years, said the city needs someone who'll look for more revenue and bring in better jobs.

"We need jobs here, well-paying jobs," said the Clarksburg native. "You've got to have 21st century jobs."

He suggested recruiting complementary manufacturing, such as a solar panel producer who could use aluminum from his own place of business.

Martelle also suggested more regionalized purchasing cooperatives to bring down costs of such materials as fuel, salt and asphalt. He'd also like to see more exploration of alternative energy options.

"The landfill is full of methane gas that should be looked at," he said. "It's just sitting there."

He doesn't think voters will pass a Prop 2 1/2 debt exclusion for two new schools but had no answer at the moment for what the school system could do and is still researching the subject.

He has little use for Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, which he says has siphoned stores away from Main Street rather than sparking new businesses. He'd also like to see ways to get revenue out of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, such as charging a street use fee.

Despite running for mayor, Martelle thinks it might be good to get rid of the position and move to a town manager system because of the drop in population. "We're not a city anymore," he said.

Martelle is married and has lived in North Adams for more than 30 years. He attended Drury High and McCann Technical schools but graduated from "the school of hard knocks and the college of common sense."

He will face off against incumbent Richard Alcombright and challenger Ronald A. Boucher in a preliminary election on Sept. 27. The two highest vote-getters will move to the general election in November.