Latest news with #ShaunnaO'Connell
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Citizens of Taunton deserve better': City Councilor Estele Borges is running for mayor
TAUNTON — City Councilor Estele Borges is officially running for mayor, according to a written announcement. 'The citizens of Taunton deserve better,' Borges said in the written statement Tuesday. 'That is why I'm running for Mayor.' Borges, along with multiple candidates for city councilor, have pulled nomination papers from the city's election department. To appear on the ballot, candidates must obtain at least 25 certified signatures and return the nomination papers by Aug. 5. The city election will be held on Nov. 5 for mayor, City Council, School Committee, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant commissioners. A spokesperson for incumbent Mayor Shaunna O'Connell previously told the Gazette that "Mayor Shaunna O'Connell will be running for re-election, but she will be making her official announcement at an appropriate time." Here's what we know about the city's Nov. 5 election. Farmer's porch, pergola, in-law suite Dighton home fetches $925K: Weekly home sales "My parents instilled in me the values that hard work, education, playing by the rules, looking out for your neighbors, and always treating people with dignity and respect are the building blocks of a great life and limitless opportunity,' Borges said in her announcement. 'These are the values that have guided me throughout my time living, working, and serving in Taunton. From assisting aging neighbors as a health care worker, helping hundreds of people buy their first home, and standing up for residents as a City Councilor, I am committed to a city that listens to and delivers for its people.' The written statement criticized "the current lack of City Hall transparency involving unprecedented property taxes, development in neighborhoods and selling off public property." "My leadership will be driven by community input, common sense and facts, not political partisanship, extremism and self-interest," Borges said. In a statement sent to the Gazette, Holly Robichaud, the mayor's spokesperson, responded, saying that "Mayor Shaunna O'Connell has the proven track record of fighting for the taxpayers." "The city of Taunton's property tax level is among the lowest in region, among the lowest of gateway cities and $2700 below the statewide average," Robichaud said. "Mayor O'Connell's record includes increasing grant funding 800% and improving the bond rating to AA+ saving taxpayers millions of dollars. Moreover she is the only mayor to bring a city building in $10 million under budget. She has also preserved 118 acres of open space. Mayor O'Connell has and will always do what's right by Tauntonians, not a political agenda." What she said Taunton City Councilor Estele Borges considers running for mayor So far, five candidates have taken out papers to run for City Council. Papers were first available on Monday, April 7. The five candidates are: William Fitzgerald Jr., a member of the Taunton Planning Board. Barry Sanders, a current City Councilor. Evan Francis, a Legislative Aide for State Rep Dennis Gallagher. David Chaves, the husband of current school committee member Donna Chaves. Phillip Gaspar. Borges currently serves as a Taunton city councilor and Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School Committee member. She is a Democrat. For day jobs, she's currently transitional care manager at Bayada Health and owner/broker of Borges Realty & Development. She formerly managed the District Center for the Arts. Borges previously ran for mayor against Shaunna O'Connell in 2019, and lost. Borges also mounted an unsuccessful run as the Democratic challenger to then-State Rep. O'Connell, the Republican incumbent, in the 2016 race. This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton election: City Councilor Estele Borges is running for mayor
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top stories: B-R families, teachers rally for school funds; Middleboro sues state
Before we begin the new week in earnest, we're taking a look back at the week that was, and the stories that led the news with Taunton Daily Gazette readers. Top stories this past week included: Advocates warn of rising homelessness; this is how Taunton is responding. The MBTA posted the schedule for South Coast Rail: Here are the train times. Plus, here's how their free weekend rides will work. In a letter to the Taunton City Council and city residents, Mayor Shaunna O'Connell said "staff have learned important lessons" following an incident when Coyle and Cassidy athletic memorabilia were thrown out following a flood in the former school's cafeteria building. Here's what the letter said. In local sports, where you can catch all of the Greater Taunton area high school postseason action. The Old Colony Highlanders Pipe Band will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a weekend of performances, including a pub crawl that will be passing through Taunton. In the latest Taunton Eats, Kev's Ice Cream is open for the season. Highlights — and the winner — of Taunton High's Mr. THS 2025. The Dighton Police Department has welcomed a new officer and a part-time dispatcher. The Taunton Performing Art Center's production of "Into the Woods" is bringing the hit musical to the Silver City: Here's how to catch it. These were the Top 5 stories of the past week, according to Gazette readers: Dozens of B-R parents and teachers rallied recently, for increased funding for the school district and in favor of Proposition 2½ overrides. Bridgewater-Raynham Superintendent of Schools Ryan Powers is asking the towns for a 30.8% increase in funding for the upcoming school year to help bring down class sizes. The towns are mulling upping their payments to the school district by a tiny fraction of that amount — by less than 5% — a figure that would leave the district millions of dollars short of even a level services budget, the superintendent said. "We're out here asking, hopefully begging, the town for an override," said Bridgwater parent Christine Behnke at the rally. "We need to make sure that our schools are properly funded for the year." Taunton Gazette Reporter Emma Rindlisbacher has the story. 'We are broke': B-R families, teachers hold rally 'begging' for override to fund schools The town of Middleboro is suing the Commonwealth, Gov. Maura Healey, and the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities over forced compliance with a controversial multi-family housing law the town said it's already in compliance with. Taunton Gazette Reporter Daniel Schemer takes a look at what the town's saying, and what it wants. 'Gross misuse of power': Middleboro sues state over multi-family housing law. What town wants The Starbucks that will be going into the former restaurant space at Rt.140/Mozzone Blvd. will be getting a neighbor: Mad for Burgers, a brand-new burger place, will be joining it. Jay Pateakos, executive director for Taunton's Office of Economic and Community Development, confirmed through social media that this burger restaurant will share the new building space that's being built. Here's what we know, as of this writing. Mad for Burgers: Burger place confirmed for spot next to new Starbucks. What we know. New Creations Coffee, a mobile coffee business operating out of a vintage camper, is partnering with another local business, floral shop The Wild Dahlia, to set up space inside its building on South Street West in Raynham. The café will be offering a variety of coffee, tea, and other beverages. 'Moving into a permanent location has been a dream of ours from the very start,' said Elizabeth Reichert, co-owner, who, along with her husband Alex, started this venture in late 2023. These are the plans. From camper to cafe: Raynham's mobile coffee purveyor opening a brick-and-mortar location The former site of National Charter 957 on Taunton Green, connected to the Knotty Walk alley, will soon be home to a new restaurant. 22 Bar & Lounge is planning to open there in early spring. Co-owner Richard Andrew, along with co-owner Zena Shivers, have planned for the space to offer both an uplifting environment and a laid-back, relaxed vibe. Here's what's on the menu, and what the current opening plans are. 22 Bar & Lounge: New bar, restaurant to open in downtown Taunton, replacing Charter 957. What we know. This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Top stories: B-R families, teachers rally for school funds
Associated Press
12-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
City of Taunton Partners with BondLink to Strengthen Financial Transparency
Launch of new program expands the City's connections with municipal investors BOSTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / February 12, 2025 / The City of Taunton, MA ('the City') has partnered with BondLink to enhance its financial transparency and launch a dedicated investor relations website - The initiative allows municipal investors to easily find key information from the City, including financial data, bond offering details, capital project updates, and more. By centralizing the City's public materials, they hope to foster stronger relationships and build additional trust with the investment community. The City will also take advantage of various back-office resources from BondLink to further streamline regular operations and add value to their departments. The effort is part of the City's broader commitment to adopting modern technology that simplifies government operations and delivers long-term benefits for both investors and citizens. 'Our team constantly assesses our processes for improvement. I am proud of our forward-thinking Finance Team and their continued efforts to enhance transparency and services,' said Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell. 'We value openness and accountability in all aspects of our financial management,' said Patrick Dello Russo Jr., CFO for the City of Taunton. 'This partnership empowers us to better communicate our financial story, highlight our fiscal stewardship, and ensure that relevant parties have the resources they need to make well-informed decisions. This is an important step as we pave the way for sustainable growth and financial success for our community.' 'The work that finance teams accomplish in cities like Taunton have such an incredible impact,' said Colin MacNaught, CEO and co-founder of BondLink. 'We're proud to support their latest choice to elevate their communications with investors. Taunton is really setting another strong example for how local governments can innovate to improve the quality, delivery, and reach of their financial materials.' Municipal investors and local residents can visit the City's new investor platform at About the City of Taunton Founded in 1639, Taunton is one of the oldest cities in the United States, steeped in history and located in the heart of Bristol County, Massachusetts, approximately 40 miles south of Boston and 18 miles east of Providence. Known as the 'Silver City' due to its prominence in the silver industry during the 19th century, Taunton has long been a hub of innovation and economic development. Today, Taunton is home to nearly 60,000 residents and features vibrant industrial parks, a growing downtown, and exciting redevelopment projects, including new housing, retail spaces, and transportation infrastructure. Taunton's commitment to fostering economic growth and improving quality of life is evident in its ongoing efforts to revitalize neighborhoods, attract new businesses, and support community initiatives. About BondLink BondLink, a cloud-based investor relations and debt management platform for the municipal bond market, helps issuers engage more bond investors through transparency and actionable insights. Founded by CEO Colin MacNaught, who spent seven years issuing nearly $25 billion in bonds on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and CTO Carl Query, BondLink went live in 2016. BondLink clients issued more than $70 billion in bonds in 2024. BondLink provides its issuer clients with tools to manage their capital financing programs more efficiently while providing investors with the interim financial reports and data they need to close information gaps and make informed decisions through a single platform. The company is backed by top investors within the municipal bond market, including Intercontinental Exchange and Franklin Templeton. Headquartered in Boston, BondLink was recently named to the 2025 GovTech 100, marking its seventh consecutive appearance on the annual list. Colin Jacob
