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On August 24, 2020, the Committee to Elect Vanessa Alvarado filed its 8th-day finance report. It reveals some fascinating details about the origin of a large portion of the Alvarado campaign’s financial contributions. The report shows that $1,300 (just over 15%) of the donations that her campaign received were from out-of-state. This is how the $1,300 breaks down: $1,000 from Rob Futrick in Bellevue, WA, $200 from Gail Updegraff in St Louis, MO, and $100 from Valerie Stout in Bigfork, MT. Donors who made contributions under $50 are not recorded on the report—who knows how much more out-of-state money was received. Why are out-of-state donors from Washington, Missouri, and Montana so invested in the recall election of Reading, MA? Why is Vanessa Alvarado drawing so much financial support from out-of-state?
In addition to the out-of-state donations, political organizations from outside of Reading have even been throwing their hat into the ring, too. The 8th-day finance report shows that the Massachusetts Democratic Party was reimbursed $600 for “VoteBuilder campaign software.” On July 26, the Melrose Democratic City Committee posted a request from Ben Tafoya (Democratic State Committee for the 5th Middlesex District) asking for help with “the big challenge currently facing the Democrats in Reading.” This also happened with State Governor’s Council member Eileen Duff (a politician from Gloucester who does not represent Reading), whose involvement Vice Chair Anne Landry encouraged to help save Ms. Alvarado from recall.
This raises the question: who does Vanessa Alvarado represent? Defeating the recall must be very important to people and organizations outside of Reading in order to groom her for higher office. The Reading Select Board is simply her steppingstone. The town of Reading needs officials who want to serve Reading, not use Reading. It is time for Vanessa Alvarado to be removed from office. Vote FOR THE RECALL on or before Tuesday, September 1st, and vote for John Halsey to fill the vacancy.
Signed,
Sheila Bruce
John Street
