Albion Street seems like a typical Somerville street -- single family homes sit next to duplexes and multiple rental units. When Joe Curtatone campaigned door-to-door, it became ground zero for the upcoming mayoral election.
Candidate Joe Curtatone is knocking on each door on Albion Street on a dreary, dark Sunday, trying to reach out to every potential voter.
"This is where elections are won and lost," Curtatone says. Before his victory in September's primary, Curtatone knocked every door in the city. Now, he is spending between four and eight hours a day visiting each home again.
Ultimately the election may ride the opinions of people like Barbra Wilcox, a middle-aged woman who stared blankly while Curtatone talked about his platform.
After a minute, she thanked him warmly for the visit. "Thank you very much, good night," and closed the door.
In a race as close as Somerville's -- which both candidates characterized as a dead heat -- each door, each vote could make a difference. Albion Street is a perfect place to find new voters, as it voted heavily, along with the rest of Ward 4, for opponent Tony LaFuente in the primary.
Curtatone knows the area as a lifetime resident of the town. He has served the last eight years as one of the city's alderman-at-large and runs a law firm on Bow Street. Although he has been adamant about being "born and raised" in Somerville, he has been forced to distance himself from the former administration.
"I supported Dorothy Kelly Gay because I thought she would get the job done," Curtatone said. He said he withdrew his support because of the city's increasing crime rate, high taxes, and mismanagement. Curtatone declared his candidacy in July, the last candidate to enter the race.
"This election is about change, but it is also about which one of us has experience and a detailed plan," Curtatone said at a debate last month, referring to LaFuente's status as a political newcomer.
Curtatone has advocated for the implementation of "zero-based budgeting," a bi-weekly performance review for city offices. This process will "justify every dollar spent" and allow the city to move monies to the programs that need it.
"Taxpayers cannot afford to have departments' budgets expanding each year by a flat percentage increase over last year's expenditures," Curtatone said.
As mayor, Curtatone said he will fight the governor's office for more state aid. "How can we expect Tony LaFuente, who until two years ago was a Republican, to oppose [Governor] Romney?" Curtatone said.
Another issue is that Somerville needs more revenue. With $16 million in state aid projected to be cut between this year and next, the city is facing a huge shortfall. Curtatone is banking on his support of immediate development of Assembly Square, the largest undeveloped commercial area in the city.
"Assembly Square has the potential to be a new economic engine for Somerville and the region," Curtatone said. Throughout his campaign, Curtatone has quoted statistics that the average Somerville homeowner could save $1000 per year as part of the $5 million revenue from Assembly Square.
Curtatone also wants to consolidate several city offices and institute a new "311" telephone system for non-emergency requests for emergency services. New York City successfully launched a similar program earlier this year.
Throughout the election, Curtatone has emphasized his ties to the community. He is a coach at Somerville High School, and said his one-year old son will attend the city's public schools.
"I'm invested in the community," Curtatone said. He noted the LaFuente's children attend private school and have only lived in Somerville the past two years.
After upsetting Kelly Gay in the primary, Curtatone has been on the defensive from attacks from LaFuente. LaFuente has attacked Curtatone for be part of a "good old boy" gang with political officials, and for taking out a mortgage to finance his campaign.
"[Joe]'s betting his whole life on this race," LaFuente said. It is a charge Curtatone does not deny.
According to records from the city clerk's office, Curtatone has spent $118,282 on the race, including $30,000 out of his own pocket. He has taken out newspaper and television ads, and hired political consultants.
Curtatone is still very positive about his chances of winning. "I feel very good, confident," he said. In addition to the door knocking, campaign volunteers have been calling potential voters and holding standouts throughout the city to spread his campaign message.
"I have hands-on experience that my opponent cannot compete with," he said. "The voters want someone who doesn't need on-the-job training."
Curtatone is not just relying on his experience to take the election. Each night until the election, he will be out on the streets of Somerville, trying to get vote after vote.
His strategy is simple. "Face to face, one on one contact -- that's how we'll win."
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