1st District: Fiola wins over 2 challengers
By BARRY SMITH
The Patriot Ledger / Nov. 8, 2006
Governor’s Councilor Carole A. Fiola yesterday won re-election to a fourth term by defeating two challengers.
Philip C. Paleologos, a New Bedford Republican and the apparent runner-up, and Paul R. Viveros of Fall River, who ran as an independent, sought to represent the lst District on the council.
The confirmation power over the governor’s judicial nominations, including judges and appointments to the state Industrial Accident Board, Appellate Tax Board and Parole Board is the council’s key role.
The sprawling 1st District includes the cities of Fall River, New Bedford and Taunton and 45 towns in Southeastern Massachusetts.
Carver, Kingston, Pembroke and Plymouth were among towns that favored Fiola.
A 46-year-old Fall River Democrat, Fiola could not be reached for comment last night.
But both challengers had positive things to say about the campaign and how the candidates got along.
The three candidates engaged in a nice respectable campaign that all enjoyed, Viveros said, “but Carole probably enjoyed it more at the end than Phil and I.”
“We had different views but we each respected each other’s views of how they would be on the Governor’s Council,” Viveros said.
“All I can say is all of us put forward a good competition, a good campaign, a good contest,” Paleologos, 56, said early this morning.
“And I’m very proud to have been able to carry my message to the people - my message of hard-on-crime judges,” he said, and “that criminals are getting soft sentences and victimizing our neighborhoods and endangering our families.”
Barry Smith may be reached at bsmith@ledger.com.
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2 challengers criticize
Governor’s Council
By BARRY SMITH
The Patriot Ledger / Oct. 25, 2006
Three candidates are running for the Governor’s Council from the 1st District.
Councilor Carole A. Fiola, a Fall River Democrat first elected in 2000, is seeking her fourth two-year term. Challenging her are Philip Paleologos, a Republican from New Bedford, and Paul R. Viveros of Fall River, who is running as an independent.
Voters in Carver, Kingston, Pembroke and Plymouth will help make the choice on Nov. 7. Those towns are among 48 cities and towns in the Southeastern Massachusetts district, which includes Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Each of the eight council districts covers five of the 40 state Senate districts.
The job of the Governor’s Council is largely ceremonial. The council signs off on state expenditures and pardons by the governor. Its only real power is having confirmation power over the governor’s judicial appointments, including judges, clerk-magistrates, justices of the peace and notaries public, and appointments to the state Industrial Accident Board, Appellate Tax Board and Parole Board.
Talking about the current group of councilors, Paleologos said: “This council has been like a rubber stamp. Like many people, I’m very disturbed about over-lenient judges.”
He called some of the current judges “soft-on-crime, soft-on-time judges.”
He proposes that judges be subject to having their performance reviewed by a commission every five years.
Viveros is also critical of the courts.
“I just got really really tired of the arrogance the judges, the courts had, going to court,” he said.
Viveros added that he wants to establish a rating system for judges.
Fiola said the governor’s council does important work and is no rubber stamp for the governor.
“I call it the final firewall,” she said. “We’re eight independent voices.”
As the incumbent, Fiola said, she hopes that her record and reputation as a council member will resonate with voters.
Councilors are paid $26,025 a year plus travel expenses.
Barry Smith may be reached at bsmith@ledger.com.
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