We moved to Westfield from the city. We wanted our kids raised where there are open spaces, less traffic, good schools, a safe, clean environment and low crime.

Now Westfield is becoming the city. Apartment complexes have sprung up on many major streets. Schools will soon be overcrowded. Open spaces are being overdeveloped polluting our once-healthy environment. Traffic congestion is choking our roads. Crime has soared dangerously.

How does that help the kids? Downtown, long-standing retail stores that once served the needs and pleasures of families have closed and been replaced by more eateries, nail salons, even an arcade.

Does that help the kids? Plans to build a Sports Complex in the Edison School neighborhood will make it worse. More traffic, no parking, more noise and disturbing lighted fields, more turf field injuries and more flooding. It’s bad for this residential community. It’s bad for the entire town.

Those in favor say it’s for thekids. Is it?

The November 7 election won’t undo the damage that’s already been done, but it will prevent further erosion of the lifestyle we want for the kids.

David Keifer is determined to stop the clock on further erosion. He is a corporate attorney with a passion to stop the overdevelopment. ..

He is running for Town Council in Ward 4 and can put his professional experience to use protecting all of Westfield. He has our votes.

As David points out, ‘the keys to our town have been handed over to the developers.’

They will make millions of dollars, take it and run.

We’ll be stuck with the bill, and the kids will be stuck with a town we didn’t want for them.

Charles and Betty LaRosa Westfield

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