Mayor’s race focuses on Haverhill’s finances

Former city councilor John Michitson said he is running for mayor to bring needed initiatives that have been lacking in the city during Mayor James J. Fiorentini’s three terms, including “performance-based’’ budgeting, long-range debt planning, and efforts to attract emerging industries and more downtown office development.

“A lot of my proposals should have been done over the last six years and, unfortunately, I’ll have to be in the driver’s seat to make it happen,’’ Michitson, who served on the council from 1996 to 2006, said in an interview.

“I don’t disagree with John’s ideas - we’re doing it,’’ Fiorentini responded. “We are marketing the community. We have plans to bring in the jobs of tomorrow.’’ His administration is using “performance-based managing’’ and addressing the city’s long-term debt, he added.

“I’m running on my record,’’ Fiorentini said in an interview, citing $100 million in new investment in the city the last six years, and the creation of 500 new manufacturing jobs in the last two years. In addition, he said, “The city’s average single-family tax bill is $900 below the state average.’’

Since the two-man race did not require a preliminary election, there has been no public gauge of how well the candidates are doing with voters. But as an incumbent with a strong electoral record, Fiorentini would appear to have the edge.

First elected mayor in 2003 when he bested five others to claim an open seat, Fiorentini, 62, won reelection twice, including in 2007, when he handily defeated former mayor James A. Rurak in the final. He formerly served four terms on the City Council.

Still, Michitson, 50, gained visibility from his council tenure, particularly the last two years when he served as president. And like Fiorentini he has been campaigning vigorously, knocking on doors across the city.

City Councilor Robert H. Scatamacchia views the race as competitive.

“I think both candidates are very qualified,’’ said Scatamacchia, who is not taking sides. “If you look at where the city has been going the last few years, both have contributed.’’

Born and raised in Haverhill, Michitson has resided in the city most of his life. An electrical engineer, he works as a project leader and researcher for Mitre Corp., which provides high-tech consulting to the federal government and private industry.

Michitson said he would bring “professional management’’ to the mayor’s job, drawing on “what I’ve learned in the commercial world, along with my 10-year experience on the City Council.’’

The approach would include performance-based budgeting, which involves budgeting with the use of data showing how services are being performed. Michitson said he also wants to see long-term planning to address the city’s existing and anticipated debt burden associated with the former Hale Hospital and such needed projects as the capping of the old landfill.

“As far as performance-based management . . . he talks about it; we’ve actually done it,’’ Fiorentini responded. He said the city has also engaged in debt planning, noting that during his tenure “we’ve paid down $7 million to $8 million of the Hale debt.’’

Michitson said Haverhill is missing the opportunity to attract emerging industries, such as renewable-energy companies and firms creating products free of toxic chemicals.

“We haven’t had a marketing plan to draw these companies and quite frankly, it shows. These companies are popping up all around us.’’

He said he would use the contacts he has made in those fields to attract such industries. “I’m networked across the Merrimack Valley with industry, universities, and government. I’m all plugged in and ready to put Haverhill in the forefront,’’ he said.

But Fiorentini said the city’s progress in marketing itself for emerging industries is evidenced by the platinum, or top, rating it received from the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, signifying Haverhill’s readiness to host biotechnology firms.

Fiorentini said the expansion of the industrial park, which will be marketed to the biotechnology and green technology industries, was key to receiving the award.

“A lot of people had plans for the new industrial park . . . . We made it happen,’’ Fiorentini said.

Michitson said the city has made progress in bringing housing to its downtown, but it lacks a “broad enough plan’’ to attract office development. “That is one big hole we still are not really focused on.’’

“I would love to have offices downtown,’’ Fiorentini said, noting that his former law office was downtown. But he said “the market has to make it happen.’’

As mayor, Michitson said, he would also focus on improving education, which would include getting updated textbooks and expanding tutoring and mentoring.

Fiorentini, who has been knocking on doors every day, said he believes the city is “moving in the right direction.’’

“I think we are making progress. Obviously, it’s hard to go up when the elevator is going down,’’ he said, referring to the difficult economic times. “But I think we’ve positioned ourselves for the future.’’