NOTE RE TYLER PARK TOUR: At the time I’m writing this late Saturday afternoon, the Friends of Tyler Park had not yet cancelled Sunday’s 10am walking tour or the 11am Autumn Market. For any additional news about these events, check the Friends Facebook page or richardhowe.com.

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After a three-week gap, the Lowell City Council will resume meeting this coming Tuesday, September 9, 2025. That also is the day of the city’s preliminary election which involves just three district council races.

In District 3 (Belvidere), incumbent Corey Belanger is being challenged by Daniel Finn, Erin Gendron, and Belinda Juran.

In District 7 (the Acre), incumbent Paul Ratha Yem is being challenged by Jose de Jesus Cervantes and Sidney Liang.

In District 8 (Upper Highlands), incumbent John Descoteaux is being challenged by Marcos Candido and Francisco Maldonado.

The purpose of the preliminary election is to reduce the number of candidates on the general election ballot to just two, so on Tuesday in District 3, two candidates will be eliminated and one candidate will be eliminated in both District 7 and 8. Other district councilors are either unopposed or have just a single opponent. In those district, all candidates will appear on the general election ballot without the need for a preliminary election. Similarly, with just five at-large candidates to fill three seats, a preliminary is not required.

For the candidates in those districts on the ballot this Tuesday and who make the cut, the preliminary will provide valuable insight into their relative strength with the electorate. The remaining candidates will have to wait until November 4, 2025 (general election day) to be similarly enlightened.

The city’s election office website has information about who may vote, where to vote, and the hours the polls will be open (which is 7 am until 8 pm).

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The rest of this newsletter will focus on campaign finance in the council race. The information is all freely available to everyone on the state’s Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) website. State law requires candidates for Lowell City Council to create an account with OCPF, to report the name and address of anyone donating more than $50 to the candidate, and to report the name and address of any person or entity paid from the campaign account along with the purpose of the payment.

Here, I’ll list each council candidate alphabetically by district, show the amount of money they had in their account at the start of the year, if any; the amount they have reported to have raised since then (as of September 5, 2025); the amount the candidate loaned to their campaign, if any; and the name of anyone (including PACs) making a single donation of $200 or more to the candidate. Note that the maximum amount an individual may donate to a candidate annually is $1000. Also, it is illegal in Massachusetts for a corporation to donate to a candidate. In kind contributions are reported separately. I’ll look at those and candidate expenditures after the November election.

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AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR

Sixto DeJesus – newly created account. Year to date (YTD) receipts – $9788.

Candidate loan: $1750

Donors > $200: Thiago Fernandes – $500; Ronald Loukas – $250; Marina Soares – $750; Alyce Moore – $250; Susu Wong – $250; Christopher Ferreira – $200; Evan Shapiro – $200; George Duncan – $200.

Erik Gitschier – beginning balance – $2482. YTD receipts – $11,775.

Donors > $200: IAFF Local 853 – $1000; Kevin Fernandes – $500; Robert Gitschier – $500; IBEW Local 2321 – $500; Ironworkers Union Local 7 – $500; MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council – $500; Brian McGowan – $500; Bernadette Pacini – $500; Ryan Faria – $200; John Marshall – $200.

Emile Kaufman – newly created account. YTD receipts – $5.

Rita Mercier – beginning balance – $15,912. YTD receipts – $4783.

Donors > $200: MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District council – $500; Mark Briere – $400; John Cox – $200; George Duncan – $200; Robert Muldoon – $200; John Tsoumas – $200.

Vesna Nuon – beginning balance – $10,598. YTD receipts – $10,884.

Donors > $200: Joseph Ready – $1000; MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District council – $500; Kanika Udomsay – $400; David Daly – $250; Vanna Howard – $250; Mark Briere – $200; Lem Mee – $200; Bryan Var – $200; Mony Var – $200.

DISTRICT 1

Daniel Rourke – beginning balance – $23,761. YTD receipts – $500.

Donors > $200: Carpenters Local Union 339 – $500.

DISTRICT 2

Corey Robinson – beginning balance – $4204. YTD receipts – $7500.

Donors > $200: IAFF Local 853 – $1000; Ironworkers Union Local 7 – $500; MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council – $500; Massachusetts Bricklayers People’s Committee – $500; Brian McGowan – $500; Zoe Dzineki – $250; Christopher Ferreira – $200; John Marshall – $200.

DISTRICT 3

Corey Belanger – beginning balance – $3790. YTD receipts – $9405.

Donors > $200: Scott Bratton – $500; MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council – $500; Leo Creegan – $350; John DeAngelis – $300; John Chemaly – $250; David Daly – $250; Steven DeRosa – $250; Mark Briere – $200; Carpenters Local Union 339 – $200; John Cox – $200; George Duncan – $200; Kevin Fernandes – $200; John Regan – $200; Phillip Shea – $200.

Daniel Finn – beginning balance – $1482. YTD receipts – $8010.

Candidate loan – $2500.

Donors > $200: William Finn – $500; Blake Galvin – $500; Smart Transportation Division PAC – $500; Joshua Aslanian – $200; Christopher Ferreira – $200.

Erin Gendron – newly created account. YTD receipts – $10,655.

Donors > $200: Brian Chapman – $500; Steve & Kate Gendron – $750; Ironworkers Union Local 7 – $500; Rob & Xvk Landry – $500; David Muldowney – $750; Dawn Muldowney – $250; Shona Naimo – $250; John Paquet – $200.

Belinda Juran – newly created account. YTD receipts – $21,850.

Donors > $200: Steven Noneman – $1000; Rosemary Reilly – $1000; Mehmed Ali – $500; Steven Barrett – $500; Meredith Callanan – $500; Linda Dakin-Grimm – $500; Nancy Donahue – $1000; Gregory Howard – $500; Erika Larson – $500; Susan Murley – $500; John Sigel – $500; Christina Tershakovec – $500; Thomas Anderson – $250; David Bohnett – $250; Alisa Cohn – $250; Pamela Coravos – $250; Andrea Corcoran – $250; Lia Der Marderosian – $250; Eileen Donoghue – $250; Darren End – $250; Sheila Frankel – $250; Howard Koh – $250; Alyce Moore – $250; Janis Raguin – $250; Paul Reuter – $250; Karen Bogle – $200; George Duncan – $200; Craig Gandolf – $200; Martha Howe – $200; Stephen Joncas – $200; Courtney McSparron – $200; James Wilde – $200.

DISTRICT 4

Wayne Jenness – beginning balance – $4976. YTD receipts – $4145.

Donors > $200: MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council – $500; Craig Thomas – $400; Jack Moynihan – $250.

Sean McDonough – newly created account. YTD receipts – $4030.

Donors > $200: Carolyn McDonough – $1000; Paul Concemi – $500; Brian Hayle – $500; Marguerite McDonough – $500; Robert Casey – $200; Francisco Maldonado – $200.

DISTRICT 5

Sherri O’Connor Barboza – newly created account. YTD receipts – $200.

Kimberly Ann Scott – beginning balance – $7954. YTD receipts – $8495.

Donors > $200: MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council – $500; Kevin Fernandes – $300; David Daly – $250; Christopher Ferreira – $250; Mark Briere – $200; Manuel Cavaleiro – $200; John Cox – $200; George Duncan – $200; William Martin – $200; Dennis McCarthy – $200; John Razzino – $200; Phil Shea – $200.

DISTRICT 6

Sokhary Chau – Beginning balance – $587. YTD receipts – $13,650.

Donors > $200: Bopha Mouk – $1000; Darika Muth – $1000; Kevin Coughlin – $500; Lisa Gwiazda – $500; Lowell Police Association – $500; MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council – $500; Melanie Shorrock – $500; Seven Shorrock – $500; Kevin Stuart – $500; Narinda Tit – $500; Than Thou – $300.

DISTRICT 7

Jose de Jesus Cervantes – newly created account. YTD receipts – $3331.

Donors > $200: Nicholas Allgaier – $500; Evan Shapiro – $250; Franics Bevilacqua – $200; Richard Scott – $200.

Sidney Liang – newly created account. YTD receipts – $8645.

Candidate loan: $200.

Donors > $200: Yun-Ju Choi – $1000; David Ouellette – $500; Narith Sokun – $500; Somnang Meth – $300; Raaga Vullikanti – $250; Kowith Kret – $200; Mitchell Paulin – $200; Lin Sok – $200; Mony Var – $200.

Paul Ratha Yem – beginning balance – $1640. YTD receipts – $3173.

Donors > $200: MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council – $500; Bradford McGowan – $250; William Martin – $200.

DISTRICT 8

Marcos Candido – newly created account. YTD receipts – $1600.

Donors > $200: none

John Descoteaux – beginning balance – $5884. YTD receipts – $9045.

Donors > $200: MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council – $500; John Chemaly – $250; David Daly – $250; Alan Liguori – $250; Mark Briere – $200; Manuel Cavaleiro – $200; Dennis Conners – $200; John Cox – $200; Christopher Ferreira – $200; Martha Howe – $200; William Martin – $200; Daniel Tenczar – $200.

Francisco Maldonado – newly created account. YTD receipts – $30,466

Candidate loan: $20,000.

Donors > $200: John Diaz – $500; Ironworkers Local 7 – $500; Jose Torres – $400; Lori Maldonado – $500; Amy Hawes – $250; Bryan Toupin – $250; Joan Ellis – $200; Christopher Ferreira – $200; Michelle Nguyen – $200; John Razzino – $200.

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The City Council will resume meeting this Tuesday so next Sunday’s newsletter will cover that meeting, which is sure to be a lengthy one.

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On Saturday, September 20, 2025, and on Sunday, September 21, 2025, I’ll lead free walking tours of historic Lowell Cemetery. Both tours begin at 10am at the Knapp Avenue entrance to the cemetery (next to Shedd Park).