Town of Hingham Election Guide: Selectman

Bruce Rabuffo (incumbent selectman)  and Bernard Manning are running to fill the seat on the Board of Selectmen. In anticipation of the town election on Saturday, April 30, both Rabuffo and Manning have responded to a brief questionnaire from Hingham Patch; their responses are below.

Name: Lawrence Bruce Rabuffo  (Bruce)

Address 1 Diggins Pathe

Why are you running for Selectman:  Very simple, three years ago when I ran there were very difficult economic times.  I talked about preserving tomorrow by managing today- focus on better management more efficiency and that will get us throught.  That’s what has gotten us through and I think I have played a significant role in that and I want to continue to do that.

What do you think you would bring to the Board of Selectmen:

I try to  keep a lot of new things on the table .  We have a lot of issues still in front of us; one of the biggest is the fact that the Govt. at the federal and state level is increasingly finding it more difficult to provide us with the resources they have given us in the past.  It’s not because they don’t want to, it’s because they don’t have the revenue.  So we have to find new ways to generate the revenue and to manage the expenses so that we can attain and continue to deliver the services that we did .  And that’s what my whole life is all about.

Background

Rabuffo moved to Hingham in 1995. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. and lived in England for several years of his life. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and worked in Congress. He then attended Pace University where he studied for his MBA.

After college, Rabuffo took a job in the corporate world with NYNEX Corporation. The company asked him to take on a major project overseas to build a telephone and cable company from scratch. He accepted and moved to London, England where he lived for over three years before moving to Hingham. 

After he retired in 1997, Rabuffo soon began volunteering in Hingham. He became vice chair of the Parish Council at and was appointed as an alternate member on the Zoning Board of Appeals.

He also helped redesign and develop the downtown area of Hingham. At this point, friends urged and pushed for him to run for selectman and he followed their advice. Rabuffo has now been on the Board of Selectmen for the past three years and is one of three board members along with John A. Riley and Laura M. Burns.

Name: Bernard Manning:

Address: 59 Cushing Street

Why are you running for Selectman:

First of all this town needs to be straightened out and I have the background to do it.

What do you think you would bring to the Board of Selectmen:

My background, my experience, and to serve the town in the best interest.  Unfortunately the current administration has not done that and it has cost the town sorely .

Background:

Manning holds a  bachelor’s degree, a master's degree, and CAGS from Boston University. He holds law degrees from Suffolk University. Manning served as an Assistant Attorney General and served as the Deputy Chief of the Massachusetts Criminal Bureau.

He  has also served as a special agent counter intelligence assigned to the Philadelphia Field Office.  Manning has taught English and Geography at Quincy Point Junior High School and taught Constitutional Law and the Legislative Process at Northeastern University.