To the editor:
There are many times when I believe the best man for the job is a woman—not so with the position of district attorney of Berkshire County. The best man for this job is the man who is currently doing it, the same man who served as assistant to District Attorney David Capeless for 14 years and who has been an assistant district attorney in Berkshire County for the last 28 years. His name is Paul Caccaviello.
Caccaviello has kept a low profile, so you may not know a lot about him. He is unassuming, sensible and very focused. Like Capeless, Caccaviello takes his job very seriously. He is committed to prosecuting criminals and restoring Berkshire County to the safe place it once was.
Capeless and Caccaviello share some similar attributes such as their tenacity, attention to detail, ability to tolerate stress and their disinterest in personal ambition. They have run this office smoothly and without drama or politics. When Capeless announced his retirement, he trusted only Caccaviello to follow through with the projects he had in motion. Gov. Baker could have satisfied his party and chosen a Republican, but he felt Caccaviello, an Independent, was the most qualified. Caccaviello has his own ideas of changes he would like to make and I hope he is afforded that opportunity. He deserves it.
In a Berkshire Eagle article, Andrea Harrington said something to the effect that it was after hearing Maura Healey speak she said to herself, “I think I could do that.” I know that feeling. There are days I listen to the radio and think I can sing like Beyoncé but, in fact, I cannot. Simply put, it is a lot more difficult than it looks. Perhaps with much more training, practice and 28 or so years of experience, we could both achieve our aspirations.
Berkshire County cannot afford this learning curve. This job is too important! The job of head prosecutor deserves someone who is trained, seasoned and has prosecuted over 5,000 cases over 30 years. Would you choose a surgeon who had never performed surgery but said, “I think I can?” Write in Paul Caccaviello’s name on your ballot. He is the only logical choice for district attorney of Berkshire County.
Virginia Petkus
Dalton
