City Hall has known that this suit has been coming for awhile. Barry Mullen gave them fair warning during the budget hearings, and he has been in print and on the radio speaking about it for three quarters of a year.
What is distressing to me is how the people are afraid of the government. Many more people wanted to join this suit but were afraid of reprisal from City Hall. I don't believe we are succeeding as a society when the citizens are afraid of the government. Afraid to ask the government to protect them.
Maureen Feeney has complained about the open meeting law to people, saying that she can't even talk to other councilors on the elevator, and complaining that "Team Unity meets together". Team Unity does meet, and they obey the open meeting laws because the meetings are posted with the city clerks office. Anyone can attend, I believe they usually have them on Wednesday's. Even Maureen Feeney can attend. So, she is just being dishonest or she doesn't know that she can have a meeting any time she wants as long as she posts it with the city clerks office.
As my wife pointed out, how is that the rest of the cities and towns in the commonwealth are able to run their governments without being fined for violating the Open Meeting Law, but the Boston City Council can't seem to get it figured out??
(P.S. to all the councilors there is a MCLE class on September 21st on the Open Meeting Law)
One councilor has even said that if we filed the lawsuit that the schools were going to have to be shut down, and that they would let everyone know who was to blame for the schools shutting down.
Somehow, I don't think that is going to happen. Why would a councilor say such untrue things to try and intimidate someone into not asking the council to abide by a law that they voted for???
All the council has to do is vote to rescind the law, or change the number of required officers down to whatever lower level they now think is appropriate to deal with the violence in the City. It is that simple. It is really hypocritical to ask the citizens to obey the law, when they don't obey a law that was voted on unanimously by the City Council.
I fully expect that they will try and defeat this lawsuit with a motion to dismiss filled with technical legal arguments. They will also try and portray us as people that want to bankrupt the city. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are for fiscal responsibility and real investigation of where our tax dollars are being spent and where our assets are going.
This "Tower of Mumbles" as one friend calls it (a take off on the Tower of Babble) could be shortchanging the citizens of Boston 200 million dollars if it goes through as proposed in the BRA RFP available on the 9th floor of City Hall. Other land giveaways at the Roxbury Mosque, Heyward Place, Fenway Park, etc, etc, could more than pay for the police officers we need. But without the giveaways to the connected, the connected don't fill up the political cash accounts of the incumbents.
I have been struck by the passion of the people in this city to try and do the right thing, to make their neighborhoods safe, and how they feel that the administration is giving them the run around. I'm hopeful that this suit can help to get more of the support they need.
kevin
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Press Release on Increased Number of Police Lawsuit
Safe Citizens Press Release
A group of concerned citizens and neighborhood activists has, this date, filed a complaint in Suffolk Superior Court against
The Municipal Ordinance, Chapter 11, Section 1.6 states that “additional officers shall be hired from time to time as needed so as to insure that the number of Police Officers on the force shall, at no time, be less than two thousand five hundred (2,500).”
Violence in the city continues to escalate at the highest rate in over ten years. As one tool in the city’s effort to control the escalating rate of shootings and homicides in Boston, 12 residents have put into formal request what residents around the city, and members of many crime watches and churches have been asking for, that there be more police on the streets of Boston and more detectives to work on the unacceptably low rate of solving crimes. Like many residents, the proponents in this action in Superior Court recognize that there are other tools that are effective means for addressing the violence in the city as well. An increased police presence and a better clearance rate are just two of the tools discussed as solutions. Such efforts as increasing the number of street workers, providing more summer jobs, reviewing the MCAS emphasis in order to cut down on the number of high school dropouts, providing more drug treatment centers, extending after-school programs, increasing the job training programs for high school graduates, stepping up the offensive to get guns off the streets, and providing drug and anti-gang units in each police precinct are complementing efforts to increasing the police presence.
This group of residents felt that requiring the City of
With an attrition rate in FY06 higher than the rate addition, the city needs to be more proactive in its approach to staffing. Proponents of this court action against the city for enforcement of its ordinances seek to have the Mayor and the City Council provide a specific plan to increase the number of police officers in innovative capacities over the next couple of years in order to provide the staffing levels prescribed in city ordinance 11-1.6. In addition, the proponents seek to reopen the discussions of staffing levels in the FY07 budget, in order to put in place more officers at a time when violence is currently on the increase.
The entire Lawsuit and our more detailed position paper may be viewed at:
http://electkevin.blogspot.com
For further information contact
Barry Mullen at 617-288-0818
Kevin McCrea at 617-267-2453
If interested in joining or helping out, email us at safecitizens@gmail.com
Position Paper on the Number of Police Lawsuit
Safe Citizens Position Paper
August 22, 2006
The City of
As one tool in the city’s effort to control the escalating rate of shootings and homicides in Boston, 12 residents have put into formal request what residents around the city, and members of many crime watches and churches have been asking for, that there be more police on the streets of Boston and more detectives to work on the unacceptably low rate of solving crimes.
On January 31, 1979 an Ordinance 11-1.6 was passed by the City Council. In accordance with Section 17D of the Boston City Charter the Ordinance went into effect on the 16th day following. This Ordinance reads as follows:
11-1.6 Minimum Number of Police Officers on the Boston Police Department.
On or before July 1, 1979, the size of the Boston Police Department shall be increased by the employment of a sufficient number of patrolmen so as to bring the force to strength of not less than two thousand three hundred (2,300) Police Officers. On or before July 1, 1980, the size of the Boston Police Department shall be increased by the employment of a sufficient number of patrolmen so as to bring the force to strength of not less than two thousand five hundred (2,500). Thereafter, additional officers shall be hired from time to time as needed so as to insure that the number of Police Officers on the force shall, at no time, be less than two thousand five hundred (2,500).
(Ord. 1979 c. 2)
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 43, section 4 states that “Ordinances, resolutions, orders or other regulations of a city or of any authorized body or official thereof, existing at the time when such city adopts a plan of government set forth in this chapter, shall continue in full force and effect until repealed, modified or superseded.”
Every year the Mayor of Boston proposes a city budget to the City Council. The City Council holds hearings on the budget, and votes to approve the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. On or around May 17, 2006 Christopher Fox, who is the Boston Police Department's Chief of Technology and Administration, testified at a City Council budget hearing that the BPD had 1,962 sworn police officers on the force and another 130 either entering or about to graduate from the academy, for a total of 2,092. Of those, 337 were "missing in service," that is, out injured, serving in the military, in the academy, or otherwise unable to perform.
During those City Council hearings on the Boston Police Department's budget for FY07 in May, Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, Councilor Rob Consalvo, asked the BPD command staff what they thought the appropriate staffing level of officers should be. They responded by declining to offer their own estimate for proper staffing and instead said that they would work with whatever number of officers that the Mayor and the City Council was willing to fund. The Mayor's budget then being reviewed called for a staffing level of 2,100 officers, up only 8 officers from the 2,092 at the May hearings. This first budget of 2,100 officers included 2 classes of recruits totaling 70 new officers.
Violence in the city continues to escalate at the highest rate in over ten years. Yet the Mayor was not ready to provide for a substantive increase in policing to meet the needs of the city. Constant media coverage and the clamoring of residents for more police presence forced the Mayor to find additional resources in his revised budget. Seventy additional recruits were added to the budget in its final version, which was approved by the City Council on June 28, 2006. The budget also includes a provision for adding 45 officers from the Municipal Police Department as a result of its merger with the BPD in January 2007. However, the overall budget does not address the loss of 24 Municipal Police positions not merged, the fact that the FY06 attrition rate was double the rate that has been budgeted for FY07, nor does it address the loss of funding from the Boston Housing Authority for 35 officers. The federal government's funding of the BHA which was used to pay for policing terminates in October of this year.
Many community meetings across the city discuss how to deal with the rising violent crime rate. An increased police presence and a better clearance rate are just two of the tools discussed as solutions. Like many residents, the proponents in this action in Superior Court recognize that there are other tools that are effective means for addressing the violence in the city as well. Such efforts as increasing the number of street workers, providing more summer jobs, reviewing the MCAS emphasis in order to cut down on the number of high school dropouts, providing more drug treatment centers, extending after-school programs, increasing the job training programs for high school graduates, stepping up the offensive to get guns off the streets, and providing drug and anti-gang units in each police precinct are complementing efforts to increasing the police presence.
This group of residents felt that requiring the City of
With an attrition rate in FY06 higher than the rate addition, the city needs to be more proactive in its approach to staffing. For example, inter-agency hiring would be one method of quickly adding to the police force at minimal cost of training time in the academy. At the City Council hearings, the Police Dept. heads acknowledged that a position on the BPD would be an envy of officers from around the state, and outside, who would especially be attracted to it by one of the highest pay scales on any department in the area. Hiring from outside the BPD would require the approval of the police chief from the officer’s town and would require that the officer relocate to the City of
On June 12, 2006 a letter was written to the Mayor of Boston and the members of the City Council signed by some of the plaintiffs reminding them of the requirements of Chapter 11, Section 1.6 and requested that they address the increasing violence in the City. The letter indicated judicial redress would be a possible remedy if no response or action was taken. Despite being reminded of the requirements of City Ordinance 11-1.6, the Mayor of Boston and the City Council have not provided the required number of Police Officers to the citizens of
Proponents of this court action against the city for enforcement of its ordinances seek to have the Mayor and the City Council provide a specific plan to increase the number of police officers over the next couple of years in order to provide the staffing levels prescribed in city ordinance 11-1.6. In addition, the proponents seek to reopen the discussions of staffing levels in the FY07 budget, in order to put in place more officers at a time when violence is currently on the increase.
Lawsuit asking the City to Provide More Public Safety
Today, 12 plaintiffs from around the City have filed suit against the City of Boston requesting that they enforce Chapter 11 section 1.6 of the Boston Municipal Code. These people are people active in their community who have done all they can, but they need government to fill its responsibility to help stop the increasing violence.
“The end of the institution, maintenance, and administration of government, is to secure the existence of the body politic, to protect it, and to furnish the individuals who compose it with the power of enjoying in safety and tranquility their natural rights, and the blessings of life: and whenever these great objects are not obtained, the people have a right to alter the government, and to take measures necessary for their safety, prosperity and happiness.”
6. Until 1966, the so called “Dillon’s Rules” were in effect in
7. In 1966, a Home Rule Amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution was passed which granted broad home rule powers to Cities and Towns.
8. Article LXXXIX, Section 6 of the Massachusetts Constitution grants Cities and Towns the Power to “exercise any power or function which the general court has power to confer upon it.”
9. The City of
10. At the same time,
11. On January 31, 1979 an Ordinance 11-1.6 was passed by the City Council. In accordance with Section 17D of the Boston City Charter the Ordinance went into effect on the 16th day following. This Ordinance reads as follows:
11-1.6 Minimum Number of Police Officers on the Boston Police Department.
)
Kevin McCrea, et al )
)
Plaintiffs )
)
v. )
)
City of
Thomas Menino, Mayor & )
Michael Flaherty, President )
)
Defendants )
)
COMPLAINT FOR ORDER REQUIRING THE CITY OF
1. This is an action for an order requiring the City of
Meanwhile, the City of
Based on this shortage of officers, Plaintiffs ask the Court to issue an appropriate order requiring the City of
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
2. This action is brought under G.L. c. 43 sec. 4.20,
and City of
3. Venue is appropriate pursuant to G.L. c. 223, §1and 9.
PARTIES
4. a) Plaintiff Kevin McCrea is a resident of the City of
b) Plaintiff Michael Barrett is a resident of the City of
c) Plaintiff Mary Carre is a resident of the City of
d) Plaintiff Louis Carre is a resident of the City of
e) Plaintiff Barry Mullen is a resident of the City of
f) Plaintiff Timothy Hall is a resident of the City of
g) Plaintiff Dr. Clara Lora is a resident of the City of
h) Plaintiff Richard Orario is a resident of the City of
i) Plaintiff Michael J. Cote is a resident of the City of
k) Plaintiff Candice Gartley is a resident of the City of
l) Plaintiff Rose Arruda is a resident of the City of
m) Carlos French is a resident of the City of
n)
M.G.L. c. 39. Defendant Tom Menino is the Mayor of Boston. Boston City Council is a governmental body within the City of
FACTS
5. The Preamble of the Massachusetts Constitution reads :
“The end of the institution, maintenance, and administration of government, is to secure the existence of the body politic, to protect it, and to furnish the individuals who compose it with the power of enjoying in safety and tranquility their natural rights, and the blessings of life: and whenever these great objects are not obtained, the people have a right to alter the government, and to take measures necessary for their safety, prosperity and happiness.”
6. Until 1966, the so called “Dillon’s Rules” were in effect in Massachusetts
7. In 1966, a Home Rule Amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution was passed which granted broad home rule powers to Cities and Towns.
The Legislature has conferred upon cities and towns the power or duty to:
- Acquire any land, easement, or right on the territory within its boundaries for any public purpose. (40:14) The acquisition may be made by the means of an outright purchase, by an eminent domain taking, by gift, or by tax title. (60:64-69)
- Sue or be sued. A municipality may be a party to litigation and appear either as a plaintiff or a defendant in
- Contract for goods, materials, or services in the exercise of their corporate powers.
- Appropriate or set aside funds for any particular purpose. As a general rule, no municipal department may incur a liability in excess of an appropriation. (44:31) It follows that a city or town department may not ordinarily enter into a contract without first obtaining a sufficient appropriation.
- Assess and collect taxes on real and personal property situated within their respective boundaries. They may collect a motor vehicle excise, assessed to owners for the privilege of registration, as well as certain license and user fees.
- Impose a local option excise tax upon the transient rental of rooms in hotels, motels, and lodging houses. (64G: 3A; see also IGR 85-209, pp. 1-15 through 1-16.) They may impose a similar local option excise upon jet aircraft fuel (64J; see also IGR 85-210, pages 1-17 through 1-18.)
- Incur debt by borrowing for specified purposes within specified debt limits and time periods. Such debt, once authorized, may be issued using notes (generally short-term) or bonds (long-term). (44:4, 6A, 7, 8)
- Adequately provide for the education of school-age children. Municipalities must ensure a sufficient number of schools to teach all children who legally wish to attend. In those municipalities that have at least 500 families, a high school will generally have to be staffed, maintained, and equipped.
- Exercise police powers for the preservation of the public peace, order, health, morality, and welfare. (See McQuillan, Municipal Corporations, §24.01, pp. 417-419. 3rd ed., 1980.) Police powers may be exercised utilizing a variety of methods, including the enactment of regulations, ordinances and bylaws and the issuance of licenses and permits.
The exercise of municipal police powers includes the following:
- Preventing and abating public nuisances.
- Protecting the public and ensuring its safety.
- Safeguarding the public order.
- Protecting the public health through the development and regulation of water supplies, proper sanitation, and waste disposal.
- Regulating certain businesses, occupations, and trades through such activities as limiting business hours, governing the availability of intoxicating beverages, overseeing sign-boards and outdoor advertising, inspecting weights and measures, and safeguarding the wholesomeness and purity of food.
- Controlling the construction of buildings and housing, including their repair, removal, alteration, use, and location upon lots (e.g., with regard to setback or building lines), ensuring compliance with the local building code, zoning bylaws and ordinances.
- Organizing protection against fire through the establishment of a fire department or district, under the administrative authority of a fire chief.
- Supervising street use. As a general rule, cities and towns may lay out, relocate, repair, or alter public ways within their boundaries. They may also establish, repair, or reconstruct sidewalks in public ways.
8. Article LXXXIX, Section 6 of the Massachusetts Constitution grants Cities and Towns the Power to “exercise any power or function which the general court has power to confer upon it.”
9. The City of Boston
10. At the same time, Boston
11. On January 31, 1979 an Ordinance 11-1.6 was passed by the City Council. In accordance with Section 17D of the Boston City Charter the Ordinance went into effect on the 16th day following. This Ordinance reads as follows:
11-1.6 Minimum Number of Police Officers on the Boston Police Department.
On or before July 1, 1979, the size of the Boston Police Department shall be increased by the employment of a sufficient number of patrolmen so as to bring the force to strength of not less than two thousand three hundred (2,300) Police Officers. On or before July 1, 1980, the size of the Boston Police Department shall be increased by the employment of a sufficient number of patrolmen so as to bring the force to strength of not less than two thousand five hundred (2,500). Thereafter, additional officers shall be hired from time to time as needed so as to insure that the number of Police Officers on the force shall, at no time, be less than two thousand five hundred (2,500).
(Ord. 1979 c. 2)
12. Every year the Mayor of Boston proposes a City budget to the City Council.
13. The City Council holds hearings on the budget, and votes to approve the Budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
14. On or around May 17, 2006 Christopher Fox, who is the Boston Police Department’s Chief of Technology and Administration, testified at a City Council budget hearing that the City of Boston Police Department had 1,962 sworn police officers on the force. Of those, 337 were “missing in service”, that is, out injured, serving in the military, or otherwise unable to perform. (See attachment 1)
15. On June 12, 2006 a letter was written to the Mayor of Boston and the members of the City Council signed by some of the plaintiffs reminding them of the requirements of Chapter 11, Section 1.6 and requested that they address the increasing violence in the City. The letter indicated judicial redress would be a possible remedy if no response or action was taken. (See attachment 2)
16. On or around June 14, 2006 Lisa Signori the Chief Financial Officer of the City of Boston spoke to the Boston Herald and said that the Mayor and the City budget would include appropriation for 140 cadets in the Police Academy.
17. On June 28, 2006 the City Council voted to approve a budget for Fiscal Year 2007.
18. The budget as approved only provides for at most 140 more candidates to attend the
19. The budget as approved has no funds allocated for hiring experienced officers from outside the City of
20. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 43, section 4 states that “Ordinances, resolutions, orders or other regulations of a city or of any authorized body or official thereof, existing at the time when such city adopts a plan of government set forth in this chapter, shall continue in full force and effect until repealed, modified or superseded.”
COUNT I
21. The plaintiffs incorporate by reference paragraphs 1 through 20 of this Complaint.
22. Despite being reminded of the requirements of City Ordinance 11-1.6, the Mayor of Boston and the City Council have not provided the required number of Police Officers to the citizens of
23. The City of
and safeguarding the public order.
WHEREFORE, the plaintiffs respectfully request that the Court:
a. Adjudge and declare that the City of
b. Issue an order requiring the City of
c. Order that the City of
d. Order that the City of
e. Order that the City of
f. Award such other relief as the Court finds just and proper.
Respectfully Submitted
Kevin McCrea, Pro Se
617-267-2453
Kevin McCrea
Dated: August 22, 2006
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Chris Gabrieli called me!!!
I got a voice recording from Chris Gabrieli today, and apparently he reads the same political playbook as Sam Yoon, Patricia White and most other politicians. Chris let me know "I know we can do better", which is a huge difference actually from "we need to do better" which is the refrain I most heard from the city council candidates last year.
This is probably why Gabrieli is a multi millionaire and they are not. He is an innovative, creative thinker.
As Clara says: "we need to find people who are better at doing better instead of people who need to do better at needing to do better".
In his short voice message he identified the problems facing Massachusetts, said that he knew we could do better and that he wanted to be held accountable and then asked me to press #2 to indicate my support. I pressed number 2 to find out what happens next, and I got a blank, dead phone line.
I wonder if they are going to count all the #2's pressed as some sort of show of support from people at home working at 2 pm on a Sunday.
On a related note, I hear that Charlotte Golar Richie has told Tom Menino that she will be supporting Deval Patrick in the Governor's race. Good for her for standing up for who she likes, and not being afraid to speak her mind against the local machine that Menino will put behind Reilly.
This is probably why Gabrieli is a multi millionaire and they are not. He is an innovative, creative thinker.
As Clara says: "we need to find people who are better at doing better instead of people who need to do better at needing to do better".
In his short voice message he identified the problems facing Massachusetts, said that he knew we could do better and that he wanted to be held accountable and then asked me to press #2 to indicate my support. I pressed number 2 to find out what happens next, and I got a blank, dead phone line.
I wonder if they are going to count all the #2's pressed as some sort of show of support from people at home working at 2 pm on a Sunday.
On a related note, I hear that Charlotte Golar Richie has told Tom Menino that she will be supporting Deval Patrick in the Governor's race. Good for her for standing up for who she likes, and not being afraid to speak her mind against the local machine that Menino will put behind Reilly.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
World Premiere of Spike Lee's new movie
When the Levees broke was premiered here in New Orleans tonight, where it was 109 degrees today according to temperature index. Latest news in New Orleans is that stolen tools are being sold door to door, and the drug dealers are learning spanish to expand their business prospects. The invisible hand of capitalism is not so invisible!
The movie was excellent, and really captures the trauma, the heartbreak, the lack of honesty (and transparency) of the government, and the frustration of the CITIZENS of New Orleans. It will make you cry, but surprisingly will make you laugh very much as well. There is a very dark and prevalent sense of humor down here, almost nothing is out of bounds.
Best lines/scenes:
about George Bush: "he's giving C students around the world a bad name
Mayor Nagin about Air Force One: "I call it the pimpmobile"
A woman was asked when she was going to get power on in her FEMA trailer:
"probably when I decide to give someone a blowjob"
Of course, George Bush surrounded by white guys: "you're doing a heckuva job, Brownie"
This movie will be aired on HBO in a couple weeks in two parts, as it is about 4 hours long. It was shown tonight at the New Orleans arena, across the street from the Superdome, which was a bit disturbing as many of the scenes included dead bodies laying in the road just outside where we were watching. This movie brings back how incredible it is that this happened in America, with days going by without any help.
It also highlighted why education is the key to success, and how New Orleans worst in the nation school system helped play into this disaster.
k
The movie was excellent, and really captures the trauma, the heartbreak, the lack of honesty (and transparency) of the government, and the frustration of the CITIZENS of New Orleans. It will make you cry, but surprisingly will make you laugh very much as well. There is a very dark and prevalent sense of humor down here, almost nothing is out of bounds.
Best lines/scenes:
about George Bush: "he's giving C students around the world a bad name
Mayor Nagin about Air Force One: "I call it the pimpmobile"
A woman was asked when she was going to get power on in her FEMA trailer:
"probably when I decide to give someone a blowjob"
Of course, George Bush surrounded by white guys: "you're doing a heckuva job, Brownie"
This movie will be aired on HBO in a couple weeks in two parts, as it is about 4 hours long. It was shown tonight at the New Orleans arena, across the street from the Superdome, which was a bit disturbing as many of the scenes included dead bodies laying in the road just outside where we were watching. This movie brings back how incredible it is that this happened in America, with days going by without any help.
It also highlighted why education is the key to success, and how New Orleans worst in the nation school system helped play into this disaster.
k
Saturday, August 12, 2006
More lack of obeying the law at City Hall....
Very interesting article about the independent report about the state of the police department in the globe today: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/08/12/major_shift_in_police_oversight_is_urged/
Here is what an active newspaper interested in journalism and freedom of the press would do: they would go to court and make the administration turn over those documents that the city paid for to the professor at Northeastern University. They would file a freedom on information act on the contract that was signed with the professor, find our how much he was scheduled to be paid, and if he has been paid the total agreed upon amount. They would then go into superior court and argue before the judge that the city is just trying to parse words by calling it a "draft" report.
My understanding is that ALL documents are subject to FOIA requests, including drafts. There is no provision in the law to allow this lawyerly trick to be used. But, the Boston Globe and other local media sources are too cowardly to actively pursue journalistic integrity against the man behind the green curtain, with the thin skin and vindictive history.
Funny how the phrase "needs to be ...transparent" keeps coming up with this administration. As John Connelly said that's Kevin's word!
As I've been doing research on the lawsuit to force the City of Boston to hire more cops and address public safety in a better manner, I've been struck how virtually every minority I talk to has a story of bad policing, or police misconduct. Of course, I haven't been able to verify any of it, but what is apparent is the huge divide, mistrust and misunderstanding between law enforcement and the community. The administration just burying their head in the sand and dismissing this problem is disappointing to say the least.
Here is what an active newspaper interested in journalism and freedom of the press would do: they would go to court and make the administration turn over those documents that the city paid for to the professor at Northeastern University. They would file a freedom on information act on the contract that was signed with the professor, find our how much he was scheduled to be paid, and if he has been paid the total agreed upon amount. They would then go into superior court and argue before the judge that the city is just trying to parse words by calling it a "draft" report.
My understanding is that ALL documents are subject to FOIA requests, including drafts. There is no provision in the law to allow this lawyerly trick to be used. But, the Boston Globe and other local media sources are too cowardly to actively pursue journalistic integrity against the man behind the green curtain, with the thin skin and vindictive history.
Funny how the phrase "needs to be ...transparent" keeps coming up with this administration. As John Connelly said that's Kevin's word!
As I've been doing research on the lawsuit to force the City of Boston to hire more cops and address public safety in a better manner, I've been struck how virtually every minority I talk to has a story of bad policing, or police misconduct. Of course, I haven't been able to verify any of it, but what is apparent is the huge divide, mistrust and misunderstanding between law enforcement and the community. The administration just burying their head in the sand and dismissing this problem is disappointing to say the least.
Friday, August 11, 2006
We have our day in court with the City Council Scheduled!!
Thanks to the persistent efforts of Kathleen Devine, Suffolk Superior Court has finally given us a date for the City Council to answer in court for their "alleged" transgressions against the citizens of Boston.
I'm not getting my hopes up, as I'm sure that they will have some new legal tricks we aren't aware of ready to try.
Alternatively, they may want to get this over with, be found guilty and then revote on the city council raises, and the mayor's raise as currently the longer this goes on the more chance they will have to return money to the good citizens of Boston.
stay tuned...
I'm not getting my hopes up, as I'm sure that they will have some new legal tricks we aren't aware of ready to try.
Alternatively, they may want to get this over with, be found guilty and then revote on the city council raises, and the mayor's raise as currently the longer this goes on the more chance they will have to return money to the good citizens of Boston.
stay tuned...
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Another Reilly Poll with the same questions...
I just got another poll call from sunsurveys in lakeland, florida. this time Jesse was on the line.
He had a shorter version of the same poll I took just a few days ago. The EXACT same questions:
How did I feel about George Bush, Mitt Romney, Kerry Healey, Deval, O'Reilly and Gabrielli on a scale of 1 to 100.
How do I feel about Reilly's handling of the Big Dig.
And questions about Reilly, Patrick and Gabrielli and whether I've been more or less positive about them in the last month.
Also, whether I've seen Reilly's TV adds.
Nice to have money to spend on this stuff.
He had a shorter version of the same poll I took just a few days ago. The EXACT same questions:
How did I feel about George Bush, Mitt Romney, Kerry Healey, Deval, O'Reilly and Gabrielli on a scale of 1 to 100.
How do I feel about Reilly's handling of the Big Dig.
And questions about Reilly, Patrick and Gabrielli and whether I've been more or less positive about them in the last month.
Also, whether I've seen Reilly's TV adds.
Nice to have money to spend on this stuff.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
The Mayor responds elegantly to violence riddled neighborhoods
Barry Mullin received a response from Tom Menino to the registered letter we sent him asking him to address the increased violence in a more direct manner.
The Mayor's response:
The Mayor's response:
Dear Barry
Thank you for taking time to write me. I always enjoy receiving letters from people who genuinely care about their community.
I would also like to extend my thanks to you for all your thoughtful suggestions on how to reduce the recent rise in violence. Like you, I an very concerned about the situation and I am constantly working towards solutions. As my administration and I continue to work with the Boston Police Department, Business and community leaders, we will certainly keep your suggestions in mind.
Once again, thank you for writing to me. I send you my best regards,
Sincerely
Tom
The letter was dated June 29, 2006
Friday, August 04, 2006
Cold Called Corrected
The folks who posted are right, it wasn't exactly a push poll. It was probably being used by Reilly to gauge where he is in the race with likely voters, what they thought were the best aspects of Tom's leadership (so that they could push those characteristics), and what people wanted Tom Reilly to do.
I stand corrected. A push poll is more like the famous one that George Bush used against John McCain in South Carolina where automated calls asked the question: "If you were informed that John McCain had fathered an illegitimate vietnamese child, would you be more or less likely to vote for him?"
Of course, McCain has adopted a child (who I think is vietnamese) so it is possible that people could get confused. It is easy to see why McCain could get so angry at this despicable political act. Reilly's poll was nothing like that.
I stand corrected. A push poll is more like the famous one that George Bush used against John McCain in South Carolina where automated calls asked the question: "If you were informed that John McCain had fathered an illegitimate vietnamese child, would you be more or less likely to vote for him?"
Of course, McCain has adopted a child (who I think is vietnamese) so it is possible that people could get confused. It is easy to see why McCain could get so angry at this despicable political act. Reilly's poll was nothing like that.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Cold Called on a Tom Reilly Push Poll
I got a call yesterday from Sun Surveys with what turned out to probably be a push poll for Thomas O'Reilly in the governor's race.
It took 15 to 20 minutes, and asked whether you thought MA was going in the right direction,
and what you thought of different aspects of how Tom Reilly was taking charge of the BIG DIG problem.
I spoke with the poll taker a soon to be college kid from Florida who was calling from Miami. He said he had been interested in politics until he started this job and started speaking to people. Nice kid. He said he couldn't tell who was paying for the poll. It will be interesting to see if this is published or if Reilly uses it for his own internal information.
(it could have obliquely been a gabrieli poll who was just looking on how to hammer Reilly, but with Reilly in 3rd right now that doesn't seem to make much sense. The poll hardly mentioned Patrick at all, which was odd as he is the current poll leader)
It took 15 to 20 minutes, and asked whether you thought MA was going in the right direction,
and what you thought of different aspects of how Tom Reilly was taking charge of the BIG DIG problem.
I spoke with the poll taker a soon to be college kid from Florida who was calling from Miami. He said he had been interested in politics until he started this job and started speaking to people. Nice kid. He said he couldn't tell who was paying for the poll. It will be interesting to see if this is published or if Reilly uses it for his own internal information.
(it could have obliquely been a gabrieli poll who was just looking on how to hammer Reilly, but with Reilly in 3rd right now that doesn't seem to make much sense. The poll hardly mentioned Patrick at all, which was odd as he is the current poll leader)
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Another idea to increase revenue
As many cities and towns do around massachusetts, before a building permit maybe obtained on a building, proof must be obtained that the appropriate real estate taxes have been paid. This will help to keep the revenue stream constant.
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