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Archive for the 'Municipal meltdown' Category

The money is in contracts, not ‘efficiencies’

Posted in Local politics, Municipal meltdown, Taylor Armerding on Jan 5th, 2009 Comments

I agree with those who say that the few thousand bucks area school districts spent last November sending their superintendents and some school committee members to a conference on Cape Cod (read about it here) was no big deal - at least when it comes to breaking budgets. The top outlay of $4,500, which Methuen [...]

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Just say it - it’s all about the money

Posted in Massachusetts politics, Municipal meltdown, State issues, Taylor Armerding on Apr 4th, 2008 Comments

I don’t blame cops for wanting to make more money. Heck, I want to make more money.
But I do blame them for constantly cloaking their desire for more money by pretending to be altruistic. Their frenzied efforts to protect their monopoly on road details, as the Legislature considers transportation reforms that would take some of [...]

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Misery loves company

Posted in Municipal meltdown, Nelson Benton on Mar 30th, 2008 Comments

It was desperation, more than the advertised benefits of casino gambling, that prompted many mayors to get behind Gov. Deval Patrick’s failed effort to bring legalized gaming to Massachusetts.
The cost of public-sector wages and benefits are becoming ummanageable, and those in charge of making sure the bills are paid frankly don’t know where to turn. [...]

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What’s in a name - or not in a name?

Posted in Massachusetts politics, Municipal meltdown, State issues, Taylor Armerding on Feb 20th, 2008 Comments

George Orwell may be gone, but his prophetic vision lives on, in our continued quest to name things in ways that will obscure their real intent. You know, if you want to let union advocates intimidate workers by forcing them to “vote” for or against a union in front of them, instead of the privacy [...]

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Divide the people and raise taxes

Posted in Local politics, Massachusetts politics, Municipal meltdown, Taylor Armerding on Feb 6th, 2008 Comments

Newton state Rep. Ruth Balser’s bill to exempt senior citizens from the impact of Proposition 2 1/2 overrides (something she has tried before) is not only a very bad idea. It is transparently disingenuous. It’s not about helping seniors, who already have more than enough help available to them if they really can’t pay their [...]

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Mayors unite

Posted in Massachusetts politics, Municipal meltdown, Nelson Benton, Uncategorized on Feb 5th, 2008 Comments

We’re drifting towards fiscal failure.
That’s according to Amesbury Mayor Thatcher Kezer who made the comment at the start of a meeting Monday between Merrimack Valley mayors and the Eagle-Tribune’s editorial board.
The municipal chief executives want two things — more money and the tools with which to better manage their cities.
Unfortunately for them, voters are already [...]

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Sky’s the limit for Laboy

Posted in Municipal meltdown, Nelson Benton, Uncategorized on Jan 5th, 2008 Comments

Imagine what Lawrence school Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy’s compensation package might look like if the city’s schools were among the top performers in the state.
While others in the city are facing the loss of their jobs, the Lawrence School Committee recently granted Laboy a raise bringing his annual salary close to the $200,000 mark. And it [...]

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The problem in a nutshell

Posted in Municipal meltdown, Nelson Benton on Dec 13th, 2007 Comments

Want to know why people aren’t willing to pay more in property taxes, and may vote to eliminate the income tax if given the chance? Today’s story from the Gloucester Daily Times says it all. Read it here.

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