EagleTribune.com : Blogs : The Soapbox

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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It’s the stupid candidate who’s not talking about the economy these days.
Stock markets were plunging in Asia this morning — another reminder of the precarious state of the U.S. economy.
Little wonder those overseas investors are worried. They finance a large portion of the U.S. debt simply because they rely on American consumers to purchase what [...]

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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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And don’t assume your loose change is safe in your pocket, just because legislation has been filed that would block proposed toll increases for those driving into Boston from the North Shore or MetroWest.
Legislators from those two regions are hopping mad over the recent toll increases approved by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority for those entering [...]

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I’ve long wondered whether the reason Lawrence has lagged behind Lowell in terms of its revitalization is that the former has a weak-mayor form of government while the latter is run by a professional city manager.
The charter in Lawrence hinders the mayor’s ability to make the tough decisions that are sometimes necessary to move a [...]

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