More Bitchin' About Government

I was amazed at our local BOS demonstrating a total lack of historical reference regarding the potential bribe by the state to support a tax increase. Signing on a support letter for taxes may mean the rotary will be fixed. Note the term may. Do any members of the BOS remember John Volpe and a “temporary” 3% sales tax? Sure - guys - believe the boys and girls on The Hill. Steve McKinnon has the fiscal sense of knowing you can’t continue to feed the beast in return for promises that are broken. The state is the proverbial “I’ll respect you in the morning.”

And on The Hill a Boston Herald reporter was tossed from a legislative only meeting on (drum roll please) transparency!

Another proposal for further taxes is use of a transponder to “tax” each and all for highway use. Keep on feeding the beast. Daily stories appear - like below - about corruption, political appointees of questionable ethics and qualifications, pension bloated by “playing the system” and mismanagement throughout government yet the cure-all is always the same - more revenue!

Sherri Killins becomes another poster child for ineptness in the flawed Patrick Administration. This one - no surprise - was outed by The Boston Herald for her out of state residency and being enrolled in a n education program while still on the books for 200K a year. Her flacks and those of the administration circled the wagons with tepid responses or no responses from inquiring minds that wanted to know. She finally came to her senses - or was pressured to do so - and resigned. Another chapter in what happens when a one party monolith runs the state. Sorta makes me miss Dukakis.

Jim Braga and his family recently became victims of an unnecessary death. I didn’t know Jim that well except for basketball years ago. When I first met him he was bear like in appearance and my first reaction was purely based on the visual. The guy was a pussy cat and as clean and gentleman a player as I ever met. I had two kids who had him as a teacher and they both spoke highly of him - fair guy, good sense of humor and you actually were engaged in the classroom.

In Boston the School Committee and Mayor are attempting to develop a school choice plan. Forty years after busing destroyed the system they figured it out.

The Massachusetts House rejected a bill that would have allowed law makers at least six hours to read and review a bill before it is brought to a vote. Does this make any sense? Naturally it was the Republicans who voted in favor.

Boston Phoenix is no more. Anyone who went to school or worked in the Boston vicinity would grab a copy of the free paper. Declining ad revenues so it is goodbye.

Patriots are a mystery to me. Why let a proven commodity go to get one for more money that has not come close to the product let go? Goodbye, Welker!

Slowly or is that fastly the new or is it renovated police station will be located on the current site. The Winthrop Atkins area has been rejected for reasons that from what I can determine have no cost analysis to show if it is a real savings. Sometimes one gets the impression that a done deal was in the works from day one. Just get the impression that those involved and thinking of ways of saying no to other options rather than yes.

With an old building especially one that old any historical renovations will have a questionable price tag. IMO it will far exceed any projected costs. Also IMO the FinCom was on the right track of at least bringing up a less expensive alternative.

Chief Bruce Gates got dope slapped in an Enterprise editorial about his inconsistency regarding release of information. Maybe he can work out pent up ire when his new magnificent station has a gym installed.

The casino issue continues to surface and considering the ethnic background of some tribal members maybe the LIT should be in the Azores?