Paging J. Edgar Hoover–As Charter Reformers Meet, How About A Lydia Martinez Rule?

The city’s Charter Revision Commission commences regular meetings on Tuesday to begin shaping questions that presumably will appear on the November ballot for voter approval. Mayor Bill Finch, who assembled the commission with City Council approval, has stated clearly where he’d like to see the focus: education. The city’s Board of Education is an elected body currently mothballed by the state in favor of a state-appointed commission. We’re awaiting a ruling by the Connecticut Supreme Court about the state-control legality.

The Charter Revision Commission could carve out a question for voters about changing the elected education body to one appointed, or perhaps a hybrid of the two. What other proposals would you like to see on the ballot be it education, minority party representation, civil service, city elections, finance?

More than 20 years ago a Charter Revision Commission proposed what we in the media called a J. Edgar Hoover Rule for the police and fire chiefs. In the old days the chiefs, through civil service testing, had no term limit. They had the job for life just like the former FBI director. Voters approved a measure that allows the mayor to choose from the top three chief candidates who serve for no more than 10 years. The mayor appoints based on a five-year contract with an option to renew for another five years. The city has had several chiefs come and go under this system that creates checks and balances for service.

The city has experienced a number of elections issues the past few years and in light of City Councilwoman Lydia Martinez examining a run for Democratic registrar of voters, the Dem’s chief elections position in the city, maybe the commission should examine a Lydia Martinez Rule. No city elector having broken election law may serve as a chief elections official.

Lydia Martinez, who’s been working city pols and appears to have support for the registrar’s office, has her own election rules. She has recently been fined twice by the State Elections Enforcement Commission, the latest for absentee ballot fraud. And would it surprise if she’s fined again? A Lydia Rule would be a reform measure for voters to decide.

That knock on my door you just heard came from City Attorney Mark Anastasi. “Lennie, you can’t do that!”

Mark’s always spoiling a little reform fun. I’m guessing Mark would say you’re getting into constitutional issues, state law issues, yadda, yadda. The city’s elected Registrar of Voters positions, Democrat Santa Ayala and Republican Linda Grace, toil in that fuzzy area governed by city ordinance and state law. In Bridgeport they serve two-year terms. From the City Charter:

Section 10. Registrars of Voters.

There shall continue to be two Registrars of Voters who shall be elected citywide in the manner provided by law. Each registrar shall appoint a deputy who shall serve at the pleasure of the registrar. In the event of the death, removal or resignation of the registrar, the deputy registrar shall become registrar.

Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill is the state’s chief elections official, but every time a thorny issue pops up about local registrars Denise says there’s very little she can do. Well, Denise, how about voicing an opinion? How about weighing in about what’s right? How about taking a stand on behalf of voters?

My goodness, she’d say, and piss off city politicians? Well, that sounds like a very good reason to say something. Well, perhaps the flip side to all of this is just common sense: let the voters decide. They get what the deserve, right?