A freedom of information request to the city by Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster reveals a bunch of lawyers financing Mayor Bill Finch’s reelection making small fortunes since the mayor assumed office including Bill Beccaro who controls a political action committee aligned with the mayor. Beccaro has made more than $250K from city taxpayers since the mayor assumed office in December 2007, according to figures calculated by the Foster campaign provided by the city, as well as another Finch friend Ed Maley, both of whom are veteran capitol lobbyists/attorneys. Hey Bill and Ed, let’s be friends. I know a few restaurants with great wine lists!
Beccaro and Maley are being paid under two professional services contracts with the city totaling $7,000 per month providing legal and consulting advice for a variety of city projects including a regional wastewater treatment authority, regional magnet high school and state legislative issues. In total, according to a spread sheet the city provided to Foster, since Finch became mayor roughly $8 million has been paid to lawyers outside of the city’s paid city attorney staffers. This is something City Councilman Bob “Troll” Walsh has been screaming about for years, even before Finch became mayor: The mayor has an attorney friend he trusts or wants to take care of so he runs it through City Attorney Mark Anastasi. Bingo!
Other firms making big bucks include Pullman & Comley where former Democratic Town Chair and Finch supporter John Stafstrom is a partner, roughly $750,000. Pullman & Comley is the city’s bond counsel advising the mayor on financial and economic development matters. The Foster campaign says the law firm’s bond counsel fees are not included in the $750K. Also Berchem, Moses & Devlin, led by Bob Berchem, the mayor’s lead attorney on the regional high school, roughly $100,000. Most of the lawyers paid on an outside basis are major campaign contributors to the mayor.
Stafstrom and Berchem are accomplished lawyers. One of the the questions Foster asserts is why can’t the city’s 12 paid city staff attorneys handle these matters? Are they not qualified? The city also hired as a professional services contractor former Republican State Senator Rob Russo, a former Finch state senate opponent, to help with regional issues, particularly with Trumbull because Finch and Trumbull Republican First Selectman Tim Herbst don’t get along.
A couple of firms have earned more than $1 million handling education and labor relations matters, for instance the termination of several city employees such as former Civil Service Personnel Director Ralph Jacobs.
Finch says he has reduced reliance on outside lawyers. Many city projects and lawsuits require specialized legal counsel, according to the mayor.
The PAC for which Beccaro is treasurer, People for Excellence in Government, is here.
The Foster campaign released copies of professional services contracts signed by Beccaro and Maley, one for $5,500 and the other for $1,500 for a total of $7,000 per month. The Connecticut Post web story characterizes them being reduced to $1,500 per month when they were actually increased by that much. Post story on this: www.ctpost.com/news/article/Foster-Finch-clash-over-millions-spent-by-1397953.php
From the Foster campaign:
Foster FOI Reveals $8 Million Paid To Lawyers Financing Finch’s Campaign
“The mayor’s friends pay for his campaign in exchange for rich contracts at taxpayer’s expense.”
Bridgeport businesswoman and social action advocate Mary-Jane Foster, who is running for mayor, revealed today the preliminary findings from an FOI request regarding City of Bridgeport payments to outside law firms during the Finch administration:
In total, Mayor Finch has authorized almost $8 million in outside legal fees since Dec. 1, 2007, with most of these taxpayer dollars going to hefty campaign contributors or their law firms. This includes the treasurer of a political action committee benefiting Bill Finch, who has received more than $250,000 in taxpayer money purportedly for legal fees since the mayor assumed office.
“Unfortunately, the contracts for campaign cash quid pro quo is alive and well,” said Foster. “The sinister head of pay to play is back in business. The mayor’s friends pay for his campaign in exchange for rich contracts at taxpayers’ expense. What work are they doing? What special qualifications do they have? How is it possible that none of the 12 city attorneys on staff are qualified to handle this work? Millions of taxpayer dollars are being squandered on the mayor’s campaign contributors.”
Bill Beccaro, treasurer of People for Excellence in Government, the PAC that has subsidized multiple expenses for close associates of the mayor, is among many lawyers and high profile law firms hired by the mayor who have supported his reelection. Beccaro is a principal at the Law Offices of William Beccaro. He also serves as attorney to the Connecticut Senate Democrats.
“It is impossible to serve three masters,” Foster pointed out. “What is in the interest of Bill Finch may not be in the best interest of the City of Bridgeport and the City’s interests most certainly will not always be in sync with the Senate Democrats, and vice versa. How does he decide which hat to wear and who gets the short end of the stick? This kind of triple dipping is outrageous. The taxpayers lose while Beccaro laughs all the way to the bank.”
The mayor has authorized millions in fees to outside legal counsel financing his race. The City Attorney’s Office budget has totaled roughly $14 million in the four budgets proposed by Finch and approved by the City Council. In a classic Finch blue smoke and mirrors budget move, some of these outside legal fees are paid for by the city attorney’s office while others are paid by the department having the work done making it difficult, if not impossible, to know the true amount being paid to outside law firms.
Foster added, “Violent crime is high, economic development low, unemployment at 15 percent, fiscal chaos looms, yet Finch–who promised voters a $600 tax cut–finds the money to reward big campaign contributors financing his race.”
In addition to Beccaro, attorney Ed Maley, another major Finch financial supporter, has received in excess of $250,000 during the Finch term. Other high profile law firms such as Pullman & Comley, Robinson and Cole, and Berchem, Moses & Devlin have received millions in legal fees.
A list of some of the best-known law firms is provide below followed by the total paid to the firm since Finch took office.
As of April 20, 2011:
William Beccaro, Attorney at Law
250,000Berchem, Moses & Devlin
98,354.35John P. Bohannon, Jr.*
529,149.52
*Finch’s private counsel in 2007 Caruso Election Court CaseDurant, Nichols & Houston*
2,256,459.30
*Includes Board of EducationPullman & Comley
749,046.04Robinson & Cole
1,379,497.74Updike, Kelley & Spellacy
155,251.94Legal fees and expenses associated with the Port Authority, Workers’ Compensation, WPCA, certain foreclosures, and Central Grants expenditures are not included in this report as the information was not provide in the response to the FOI request.
That’s a familiar figure–$8 million. Same amount the union employees were forced to give back in concessions this past year alone. Thank you Mary-Jane for pursuing this. Please continue with the FOI’s as there is a lot more that needs to be exposed.
Shakespeare quote–“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.”
In someone else’s words:
Just sayin’ …
Bad Lawyer Jokes
The following is a beginning for what I hope will be a complete compendium of jokes about lawyers. If you know of any that do not appear below (and are not minor variations on or expansions of any of the jokes below), please e-mail me at MotherMary@extremelysmart.com. Thanks! (P.S. Several of my best friends in the world are lawyers, and I almost became one myself before I came to my senses, back in the ’70s. I have nothing but respect for the good ones, and nothing but contempt for the crooks.)
A 50-year-old lawyer who had been practicing since he was 25 years old died and arrived at the pearly gates of heaven. The lawyer said to St. Peter, “I am surprised I died so young. I was very active and always ate well. And I’m only 50 years old!” St. Peter looked at his book and looked back down at the lawyer. “Fifty years old, you say? According to your billing records, you should be 83.”
What’s the difference between female prosecutors and terrorists? … You can negotiate with terrorists.
The tooth fairy, an honest lawyer, and an expensive, dishonest lawyer are in the same room. There is a $500 bill on a table in the room. When they leave, the money is gone. Who took it? … Since there is no such thing as the tooth fairy or an honest lawyer, the answer is obvious.
What can a goose do that a duck can’t do that a lawyer won’t do? … Stick his bill up his ass.
What do you call parachuting lawyers? … Skeet.
How do you greet a lawyer with an IQ of 50? … “Good morning, your honor.”
What do lawyers use for birth control? … Their personalities.
Why does California have the most lawyers and New Jersey the most toxic waste dumps? … New Jersey had first choice!
Why do pharmaceutical company laboratories now use lawyers rather than lab rats for testing?
… Lawyers breed faster, so there are more of them.
… Lab personnel don’t get as emotionally attached to them.
… Lawyers do things rats won’t.
… Animal protection groups don’t get nearly as excited.
… Some people actually LIKE rats.
What’s black and brown and looks good on a lawyer? … Two dobermans!
What happens when a lawyer is made godfather? … He makes you an offer you can’t understand.
What’s the difference between a lawyer and a snake run down on the highway? … Skid marks in front of the snake.
What do you have when you have ten lawyers buried up to their necks in sand? … Not enough sand!
What do you call 100 lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean? … A good start.
How do you know when a lawyer is lying? … Her lips are moving.
What’s the difference between a poisonous snake and a lawyer? … You can make a pet out of the snake.
What’s the difference between a lawyer and a leech? … The leech will let go and drop off after its victim dies.
What do lawyers and bullfrogs have in common? … Both have a big head that consists mainly of mouth.
Why do they bury lawyers twelve feet deep? … Because deep down, they are really good guys!
What do male lawyers and sperm have in common? … Only one in two million do any real work!
How do you tell the difference between a lawyer and a catfish? … One wallows in the mud and is a blood-sucking scavenger–the other is a fish!
Why don’t lawyers go to the beach? … Cats keep trying to bury them.
What’s the definition of the term “flagrant waste”? … That’s a busload of lawyers going off the edge of a cliff with a vacant seat.
What’s the difference between a porcupine and two lawyers in a Porsche? … With a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside.
What do you get when you run an “honest lawyer” contest? … No winners.
What do a baker and lawyer have in common? … They both enjoy carving up the pie.
How do you get a lawyer out of a tree? … Cut the rope.
How many lawyers can you put on the head of a pin? … Ten, if you make them stand on their heads.
What’s the difference between a vulture and a lawyer? … The vulture doesn’t take its wing tips off at night.
What’s the difference between a vulture and a lawyer? … The vulture doesn’t get frequent flyer miles!
Cupcakehore–I hope I never piss you off and you find out I am a gynecologist.
.
Lennie, you should have a delete comment key. I repeated a joke. Now I will have to post another one:
The devil visited a lawyer’s office and made him an offer. “I can arrange some things for you, ” the devil said. “I’ll increase your income five-fold. Your partners will love you; your clients will respect you; you’ll have four months of vacation each year and live to be a hundred. All I require in return is that your wife’s soul, your children’s souls, and their children’s souls rot in hell for eternity.”
The lawyer thought for a moment. “What’s the catch?” he asked.
MCAT–how about this one? “On the Eighth Day Satan created Lawyers.”
Did you know California has more lawyers per capita than any other state?
Did you know New Jersey has more toxic waste dumps than any other state?
Do you know why?
A: New Jersey had first choice.
And 2% of all lawyers give the rest a good name …
And in addition … 2% of lawyers give the rest a GOOD name.”
My congratulation to Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster with her freedom of information request regarding City of Bridgeport payments to outside law firms during the Finch administration.
Ms. Foster’s statement pins the tail on the monkey when she said, “In a classic Finch blue smoke and mirrors budget move, some of these outside legal fees are paid for by the city attorney’s office while others are paid by the department having the work done making it difficult, if not impossible, to know the true amount being paid to outside law firms.”
Ron, good post. The city is known for hiding money in various dept budgets so it is hard to trace the true expenses. MJ has good advisers to be able to figure all this out.
Interesting thing to note, I requested information under MJF’s FOI about outside legal counsel for the COB. Specifically I requested information pertaining to legal council representing the illegally terminated city employees. I can hear the “Machine Humming.”
Not all of this is political payback. Don Houston’s law firm was paid over $2.2 million. They handle grievances/arbitrations for the Police Dept. in lieu of a competent Labor Relations staff. Here’s a thought: why doesn’t the city get rid of the contractors and hire QUALIFIED employees? Instead they hire political flunkies and then have to pay outside counsel to do the actual work at 10X the cost. Pure and utter bullshit.
Read the full CT Post story. Finch lies, lies, lies.
Of this $8 million paid to outside law firms how many of these attorneys are on the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee?
Lennie–Thanks for the link to “People for Excellence in Government.” What a treasure chest for the Finches and Woods.
Finch dumps $46k into the PAC from his election campaign in October 2008. Then you start seeing transactions to the Finches for reimbursement to the 2008 Democratic National Convention to the tune of $3900.00. Sonya is on the PAC payroll. Trip to the Inaugural for Finches. Political Christmas gifts purchased by Sonya. Wood dining for dollars off the PAC. Wood’s spouse on the payroll. What a bunch of political pigs. Tell them to use their own piggy banks. They can’t even go into their own pocket for a $25.00 charitable donation. Somebody call the FBI or the IRS.
To Ron Mackey and Bob Walsh: I find it very interesting that not one minority lawyer or law firm got any of this booty. They didn’t even have to go out to bid.
Pullman & Comley have been paid over $100k this year for the Wheelabrator tax appeal. Pullman partners get paid about $350.00 per on this contract. You get what you pay for and we are getting screwed!
Bohannon, Town Committee member, office is in Fairfield, and what he has done to good, decent, city employees. And those pieces of shit department heads you represented. All we can hope for is the feds get all over this.
“Follow the Money,” I agree with you but did you notice how Finch boasted when he said, “I have even hired my former opponent, Rob Russo, a Republican, to do work for the city because he was the attorney best qualified to assist with this particular assignment.” He can find a former opponent but he can’t find one minority lawyer or law firm to get any of this booty. They didn’t even have to go out to bid. That’s deep.
Read more: www .ctpost.com/local/article/Foster-Finch-clash-over-millions-spent-by-1397953.php
Write On, Ron! Right On!!!
Ron, there’s a reason why he’s the “Village Idiot.” DNC $4,000 dollars, that’s a pretty good drinking binge.
*** More needs to be done by the candidates to bring out all current & past overspending and mismanagement info so local voters are better informed come election time, no? *** HERE WE GO! ***
Here we go? Where are we gonna go, Mojo? The horse is not in the stable. It was donated to Bill Finch’s re-election campaign.
I actually think there are a few City Attorneys smiling to themselves. They didn’t have a choice … Beccaro and Maley were shoved down their throats. The things people have to do just to keep their jobs. Sonya Finch’s expenses that were paid by the PAC looks like she is redecorating her house. I wonder if the people who donated to Finch’s campaign mind if their money is going to pay for Finch, Mrs. Finch, Wood and wife and Beccaro and wife’s wining, dining and cell phone usage. This is disgusting. This is what happens when people who think they are above the law get greedy.
One of the reasons Stafstrom was told to relinquish his chairmanship of the DTC by the State of Connecticut was because of conflict of interest. So what did he do? He appointed himself the “co-chairman” of the DTC and had Cynthia White become the chairperson (in name only) because the State of Connecticut in its infinite wisdom had no provision for preventing the co-chairman of such conflict. Then he ran the DTC until Mario defeated him in 2009.
Great FOI.
Now this will get out to the Union workers who gave back so Finch’s lawyers could roll in the cash.
When Foster and Gomes team up to remove these criminals on Sept. 13th, the city can get back to greatness.
Finch continues to screw the residents of Bridgeport with impunity. He laughs at the minority community all the while asking them for their support which he gets. How does he do this? It’s easy. He talks to some of the perceived leaders, gives them bullshit city jobs to hand out to their pals and all is well. Where were these leaders while the fight against Mark IV was taking place?
It’s time for the true leaders of the minority community to stand up and say enough is enough. Who are these leaders? They are for the most part the church leaders.
Is Finch trying to tell us there are no minority firms qualified to clean up vacant lots? Is he trying to tell us there are no qualified black or hispanic law firms in all of Bridgeport? Bullshit!!! Is he trying to tell us there are no qualified minority contractors who can do city construction work? Amazing!!!
It’s time for the minority community to tell Finch and his greedy cohorts enough is enough.
Why the hell are we paying Rob Russo $1.00 to negotiate with Trumbull? It’s because Finch acted like a petulant asshole and could not get along with the first selectman. Are you telling me not one city attorney could have done this work? If the answer is there is no one qualified in the city attorney’s office then I say fire them all. BTW how many minority attorneys are there in the city attorneys office?
tc–I think there is one minority city attorney in a part-time capacity. Errol Skyers.
This is all about “Quid Pro Quo.” Staftstrom’s firm gave $10K but he is a major rainmaker for the Finch campaign. The $10k is peanuts compared to the $80k he raised for Finch in January. Beccaro and his PAC give money for personal expenses to Finch and Wood and he gets a nice chunk of change in return. Beccaro PAC also gave Finch big money during hid senate years. This case is very similar to the Tom Gaffey PAC case. Don’t forget Beccaro is still on the state payroll. Maley is collecting a fat pension from the state. John Bohannon is a city pensioner.
I guess in the above stated case “payback isn’t a bitch!”
Quid Pro Quo is exactly what it is and exactly what sent Joe Ganim to prison. Keep up the pressure, MJ. What’s next?
I think it’s Squid Pro Quo. Hold the Marionara!
city hall smoker // May 27, 2011 at 8:08 am
to your posting
chs,
If we can keep the spotlight on this administration from now until September 13, 2011, I think this City may make a change in the way it conducts business … would that be worth working for?
Have a good weekend, chs.
I am a little troubled with the ease with which Finch is raising money. Why would any professional person or people with resources sufficient to donate to a politician want Finch to remain in office? This doesn’t smell right.
tc,
The only minorities in the city attorney’s office are very well connected white women.
CALL THE FBI.
Why don’t you do it, charlie? Or don’t you have a backbone to back up your indignation?
I am not running for office. I also don’t have access to the data that MJF has, nor am I an attorney. I do have the brains to know what not to do.
You don’t have to be running for office to call the FBI (in Bridgeport that would be “Full Blooded Italians,” I know, I know … not PC).
But seriously, I’m sure the Feds are making their calculators work overtime on all this. But a phone call wouldn’t hurt.
I sure hope if they are this will be a blemish the city can overcome with a clean political redo.
$8 Million over 3 years, and that does not include other legal expenses for WPCA, etc., etc., so it is very likely the total is over $9 Million and counting … and for what? That is the question often asked here.
For labor representation in union negotiations for instance: what was spent specifically on that item and what did we get (or rather what did we save?) I am not happy with the stingy explanations provided by Finch’s office in such matters. Great public relations statements, but when it comes to explanations of the details … zero. What is so confidential? Or perhaps he thinks the public does not care? Or perhaps he really thinks the public is “dumb and dumber?”
If you are paying $3 Million on average for 3 years, how do you cut down to $1.4 Million suddenly? What’s the explanation? It is reasonable to expect an answer, I hope? It’s not a question that will appear regularly in minutes of the Budget and Appropriation process for this past budget session. Perhaps the real number is buried elsewhere?
And how much of the legal expense, whether with City Attorneys or outside counsel, has been spent on negotiating and settling claims against the City from former City employees? And what have the settlements cost so far? And how many cases are pending? And the City’s potential exposure? And the guidelines for settling (including whether they enforce confidentiality on all parties)?
Another multiple choice question for the weekend:
Which Bridgeport location is the site of the most important and high level decision making affecting City taxpayers on a regular basis? (Select only one, please.)
A. City Council Chamber (Lyon Terrace)
B. Democratic party caucus room (Lyon Terrace)
C. Wheeler Rooms A & B (Lyon Terrace)
D. Mayor Finch’s Office (Broad Street)
E. Testo’s Restaurant smoker’s room (GPS)
F. Other (please specify)
Beacon, if the employees were treated with any degree of fairness and respect, we wouldn’t have half the grievances and there would be no need to hire outside attorneys. This is an extremely vindictive and nasty administration. Some employees are disciplined, suspended and even fired with no cause and no due process. The unions file grievances and Labor Relations, instead of resolving the matter, hire outside attorneys. The outside attorneys, after billing a few hundred hours, determine the City is wrong and settle the case in favor of the employee (costing more money). I have seen it over and over again. It is a waste of time, a waste of money and the main reason why employee morale is so low.
So how do you showcase the vindication of the employee who gets a settlement? How will the settlements indicate City management is in the wrong too many times? Or that attorneys are too quick to settle with taxpayer funds, other people’s money? Where are the facts of one situation? We need poster boys and girls to put flesh on the bones of the many criticisms. Hard for people in charge to run from facts and situations that are real, truthful and visible.
A president of one of the unions (who agreed to major concessions by the way) is being called into a disciplinary hearing on trumped-up charges by labor relations. She is being retaliated against because she defended one of her members against possible wrongful termination. The member’s case was settled by an outside attorney and the city paid out big money (the case was settled because the city was wrong in the first place and the outside attorney knew it). Now labor relations is going after the union president. That case will end up being settled as well. You cannot retaliate against a union official because she does her job. Stupid move on the city’s part because they have alienated a union (months before a primary) that before was cooperative. This is a perfect example of their vindictive behavior.
BEACON2 // May 27, 2011 at 10:42 am
To your posting
B2,
What you ask is what was being asked during CitiStat tenure. These are the kind of questions, the answers to which will prove painful to our City residents.
The work got started that would see a vital city of Bridgeport government system operating as a vehicle to attract commercial growth, to promote job opportunities in a city with safe public streets, a superior public school system. If that system remains broken and corrupted and the government does not function on behalf of its 144,728 residents who call Bridgeport home, …. then nothing else comes.
If we fail this time to restructure and renew, we have lost an incredible opportunity for Bridgeport.
$1.4 million to date as of April 20, 2011.
Good job Ms. Foster, and this is only the last three years. It’s been going on for a much longer time. Former city attorney and DTC member John Bohannon … (Chief Rooney’s “Consigliere personale”) since leaving the City Attorney’s office, has been paid over $800,000.00.
Also, if you have been supplied invoices from the said attorneys or firms … peruse the dates and hours charged. I think you will be surprised by how many 23/24 hour days were billed to the city!!!
Why should the taxpayers have pay for Finch’s campaigns and political strategists? That’s what all that consulting is about. Plus, is Finch using Beccaro to get the legislation he needs to stop funding the pensions?
This stinks. Who is Beccaro working for? The state which says you have to fully fund pensions, or Finch who is trying not to fully fund them?
Although as a fly, I shouldn’t complain about so much bullsh*t.
Hey Fly. Are you reading the TC Book of Useless Facts?
TC Book of Useless Facts.
1. Most American car horns honk in the key of F.
2. The name Wendy was made up for the book “Peter Pan.”
3. Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
4. Every time you lick a stamp, you consume 1/10 of a calorie.
5. The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
6. Studies show if a cat falls off the seventh floor of a building it has about thirty percent less chance of surviving than a cat that falls off the
twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself.
7. Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks otherwise it will digest itself.
8. The citrus soda 7-UP was created in 1929; ‘7’ was selected after the original 7-ounce containers and ‘UP’ for the direction of the bubbles.
9. 101 Dalmatians, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and Mulan are the only Disney cartoons where both parents are present and don’t die throughout the movie.
10. A pig’s orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.
11. ‘Stewardesses’ is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.
12. To escape the grip of a crocodile’s jaws, push your thumbs into its eyeballs–it will let you go instantly.
13. Reindeer like to eat bananas.
14. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver and purple.
15. The word “samba” means “to rub navels together.”
16. Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny) was allergic to carrots.
17. The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
18. The very first bomb dropped by the Allies on Berlin during World War II killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo.
19. More people are killed annually by donkeys than airplane crashes.
20. A ‘jiffy’ is a unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
Hey tc, when was the last time you sambaed?
Jim, very good. Keep up the good work.
Jim, what’s your problem?
A little too much time on his hands …
I got your problem right here, smokie.
Lennie, you can edit all you want, but Bohannon is still a ******* piece of ****!
Does anyone believe the council people were unaware of these expenditures for outside attorneys?
Not for a minute. Tom McCarthy tries to play himself off as the good guy but he’s right there in the back room with them.
tc,
I doubt any of them gave a rat’s ass.
tc,
Shorten your comment ..,
“Does anyone believe … council people were unaware of …?”
Pick the subject. You know it is true. Those who are City employed may be aware but they wear “choke chains,” Those who are not, with several exceptions, follow the Ringmaster along with the show, because they have been elected. But the crowd in the stands may not be applauding this year as the revelations start to get shot from the cannon. “Step right this way and see … the $27,100 of debt burden settled on the shoulders of every Bridgeport household!”
Will Council members be ready to take a bow???
Finch and his cronies have spent $8 million-plus on outside attorneys and not a peep from the council except for Walsh & Baker. For three years they have been squandering our tax money and not a peep. The council should be ashamed of themselves. Most council members only care for what goes on in their district, they forget in addition to their district they are responsible for what goes on citywide. They are the caretakers of the city and its people.
I know most of the council people and for the most part they are good people. They just forgot what their real job is. You had 11 council people vote for a budget that they never really reviewed and they defintely did not take the time to attend B & A hearings. How do you do that? None of them commented on the pension payments not made for the past 2 years. None of them commented on the unfilled positions that are still being budgeted for.
If you add up the non payment of pension obligations, the amount paid to outside attorneys and the budgeted but unfilled jobs you are easily talking about $60 million dollars they have not questioned at all.
I hate to say this but it’s time for all of them with the possible exception of Walsh & Baker to resign or at the very least not to seek reelection. Shame on them all.
tc, the majority of the council members or their family members are on the payroll. They aren’t going to risk their cushy jobs by speaking up.
Finch doesn’t like people who speak up. Look what happened to the city union president who spoke out against the finance director for harassing union members. Now they’re after the union president on trumped-up bullshit charges. Unions take note here. This cannot be tolerated. If they can go after one union prez they can go after them all. You guys and gals better get your shit together before it’s too late.
I’m starting to develop a hard-on against that damn Mr. Softee Truck and his jingle over at Ellsworth Field. Knock It Off!