— Quincy Massachusetts News by Quincy Quarry News – News, Opinion and Commentary
Is this man really worth an 89% raise?
A file photo
A local grassroots group has launched a petition drive to press the City Council to void its approvals of breathtakingly outsized as well as a local taxpayers’ pocket-picking 89% raise for Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch on a W-2 basis along with 49% raises for themselves as well as then put these matters up to a vote of the people.
The group needs to gather 8,000 signatures from local registered voters.
It also faces a short deadline to do so and thus hopes to reach its bogey by July 8.
Following is a video interview that lays out the group’s raison d’etre.
Especially further interesting is seeing the interviewer squirm.
After all, Section 17A of the germane city ordinances mandates that raises for the mayor and councillors must be approved by a vote of the people.
Consigliere “Dim” TImmins rebuked yet again in court.
An old Columbia Pictures image
Section 17A notwithstanding, Mayor Koch’s problematic Consigliere “Dim” TImmins, someone who has often been found in error in both trial courts and other venues tasked to resolve disputes as well as apparently always in appellate cases, foisted readily open to question claims that 17A is inoperative.
So what also for the fact that he should have sought an outside impartial party to make the call given his indisputable, long-ongoing as well as numerous conflicts.
And as for further disingenuousness heaped upon egregious insults, a rookie ward councillor shoveled that it is was only Koch haters who were opposed to the raise.
Piled higher and higher
Image via the San Jose Mercurcy News
Reality, a lot of people of all persuasions and even preferences have legitimate questions about the 89% raise for the mayor scored via a fast break assumed close power play of a grift so as to jam through a fat financial score for the mayor.
Further, even a Quincy Quarry News senior suit is on the record via WCVB as saying that mayoral and councillors raises are order but not a raise that would make the mayor of the small city that is Quincy one of the highest paid mayors in the country as well as done dubiously.
Pigging out at the public trough
A Melissa K.Norris image
A further expensive problem of the stupendous and unjustifiable size of the impending raise is the $1.3m or thereabouts unfunded pension benefit “golden parachute” for the mayor that the pay pop will cause.
A deficit which local taxpayer and city workers who both fund the city employee’s pension fund will have to cover.
In any events, to see a list of times and places where people can sign the calls for plebiscites on the outsized pay raises, look here or check out the grassroots organization’s website.
The reason the Mayor’s raise was approved by the City Council is probably because Mayor Koch is the one who created the Council in the first place. This “Council” was to be his personal Rubber Stamp & to disagree on some matters to make it appear that it was a legitimate Council.
Oh, joy! Another episode of “Public Servants Gone Wild.” In today’s drama, we have the mayor and city councillors rubbing their hands with glee over their hefty pay raises. Meanwhile, the rest of us mere mortals are left clutching our empty wallets, wondering if we can petition our bosses for a raise based on… absolutely nothing.
I mean, who needs schools, parks, or functioning public services when we can just hand over our tax dollars to line the pockets of our esteemed leaders? Because, clearly, it’s the officials who are in dire need of financial support—not the infrastructure crumbling around us.
But hey, at least we can sleep soundly knowing our elected officials are getting what they think they deserve. Too bad that doesn’t translate to actually doing their jobs any better. Bravo, local government, for reminding us why cynicism exists.
Call the city to try to get something fixed and they will tell you they don’t have the budget for the repairs. But let’s pay the mayor the most in the country. Has anyone driven on Quincy streets. Literally the roads destroy your car.
Whether or not you think you’ll be in one of the places noted on the list, I’d ask that you make a special trip to sign this important petition. Are we going to let ourselves be screwed again by the greedy pigs in City Hall?
Fredzo,
I totally get it. Even so, don’t insult pigs.
I commend the people for doing this but I see a huge problem. What do you do with the signatures when you get 8,000? Mr Timmins will just say that law was superseded a long time ago and take no action.
That’s the problem is the checks and balances in the city is corrupt. The founders never thought a town lawyer would not follow the law. I’m not aware of one case that he has won for the city. No one would hire him privately based on that record.
We all know the town charter was not superseded in the 1950’s because the charter wasn’t written until 1957. Timmins doesn’t care he just wants to keep on the take so he helps out his boss.
Bob,
No offense, but you laid out the solution should “Dim” TImmons ignore both the law and the wishes of the people: drag his sorry losing record into court.
Oh, and there are other options to consider.