Left In Lowell

Jason, an occasional commentator on LiL had interesting and informative remarks about municipal contract negotiations from a City employee and union members’ perspective. I thought it was worthy of its own post for further discussion. —M.

A point was made in a recent Sun editorial arguing against renewing Manager Lynch’s contract because there have not been any contract negotiations completed yet with any of the unions, though I know some are ongoing. The Sun conveniently using organized labor for its own purposes in an argument is always amusing, at least to me. I still think the editorial [Timing is Wrong on Contract Extension] is garbage and easy to see through, but again that’s just me. I disagree with a lot of the Sun’s editorials. Given the city’s budget situation, ongoing projects and plans for building up reserves, I’d say the manager will be hard pressed to give much in the way of raises to workers, even IF he wanted to give away the store. I’m not sure there is much to worry about there.

The guy [CM Lynch] is doing alright and I as a taxpayer (yes even as a municipal employee in this City) am impressed. I like the openness, free flow of information and structured method he is using to run the City. I do not know what is being discussed in negotiations for my job and I may not agree with every decision management makes, but what worker can say they do? As a taxpayer I can’t honestly say I don’t think my best interest is being represented. I think every attempt is being made to conduct city business in as open a manner as possible. Knowing where you stand is a good thing. Maybe as a city employee I have the good fortune of gaining more perspective on what the give and take really means on an every day operating level. Sometimes that reality is good and sometimes it’s discouraging. If you are familiar with the concept of opportunity cost , you know what I mean. The new or current council can still act at any time to remove the manager, if everything were to suddenly go bad. It would not be the first time in government history a future group had to pay for another’s mistakes now would it? That’s pretty much the history of government in America. (more…)

What can I say? Actions, and the friends you choose, speak louder than words.

Council Candidate Michael Lenzi is quoted here as saying, “My only agenda is to make this city better.” He’s complaining that miracles haven’t happened on the Tsongas Arena (more on that in a minute). Moreover, for effect, doing it on the steps on the Tsongas itself. Says the article:

Lenzi said one of his top priorities as a councilor would be to make a change at the arena — to get UMass-Lowell even more involved, and to finally take some action on a vote the City Council took earlier this year.

The council voted to work with the university on the arena, but little has been done since, Lenzi said, suggesting a committee should be formed to find a way to turn a profit. He said the money saved could go toward things like education.

“It’s just a little disappointing that no one has stepped up,” he said on the lack of effort to improve the arena’s situation.

But then the article also says right beneath it (bold mine):

Surrounded by supporters including State Rep. David Nangle, former City Manager John Cox, Sandy, his wife of 26 years, and his parents, Joan and Al Lenzi, the candidate also spoke about the need for more candor from the City Council.

Given what I’ve written in the past about the alleged motivations of the Cox GOB, this last paragraph should speak a heck of a lot louder than his words. Also, the irony of hanging around with Cox when he was the city manager who put us in an untenable contract with the Devils, one that costs the city money and ties the city’s hands for a number of years. But wait, there’s more!

Far be it for me to critique the media (ok, you twisted my arm) but did the writer actually try to verify Lenzi’s statements to give the reader context? Well, I did…I contacted the city administration to get some background on what is being done on this issue. Judge for yourself, but what I learned is that:

1. The city is working on keeping the UML hockey team at the Tsongas with contract renewal negotiations.
2. The city is talking to the new Chancellor to see what other activities UML can help bring in. By the way, emphasis on new Chancellor, who is himself trying to get up to speed in his new position, which I’m sure will delay the results some.
3. Last spring was all about ice. Ice ice ice. It’s hard to move things forward when you don’t know the status of the Arena’s amenities.
4. The (unfavorable) Devils contract that the former CM left us with is hardly helpful either. For one, it means bleeding more money, direct from the city this time, and we can’t renegotiate midstream. For another, this money-bleeding venture (much as we all like hosting an AHL team, let’s face facts) also takes up booking dates on the Arena’s calendar, so less dates are available for, say…money-making ventures.

So, even if you buy Lenzi’s saintly motivations (hey, maybe he means it), he’s decidedly wrong on his statements. It’s just too bad he didn’t bother to find out if they were true or not before committing to them. And too bad the readers of the Sun didn’t get that context, either. Once upon a time that was the media’s job. I certainly don’t like to take time out of my day to do it. I don’t get paid!

I am told by those who know better that the editor of a newspaper often choses the title for a piece. I find this (exceptionally fair) Mike Lafleur article, about the R. Mercier/Caulfield motion to reveal the report on the Stoklosa, so very telling…the title? “City Council backs Manager Lynch on secret review of school-project delay.”

The use of the word “secret” seems to be an obviously Campanini pick, to give the impression that there’s something wrong and nontransparent about keeping quiet that legal opinion rendered at the city’s request to help them in their future search for remedies in court.

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: Jim Campanini appears to be interested in costing the taxpayers mucho dollars, in exchange for this report which I believe the GOB thinks exonerates John Cox. Does logic ever get through to these guys? Your guy doesn’t matter one way or other, folks. What matters is that we’re in the best position legally to obtain the remedies the taxpayers deserve. We’ve already jeopardized this by having it brought up in non-executive session in the Council. So stop, just stop, with the unjustified rhetoric…please. Before we all have to pay. I say this as a property taxpayer as well as a blogger.

Thanks.

On Tuesday, the WBZ Survey USA poll (collected 9/7 – 9/10) of the 5th Congressional race was released and it came to a surprise to most people that Niki Tsongas (D) was leading Jim Ogonowski (R) by only 10%.

Matt Viser who write the popular Boston Globe blog, All Politics are Local, and has followed this race from the beginning commented on the poll results and said that “Republicans have been trumpeting the Oct. 16 election as their first chance in years to gain back a congressional seat, but this is the first sign that they are within range and could trigger attention from the national parties.”

The key to Ogonowski’s strong showing is the support he received from the unenrolled registered voter.. According to the pollster’s analysis, “Though just 18% of likely voters in SurveyUSA’s turnout model are self-identified Republicans, Republican Jim Ogonowski gets 41% of the vote, leading Tsongas among Independents, who make-up 40% of likely voters.” This appears to be the key.

In addition to the typical and expected differences in their support, ideological and party affiliation, there appears to be gender gap. Ogonowski received 53% of the male vote and Tsongas 61% of the female vote.

The news was welcomed on Republican blogs like Redmassgroup and discussed on Democratic blogs like Richardhowe.com.

I am giving this poll a lot of weight for two reasons. One I know that this polling is a good indicator of how you will vote, if you will vote. I was polled by them during the primaries. The questions are pre-recorded and you just press numbers to answer. If you intend to vote, you will answer this poll; if you do not care, you will hang up. And you will not be lead or pushed by the pollster.

Another thing, the last USASurvey poll conducted in the primary, the one that was released on August 30th, a few days before the election. The one that indicated that Eileen Donoghue was 11% behind Niki Tsongas; as we know Tsonga won by only 5%. The pollsters predicted that Donoghue was coming on and the outcome could be closer. They were right.

It is such a short campaign that anything can happen. I am concerned that not enough Democrats will come out to vote and thus leave the election to the unenrolled and Republicans. We need to get our second wind and make sure that we send a Democrat to Congress. I do not want to see the Massachusetts 5th Congressional District represented by a Republican who supports Bush’s war policy; even if he is a “nice guy” Republican.