Left In Lowell

Anyone that tells you that they know what is going on at City Hall is full of shit. Sure they can tell you how they feel. But, like the old cliche says, “Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and they all stink.”

For good, bad or indifferent; there are 9 opinions in Lowell that come with a vote. Let’s take a look at what they had to say last Tuesday night. The video covers the matter around the City Clerk’s office. h/t Mimi:

Yet, rumor has it, this story is not finished.

9/16/11 -Update: Some have complained that the Mayor’s action is from out of the blue. It’s hard to figure out how much crosstalk occurs between the Councilors. I do know a couple are inclined to say things like, “No matter what you say… .”

Anyways, at 13:23 of the clip above, there is this exchange:

Martin: I think we should be meeting with the Clerk to see what he’s found out about the office, too. We haven’t done that either.
(interrupting) Milinazzo: We will have a report, next week.
Martin: So, so, we’ve had an issue in the office and everybody’s, kind of, been sitting on their hands waiting for that to be resolved.

Later, starting at 16:17, Murphy asks the Mayor to explain the thought process. Most notable, just after 17:45, the Mayor states the interim will provide a report listing deficiencies that is “a couple of dozen pages.”

Milinazzo bundles the concerns noted by others, plus adds the process of correcting deficiencies, as justification of retaining the interim. (more…)

Yesterday, the lower body of the Massachusetts state legislature passed the casino gambling bill. Yesterday, we took a step closer to allowing predatory gambling in our state, affecting thousands of families that otherwise would have not been torn apart by gambling addiction. It is a well-documented outcome that within a 50 mile radius of slot parlors and casinos, you increase the level of addiction. Proximity to slots means new addicts.

There has not been a true cost-benefit study, nor will there be. The proponents constantly cite job numbers and state revenues, stats which come direct from the casino lobbyists and their paid consultants. We have never heard of the estimated costs associated with predatory gambling in our backyard - such as mitigating increased crime rates (and there will be increased crime, and from the unlikeliest of people). Affecting public institutions, churches, nonprofits, and small businesses especially.

In CT, a state-commissioned study showed that the rate of embezzlement has gone up 10 times the national average there.

Among other associated costs (such as the millions needed to create an oversight agency), is the loss of state revenues from other sources which are taxed, as some people spend their discretionary monies on slots and gambling instead of other goods and services. There’s only so many ways to slice the pie. You can’t create more pie matter out of thin air.

The costs only go up over time. A decade from now, the number of addicts who commit crimes to support their habit, tear their families apart, and/or require addiction services from the state will only go up. Businesses in the vicinity of a casino may well not be able to compete and shut down. Cultural institutions closest to CT already have a hard time attracting the best acts to their stages, and this will also spread and worsen. This won’t happen all in the first year the casinos begin operating. But over the next two decades we’ll see increased effects from the life-sucking casinos and slot parlors.

Casino proponents say that you get increased tourism when you open a casino. This is only true if every state doesn’t already have one. We will not pull people from NV, or CT, or PA, or RI, or anywhere where else gambling is already accessible, with our shiny new casinos. This is a false hope and gets more false with every new state that adds casinos. We’d be better off focusing on our historic and cultural offerings to attract more visitors.

They say we’ll be adding jobs. But that is finite, the jobs are mostly low-paying, and the numbers they cite are usually overblown.

Think about your disposable income. You might go out to eat, buy a new couch, or go the the movies. Each one of these things supports a whole host of services and goods (farmers, small business owners, chefs, fabric companies, woodworkers, gaffers, costume designers, camera operators). Now, decide whether or not you can afford to buy a couch, or lose a thousand at a casino. What does the casino income support? A few paltry (mostly low paying) service jobs locally, a trickle to the state, and the rest pulled out of the state but not to support other producers - no, the bulk of the money goes straight to the pockets of the casino profiteers. Casinos are empty calories, like the guy who consumes a 2-liter bottle of Coke a day, is 50 lbs overweight, and wondering why.

Never mind the questionable morality and sustainability of the state being in the position of needing to create more gambling addicts to raise funds for schools. Studies show that at least 50% of the profits a casino makes are from the problem gamblers. That means 50% of the state revenues we get from casinos is sucked from people who cannot help gambling and will do so until they destroy their own lives and the lives of others. And slots, in particular, are rigged to make them particularly addictive (similar to adding chemicals to cigarettes to increase their addictiveness).

Casinos are going bankrupt and losing money in many states. States with casinos have huge budget problems as those revenues go into the tank, whereas Mass, with its infrastructure and high-level industry investments (such as in green and biotech) has seen amazing job and economic growth compared to other states. And we want to tie our future to those same gambling stars? Connecticut just raised sales and use taxes this summer to patch their big budget deficit. Oh yes, those casinos saved CT from economic ruin. (That’s sarcasm. Revenues for CT’s casinos are dropping alarmingly.)

So in sweeps DeLeo and his race track slot parlor mentality. And he begs, borrows, and twists arms to get enough votes to pass a bill includes a racino (an element that sank the last gambling bill in the Senate). But this time, closed door compromises between the Senate president, House Speaker, and Governor Patrick all but ensure there’s no hope now in the Senate, unless we see an upset.

Of course, we expect such short-sighted voting from some of our elected officials, such as Rep Tom Golden and Dave Nangle, as they have a history of such. However, my biggest disappointment is reserved for those who at least ought to know better about rosy projections that never have panned out in the past in other states. Who are smart and should be keenly interested in an independent, thorough evaluation before we commit an irreversible act to allow predatory gambling.

Politicians like Governor Deval Patrick, who I know is way smarter than this.

Progressive state reps that I have long supported, like Representative Jen Benson, who was a Yes vote on this bill.

And other progressives around the state, like Rep. Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead.

I call on our new state Senator Eileen Donoghue to vote NO on this casino bill. Donoghue, who is Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development, pointed out on Facebook, the other day, a Sun article outlining some meager possible protections for cultural institutions.

I hope this does not mean she is already a “Yes” vote. Senator Donoghue, you are not only Chair of that committee, but you are also on the committees for Community Development and Small Businesses, and Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. I entreat you to look at the casinos bill with your small business, cultural institution, and constituent eyes. Question what you have been told about the revenues for the state and the jobs numbers - look at what is happening to casino states all over the country right now. Understand that allowing casinos comes at a huge cost - not only to our citizens and our economic development, but to our politics, which will be further spoiled by the corruption that comes with the casino lobby parking itself permanently in our state.

Do you want to be noted in history as a person who enabled our state go from the strong economic engine that we are, which invests in its own people and businesses, to a state with many of the serious problems of others, states who thought they could make a quick and easy buck…by gambling? It doesn’t work for the poor schlub who thinks buying a lottery ticket every week is a good retirement plan, and it won’t work for Massachusetts, either.

Say it ain’t so!

The latest outrage is the paper’s sensationalized coverage around the unfortunate incident of the collapsed deck on Liberty St.

The thing is, the record can be set straight by going around the Sun and direct to the people. As City Manager Lynch has.

Despite what the recent newspaper coverage has suggested, whether or not current building officials have taken a series of tests administered by the International Code Council also had no bearing on the unfortunate incident that occurred at 231 Liberty Street earlier this Summer. The failure of the deck at this property was due to a hidden condition which was created when the decks were constructed at least 20 years prior. This condition could not have been observed by any inspector, or even a structural engineer, without partially destructive testing that is not conducted as part of a period inspection under the Certificate of Inspection process.

It would be legitimate to question the original builder of the decks and any inspections that may have occurred while the decks were being constructed. However, to link that incident to an inspection process which does not address hidden structural conditions or decks that do not serve as a means of egress is irresponsible journalism, especially when the reporter had been provided with this clarifying information and chose to disregard it.

But you see, properly questioning whether the original builders or inspectors from 20 years ago missed something potentially hazardous would lose the Lowell Sun’s unethical editor and city reporter a chance to bash the current administration!

What I have to wonder, honestly, is how said editor and reporter can in all conscience use such an incident so cynically so they can score political points, when people involved were pretty seriously injured, and where someone could have broken their neck or worse?

Of course, they’ll say that it’s to protect the public that they want to expose such lack of competence on the part of our building inspectors. They’ll say it with their chests puffed up, proudly strutting around like peacocks. But the truth of it, and we all know it, is that the Sun’s editor and his lackey deliberately ignore any nuance or fact that contradicts their storyline that this City Manager and his staff are incompetent, corrupt, or both. You know, so they can get someone they trust in…say, maybe, Rep. Kevin Murphy?

It’s bad enough when politicians use the real pain of real people to score political points. It’s much more disturbing when it comes from the very newspaper that’s supposed to report the news to us so we can make good choices in our democracy.

[HT Corey on Facebook.]

The Center for Public Opinion will periodically sponsor political debates as part of its mission to promote civic engagement and an enhanced understanding of the political process.

UMass Lowell is hosting the First Massachusett’s Senate Democratic Primary race at Durgin Hall, 35 Wilder St., Lowell on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. Please check back soon for additional information about the debate.

And polling, too. (more…)

Now that it’s official, the Senate race just got interesting!

If you’re interested, you can go to her website to sign up for updates, or to volunteer.

Update: You can watch the meeting archive video here.

I can’t quite wrap my head around the vote on extending the fill in City Clerk’s term, tonight. Ultimately, imho, based on what I think I know, the majority got it right. The “fill in” is out at the end of next week and the proper Ass’t Clerk will take the helm the following Monday. That is the proper outcome on every front that I can account for.

But, the roll call was 6-3, with Milinazzo, Martin and Broderick standing in the minority.

My hunch goes something like this. The Mayor made a series of decisions that somehow boxed him in. A sense of loyalty kept Broderick and Martin at his side. I imagine they saw how Milinazzo got to where he was and they weren’t shallow enough to leave him high and dry. Although, it could just be they voted in strict keeping with their sense of what was the right thing to do.

The 2-3 swing votes saw the election 7 weeks away, making it easier to “stick up for the little guy,” as it were.

I don’t like it when electeds vote contrary to my sensibilities. Unlike others, I admit that I don’t have the whole picture. But, more often than not, I still don’t like when a vote crosses my view. I’d suggest that is a “normal” reaction.

One thing that is worthy of respect, is principle. Based on the wholeness of their service, I’m going to give these councilors the benefit of the doubt. I won’t forget, but I will forgive this trespass against my sensibilities.

I’m watching City Life and George Anthes is urging the various candidates to find a soapbox. For those inclined, here it is. The many candidate forums may not offer an opportunity to speak on the random happenings of the city. Also, some subjects may be taboo if the Council is there at the forum. Open meeting laws are much tighter than before.

Some suggested topics:

- Matters related to the city clerk, including the proposed court settlement, the “job description,” the snub of the Ass’t Clerk, ect.

- Matters related to the pending adoption of the change in state law, re: municipal union collective bargaining/health care.

- The relationship between Lowell Police and city officials.

- Matters related to the High School ROTC program.

- Latin Lyceum review process

- Use of “grants” to fund public services

Your soapbox. Your Open Thread. …. Or, call George Anthes in the morning.

Update: Should a candidate wish to offer a comment, please e-mail it to me at sleeping.giant.stirs (at) gmail.com
I don’t want to allow some mellonhead to pose as a candidate. Comments from candidates without backup will not be posted, as a precaution.

We burned through the free cash by keeping taxes artificially low.

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Earlier today, I headed over to the Highland’s to attend a house party for city council candidate Marty Lorrey. I like this kind of campaign event and suggest that others follow suit. Below are Marty’s introductory remarks. I did not record the question and answer sessions, as not everyone is comfortable being youtubed across the planet. (plus, my battery was all, but dead)

Any campaign, one I personally support or not, that records such remarks is welcome to post them here. Just upload them to a youtube account and let me know - sleeping.giant.stirs (at) gmail (dot) com
Please send a short write up, too.

Update: 9/11/11 - Gitschier Lit Drop, Centralville (more…)

I do get motivated when the President states the obvious. It’s widly known that corporate GOPers are exploiting the “giant sucking sound” forseen by Ross Perot. That they endeavor to bring manufacturing back to the US, after a sabbatical abroad; but at the expense of our health, safety, wages and general quality of life.

Obama states it clearly:

But what we can’t do — what I will not do — is let this economic crisis be used as an excuse to wipe out the basic protections that Americans have counted on for decades. I reject the idea that we need to ask people to choose between their jobs and their safety. I reject the argument that says for the economy to grow, we have to roll back protections that ban hidden fees by credit card companies, or rules that keep our kids from being exposed to mercury, or laws that prevent the health insurance industry from shortchanging patients. I reject the idea that we have to strip away collective bargaining rights to compete in a global economy. We shouldn’t be in a race to the bottom, where we try to offer the cheapest labor and the worst pollution standards. America should be in a race to the top. And I believe we can win that race.

In fact, this larger notion that the only thing we can do to restore prosperity is just dismantle government, refund everybody’s money, and let everyone write their own rules, and tell everyone they’re on their own — that’s not who we are. That’s not the story of America.

Yes, we are rugged individualists. Yes, we are strong and self-reliant. And it has been the drive and initiative of our workers and entrepreneurs that has made this economy the engine and the envy of the world.

But there’s always been another thread running throughout our history — a belief that we’re all connected, and that there are some things we can only do together, as a nation.

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