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Campaign roundup: Bill Linehan can't wait to quit
By adamg on Wed, 10/18/2017 - 11:34am
The Herald reports the South Boston councilor is quitting right this second, because for some reason that will make it easier for him to set up a consulting business than if he waited until his term ends in January.
Peter Gelzinis surveys the life of District 7 (Roxbury) council candidate Rufus Faulk, who rose from the projects to a doctoral program at Northeastern.
Writer Jonathan Kozol has endorsed Tito Jackson for mayor, calling him "one of the most decent and most forceful and far-sighted civic leaders in our city's often-troubled history."
ABCD and Roxbury Community College host a forum Thursday on whether to bring back an elected school committee. It starts at 6 p.m. at the college's Media Arts Center, 1234 Columbus Ave.
Margaret Farmer of East Boston, who came in third in the District 1 (East Boston, Charlestown and the North End) has endorsed Lydia Edwards of East Boston, who came in a close second, East Boston News reports.
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Comments
This news begs the question
What patronage gig is opening up that he wants to get? I'll eat my hat if this guy isn't in some position to boost his pension within 6 months.
Viceroy of the Board of Electors or something, you know, pays $130k/yr with vague responsibilities and no accountability...
This news begs the question
Why are elected officials allowed to quit, resign, etc. from their jobs before their term is up - with the exception of serious illness or death?
He's quit on his constituents
He's quit on his constituents for far longer than that. I've contacted his office multiple times in an attempt to get a problem in the neighborhood fixed, and I never even got so much as a courtesy return call or email. Good riddance.
Huh?
How would you prevent someone from quitting? Send BPD to pick him up at his house and drive him to work everyday (though I highly doubt Linehan has been in the office every day in years).
OK - perhaps you can't prevent him from quitting
But you should be able to impose sanctions that punish him for doing so
Like a lifetime ban on lobbying or running for office ever again for starters.
With the exception of serious illness or death, leaving your office during your term is insulting to those who elected you.
If it insults the voters...
... the voters will take it out on him if he decides to run again.
Let me ask you a question: why would you want an elected official who doesn't want to be one? What good would come of that?
13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Except that when you're elected
to office, you're EXPECTED to serve your full term. Sorry, but "I want a different job" is NOT a valid reason to break that commitment.
Read the article
It's an ethics law thing. This way he gets a two and a half month head start on lobbying the city on behalf of his clients. I would imagine that his hourly "consulting" rate will make up for the loss of the city paycheck over this period.
He might have something planned, but it's not what you think it is.
Laws
This would be a good time to update the laws such that the clock starts ticking at the end of their elected term, irrespective of when they've left the job.
Also change that "cooling" period to something like 10-15 years -- long enough that most of their friends wouldn't be in office anymore.
Of course, no one in office would ever support a change that makes them less money.
10 year ban on lobbying and
10 year ban on lobbying and then a lifetime revolving door tax.
That would nip this crap in the bud.
In the bud?
A little late for that...
Sure
By the way, who passes laws, anyway?
see u in six months...I'll
see u in six months...I'll bring a scally for u
Bill who?
Never saw him, never heard from him, never voted for him.
Ah but here's the catch
If you live in Boston, you did pay for him the last 10 years.
Edwards came in 2nd
Edwards came in 2nd
Yes, she did
Stupid mistake, fixed, thanks for pointing it out.
Does this mean there will be
Does this mean there will be a special election to fill his seat for the remainder of 2017?
Don't worry about it
The City Council is functionally useless anyways. We could replace them all with scarecrows and we'd never notice a single difference in the way the city is run.
Civic participation. Lacking Council Central Staff.
A big difficulty for civic participation are the Council Central Staff unwelcoming unwilling attitude toward public enquiries. New Council Central Staff with greater expertise particularly with new technologies/software can make Boston City Council more open.