The mayor and the new Council
By Josh Resnek
There has been some talk making the rounds about what might happen when the new city budget is being composed under the very watchful eye of the city’s Chief Financial Officer Eric Demas and more importantly, the new members of the city council, Gerly Adrien, Stephanie Martins and Jimmy Le.
Will the $12,500 appropriation for the mayor to lease an automobile to do his official duties which was approved by the council last year with only Councilor Fred Capone questioning it be approved again this year?
I know Capone won’t be voting for it. The three new members should not be voting for it. At Large Councilor Mike Marchese won’t vote for it and when push comes to shove, Councilor Wayne Matewsky can be persuaded what is true about the appropriation.
What is that? What is the truth?
The mayor gave himself a $1000 a month raise with the car lease ruse he badgered the council about last time around.
The mayor actually threatened the council and dared it not to give him the money…which he has pocketed in $1,000 increments without leasing a car.
The new council will very likely have a very different view of demands and threats coming from the mayor. Perhaps the mayor will change his tone and his tune to get the votes he needs for raises that cannot be otherwise be given to one of the most highly paid mayor’s in the Commonwealth.
Or maybe he stands his ground with his threats as though nothing has changed on the council.
I can assure him, such a stand will be problematic when the votes are not lined up neatly in his corner.
Even our friend Councilor Peter Napolitano could get into the fray. After all, he has been a banker – and he knows what fraud is.
Capone running for mayor is a voice that will not be quieted this time around.
Capone will not be alone questioning the fake mayoral pay raise. Nor will his colleagues be quiet.
As for the city’s CEO – he will live or die by whatever the mayor tells him to do.
The mayor’s money Raiser
Everyone that matters, that is, everyone who the mayor has given a city job or a city contract, or anything having to do with the city, has received their invitation to his upcoming money ($$$$) raiser.
It doesn’t matter where it is or what’s being served.
All that matters is what you’re bringing, that is, how much money you are going to donate.
The mayor’s greed is never more acute than when it comes to donation time.
There are many kinds of donations allegedly accepted by the mayor.
There are, I understand from a variety of sources, quid pro quo donations.
What are those?
Well, quid pro quo exactly translated from the ancient Latin to the English goes like this: this for that.
You give the mayor this and he will give you that is a likely translation from the corner office regarding contributions
According to his invitation, he is offering everyone the opportunity to donate $500, $250 or $100.
No amount will be turned away by the mayor. Every effort will be made to accept whatever he can.
I know he will complain about some people dropping off $100 donations and being called back by his financial people who will inform the donor: “If you want your job, you need to raise the amount of your donation to $500.”
You say it can’t happen here?
It does happen here but you won’t find anyone willing to report such a situation for fear of losing their job.
The mayor loves raising money from city employees. He feels it is part of being employed by the city, that is, donating to the man who appointed you.
Donating even at the $500 level doesn’t guarantee anything with the mayor.
Catch him on a bad day and you’re gone.
The donation will not save your job – just ask anyone who he’s let go during the past decade and they will tell you.
There are many who make the ultimate sacrifice – huge donations – add ons of every kind very likely not reported, promises made, and maybe here and there, cash donations quietly accepted and carefully put away. That can’t happen here, can it? I don’t think so. But then, when you get to thinking about what goes on here in political life, it is hard to dismiss influence being paid for in one way or another.
There are many who contribute to the mayor who receive nothing in return.
In fact, there are many who donate a lot and who are ignored by the mayor.
Such instances reveal his cruelty, his disloyalty, and his ability to consoder a man or woman his friend one day and to drop them under a bus on the next day.
There are business people who can’t stand the mayor but who donate to his campaign to keep city hall out of their business lives.
Can this happen here?
Yes, indeed.
No one is going to stand up and be counted about having to pay the mayor or they face his administration’s wrath.
Somerville and the Mayor
Which brings to mind the most recent spate of talk about the mayor and his involvement with an FBI investigation into corruption in Somerville.
The mayor’s good friend Mayor Joe Curtatone is said to be experiencing the scrutiny, close up, of the US Attorney’s Office. Kickback Carlo is allegedly helping out the FBI.
He knows theSomerville mayor quite well. He will be only too happy to spit out all the secrets he holds in order to keep himself out of trouble with his handlers at the FBI.
If I were Mayor Curtatone I’d be very careful around the mayor of Everett.
Too far fetched to believe, you might be thinking?
Think again.
I can’t make this stuff up.
Fred Capone is Running
Councilor Fred Capone is a candidate for mayor of Everett.
He can’t say this right now because he works for the state as a lawyer in some capacity – and as a lawyer – Capone needs to do things the right way.
At some point he will step aside from his state position, announce his candidacy, and begin the battle he has apparently been thinking about nearly all his public life.
Capone wants to be the mayor of Everett.
He believes his time is now.
He is absolutely a candidate.
He is said to know exactly how he is going to run his campaign. He presents quite a contrast to the mayor.
The mayor can’t like him running.
The mayor likely considers him a nothing candidate. If I were the mayor, I’d watch out for Fred Capone.