The city recently paid out 1.2 million to the law firm of Mintz Levin, and specifically for representation led by former Governor Bill Weld.
The objective was to show Eversource, the electricity generating giant with a firm foothold here on our waterfront, who the boss is.
The opposite appears to have happened.
Eversource has shown the city who the boss is – and God bless them – they didn’t pay outside lawyers $1.2 million to achieve their end.
Everett paid – that is the mayor approved the payment of $100,000 a month – for the “negotiations” over-taxation of the Eversource property.
Eversource remains the city’s largest taxpayer at $15 million a year.
What exactly was the $1.2 million paid in $100,000 increments given to Mintz Levin forgiven the fact that the city’s chief assessor is now doing the negotiations himself?
We believe this is a good question.
As we wrote last week, KP law’s yearly outside legal fees is like a sneeze.
Mintz Levin’s monthly $100,000 payments were more like a giant dam breaking apart and flooding the city treasury.
What did the city get for all that money paid? Was it a nice thank you from Mintz Levin to the mayor?
Was it a raise of taxes paid by Eversource to the city?
We don’t believe so.
Instead of discussing KP Law’s modest bills to the city for outside services, the city needs to explore why $1.2 million was paid to Mintz Levin and for what?
Such a huge payment should be a reminder to the city council that it should pay closer attention to the deals the mayor makes.