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WICKED PISSA
Senior Member
115 Posts |
 Posted - 11/13/2005 : 2:31:44 PM
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2 stories seems John had time to talk to the paper that patted him on the back - and so it begins.
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Boston Herald
An archrival’s defeat: Mayor’s ouster boosts Everett school chief
By Kevin Rothstein
Sunday, November 13, 2005 - Updated: 01:18 PM EST
Everett’s Teflon school superintendent scored another victory last week when voters booted out the indicted ed chief’s archrival and chose a new mayor who sees the ongoing school corruption case as no big deal.
“My position with the indicted superintendent cost me some votes,” outgoing Everett Mayor David Ragucci said Friday, shortly before flying to Aruba for some post-election R&R with his wife, Twinkx. The two-term mayor is convinced his call for Superintendent Frederick Foresteire to resign helped hasten his defeat Tuesday.
Ragucci took on the powerful superintendent after the latter was charged in March 2004 with having two school-bought air conditioners installed in his home. A top school aide and a contractor, who was Foresteire’s former brother-in-law, were among those charged in a broader bid-rigging scheme. Charges are still pending, though the contractor has since died.
Despite the criminal charges and a scathing report from state Auditor Joe DeNucci that detailed misspending, circumvention of bid-rigging laws and other flaws, Foresteire has kept his job, thanks to a supportive school board.
Everett’s mayor-elect, John F. Hanlon, is the current city clerk who counted Foresteire among his guests at his victory party at the Silver Fox on Tuesday night.
Another Foresteire connection that has Everett political watchers buzzing: Foresteire’s longtime PR man, John Cook Dowd, is a Hanlon campaign contributor and the suspected mastermind behind a series of scathing anti-Ragucci ads that showed a hand dipping into a cookie jar.
Hanlon’s ads later noted that Ragucci “has constantly attacked the School Department.”
Neither Hanlon nor Foresteire could be reached for comment, but Ragucci has no doubt Foresteire supported his opponent’s run.
“I’d do the same thing tomorrow,” he said. “I’d never put politics ahead of the city.”
While the superintendent has been a political flashpoint, Ragucci admitted a 68 percent property tax increase became the biggest issue in the campaign’s final weeks.
Waiting to get his locks trimmed at Alberti’s Barbershop on Broadway, Everett voter Al Nicoli said pro- and anti-Foresteire votes probably canceled each other out.
“Some people like the superintendent and some don’t,” Nicoli said.
All but one of Foresteire’s devoted school board won re-election. And perhaps the most outspoken Foresteire critic, Catherine Gover, lost her bid for alderman.
“I don’t have any regrets,” Gover said, “but the voters have spoken.”
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EVERETT
Hanlon to focus on funds
Mayor-elect calls for audit by state, quarterly tax bills
By Katheleen Conti, Globe Staff | November 13, 2005
Come January, Everett will need a new city clerk.
Everett voters promoted City Clerk John Hanlon last week, electing him mayor in his third attempt at unseating Mayor David Ragucci.
While Hanlon does not yet know whether he will resign his position before January's swearing-in ceremony to help with the transition, he said he is concentrating on his administration's first order of business -- something he's been preparing for the past four years.
''I'm looking forward to doing the job I wanted to do, making a few changes," Hanlon said the day after he was elected. ''The quarterly tax bill is the first thing I want to work on, giving taxpayers the option of paying quarterly or semiannually."
But before Hanlon, 70, was elevated to the city's top office with just 247 votes separating him and Ragucci, he promised voters he would seek City Council approval to fund a state audit of the city's finances and every department within City Hall.
''Not only do I want to know exactly where I'm starting, but where all the money is, what do we owe," Hanlon said. ''I don't expect the worst, I'm not on a witch hunt. If something pops up, it pops up. David did only selective departments, but I'll do all of them and give the auditor free rein."
A recent state audit of the School Department found about $1.2 million in mismanaged funds, while a separate independent audit led to the termination of a city employee accused of stealing between $25,000 and $50,000 from the Building Department.
Although Ragucci sought resignations from Superintendent Frederick Foresteire and the School Department's maintenance director, the School Committee did not agree with his request.
Fifty-two percent of Everett's registered voters turned out last Tuesday, giving Hanlon 51 percent of the vote to Ragucci's 48 percent. Hanlon received 4,867 votes, while Ragucci got 4,620. In his first attempt at mayor four years ago, Hanlon lost to Ragucci by 481 votes, but narrowed the margin to 305 two years later.
''The last two times I ran, I was hoping [to win]," Hanlon said. ''But this time, I knew."
Hanlon won 10 precincts, lost seven, and tied one.
Ragucci said he chose to focus his reelection campaign on his accomplishments as a four-term mayor, and his positive campaigning may have hurt him.
''I really didn't press [the School Department audit]. My administration has always run a positive campaign and stuck to the issues that were important to the people," Ragucci said.
Ward 3 Alderman Michael K. Marchese, who threw his hat into the mayoral ring this year, but lost in September's preliminary with 731 votes, also backed Hanlon's campaign. Ragucci, who had Marchese's support during his first term as mayor eight years ago, said Hanlon benefited from the alderman's backing this time around.
But Ragucci acknowledged that voters were probably most unhappy with their tax bills, as residential property valuations continue to increase.
''I think the taxes is a thing that really swayed the decision in this election," said Ragucci, who is confident he will leave the city ''in great shape," with about $14.5 million in the stabilization fund, as well as the construction of a new high school, soon to get underway. Ragucci said he has no immediate plans for the future, other than staying in Everett and updating his resume. He has not ruled out another run at politics.
Marchese said he is proud of Hanlon and hopes to help him during the transition process. In the meantime, Marchese said he plans on asking the Board of Aldermen at tomorrow night's meeting to approve money to fund Hanlon's planned audit, as well as asking the state to ''come in and do it immediately."
''The biggest problem we have is that money is spent and we don't know where that's going," said Marchese, who did not seek reelection for his ward seat, and said he hopes to be part of the Hanlon administration. ''We just want to find out where the bills are, this out-of-control spending, and lawsuits that haven't been settled."
Hanlon said he couldn't pinpoint one thing that finally got him out of the loss column, simply saying, ''I made it. I'm happy."
Katheleen Conti can be reached at kconti@globe.com.
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H1ghCh4r1ty
Advanced Member
967 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2005 : 6:56:21 PM
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I knew all along that this would be the same b.s.
Politics as usual just a different person in the corner office.
Emile Schoeffhausen |
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lizbeth
Senior Member
184 Posts |
 Posted - 11/13/2005 : 7:39:01 PM
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| Can there be any question now on Hanlon's connection to our indicted Superintendent? Not that most of us had any questions before -- and those of us who have been around for a long time know how unusual it is for Foresteire to make an appearance at a political time. He attended one for Jason Marcus earlier this year; he attended a fundraising event for Richie Baniewicz; and there he was Tuesday night, in the middle of the victory celebration, without the grace and dignity to act like a gentleman in public. Instead, he tried to instigate one of his usual intimidation rituals with Councilman Sal DiDomenico by using profanity and throwing around accusations and threats like the school yard bully that he is. Sal showed our highly paid "professional" what real class is -- he gave as good as he got, and he did it with manners and dignity, unlike his attacker. Good for you, Sal. We're proud of you. |
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H1ghCh4r1ty
Advanced Member
967 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2005 : 8:06:04 PM
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FFF rules by intimidation, we all know how many committee members have relatives on the school dept payroll. How else could Freddie control the school committee?
I'm glad Sal responded with class.
Emile Schoeffhausen |
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WICKED PISSA
Senior Member
115 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2005 : 8:32:56 PM
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Jason was quoted as saying , "I'm never saying anything against the school committee, i live with claire". Fred has surrounded himself by idiots and yet, remains afloat. Now Hanlon, This city-wide audit will deflect attention from these issues. my friend loves John and refuses to believe anything negative about him. she is also the type to talk to him face to face about her gripes. i keep telling her not to be so naive, because the guy was nice to you, don't assume anything. We'll see which of us is right. in the meantime, she and i are goin after the punk fred, and celebrate hard when he goes.
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H1ghCh4r1ty
Advanced Member
967 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2005 : 11:14:37 PM
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Jason is an idiot, yet he continues to be re-elected.
Says a lot regarding the voters.
I'm glad to say I've never voted for that dope, ever.
Emile Schoeffhausen |
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Lori
Member
96 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2005 : 3:05:01 PM
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| neither have I, I was sick of his saying "Do you like me" let me throw now |
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WICKED PISSA
Senior Member
115 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2005 : 3:45:36 PM
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| LOL-my mom never has anything bad to say about anyone. She got stuck behind him once in line at a bank, and all she could say was, "doesn't he bathe?" Oh well, he is only 1 of 2 on the board with a mandate, (not counting the unopposed) - unbelievable. |
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H1ghCh4r1ty
Advanced Member
967 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2005 : 8:00:35 PM
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He thinks everyone likes him.
Go figure.
Emile Schoeffhausen |
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