| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Lynda
Advanced Member
1282 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 09:43:36 AM
|
| Yes, I did read that as well. I think that it was written to try to avoid a lawsuit against the city. NOT that I don't think he shouldn't sue the city for deformation of character because he SHOULD. Sorry folks we are so far in the hole at this point might as well give him his equal share. How many years has he been there doing his business and not bothering anyone? Was that necessary to spew his name all over the news and papers? I don't think so. |
 |
|
|
tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 09:47:22 AM
|
| I hope that all the posters on the other board that are always talking about the unpaid bills left by the former administration did. I'm more than willing to accept that the former adminstration made its own contribution to the financial mess that the city is now; but what has the current administration done to make it any better as far as the bottom line goes? |
|
|
|
massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 10:43:33 AM
|
For those of you who did not get todays Leader Herald. This is on page 3 and I copied and pasted it from The Mirror.
"From the desk of the publisher........
A "Forensic Audit" of Everett's finances has been conducted by a private auditing firm, Melanson, Heath, and Co., P.C., at the request of the Mayor.
This audit was suggested by the State's Office of the Inspector General and financed by a special appropriation by the City Council.
Everett's purchasing agent suggested that the auditors pay special attention to the purchases made at a popular local hardware store, Everett Supply Company.
The Purchasing Agent refused to approve the payment of bills submitted by this store because he believed there has been no compliance with Chapter 30B of the Massachusetts General Laws, the requirement for public bidding for municipal purchases, even though it never historically applied to such small, numerous and random transactions.
While admitting receipt of the purchased items, the Purchasing Agent refused to authorize payment to this small, local business.
After an exhaustive and thorough review of his accusations, the auditing firm concluded that there was absolutely no violation of any local or state law.
Not only was the reputation of a local resident, homeowner, and community activist unfairly harmed, but even now, after his complete vindication, payment for past outstanding bills are still unpaid.
And on the Purchasing Agent's instructions , rather that support a small local business owner and taxpayer, Everett employees now are prohibited from making any purchases from Everett Supply.
Mr. Alfred Lattanzi deserved better." |
|
|
|
Lynda
Advanced Member
1282 Posts |
 Posted - 06/14/2007 : 11:09:49 AM
|
| Tails did you ever think that WE ARE FREAKING OUT so much, as you put it, because we have been LIED too soooooo much? True Budget, No New Hires, The ignored IG letter, The Audit that appears to have shown us $60,000. worth of NOTHING and so on and so on and so on... and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Get real. |
Edited by - Lynda on 06/14/2007 11:16:13 AM |
|
|
|
tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 12:44:49 PM
|
"Did you ever think that maybe the papers know the difference between right and wrong?"
Tails,
I'm not sure that I understand what your question is but, I'll try to respond anyways.
A number of us have commented today on the lack of reporting in the Leader-Herald of the city's current budget situation. The mayor has submitted a budget that the city's auditor feels could have a Prop 2 1/2 impact. The majority of the BOA and the CC appear to be very upset with that and have asked the mayor to respond to them in writing about how he intends to address this possible situation. The budget hearings have adjourned until next Wednesday in order to give the adminstration time to respond to this request. No matter the outcome of the request, the mayor stands behind his budget. Any cutting of the budget will have to be done and approved by the BOA & CC. How things will turn out as a result of this is anyone's guess at this time. I think that most reasonable people could agree that these are the facts of the situation.
I believe that it is a fair statement that not everyone in the city has access to cable or the internet. As far as I am aware, the Leader-Herald is distributed to every home in the city; the Independent may be too, but, I know that there have been times in the past when I have not received it for extended periods; the Advocate is only available if you seek it out. Therefore, besides word of mouth, the only source that a number of people in the city may have for receiving the news of the city on a regular basis is the Leader-Herald.
It is my opinion that any reponsible media outlet whose main base is the City of Everett should be reporting on the facts of the current budget situation. They may choose to state their opinion on the situation as well but, that's entirely up to them.
I hope that this answers your question. There are some other points in that same post that I would like to respond to also, but, I'll save them until this first point gets addressed properly. |
Edited by - tetris on 06/14/2007 1:25:01 PM |
|
|
|
Court4Fred
Advanced Member
1201 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 1:48:23 PM
|
Tails - with a big three posts under your belt, all supporting an indefensible administration, while blaming the previous one - it's obvious that you're out here only to "muddy the waters."
It's not going to happen. Here's why:
1. Mayor Hanlon has added more than 25 million dollars to Ragucci's FY 2006 budget in the last two years, a budget that candidate Hanlon called "bloated." If the budget was bloated in 2005, then what is it now? Certainly not on a diuretic.
2. Explain what was going on in city hall for the previous eight years. Really, you Hanlonites toss around innuendo like no one else. What tax dollars went into what people's pockets? Really Tails - spell it out for us, because this is just the same old, same old from you. If you're referring to that Vetrano orchestrated, fatally flawed and ridiculously delivered faux audit...then you're going to have to do better than that. The Leader Herald cleared up some of the BS from that particularly lame chapter in Hanlon History.
As for calling anyone "so incompetent that he can't read from a lawbook right" - perhaps you're under the mistaken impression that Mayor Hanlon's received an invitation to the Mensa Society picnic? I think incompetence can certainly be defined by a mayor so ill-informed about the budgetary process that he actually sent a budget to the Council which by law, it cannot pass. This is the same man who chose to willfully ignore a letter from the IG about Foresteire's repeated misuse of EPS employees and resources. This is also the man who didn't read the aforementioned lawbook when he claimed the city council violated the open meeting law with a petition it had undertaken. Shall I go on? I can keep this up all day.
The closest Ragucci's budgets ever came to the tax levy was about $1800 bucks under (remember RVC screaming about that???) ...and now we have this captain of this ship of fools....2.8 million bucks over....and somehow, you think this is going forward? And yes, I believe the auditor. All of Everett believes the auditor, from every Dunkin Donuts, drugstore, pizza shop, and gas station...except John and band of merry knuckleheads. Ignorance must be bliss.
You claim that "budgets go up" and "it's a known fact" but Everett's tax increase is the highest in the Commonwealth and it doesn't have to be that way. You may not want to see people become unemployed (chances are pretty good that you are employed by this administration) but the fact is - John has hired too many people and provided far too generous raises and it is to the detriment of this city's best interests to keep them on. If Ragucci could lay people off when the state cut local aid in 2003, then John should have the cannolis to do the right thing. Unless it's not his week to wear the cannolis.
|
Edited by - Court4Fred on 06/14/2007 1:50:26 PM |
|
|
|
massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 2:34:52 PM
|
| Court, loved the "diuretic" comment. Made me smile. |
|
|
|
Lynda
Advanced Member
1282 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 2:35:43 PM
|
| Court4Fred. Well said, I applaud you. |
|
|
|
Ellen
Senior Member
173 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 4:13:18 PM
|
| Lynda did not do that. I did. I thought it was well written and wanted to share it with The Mirror posters. I really don't care if you have a problem with it. You Hanlon people don't like the truth to be told. You never have anything of substance to add, just the same old BS. |
|
|
|
Court4Fred
Advanced Member
1201 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 4:19:11 PM
|
Oh CCLou, lay off Lynda. You're another one, so content to accept double digit tax increases because John's your candidate. How the hell can you defend this man? Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think he was this incompetent or that he would show so little concern for the future of this city.
See that light? It's your career dissapation light and it's going into overtime.
Backdraft |
Edited by - Court4Fred on 06/14/2007 4:19:49 PM |
|
|
|
Citizen Kane
Advanced Member
1082 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 6:38:52 PM
|
Oh, Lou, are you the one posting this nonsense over at the Mirror as well?
Okay, Louie . . where are you coming up with your figures -- or are you pulling them out of a hat in much the same way Hanlon put his budget together? And with the whopping 26% increase we had in our taxes last year, you sound ridiculous referencing increases that accumulated over a six year period.
Tell us, Louie, since you seem to know so much. Why is it that Hanlon's department heads who presented those foolish poster boards claiming that the city was robbed of $5 million refuse to appear before the BOA to explain how they came up with those figures . . . even though they are required by city ordinance to do so. Not only do not appear, but refuse to provide even the courtesy of a reply to the request?
I don't know about my fellow posters, but I am so beyond hearing "Ragucci did it." Ragucci has been out of office now for 18 months -- and this budget which, as it stand, would require an override of Proposition 2 1/2, lies squarely on the shoulders of John Hanlon and his merry band of misfits.
Get over it, Lou, because your guy is done. |
|
|
|
Middle-Man 1
Senior Member
188 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 7:06:51 PM
|
| CC Lou, you are delusional. Those posts don't have any basis in fact at all. At least schools that are bulit will serve the city well for 50 plus years. Your guy blew that much in two years and the city has pretty much nothing to show for it. Get a grip. The end of this debacle is near. |
|
|
|
justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 8:08:06 PM
|
| Come on Middle-Man 1, we've got plenty to show for Hanlon's time in office. Budget books that can be substituted for toilet paper. Potholes as big as my (compact) car. Tax bills that make us cry. Lots of new employees. An audit presentation that set us up for a couple of major lawsuits. And, let us not forget, a mayor that has made us the laughing stock of the state! |
|
|
|
turk182
Member
88 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 10:25:17 PM
|
Don't forget total disregard for the resident taxpayers of the city.
******************************************************************************************************
Money Flew, Taxes Grew, Sludge Too, Hired a Few, Hanlon Knew, We got screwed,
Hired a few more now there is 104, What do we do?
Turk 182 |
|
|
|
Court4Fred
Advanced Member
1201 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2007 : 10:25:38 PM
|
CCLou....you big silly. You know as well as I do that the funding for the school is done in long and short terms bonds, payable at percentage rates lower than most mortgages. I know you hope to get alot of mileage out of building the schools "twice," but you know that the state vets these contractors, they are put on a list of approved contractors, and the city takes the lowest bid. I know that does nothing for your lame, and shopworn argument...but there you are.
Ragucci is out of office, but he left millions in free cash. I had no idea how incompetent John was, and I hope to God he doesn't get another two years to really show us how little he's learned in his decades in city government. He's a clerk, CCLou - and it shows. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Budget
