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Why we are in Distress financially.
Posted 03-15-2008 at 07:28 PM by MikeMasone
It occurs to me that that the City Council can be both a source for liberation or a force of oppression depending on whose side they wish to play. It is painfully apparent that majority of the council is content to follow the recommendations of the professionals who are hired because of their connections and not necessarily their abilities. In some cases their advisor's are advancing their own agendas. All to often we hear that a certain expenditure is required by the State, County or Federal government yet our elected leaders don't resist. They don't exhort us to punish those who are the source of our problems instead they help those who would hurt us remain in power. The only conclusion I can reach is that they don't truly represent our interests but their own. The only time they seem willing to resist is when we threaten them. It is our job to tell our elected officials that they work for us and that we will not standby and be content with table scraps while they and other politicians at the State, County and Federal levels feast at our expense. The standard by which we should judge all our elected officials should not be by the bacon they bring home to us but by the number of pigs that they save from the slaughter. After all the pigs belong to the people. We can not afford public pensions and benefits for life for public employees when the price is hospital closings. We can not afford pensions for part time officials based on their highest three years of service while property taxes go up relentlessly. It is ridiculous to expect these abuses to stop when our first line elected officials play ball. If our elected leaders refuse to lead us then they must be replaced. Their arrogance is born of our despair. The thing that they fear most is that all those who are eligible actually do so. The control the majority by organizing a small fraction of the electorate and keeping them happy. This strategy is useless when we all vote. When we all vote then the only strategy that works is acting for the common good.
Total Comments 6
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commonsenseThat's a well-written and lucid critique of our present situation; however, where was this challenge to the status quo when you were employed as a city attorney? It would seem that being a part-timer with benefits worked out pretty well prior to being terminated as counsel to one of the city's public boards. Funny how that tends to keep one's mouth shut until after being terminated.
Is this simply a matter of sour grapes? A little full disclosure would be nice. |
 
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MikeMasoneFor your information. I was appointed by Rutkowski as rent board attorney when my predecessor left the area. I was reappointed by Kicezk and Doria for two terms and the first year of his third term. I never got health benefits or pension rights nor did I ever get an increase in pay. I believe that the reason I was let go was because I was becoming more vocal about what was going on at the City and more particularly at the BLRA. The City condition got worse over time and as I saw things which were pushing us to a point of no return I became more vocal. To be fair I kept silent when I had my doubts but became vocal when I believed that their plan could not succeed. Maybe my crystal ball wasn't perfect but neither was anyone else's. In any event I was let go after I became vocal and not before.
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cityeditionLet's get real here......
...as eloquent as your missive might have been this is about shifting political powers to your guys and what better way to get some free public sway than to patronize the disfranchised? |
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MikeMasoneIf I were as cynical as you I might think that you are worried about retaining whatever influence you might still have. The fact is the people have been convinced by you and others that they can not change their fate. Your kind is quick to stamp out any flicker of hope before it becomes a conflagration which consumes the privileges you now enjoy at our expense. If you enjoy no privileges then surely you must have a masochistic streak that causes you to leap to kiss the hand that beats you and lick the shoe that kicks you. I for one would rather go down resisting an unjust system knowing that I at least tried. If indeed you are correct and this questioning of authority is about shifting political power I ask you why is that not legitimate? We are currently spending more than we are taking in in tax revenue, our bonded debt has risen dramatically, offers for land at the MOTBY won't even cover the infrastructure costs and serious men are considering defying the ARMY and using money from the sale to cover the bond in defiance of their mandate. No real effort has been made to cut spending and no budget for next year has been formulated. We are pursuing a bankrupt plan and are being led by men seeking to grab power in the vacuum which has been left by Doria who continues to force his will upon the people of Bayonne after he has abandoned them in their time of need. Yes I stand guilty as charged. We are in need of a change and my guys as you put it are those who stand ready to acknowledge the mistakes of the past so that we can all chart a new course. My question to you is are you part of the problem or the solution?
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commonsenseI appreciate your candor. So you were probably let go as attorney for the Rent Control Board because you became more vocal with respect to the BLRA and not because you supported a rival political candidate. I guess it is all a matter of interpretation. Nevertheless, you saw nothing over the first two terms with Doria that caused you a moment of pause worthy of speaking up earlier? Just a sudden ephiphany that coincided with a Conaghan run for mayor?
Furthermore, it seems less than accidental that you became interested in what was going on with the BLRA when the issue of development became front and center. Which issues concerned you with respect to the BLRA? It is no secret that you supported the container terminal use. Would you care to address rumors that you and/or those close to you stood to benefit from said usage? |
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MikeMasoneCommonsense:
I can't speak to the real reason why my contract was not renewed that question is better asked of others. I will make the observation that my contract continued one year after the election. Who knows maybe they felt my performance was not up to par and the needed a more qualified and experienced attorney. As to my silence during the first two years of the Doria term you are correct for the first term not for the second. During the second term when it became apparent that the MOTBY was going to be a private piggy bank for the select few I started asking questions privately. The answers that I was getting did not make sense. I discussed my suspicions with others including Mr. Conaghan and the result was a Conaghan run for mayor which I supported. The straw that broke my back at the BLRA was their consistent refusal to comprehensively deal with all the districts at the MOTBY simultaneously. Their one phase at a time approach has cost us valuable time and revenue we will never recover. It is my suspicion that their game plan was to build out all the housing first then petition the State for relief from the requirements of the waterfront permit with the support of thousands of residents. Finally I have told others when asked that I was not a member of any group that had a financial interest in a container port. I currently represent one of the parties in the PA lawsuit and I was paid for some consulting for the group which presented a port initiative. I believed then as I do now that the revenue from a lease of the maritime district should have been pursued first. Had we done so we would have already collect tens of millions of dollars which we don't have and are forever lost. I realize your cynicism will make you skeptical but there you have it. I freely accept the blame for not acting sooner but then again neither did others and I am sure you are not suggesting that I go silent again. |
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Recent Blog Entries by MikeMasone
- Why we are in Distress financially. (03-15-2008)
