Posted on 12/10/2009 7:03:04 PM PST by Bluestateredman
Lawrence bigwigs call on mayor to quit state rep job By Edward Mason and ORyan Johnson Thursday, December 10, 2009 - Updated 4h ago
EmailE-mail PrintablePrint Comments(97) Comments LargerSmallerText size Bookmark and Share Share Buzz up!
Newly elected Lawrence mayor William Lantigua swears hes the man for the job - two jobs, in fact - after he vowed yesterday to keep his State House seat while running the hardscrabble Merrimack Valley city.
Im not Superman, said Lantigua, whos also served as the citys state representative since 2002. If I cant do it, Ill raise the white flag and let someone else work at the State House.
But critics - including the outgoing mayor - say theres no way the 54-year-old Democrat can do justice to both full-time jobs.
He will quickly conclude he cant do both, said Michael Sullivan, whose term ends Jan. 4. Youve got floods, fire, tragedies, things you cant predict. Its an 80-hour a week job, let alone 40.
Sullivan suggested Lantigua is motivated partly by ego and partly by money: the double-dipping pol stands to rake in $100,000 as mayor while continuing to pocket his $61,440 lawmaker salary, as well as eventually scoring two separate pensions.
Sullivan called on Lantigua to step down from his Beacon Hill post before his term expires next year. Hes shortchanging the city of Lawrence and the citizens of Massachusetts, Sullivan said.
Lantigua not only brushed off his Republican predecessor - he refused to rule out running for yet another term as state rep. Im going to finish my term, Lantigua said. After that, God only knows.
Meantime, Lantigua said he may keep both salaries or donate one to charity. That has yet to be decided, he said.
Lawrence is in a financial freefall, with a yawning budget gap that could widen to $10 million.
Yesterday Lantigua - the Bay States first elected Latino mayor - met in City Hall with Gov. Deval Patrick to negotiate a state bailout.
Lantigua, who said a deal is near, claimed his work during this crisis proved he can wear both hats. Its beneficial to Lawrence, he said.
But local pols questioned whether he could pull it off for long.
No person can serve two masters, said City Councilor Nicholas Kolofoles. Because of the financial condition of the city, more attention has to be paid to the city.
Sy Uliano, who has led youth programs in the city for more than three decades, said Lantigua should forget Beacon Hill and focus on the citys money woes.
Hes got to give almost every moment of his time, and manpower to the city of Lawrence, Uliano said. You gotta be in the city.
During the contentious mayoral race, Lantigua vowed to be a full-time mayor but never said when he would leave the State House. Yesterday, Lantigua said Lawrence voters were aware that his term didnt end until 2010 and believed he could do both. Local Politics:
* + Actor rips wind turbine proposal * + Attorney general wannabes readying runs
Comments(97) Comments | Post / Read Comments Next Article in Local Politics: Scott Brown pushes Martha Coakley to sign no-tax vow Page: 1 2 Continue » Advertisement A TWOFER: Newly elected Lawrence... Photo by John Wilcox A TWOFER: Newly elected Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua, also a state rep, says he can and will do both jobs. Related Articles . . . nor is double-dipping By Boston Herald Editorial Staff Meanwhile officials in Lawrence yesterday were huddling with Gov. Deval Patrick in... New Lawrence mayor says hell finish House term By Associated Press BOSTON Lawrence mayor-elect William Lantigua, wholl soon be... More on: + Michael Sullivan + William Lantigua + Nicholas Kolofoles Top articles in News & Opinion
1. Saucy texts leaked as Tiger Woods list grows 2. Tiger Woods troubles widen his distance from blacks 3. Lawrence bigwigs call on mayor to quit state rep job 4. Tiger Woods sex addict claim sure to be teed up 5. Scott Brown pushes Martha Coakley to sign no-tax vow
Advertisement
Mayor Michael Sullivan, the only Republican Mayor of any city in MA over 40k (Lynn’s Mayor-elect Judith Flanagan Kennedy will inherit that lonely title in January), was forced out after 8 years due to term limits. William Lantigua is his buffoonish rodent successor trying to do politics New Jersey-style (where some Mayors also serve concurrently as state legislators).
The fact that Lawrence is in deep debt won’t help Sullivan, unfortunately. The key is, is it legal for the mayor to hold down two elective posts simultaneously?
Find it hard to believe that “Lynn Lynn the City of Sin” has a GOP mayor, and female to boot. Did she do lap dances to raise money for her campaign? That city has had a sleazy reputation well known as far south as NYC.
It all adds up $$$ to the “P” word - PENSION!
This guy is double-dipping, holding two elective offices simultaneously. Would this be a Libertarian issue?
I don’t know how much Sullivan’s hands were tied in dealing with the problem, especially in a horrendous economic climate. Lawrence is not a very well-regarded city in MA, and has an enormous concentration of illegals and high crime. Lantigua is both Black and Hispanic (and tries to play up the latter). It’s amazing Sullivan was able to get elected as it was.
As for the second question, the double-dipping is up in the air. Some believe he cannot hold both a municipal and a state job at the same time and have called on AG Coakley (who is now busy with her Senate race) to investigate, which is doubtful she will. I don’t know myself if it is legal, but he should decide whether he wants to devote himself to one job or the other. As Lawrence has many problems, he really should resign his House seat and devote his full attention to being Mayor. Apparently some on the City Council are none too happy with his arrogance in trying to hold onto both jobs, and this guy isn’t even due to be sworn-in until January. Unfortunately, he’s got a 4-year term here, so short of expulsion, they won’t be able to challenge him until 2013.
Yeah. I wouldn’t like it, though serving both as a State Rep and City Councilman I don’t think presents as big a problem as being a legislator and Mayor, that’s why so many have a serious beef with this, and the pension thing, too...
Yeah, forgot to add, here in Nashville (TN), we’ve had some attempt to serve both as a State Rep and Metro Councilmember concurrently.
He can do both. The only thing the MA legislators have to do is pocket their cash. Oh, and their paychecks.
Are the folks in TN that tried that Rats by any chance?
It sucks, but in MA, the only word that matters is “PENSION”. Unfortunatley, I think Lantigua isn’t going anywhere. Who’s going to push him out? Coakley? Patrick? Yeah, right?
You know, I wonder if Scott Brown or Tim Cahill could use this as an example of the 1 party system of abuse in MA???
If Coakley refuses to look into the matter, Brown could have an issue. But I don’t think it would be hugely effective.
As far as my recent (past 3 decades) research indicated, and a cursory glance at some yearbooks prior to that, Mayor-elect Kennedy may be the first Republican Mayor in perhaps more than a half-century (although possible there was one prior to 1979, but I could spot no “R”). The last Republican Mayor of Lynn I could definitively identify was Ralph Bauer, who served from 1926-1930. The Mayors from that point on appear to be Democrat.
What’s funny is that this wasn’t for an open seat. The 8-year incumbent (Dem) Chip Clancy was running for another term (like Lantigua in Lawrence, also formerly served in both the House and Senate), but the Republican Kennedy managed to defeat Clancy. I looked at some articles on election night in November, and they had no idea how long it had been since a Republican had last won the post.
The Democrats were wailing elsewhere that she used her name to confuse Dem voters (her last name is not only Kennedy, her initials are JFK), but she wasn’t an unknown quantity, she had won office in Lynn before (supposedly is also a former Democrat).
Maybe not Brown then. Cahill could do something with it perhaps.
Coakley ain’t touching it with a twenty foot pole...
Well, my former Councilwoman and current State Rep. held both, although I think she exited the Council at roughly the same time, perhaps some overlap. Yes, these were Dems. My current Councilmember is a Republican (but there are no partisan races for Council and he tends to downplay his affiliation since there is no real GOP in Nashville, and certainly the ones that are don’t think the party should exist outside the Country Club, and I live in one of the most infamous sections of the city, ain’t no tea and crumpets types here) and he is giving strong consideration to running for State Rep. in an adjacent district to mine. If he managed to pull off such a miracle and opted to exit the council and prompt a special election, I wish I could try to run for it (I could probably get his endorsement), but my health sucks, and I loathe the parochial crap that goes on downtown...
Wasn’t there an article recently (I’m presuming Howie Carr, but it might’ve been somebody else) pointing out if Coakley gets elected to the Senate, it’s going to cause a real headache of the rodent whores trying to get appointed to the seat (possibly giving the GOP an opening for next year) ? If Brown loses to Coakley, he might try to run for it. The last Republican to win the AG position in MA was Elliott Richardson in 1966 (he actually gave up the Lt Governorship, figuring AG was a better place to go for higher office — his predecessor as AG was Ed Brooke who made the leap to the Senate from that office the same year).
Yes, Howie did write about that scenario. I think Scott is more valuable in the Senate (US or MA) than as AG.
We’ll see...
Too bad you don't run - I'm sure your debates would end up on Youtube or FoxNewsChannel.
“FMDJ skins Rat Opponent Alive During Debate”
Oh, yes, he’d be more valuable in DC, but a GOP AG would have a field day with going after mass-scale rodent corruption in the commonwealth. Of course, I complain about MA having gone 40 years without a Republican as AG, my state, TN, hasn’t had one in (at least) 140 years (which may be a national record), and it is still “fixed” that we cannot get one (we have the most byzantine selection process in the country — the State Supreme Court, whose members are chosen by an elite group of liberal trial lawyers, “elect” the AG, who is always a liberal rodent hack).
They don’t have debates for Council seats... we have 40 members (only NYC and Chicago has a larger body than Nashville). Besides, I’m probably a bit too bombastic and profane for a lot of folks, I’d probably get impeached for unparliamentary language in my first week in office. ;-D
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.