It could be a little tougher to run for city council next year
By adamg - Wed, 11/26/2008 - 2:56pm.
Wicked Local Roslindale reports the state House has approved a measure to increase the minimum number of signatures needed to run for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council from 500 to 1,500 now that Dapper O'Neil is dead.
The state had approved lowering the number from 1,500 to 500 in 1993 when councilors decided to help out the Dap, who often had trouble getting organized enough to collect all those signatures.
H. 4889, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Rush, D-West Roxbury, now goes to the state Senate.
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Is this good for democracy?
Is this a good thing?
The lower number seems "too low" but why should it be "so high"?
I believe it takes 300 signatures for State Rep and 600 signatures for State Sen, in comparison.
Raising the number for city councilor may have the (intended?) effect of lowering the number of people who would run for office.
Those on the other side of the issue would say, if you can't get 1,500 people to support you, maybe you shouldn't be running, anyway.
How about somewhere in-between, like 1,000?
I fear that the higher number is anti-democratic. E-h-h-h.
A more open Boston municipal government
More candidates are needed to campaign for Boston City Council and for Mayor. Campaigns bring important issues to light. People should ask their favorite candidates about sunshine open public meetings principles and freedom of information FOI public records principles of open government for city departments at Boston City Hall. For example Council candidates should be asked about making more readily available the Council stenographic machine records of Councilors' debate at public meetings of our Boston City Council.
You're probably going to get half your wish
Financial crises always bring out lots of candidates, and there seem to be quite a few people already thinking about running.
However, I will bet you $5 that not a single one brings up stenographic records.
Bad bet
I think I'll run now just to mention stenographer's notes and Don and I can split the $5. Hehe.
Stenographic machine records of the last Council public meeting
If the stenographic machine records of the last public meeting of our Boston City Council are made available, people can quote and reply to the Councilors' public debate. The videos are too linear, more difficult to go through for quoting Councilors' public debate.
For example Council
I bet you're magic at parties.
just re-read the comments when Dapper died,
I wonder if the folks slamming him while defending Chuck and Lady Di are ready to apologize. He may have been a troglodyte but he died broke, never got rich and did more than his share of constituent service. O'Neil is looking better every day.