The Alliance of Boston Neighborhoods wonders what happens when City Hall moves to South Boston - where will all the large events the city wants to move to the plaza from the Common go? And given how many of those events have been political in nature, what does Councilor Michael Ross, who represents Beacon Hil and the Back Bay have against democracy?

... For some reason, the discussion seems to have turned from protecting the green to raking in the green, and Councilor Ross opined that "cafés, restaurants, and other commercial ventures might be a good replacement for large-scale events." Of course! Commerce is pretty much the same as democratic assembly, except for the doorman in front and the bill at the end. Customers are citizens -- even better, right? Sure keeps out the poor and homeless, and good riddance, I say! The public realm is no place for 'em! And Ross responded to Tom Kershaw's complaint that he can't make enough money on Common land with his skating business on our Frog Pond, and would now like a liquor license for a night club. The alcohol prohibition on the Common, Ross offered, should be reconsidered. ...

City Councilor Michael Ross wants to try, following the fatal fall of Shawn Dow from an Allston rooftop earlier this month.

Update: With boston.com now sporadically available, I see that the councilor is only proposing PE for middle and high schools. That eliminates my first objection, since I was talking about elementary schools, but the second two still hold.

On the way into work this morning, I heard Michael Ross calling for a mandatory four hours a week of physical education in Boston public schools. Great idea, but the good councilor has obviously not spent much time in Boston public schools, because otherwise he'd know there are three reasons why accomplishing this would require far more money and time than what sounded like his fairly blithe assessment:

Boston City Councilor Michael Ross, meet Watertown Town Councilor Marilyn Devaney.

Wednesday dawned with the dashing city councilor about to become a laughingstock. Then, well, you know.

But watch your back, Mr. Ross. Amy has her eye on you:

None of this means I'm forgetting about you, Michael Ross, Boston City Councilor, and your parking violations. For shame!

Well! Michael Ross, fashion-plate city councilor, turns out to also be Michael Ross, fashion-plate parking-ticket scofflaw. Must be nice to be able to get parking tickets dismissed because you're a city councilor. Of course, you run the risk of getting caught abusing a city policy that lets councilors seek dismissal of tickets issued while they're on official business (several of Ross's tickets were issued after midnight, even though Ross lives eight blocks from City Hall, where he gets a free space).

The thing that intrigues me about the story is this quote from the Back Bay/Beacon Hill councilor:

"This was a regrettable error, and I recognize that I have a responsibility to ensure that my own actions are held to a higher standard," Ross wrote. "I have since corrected and settled this matter and have learned from this process."

Makes you wonder what other common-sense ethical standards the councilor needs to bone up on.

Earlier:
Ross no stranger to parking tickets.

City Councilor Michael Ross has his own MySpace page, where we learn he is a Sagittarius, he enjoys mountain biking and he's single. He uses his blog for more serious writings, such as explaining why he supports the Cape Wind project and why he thinks Boston is still a racist city.

But so what? Carpundit says, wondering why the Herald paid so much attention to his parking tickets when he's paid them all off:

... I wish the Herald would stay on a real story, like the Mayor's web of influence, or the Turnpike Chairman's apparent corruption, or the Suffolk Sheriff's probable criminality. Parking tickets? Paid parking tickets? That's just not news. ...

My standard newspaper disclosure.