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Linehan defers vote on city-council raises

City Council President Bill Linehan today announced he's keeping the proposed 29% wage hike for councilors in a committee for now, rather than letting councilors vote.

Linehan has vociferously backed increasing councilor pay to $112,500, saying councilors are well worth it, have not gotten raises in eight years and cost city residents less than $9 apiece a year. But at a hearing on Monday, a city attorney warned councilors could be risking fines and prison time if they gave themselves pay hikes under state conflict-of-interest laws.

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Comments

Put it on the ballot. "Do you approve of a 29% increase to councilor salaries to $112,500?" If Linehan is correct and the council provides the public with services well worth this cost then the ballot question will easily pass. If the public feels they could do a better job or don't deserve the raise, it will fail.

Democracy at its finest.

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In my opinion, $78,000 a year is a good salary and if it has lost value due to inflation, then adjust it for inflation.

Another factor municipal government should take into account beyond market value and cost of living is the taxpayer base. If the taxpayer base is seeing no real increase in median income, folks who work for the city should expect no increases either.

The way it works now is the police and firemen ask arbitrators to match each others' excellent raises, then other labor groups want the same, because "it's only fair." What we see now is Linehan stepping and doing the same. Meanwhile, real median income in Boston has not increased, It's flat. That's a problem.

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a) How could Boston City Council be more powerful ?...

b) How could there be a better balance of power between Boston City Council and the Mayor?...

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Switch to the City of Cambridge model!

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Boston adopted the "strong mayor" plan of government back in the day. It would take a lot to change it. Here is where the "chicken and egg" conundrum comes in- the council has no power, so it isn't taken seriously. Since it is considered a bit of a joke since it can't do anything, people wouldn't want it to have more power.

Think about Curley. The Brahmins and Go Gos hated the guy, but there was never a move to adopt that form on the other side of the Charles or a commission style of government. For some reason, having a single, elected, powerful figure has been accepted on all sides as the best way.

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Give them the raises, but make them pay market rate for parking or make them all take the MBTA.

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$123,000 a year!!!!
What are they doing? Living large.
Buying Real Estate investments.
Eating out at expensive restaurants, picking up tabs for their friends.
Why don't they get a city permit, and sell sausages or hotdogs or slush on a street corner on the weekends.

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How can they get prison time?
If they all vote yes for pay increases , they will all receive prison time, who will prosecute them, Mass DA's office. Explain, Why is this unethical?

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They take the raise before their terms are up. If they vote in the raise and it doesn't become effective until AFTER they are re-elected that's fine. It's unethical to vote yourself a raise if you will benefit from it before the voters can toss you out for giving yourself a raise. Congress has the same limitations.

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While question #2 should be a vote on reducing the amount of city councilors permanently.

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Make your wallet the most important topic in the city. All of us residents appreciate it. Thank you!

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If the pay raise goes through, I'm running for City Council and my only platform point will be that I want to make as much money as Bill Linehan.

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For having a pulse and making vague-sounding promises every two years. Not too shabby, if you ask me.

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