The Boiling Point

First we learn that Transportation Secretary James Aloisi's sister is collecting $60,000 a year for allegedly doing no work. Then we find out that Massachusetts taxpayers have been footing a $14,000 weekly bill to keep eleven of Sal DiMasi's staffers on the books since he resigned in late January. Pay without work. What a sweet deal! (Compliments to The Boston Globe.) The former Speaker of the House supports paying his staffers, claiming through his lawyer, Thomas Kiley, that "[Their experience and knowledge] provide[s] continuity and the professionalism that is so necessary to the work of the Legislature. I am justifiably proud of the staff I assembled and it would be a shame were they all to be forced out of public service because of my personal decision." (March 20, "DeLeo to terminate DiMasi aides 'in relatively short order'" p.B3) Finally there's the new highly paid (try $175,000 a year) appointee, state senator and early supporter of Patrick, Marian Walsh, now assistant director of the Health and Education Facilities Authority, a job left unfilled for the past twelve years.

How much more abuse of the system are we going to put up with? How much more money are we willing to fork over to people doing no meaningful work? Considering the dire straits of many who are unemployed, why aren't we outraged, not necessarily at those politically connected individuals, but more to the point, at the politicians who are enabling and actively engaged in milking the trough of public monies until it runs dry, while at the same time, cutting funds where they are needed most, to the cities and towns across the Commonwealth?

Throw on top of all this, the Governor's response when questioned about Ms. Walsh's appointment to the previously vacant job. "One of the challenges in life is concentrating on the meaningful and letting the trivial take a back seat. And I sometimes feel like I'm in a profession now where that is completely upside down. We are trying to concentrate on what's meaningful." (March 20, "Patrick defends embattled Aloisi" p.B3)

What is "meaningful", Governor Patrick, is maintaining trust with the people who put you in office and respecting them enough to handle their money as though it were your own.

The Boston Globe, Friday, March 20, 2009, "DeLeo to terminate DiMasi aides 'in relatively short order'" by Andrea Estes, p.B3
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/20/deleo_to_terminate_dimasi_aides_in_relatively_short_order/

The Boston Globe, Friday, March 20, 2009, "Patrick defends embattled Aloisi" by Matt Viser, p.B3
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/20/patrick_defends_embattled_aloisi/

Boston Sunday Globe, March 22, 2009, "Will this House speaker get it right?" by Joan Vennochi, p.K9
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/03/22/will_this_house_speaker_get_it_right/