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Councilors could vote to extend their terms in office
By adamg on Tue, 03/29/2016 - 10:44pm
UPDATE: The council put off action on the proposals until next week.
The City Council tomorrow considers a measure under which councilors' terms would increase from two to four years.
Backers of the measure, which would need an act of the legislature, say it would save the city roughly $800,00 every two years and would increase turnout by tying the elections to that of mayor.
In a separate vote, councilors will consider another home-rule petition that would ban candidates from running for more than one office at a time. In 2013, Charles Yancy ran for both mayor and city councilor.
The council's regular meeting begins at noon in its fifth-floor chambers in City Hall.
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Comments
For the love of God
My state rep, state senator, and Congressman all stand for election every 2 years yet life goes on.
If the City Council think they are above being as answerable to the voters as a member of Congress is, they should all be replaced. Or better yet, just abolish the body altogether and save every year.
Keep Councilors responsive.
Keep 2 year terms for Boston City Councilors. Keep Councilors responsive.
Maybe it would be smart for
Maybe it would be smart for the council to pump the breaks a bit seeing as they JUST voted themselves pay raises.
ugh
How about a better idea... move city elections to the same time as other elections (i.e. State, presidential). That would save money.
Looks like they just don't wanna give up power and calling it a "cost saving measure" but can we really afford to have longer terms for people like Linehan or some of these old cronies that should be sent to greener pastures.
City councilors want to keep
City councilors want to keep elections in odd years so that they can run for state/federal office in even years without resigning their seat. When Stephen Murphy was a councilor, he ran for everything.
The real way the government can save money is by using ranked-choice voting in a general election, instead of holding an expensive preliminary election to thin out the field.
Abolish the council already.
Abolish the council already. They do nothing but suck up to the mayor and have ceded almost all their powers to unelected unaccountable bureaucratic entities like the BRA. Let's just be honest and drop the pretending that the government of the Athens of America is anything but a classic Greek tyranny. The people only have a say in the rare instance when the tyrant steps down to pick the next tyrant.
They used to be bicameral !
They used to be bicameral !
https://archive.org/search.php?query=boston%20city%20council%20aldermen
It's a home-rule petition, so
It's a home-rule petition, so needs the state to approve it. The Legislature will never pass this. Fear not.
I'm fine with four year terms
I'm fine with four year terms. Two-year terms mean you're running for reelection more than working.
But it should come with moving all elections to align with presidential elections for maximum turnout. And having many fewer elected offices overall. I have at least 23 elected officials representing me in various levels of government. That's absurd.
hahahaha
Working? If by working you mean $300 campaign funded steak lunch at Ruths Chris "with constituents" and then bombing down to NYC for a $2,000 weekend for a "conference", I think they find time to "work" as is.
Let's see how hard these guys work....we'll take Frank Baker for example. His rigorous schedule included a difficult trip to Ireland back in Oct, which cost his campaign fund (thanks donors!), $616 for airfare, $500 for lodging, and another $2,700 for :"airfare and lodging". How can one find time to campaign when they're working that hard??
Four years is better than two
when averaging a city Pension benefit.
How about they make
How about they make themselves a part time body instead?
That sounds fair
Double the term but keep the pay per term the same.
Update the Boundary Streets of Boston Wards/Precincts !
Update the Boundary Streets of Boston Wards/Precincts !
http://bostonwardsprecincts.blogspot.com