From "Gone Galt" at telegram.com

It's been over two decades since Worcester adopted its current form of government.

The main change in structure was the guarantee that every area of the city would have representation through district councilors. The other was a peculiar way of electing a limited-in-scope Mayor, a process far too convoluted to tackle so I'll limit this discussion to the district councilors.

My contention is they should be eliminated. Here is the argument:

1) Geographic Equality

When the Charter was changed the West Side had a monopoly on City Councilors.
Over time, the political axis has shifted. There are now at-large councilors from every corner of town.

2) Lack of Turnover

It is well-known there hasn't been a lot of turnover in district councilors. Very few have been unseated and one has represented his district since the Charter was enacted.

3) Too easily elected with same power

Let's talk democracy for a moment. One person, one vote, etc. and ponder this question: Why should someone who is elected with a couple thousand votes have the equivalent voting power as an office holder who has gained the trust of over ten thousand?

4) Serve self-interest/special-interest not residents

With fewer votes needed to get elected, a candidate can win on the whim of a single interest group or large money donor. Remember, it only takes a few thousand votes to get a seat. Chump change for experienced political organizers.

For the complete blog, click here:

http://cf.telegram.com/submissions/blogs.cfm?record_id=706929

From: Telegram.com   Gone Galt

"You'll never guess what went on here the other day."

"What, did Hoover show up again?"

"No, there was a meeting of the Mayor's Business Task Force or something like that and all hell broke loose."

"What happened?"

"First, there were all these questions about dress code. You can't imagine what passes for a businessman these days. Car salesmen in jeans. Women that look like something out of Woodstock. The Mayor running around like he owns the place. But it gets better."

"What, What?"

"This guy who said he was from the Village of Piedmont barged in and made a scene. He was either complaining about HUD or demanding a Bud, I'm not sure."

"So what happened next?"

"Well, they escorted him out but get this. We start towards the back and there's this big racket. The parking lot is filled with what looks like a band of gypsies dancing around holding signs with a stereo system blasting from a shopping cart. The police had to come and move them along."

"That's nuts. I'll tell you we wouldn't let this kind of stuff happen in the old days."

"Hey, what can you do? It's the price you pay to play ball. There's a lot of dough to be made if you go along."

For the complete "Back at the Worcester Club" click below:

http://cf.telegram.com/submissions/blogs.cfm?record_id=682298

from "Gone Galt" blog at Telegram.com

"Look, things have changed. When we had our shops going, guys like us ran things. We decided who stayed in business and who went broke. Which organizations took care of the poor and which ran out of dough. Now, it's all government: government this, government that. Regulations up the rear end; it takes a different type of person to deal with that."

"I'll say, did you hear the latest from the Mayor?"

"Don't get me started. We used to have guys who'd play ball, Tinsley, now there was someone you could work with. Levy, he used to sell vacuum cleaner bags door-to-door and then looked what happened. He knew who buttered his toast. Anderson and that gal, Robertson, they had class, you could bring them to the club and not be embarrassed."

more "Gone Galt" at....

Gone Galt

direct link to "Overheard at the Worcester Club"

http://cf.telegram.com/submissions/blogs.cfm?record_id=640660