Massachusetts Mayors Endorse Setti Warren

Posted on June 19, 2011 by billmanzi

Eight Massachusetts Mayors have endorsed the candidacy of Newton Mayor Setti Warren for United States Senate. Mayor Warren is an outstanding candidate who understands the issues facing localities in Massachusetts. His resume and background, in my view, make him ideally suited for the job of Senator. Visit his website at www.settiwarren.com. Below is his press release on the endorsements.

Massachusetts Mayors Stand with Setti Warren

Newton, MA – Today, eight prominent mayors from around of the Commonwealth endorsed Setti Warren for U.S. Senate because they believe Mayor Warren best understands the challenges faced by their cities and towns and can best represent the interests of Massachusetts’ communities in the U.S. Senate. The mayors who have joined Setti’s campaign are:

Mayor Robert Dolan, Melrose

Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, Northampton

Mayor Thatcher Kezer, Amesbury

Mayor William Manzi, Methuen

Mayor Joe O’Brien, Worcester

Mayor James Ruberto, Pittsfield

Mayor Michael Tautznik, Easthampton

Mayor Lisa Wong, Fitchburg

Mayor Warren has dedicated his life to public service and has worked at all levels of government. He understands how effective and efficient government can positively impact our communities. In Newton, Mayor Warren saved the taxpayers eight million dollars over two tough budget cycles, while improving critical city services and making government more accountable to the residents. Setti is running for the U.S. Senate to bring the same type of leadership and common sense solutions to Washington.

“I am especially honored to receive the endorsement of so many of my colleagues and pledge that, if elected, I would be the strong federal partner they need,” said Mayor Warren. “Unfortunately, Scott Brown has not provided key leadership in the Senate. He has even voted against funding for police, firefighter, and teacher jobs in Massachusetts. As a U.S. Senator, I would work hard to bring critical investment dollars – in infrastructure, job creation, and education – to Massachusetts communities.”

Here is what some of the mayors endorsing Mayor Warren had to say about him and his candidacy:

“I know Mayor Warren well, and his record of results in Newton speaks for itself,” said Joe O’Brien, Mayor of Worcester. “As Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Committee on Community Development and Housing, he has been a strong advocate for greater partnership between local and federal government and would be the type of dynamic leader that Massachusetts communities need in the United States Senate.”

Thatcher Kezer, Mayor of Amesbury, said: “As a mayor and former military leader, Setti Warren understands the needs of everyday citizens of Massachusetts and demonstrates the necessary skills to put into action the changes we need from the federal government to better serve the residents of the Commonwealth.”

“Mayor Warren recently visited Pittsfield, and I know that he is committed to the economic development needs of Western Massachusetts,” said James Ruberto, Mayor of Pittsfield. “As a Mayor, he has a unique understanding of the type of infrastructure investments we need to support local communities in Massachusetts.”

“I’m enthusiastic about Setti’s campaign, because he understands what we’re going through as mayors,” said Michael Tautznik, Mayor of Easthampton. “He would be a terrific Senator for the people of Massachusetts.”

“Setti is a strong new leader for Massachusetts,” said Mary Clare Higgins, Mayor of Northampton. “In Newton, he has delivered results for residents, and I am sure he can bring the same type of dynamic problem solving to the U.S. Senate.”

“Mayor Warren understands what Massachusetts communities need right now,” said Lisa Wong, Mayor of Fitchburg. “I am confident that in the U.S. Senate he would be focused on economic development and job creation for our state.”

“Setti recently visited Methuen, and I am excited about his candidacy,” said William Manzi, Mayor of Methuen. “He is the type of strong and straight forward leader that Massachusetts needs in the United States Senate.”

Posted in Methuen, National News, State News | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Gingrich Collapse

Posted on June 11, 2011 by billmanzi

The rather abrupt collapse of the Newt Gingrich candidacy this past week can’t be too much of a surprise in light of his problems as a candidate from day one, but it should offer lessons to candidates for office at all levels. Gingrich has had problems from day one, including a botched roll out, his disaster on Meet the Press, and now the mass resignations of his entire campaign staff. The collapse came much faster than even Newt detractors guessed it would, with the reports indicating a flawed candidate badly out of touch with what it takes to mount a credible campaign for President.

Gingrich, as he started the campaign, was known to all as a man lacking discipline. That lack of ability to stay on message was always considered to be a major potential liability. What was not readily apparent was Gingrich’s laziness as a campaigner. Nor was his unwillingness to commit to campaign fundamentals known to anyone, least of all his new Gingrich for President staff. Gingrich has rejected fundraising, leaving the campaign in financial tatters, unable to pay fees for voter lists and event entry in Iowa. He has rejected traditional campaigning, opting for a two week vacation cruise while his campaign stalled, refusing to commit to the ground game that had been the backbone of his own strategy. As he now prepares to soldier on Newt tells us that the campaign will not be built on a campaign devised by consultants. From the Washington Post:

“There is a fundamental strategic difference between the traditional consulting community and the kind of campaign I want to run,” Gingrich told reporters camped out Friday at his suburban Virginia house. “We’ll find out over the next year who’s right.”

Added Joseph DiSantis, one of his newly installed campaign spokesmen: “Going forward, we’re going to build a strategy around Newt, rather than fit Newt into a strategy.”

For all of you prospective candidates out there please learn from this imbecility. You have an egotistical candidate who does not wish to undertake campaign fundamentals, so he announces that the consulting community is wrong and he is right. The consulting community does not need defending here. Campaign strategies certainly can and do vary, and the consulting community has its fair share of strategists that have made serious errors in past campaigns. But the strategies being debated here are not subject to debate. You don’t go on a two week vacation in the middle of a campaign when you should be meeting voters and raising money to get out your message. You don’t refuse to do personal fundraising, and then spend campaign resources on charter flights when you cannot buy voter lists. Newt is one of those nightmare candidates who shuts off his ears when simple concepts he does not want to do are thrust upon him by consultants. It is not the consultants Newt. It is you. The end has not come formally, but it has come in reality. Goodbye Newt. After your formal withdrawal you will have plenty of time for shopping at Tiffany’s and extended cruises to Greece.

http://specials.washingtonpost.com/mv/embed/?title=Gingrich%20says%20he's%20still%20running&stillURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Frf%2Fimage_606w%2F2010-2019%2FWashingtonPost%2F2011%2F06%2F10%2FNational-Politics%2FVideos%2F06102011-55v%2F06102011-55v.jpg&flvURL=%2Fmedia%2F2011%2F06%2F10%2F06102011-55v.m4v&width=480&height=270&autoStart=0&clickThru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fpolitics%2Fgingrich-says-hes-still-running%2F2011%2F06%2F10%2FAGIeoIPH_video.html

Posted in National News | Tagged | 1 Comment

Pawlenty on the Economy

Posted on June 9, 2011 by billmanzi

Tim Pawlenty gave a major speech on the economy this month in which he made some major proposals on tax cuts, the deficit, and economic growth. Pawlenty had the speech critiqued by the Fact Checker over at the Washington Post, who gave Pawlenty “two Pinocchios” for some of the economic assumptions underpinning his policy goals. In particular the idea that you could achieve five percent growth for a sustained period of time is not borne out by history.

Pawlenty’s goal of 5 percent annual growth in the gross domestic product strikes us as rather ambitious. He essentially admits this when he notes that Ronald Reagan achieved 4.9 percent growth between 1983 and 1987 and that Bill Clinton achieved 4.7 percent growth between 1996 and 1999. Both of those results came after recessions. Pawlenty, who proposes dramatic cuts in taxes, does not note that Clinton’s stellar economic performance was achieved even though he raised taxes on the wealthy.

Of course Pawlenty blames health care price escalation on President Obama’s health care reform effort, even though the law does not take full effect until 2014. Another Pawlenty article of faith is that even with the steep cuts he proposes to tax rates revenue will come in at 18% of GDP. On that score I say show me. Paul Ryan has struggled to answer that same question, and the stock answer seems to be that revenue will come in that way regardless of tax rates because it always has. Hmmmm. The Wall Street Journal editorial page generally liked the Pawlenty approach, but they are not afraid to show their true colors when it comes to deficit reduction.

More problematic is Mr. Pawlenty’s endorsement of a balanced budget amendment. Leave aside that changing the Constitution is (rightly) a very heavy political lift, and that short-term deficits can be useful, as in the 1980s to finance the defense buildup that helped to end the Cold War. The more fundamental problem is that a balanced budget rule can easily become an excuse to raise taxes, as it often has at the state level. Mr. Obama would gladly balance the budget at 24% of GDP, or more.

The Journal editorial page has always shunted aside deficit concerns in favor of tax cutting. They are also not afraid to call for huge spikes in certain federal spending that they feel important, as long as it is done with borrowed money. See the support for military spending cited above. The Journal’s editorial slant is the real Republican position, but those Republicans in Congress cannot be so upfront about their lack of real concern for deficit reduction. They advocate “deficit reduction”, but in reality it is not a true policy goal for them. More tax cuts hidden in deficit reduction packages that do not actually solve our debt problem is the real goal. Tim Pawlenty has decided to sell Republican primary voters what they want to here, rather than telling the truth. Read the Scott Lehigh column on Pawlenty’s proposals here.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/assets/swf/CSPANPlayer.swf?pid=299911-1

Posted in National News | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Rollins and Bachmann Take on Palin

Posted on June 8, 2011 by billmanzi

Republican campaign advisor Ed Rollins, freshly in place as chief strategist for Michelle Bachmann, used multiple talk show appearances to kick around Sarah Palin. From Politico:

“Sarah has not been serious over the last couple of years,” he said. “She got the vice presidential thing handed to her, she didn’t go to work in the sense of trying to gain more substance, she gave up her governorship.”

“Michele Bachmann and others [have] worked hard,” he said. “She has been a leader of the Tea Party which is a very important element here, she has been an attorney, she has done important things with family values.”

Rollins appears to feel the need to separate Bachmann from Palin, even in the absence of a Palin candidacy. I am not quite sure of the strategy, from Bachmann’s perspective, as she appears to be feeding from the same base. But what do I know? Pat Buchanan, on Morning Joe, expressed the same reservation about the Rollins comments. And pro-Palin blogs reacted:

Aides to Palin didn’t respond to inquiries about Rollins’ comments, but a writer on the blog that serves as her supporters’ main voice, Conservatives4Palin, demanded that the Minnesota congresswoman “either affirm her support for the long-time beltway fossil’s idiotic comments…or refudiate them.”

Such good sport! Rollins is rolling the dice, and with these two going at each other Mitt Romney just keeps raising money, building organization, and showing Republicans that he can be a serious competitor to President Obama. Mitt has got to love it. Another day goes by without someone asking him his position on Medicare.

Posted in National News | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Methuen Health Care Deal Announced

Posted on June 7, 2011 by billmanzi

I was very happy to report a health care deal yesterday with Methuen’s Section 19 Coalition, which includes representatives of all city unions. It is a one year contract (FY12) which continues the substantial changes we enacted in Methuen in FY11. The contract continues our plan as local, and includes a premium increase of 4.6% for our employees. Retirees will see a decrease of 18% in their premiums. Additionally the City, through the strength of our program enacted last year, has offered on a one year basis a HRA that provides a 35% front end benefit for employees that will assist them in dealing with the much larger deductibles that this plan features. Methuen’s City Council ratified the plan last night. My thanks to Donna Gogas of the Methuen Teachers, Tim Sheehy from Methuen’s Firefighters, and all the other unions that participated in the negotiations. It is a good contract for both employee and taxpayer.

Posted in Methuen, Municipal Finance | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Janice Michienzi is the June Artist of the Month

Posted on June 4, 2011 by billmanzi

Mayor William M. Manzi has named Janice Michienzi as June’s Artist of the Month. Janice was born and raised in Methuen. Her maiden name is Mendonsa. She graduated from Tenney High School and attended Bon Secours Hospital and Northeastern University’s Radiologic Technology Program. She went on to work for several Merrimack Valley orthopedic surgeons and radiologists and had a full career as a radiologic /mammographic technologist. She married and had two children, Jason and Jana.

Janice became interested in art in her mid 20’s and has been painting ever since, when time allowed. She learned oil painting first and then went on to acrylics and now is back to mainly painting in oils. Since she retired, she has been able to devote more time to the leisurely enjoyment of painting and has joined The Arts Institute Group of the Merrimack Valley and the Greater Salem Artists Association. She has also painted with and shown her art at DeClerck Gallery in Plaistow, NH under the direction of Nicole Murray. Her art will also be included in the Sky’s The Limit Art Show at Mann’s Orchard on June 11 & 12.

Mayor Manzi stated, “I’d like to personally thank Janice for her participation in this program. She is one of the many talented painters working in our community. It is an honor to display her paintings. I encourage people to come to my office and view her work.”

The Methuen Artist of the Month Program was created by Mayor Manzi five years ago in order to give members of the Methuen Arts Community a forum to display their work and to encourage participation in Methuen’s growing creative economy. Methuen artists interested in being considered for Artist of the Month should contact the Mayor’s Office.

Janice Michienzi is artist of the month

Posted in Methuen | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The President on the Auto Industry

Posted on June 4, 2011 by billmanzi

With jobs in the news President Obama has been eager to talk about the new found success of the American auto industry. He visited Ohio to highlight the fact that the American auto industry is back to being profitable after the financial crisis nearly wiped out the Big Three. I am quite sure that he will be reminding some of the folks in Ohio and Michigan that the Republicans were firmly opposed to assisting the U.S. auto industry. No question that the President’s actions saved about a million American jobs and spared us the ignominy of not having a domestic auto industry, but the Republicans still remain opposed to the actions taken by President Obama (and President Bush) I have to say that the criticism has been somewhat muted, with Mitt Romney claiming he was against the help before he was for it. (Or was it the other way around?) A potent issue in the industrial midwest, where the President will need help in 2012. I think the words from Republican Pat Buchanan on the American auto industry highlight the critical importance to the United States of a viable auto sector.

When workers, execs, engineers, dealers, salesmen and suppliers are all factored in, the Big Three employ 3 million people who contribute $21 billion a year to Social Security and Medicare, and $25 billion in federal income taxes. Add in all the businesses that depend on the auto industry, and we are talking about one-tenth of the U.S. labor force.

As columnist Tom Piatak of Chronicles and Takimag.com writes, 850,000 retirees, and their families, depend for pensions and health care on the Big Three. If they go under, the burden falls on us.

And to let the auto industry die is to write America out of much of the economic future of the planet.

So the President, in my opinion, has a good political story to tell on the Big Three automakers. But the job numbers released yesterday were not good news politically, with job growth below expectations, and unemployment still over 9%. The fact that two million jobs have been created in the last fifteen months (as opposed to the massive monthly job losses occurring when he took office) will not be enough to help the President politically. The Republicans teed off on him on that front yesterday, and will likely continue that drumbeat while the unemployment rate stays above 8%. Aside from some talk about “restoring confidence” and tax cutting for upper earners and corporations I have not heard anything from Republicans that leads me to believe they have a cogent plan for job creation. The “confidence fairy” talked about by Paul Krugman will not be creating demand anytime soon.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Mitt Romney In the Race

Posted on June 2, 2011 by billmanzi

Mitt Romney formally declared his intention to run for President, launching his campaign with a full throttle attack on President Obama in New Hampshire. Romney branded Obama a failure, and touted his own ability to provide a better economic future for the nation. Romney continued to paint the picture with the broadest possible strokes, opting for optimism and Republican orthodoxy on small government and free markets as opposed to anything remotely specific. He has steadfastly managed, up to this point, to avoid getting tangled up in the problems that have befallen other Republican contenders, concentrating on raising money and building a nationwide organization. His time has been well spent, and he has to be considered the Republican front-runner based on his clear advantages in those areas. The Democrats seem to think so, as they released a video attacking Romney as he comes out of the gate. Interesting comparison of Romney’s speech to Ronald Reagan’s 1980 announcement speech by Chris Cillizza over at the Washington Post. Of course Mitt was greeted on the right by Sarah Palin, who emphasized Tea Party opposition to health care mandates, no matter at what level of government, and pointedly reminded Governor Romney that he will have a ” big challenge” to win Tea Party votes. Of course Sarah took pains to say that she was not attempting to “step on” the Romney announcement. Of course she wasn’t. Now that he is formally in Romney will eventually have to offer up some policy detail eventually. That is when some of that shine may begin to fade.

Posted in National News | Tagged | 2 Comments

Methuen's Memorial Day Service

Posted on May 30, 2011 by billmanzi

Methuen’s Memorial Day service was held today. It was an honor to have Gold Star Mother Celeste Vicente and Gold Star Grandfather Russ Currier on hand to remember and honor Marine Cpl. David Vicente and Marine Pfc. Eric Currier. Thank you to all of our veterans. Your service and sacrifice has allowed us to remain a free people. Thanks to the American Legion and the VFW for all of their hard work to make the parade a success.

Posted in Methuen | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Medicare: You Reap……

Posted on May 29, 2011 by billmanzi

Quite a thing to hear Republicans complaining about Democratic demagoguery on Medicare. It is even more astounding to hear them step up and demand that Democrats actually participate in the debate, and act all grown up and responsible. Yes the Republicans seem shocked that political points are being scored at their expense over this issue. How the world turns. Lets look at the objective facts (as I seem them)

1) The Republicans are right when they say that Medicare is in trouble. The numbers are clear, and they are likely to get worse with additional cost inflation and an aging population.

2) Republicans point to the fact that even if you applied a 100% tax on top earners that you could not solve the deficit problem. They are right.

3) Republicans use point #2 to put forward the theory that as we develop solutions to the Medicare problem that all of the pain should be inflicted on those least able to take more pain. Top earners should be given additional tax cuts as we demand that elderly and poor shoulder increased health care cost burdens. Republican shared sacrifice means that pain will be shared in the middle and at the bottom of the wage structure. We are on the Titanic, and the lifeboats are in the water. Republicans urge that millionaires and corporations board the lifeboats first.

4) Without health care cost containment and reform then the entire system is likely in for real trouble, with draconian solutions being forced after a financial crisis. Whether you agree with President Obama on health care or not it is safe to say that Republicans were absent in that debate, and chose to sit on the sidelines and demagogue. They were successful politically, but I do not recall ONE Republican proposal that would have answered the question of how you provide universal coverage, and how you contain costs that are crushing us financially. Spare me the buying insurance across state lines canard.

Yes it is time for an adult conversation about health care, and yes entitlement reform needs to be a part of the solution. But, as Dana Milbank points out in his great column on this subject, Ryan needs to grow up too.

Speaking on the House floor in 2009, he said the Democrats’ health-care legislation would “take coverage away from seniors,” “raise premiums for families” and “cost us nearly 5.5 million jobs.” Later, he said the health plan would bring about government “rationing” of health care. He also labeled the plan “a government takeover of our healthcare system,” claimed America was at a “tipping point” toward a “European social welfare state,” and gave a wink to the “death panel” allegations. His suggestion that the legislation would result in the IRS getting “16,000 agents” to police the health-care law was knocked down as “wildly inaccurate” by Factcheck.org.

Much has been made of the Bill Clinton-Paul Ryan “chat” where Clinton says he hopes the Democrats do not take the New York 26th win as a signal to do nothing. I do agree, but simply allowing Republicans to score points on health care and refuse to come up with solutions while we force major structural changes on future Medicare recipients does not strike me as bargaining in good faith. Lets work together for solutions on health care, for a failure to do so means financial calamity.

Read “The Hill” story on Medicare.

http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt_2_65.swf

Posted in Health Care Reform, National News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment