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Heroes & Bozos Last month the legislature took up a measure to allow parents in Massachusetts a $1,000 tax deduction for sports and other school fees paid to their city or town. North Andover State Representative David Torrisi (Bozo) voted against parents receiving the tax break. *** At last month's Andover Town Meeting the right of public participation was usurped when a rule was passed limiting speakers to no more than five minutes at the microphone. With the entire Board of Selectmen and School Committee assembled, there were no objections to the arbitrary time limit. With $114 million dollars on the line and several contentious issues on the town warrant, some issues merit more than five minutes of debate and discussion. Yet, the elected leaders of the Town of Andover sat by granting tacit consent to the rule and proceeded to allow the town moderator to rudely cut off several members of the public in mid-sentence. *** But if the elected officials of Andover are to be deemed Bozo's this month, so too are the people who attended town meeting. On the first night alone, the $114 million budget figure was passed in little more than an hour with no questions at all from the audience. Perhaps it is true that we get the government we deserve. When the people are not willing to question even one item in the school or municipal budget totaling $114 million, it is a sign that someone is not paying attention! *** North Andover Selectman Mark Caggiano took the oath of office and swore to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States as well as the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Yet, Caggiano now has broken that oath of office by advocating that the town clerk in North Andover break the law and marry out of state homosexuals because he personally disagrees with the law. Well, if Mr. Caggiano, wants to advocate such things as a private citizen he has every right to do so. But as an elected official he is breaking his oath of office. We suggest that Mr. Caggiano resign from the Board of Selectman and take up the cause of law breaking on his own time. *** Kudos to Lawrence School Committee members Amy McGovern and Jim Vittorioso who voted against spending education dollars on a trip to Florida for the National School Board Association's annual get together near Walt Disney World. Neither of them attended the out of state junket. Michael Sweeney, who attended the conferences in Florida last month paid for his own air fare, materials and travel expenses also deserves Kudos for not billing the taxpayers. Mayor Michael Sullivan, School Comm-itteemen Carlos Ramos, Jorge Gonzalez and Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy deserve to be on the Bozo list this month for frivolously expending our children's educational resources. The Valley Patirot will be Paying attention next year when the NSBA conference will be held in New Orleans. *** The non-partisan National
Taxpayers Union (NTU) just released its 2003 annual
Rating of Congress. The House had an average score of 45%
and the Senate, 47%. The Rating is based on every
roll call vote affecting fiscal policy (287 House and 269
Senate votes), and assigns a “Taxpayer Score”
to each Member of Congress that indicates his commitment
to reducing or controlling federal spending, taxes, debt
and regulation. The lower the score, the worse the
rating. So how do you think our own Massachusetts
Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy scored? Kerry
had a dismal 14 percent rating and was given a grade of
“F”. Kennedy wasn’t much better with
a low 17 percent rating and another “F”.
Remember, the average for the Senate was 47 percent.
Taking a look at how our Massachusetts Congressmen
Marty Meehan and John Tierney fared. Meehan only
scored a paltry 22 percent and earned an “F”
for his efforts. Tierney didn’t do much
better, with 24 percent and another “F”. What a
bunch of Bozos! Send your questions
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