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By Paul Oauvin
Charter objection forces
council to mull advice
before budget vote
It isn't surprisingthat Barnstable'shigh-
est paid public employee would want more
-not for himself, but for his department.
Thus, Barnstable's$171,000 police chief
stood before the Town Council last week
to lament some $1 million-plus in dwin-
dling federal and state grants and other
reductions from his requested budget in
a time of rising gasoline, utility and other
fixed costs.
Armed with a hit list of possible police
programsheadingfor extinction or curtail-
ment if his funding requests aren't met,
the chief made a plea to the council for
restoration of capital that Town Manager
John Klimm had pared from the budget
to meet his fiduciary obligations to the
community.
Several councilors took note that only
police "programs"were being targeted for
cuts by the chief,no personnel or other ere-
ative reductions, and wondered aloud why
other options weren't being considered ,
such as using more volunteers or reviving
the auxiliary police program, giving the
chief something to consider.
It might have been simply another case
of adepartment head producing adramatic
display, as does the school board , of woe-
is-me disappointment in funding. But
unfortunately for the chief, his was but a
side show at a three-ring circus of legisla-
tive contention that prompted Councilor
Janice L. Barton to caustically note the
council could use some help from the high
school civics class.
None of the council confusion was
founded onbudget cuts,police programs or
which department gets what. "It'sstrictly
a town council issue,' claims Councilor
James Munafo, the council'sliaison to the
town's Comprehensive Financial Advisory
Committee (CFAC).
Background:The CFAChad been asleep-
ing giant for some time when Councilor
Hank Farnham announced as he became
president last year that he thought the
CFACshould play abigger role in advising
the council.
He wanted that body of citizens to be
the council's extra eyes and ears during
the budget process, then to report its
views and findings to assist the council in
making the best budget decisions for the
town. It sounds logical, albeit most coun-
cilors express faith in the town manager,
finance director Mark Milne and others on
the Klimm budget team.
However, the CFAC report didn't reach
councilors until just before last week's
public hearing, prompting some council-
ors, such as vice president Janet Joakim,
to want to forge ahead with the process
without digesting CFAC'sadvice.As avote
was being taken to do that , Munafo, who
is the council's liaison to the CFAC, put
in play the little used "charter objection ,"
forcing council budget action to the next
meeting and giving councilors the time to
read the CFAC report.
The council machinations underscored
the philosophical and political differences
onthat panel -ahealthy mixifviewed from
the bright side. For example, Munafo said
department heads should knowfederal and
state grants don't last forever and that he
for one wouldn't accept any.Grants arelike
old shoes: When they wear out, you have
to go barefooted. Councilor Ann Canedy
might agree that limited grants are too
often viewed as "entitlements" but she
wouldn't turn them down.
Klimm's $140 million budget has been
crafted to avoid the Big '0' -Override -in
the face of rising looming inflation. But
some councilors opined Thursday that
the chief, nicknamed by some as "General
Grant" for his department's grant writing
penchant , was pulling an end run around
the town manager, who has skinned many
a department budget this year.
"I didn't get that impression," Munafo
said, "but there is also a fiduciary respon-
sibility" to consider what the town can
afford.
"I think it would be disingenuous for
councilors to vote on budget matters
without reading the CFACreport,"Munafo
said. "I don't want to ever have to say I've
reviewed a complicated $140 million plan
without really having done it."
Councilors differ regarding the CFAC's
input. "But that's the difference between
actually reviewing the budget or just rub-
ber stamping it," Munafo contends.
Some councilors worry about voting the
budget on time. "What difference does that
make?" asks Munafo, "If we don't vote by
the deadline, it becomes law as is."
What's important to Farnham and Mu-
nafo, at least,isintegrating the CFACinto
the budget process. Despite the temporary
confusion, this year is a beginning.
By Richard Elrick
r.elrick@verizon.net
Deval Patrick -A
Different Kind of Leader
With the Massachusetts Democratic
Party Convention coming up next Friday
and Saturday in Worcester, former Clinton
Justii.e Department official Deval Patrick
is poised to win the nomination.
He is in that position because, unlike
the other candidates, he understood
early on the importance of developing a
grass roots campaign.
Attorney General Tom Reilly, the can-
didate favored by most of the Democratic
party insiders, got his clock cleaned in
his own home town at the February Cau-
cuses because he thought he was entitled
by his long tenure as an elected official
to be the next Democratic candidate for
governor.
Well, no one is entitled to the nomina-
tion. You have to earn it by convincing
voters that you have the best vision for
the future of the state, and that you have
the wisdom, honesty, and courage to lead
us to that vision. Alone among the candi-
dates, Deval Patrick is just such a person.
One of the most compelling parts to
Patrick's success has been his own per-
sonal story and how it has shaped his life.
Born on the south side of Chicago in ex-
treme poverty, he came to Massachusetts
in 1970 as a teenager on a scholarship to
Milton Academy.
As he tells the story, a teacher saw
something special in him, and it was her
caring and involvement that gave him
a chance for something different than
the ghetto life so many of his school
mates were destined to live. From Milton
Academy, he went on to become the first
in his family to attend college by going
to Harvard , and then to Harvard Law
School. Thereafter, he has worked in both
the public and private sectors by serving
as head of the Civil Rights Division under
President Clinton, and then as vice-presi-
dent and legal counsel for both Texaco
and Coca-C )la.
Indeed , it is his experience in both
government and business that sets
him apart from both Tom Reilly and
Chris Gabrieli, the other Democratic
candidates for governor. As a player in
the business world, Patrick knows how
business decisions are made and which
factors matter most. Having worked in
government , he also understands the role
of politics.
Knowing that Massachusetts is the
only state to have lost population in each
of the last two years, Patrick understands
that in order to slow that outward migra-
tion we must control the healthcare and
housing costs that make it so difficult for
workers to stay in Massachusetts.
Some of the many things candidate
Patrick has committed to implement-
ing in his first year in office to promote
business development are: cutting
energy costs and developing renewable
technologies by giving a fast track and
advantageous tax treatment to compa-
nies investing and creating jobs so that
Massachusetts becomes the renewable
energy center of the world; reducing the
permitting and regulatory hurdles busi-
nesses face; signing a pending economic
stimulus package into law; creating a
state-wide "WiFi" to guarantee wireless
Internet access from anywhere in the
state; reducing the number of working
poor by supporting the increase in the
minimum wage, and by promoting the
development of more multi-family hous-
ing units so workers have an affordable
place to live.
While having a plan to control housing
and healthcare costs and promote neces-
sary job creation is vital to the success of
any candidate for governor, other quali-
ties such as having the political courage
to propose politically unpopular ideas
should be just as important and valued
by the voters. Again, this is an area where
candidate Patrick stands head and shoul-
ders above the competition.
By announcing his support last sum-
mer for the Nantucket Sound wind farm,
and risking the loss of support by many,
he demonstrated an important willing-
ness to buck the status quo when he
believes it's the right thing to do.
On another pressing topic , Patrick also
showed his willingness to run against the
politically correct by saying it would be
a fiscal mistake to immediately roll back
the state income tax from 5.3 percent
to 5 percent. Yes,no one wants to pay
an additional penny in taxes, but on the
other hand , cities and towns demand
more local aid. and particularly here on
the Cape, people want to see the state's
share of funding for local education in-
crease. Our roads, bridges and the rest of
CONTINUED ON PAGE A:11
From the\£F\
LETTERS
Crocker's no napper
The reference by Gary Lopez, Sr. rela-
tive to the recent COMM water district
election was very revealing. He said "we
needed to catch Crocker napping."The
reason Jim Crocker has so much support
from his Osterville constituents is that he
doesn't often "nap;" he's an ardent worker
and somehow this seems to threaten some
council members and apparently others in
the COMM water district.
If a possible candidate for Jim's position
didn't want to work hard enough to make
a public challenge and only hoped to win
by catching him "napping," that person
would hardly be suitable for aposition that
requires much time and effort if he or she
is to be an effective official. Opportunists
usually aren't terribly successful persons
and this was probably a good example.
M.L. Williams
Osterville
What were columnists motives?
Iamwritinginresponse toMichaelDaley's
article titled "Councilors can't shift burden
of decisions" appearing in the May 19"'
Patriot. Mr. Daley states that the current
councilors, especially the leadership, can't
make decisions, opting instead to farm
work out to committees. While I agree with
Mr. Daley that it would be easier if we had
a dictatorship, the reality is, there are 13
different personalities and agendas to deal
with on the council.Add to that addressing
the interests and opinions of thousands of
residents, and things take time to get done
in government.
Barnstableisfortunat eto have about 250
dedicated volunteers who serve our 40+
boards,committeesand commissions.Those
groups allhave responsibilitiesasdelineated
inthe town'sAdministrativeCode.Isuggest
Mr. Daley review the Administrative Code
for the Comprehensive Financial Advisory
Committee (CFAC).As Daley stated in his
article,Ididinfact askthat CFACreviewthe
town'sannualcapital budget and operating
budget this year.
CFAC's review of the budget with the
council is required in the town's Adminis-
trative Code, but that review has not been
done in years. When I became president, I
pushed to make sure that CFAC does their
job and that the council benefits from their
work. CFAC is the town council's finance
committee designed to help the council do
a better iob reviewine th? budeet items.
Daley'scute commentthat CFACishunting
for fat whichcouldn't be found isdisappoint-
ing,but that isnot CFAC'smission.CFAC's
role is advisors to the town council.
Asto the rentalhousingordinance,adop-
tion of that has far-reaching implications
on hundreds of people, neighborhoods and
businesses.Whileit hastakentimeto create
a final ordinance for council action, I am
pleased that town staff has been diligent
holding workshops to craft an ordinance
that will be workable and solve a serious
problem of overcrowding that is plaguing
neighborhoods across town. Not rushing
into a quick solution was the right thingto
do in this case.
Mr. Daley has made a handsome living
as a governmental consultant, including
as a contractor to the Town of Barnstable.
I can understand his actions to protect
the hand that feeds him, so to speak. He
makes some preposterous statements in
his article, attacking the council president
andvicepresident. Could hisproblems with
the councilvice president go back to earlier
school disagreements?
If Mr. Daley admits that he is still plan-
ning on running for the town council from
Precinct 11,I'llbetter understand the nature
ofhisattacks on me -apossible opponent of
his. If not, I ask him to be fair and factual in
his comments regarding the councilors.
Hank Farnham
Barnstable Town Council President
Precinct 11
West Barnstable
The advantages of infant formula
I was sorry to see 77ie Barnstable Patriot
republish Rep. Matt Patrick'spress release
on his campaign to eliminate coupons and
samples of baby formula from gift bags
given to new mothers, which is far from a
new program.
When this ban first arose, I called and
wrote aletter tothe Citizen'sRepresentative
on the Public Health Council. In 1973,while
Patrick wasin Ghana forming abad opinion
of Nestle and other corporations because
he saw poor African women watering down
formula for their babies,Iwasanewmother
in poor financial circumstances. I was also
a grand mal epileptic taking medications
whichprecluded mefrom everbreastfeeding.
The same wastrue when I had mylast child
in 1983. My situation was far from unique.
CONTINUED ON PAGE A:12
By Steve Tefft
stevetefft@yahoo.com
Immigration Blues
The late Alabama Governor George Wallace
was right about the Republicans and Demo-
crats, at least when it comes to solving illegal
immigration: there ain't a dime's worth of differ-
ence between 'em.
The Democrats evidently have no ideas about
the problem , choosing instead to criticize what
they don't like about Republican ideas ... most
of which are awful.
Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid recently
labeled an amendment to designate English
America's official language "racist" because it
was "directed basically to people who speak
Spanish." No kidding, Harry. When was the last
time a voice mail menu asked you to "press 2 for
Italian"?
The Senate, controlled by Republicans ,
defeated a measure to deny Social Security ben-
efits to illegals, even if the illegals accumulated
those benefits illegally. What part of the word
"illegal" do they not understand?
President Bush, a politician badly in need of a
winning issue, stubbornly clings to his romantic
notion of granting "guest worker" visas to illegal
aliens while half of his own party - and. evident-
ly, more than half of the nation - wants no part
of the idea.
And the immigration bill under consideration
by the Senate actually extends prevailing-wage
protection to ALL temporary "guest workers,"
which is more protection than American work-
ers get.
It's truly puzzling. Our elected representa-
tives have repeatedly proven themselves, al-
most without exception, to be tripwire sensitive
to the latest public opinion samplings. Show
them a poll, and they 'll show you an opinion tai-
lored to that poll. Remember how quickly they
caved on the Dubai port s deal? And recall how
a recent former president even picked a vaca-
tion spot based on a poll.
This track record of knee-jerkiness makes
politicians ' current behavior on immigration
impossible to understand. Poll after survey after
questionnaire reveals an America that is fed up
with illegal immigration and wants it stopped
-or at least slowed— as soon as feasibly pos-
sible. If there ever were an issue on which our
elected leaders should follow the voice of the
people , it's immigration. Instead , most of them
act as if they live on another planet. Aliens,
indeed.
If our elected officials could use an infusion oi
spine, the pro-ulegalimmigration forces in the
streets could use a quick Dale Carnegie course.
Shutting down sections of large American cities
with marches featuring masses of people bran-
dishing Mexican flags is not a good way to win
friends and influence people. Nor is it endearing
for people who have crossed illegally into this
country to loudly make demands of the rest of
us.
But most of the jeers on illegal immigration
go, deservedly, to Congress and the president. If
they got really brave, they might propose a few
laws like these:
• Non-citizens would not be allowed to par-
ticipate in rallies or other political actions.
• Non-citizens would be forbidden from own-
ing land within 22 miles of a coastline, or certain
other properties without first renouncing al-
legiance to their original countries.
• Foreigners would be banned from holding
certain public offices , even if they became natu-
ralized citizens.
• Any immigrants who became naturalized
citizens would be stripped of that citizenship
if they chose to again reside in their country of
origin for 5 or more years.
Harsh? Not really. In fact , each of the above
proposals is already established practice. Each
is contained in the constitution of Mexico , so
ratified in 1917. That's how they treat their
immigrants. Yet America's alleged leaders are
afraid to take the most basic steps to make our
borders less permeable.
Here's my own crude, layman's proposal:
illegal immigrants may apply for future citizen-
ship on three conditions. They must get in line
behind those who are achieving citizenship the
right way; i.e.. following the law. They must
renounce their citizenship of other countries;
relocation to America must be based on a
wish to become an American. And they must
learn English. No more bilingual ballots, phone
menus, street signs, product labels or anything
else. This applies to immigrants from any and
all other countries (that should mollify Harry
Reid). Agree to those conditions, and only then
we can talk about citizenship.
But that should happen only after our borders
are secure. We must first turn off the spigot of
illegal immigration before considering what to
do with the millions of people who have already
broken into the big house called America.
FromtheRIGHT
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Be a volunteer.
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Emergency preparedness is
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