Grace Ross: Giving Up On Government

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Grace Ross, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

“You must be a criminal.” To my knowledge, I am not. But this was probably the most direct comment I received (this from an older woman) when I was running for office a few years ago. But it reflected a sense I frequently picked up when I was running, and the situation has only gotten worse.

My sense when talking to folks on the ground these days all the time is that everybody has given up hope on government; in general, folks assume all elected officials to have their hands in the till in one way or another. In fact, because of this general felt sense among the public, the most disappointment fall-out is that in asking people who are deeply passionate about their concerns about their community I have found all of them to say they would never consider running for office! But who would be better for representing their community than someone who’s passionate and caring about their community?

Now a new response has developed that may provide some new hope.

Even though having given up on government like others, many of those activists who spent their lives working on policy issues have not given up on our ability to create change in government itself. They have given up on elected officials – well most of them, enough so that something unique has just happened in Massachusetts.

Many of you have been approached by somebody with a clipboard and a white sheet of paper asking you to sign their petition to put a question on the Massachusetts ballot for next November.

There are some states like California where there are a million “initiative petitions” as they’re called, referendums, where the voters vote on a law instead of taking it to their state legislature and Governor to decide/

But now, Massachusetts’ next November ballot looks like it will be filled with referendum questions. Although we won’t know the final count on who’s gotten enough signatures it looks right now like we’re going to have more questions on the ballot than we’ve had in my living memory.

Related Slideshow: Worcester Municipal Elections 2013: The Winners

The results are in. Joseph Petty retained his seat as Councilor-At-Large, and will remain Mayor of New England's second largest city. Let's take a look at the rest of the Worcester City Council following the completion of the Municipal Election.

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Mayor & Councilor-At-Large

Joseph M. Petty

Votes Received: 8,854 Mayor, 8,451 Councilor-At Large

Mayor Joseph M. Petty was elected to his ninth two-year term as Councilor-At-Large and his second term as Mayor of the City of Worcester. He is a graduate of Holy Name Central Catholic High School in Worcester, studied at Nichols College in Dudley, and received a law degree from New England School of Law in Boston.

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Councilor-At-Large

Kate Toomey

Votes Received: 8,133 (13.80%)

Councilor Toomey was elected to her fifth term, earning the second most At-Large votes. She has served as Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Works, which considers all matters pertaining to streets, water, sewers, sanitation, recycling, snow removal and the construction of public buildings.

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Councilor-At-Large

Morris A. Bergman

Votes Received: 6,768 (11.49%)

The newly-elected Bergman is a practicing lawyer, a former prosecutor for the Office of the District Attorney-Middle District-Worcester and a past two term member of the City of Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals.

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Councilor-At-Large

Konstantina B. Lukes

Votes Received: 6,520 (11.07%)

Councilor Lukes served as Mayor of Worcester from 2007-2009, and is serving her twelfth two-year term as a Councilor-At-Large.She also served four two-year terms as a member of the Worcester School Committee.

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Councilor-At-Large

Rick C. Rushton

Votes Received: 5,720 (9.71%)

Councilor Rushton will return for a fourth term in the city council. He ha served as Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Economic Development, he which considers all matters pertaining to economic development, neighborhood development, housing development, marketing, workforce development, zoning, planning and regulatory services functions of the City and energy.

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Councilor-At-Large

Michael T. Gaffney

Votes Received: 5,607 (9.52%)

Attorney Michael Gaffney was elected to his first term on the Worcester City Council. He is one of two newcomers to the council

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District 1 Councilor

Tony J. Economou

Votes Received: 2,464 (59.64%)

Councilor Economou will return to his District 1 seat for a second term. He has served as Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Traffic & Parking,which considers all matters pertaining to traffic and parking ordinances and off street parking facilities.

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District 2 Councilor

Philip P. Palmeiri

Votes Received: 1,119 (55.84%)

Councilor Palmeiri will return to his District 2 seat for a seventh term. He has served as Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Service & Transportation,which considers all matters pertaining to cable television and telecommunications, public transportation, street lighting, taxis and liveries.

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District 3 Councilor

George J. Russell

Votes Received: 1,454 (100.00%)

Councilor Russell ran uncontested, allowing him to retain his District 3 seat for a second term. He has served as Chairperson of the Standing Committe on Rules & Legislative Affairs, which initiates and reviews proposals for amendments to the rules of the City Council and any other matters affecting or determining the conduct of the City Council meetings.

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District 4 Councilor

Sarai Rivera

Votes Received: 1,100 (100.00%)

Councilor Rivera ran uncontested, and will be serving her second term as District 4 Councilor. She has served as Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Youth, Parks & Recreation, which considers all matters involving youth, parks, playgrounds, recreation activities and Hope Cemetery.

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District 5 Councilor

Gary Rosen

Votes Received: 2,289 (54.08%)

Gary Rosen returns to the City Council after defeating incumbent William Eddy. Rosen had previously served five terms on the School Committee and three terms in the City Council.

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Gaming Proposals on the Ballot

Municipal ballot initiatitives in other regions of the state may have implications local to Central Massachusetts. Voters weighed in on proposals for casions in East Boston and Palmer on Tuesday.

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Palmer

Voters in the Western Massachusetts community of Palmer narrowly rejecting a bid by Mohegan Sun to build a resort casino in town.

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East Boston and Revere

Even though voters in Revere approved the construction of a casino at Suffolk Downs, East Boston voted against the proposal. Support from both communities was needed before the venue could formally apply for a license with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.