A RAW DEAL FOR QUINCY TAXPAYERS

Former Mayor Phelan’s Sweetheart Honeywell Deal

 PHELAN PUSHED THE NO-BID $66 MILLION DEAL THROUGH BEFORE THE 2007 ELECTION
 RESULT
MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS NOW INVESTIGATING
WHY

• Former Mayor Phelan paid HONEYWELL 70% of contract before November 2007 election
• Phelan’s deal gave Honeywell a 20 year maintenance contract.   That equates to $1 MILLION A YEAR.  Left Quincy essentially renting the equipment we bought. If we sever it, Honeywell is no long responsible for anything that goes wrong 
• Former Mayor Phelan DID NOT hire a Clerk of the Works to PROTECT QUINCY’S INTEREST
• The actual itemized sheets of the work to be done and the following four columns of information are in the attached pages, (the contract Former Mayor Phelan deal signed is over 150 pages. His signature can be found here.)                  

Here are a few examples:

BUILDING            COST                    ENERGY SAVINGS                   PAYBACK  TIME

BOILERS

ES = Elementary School

Wollaston ES        $1,064,036                   $8,349                                 127.4 years

Montclair ES         $1,060,446                   $5,495                                 193.0 years     

Atherton Hough ES $1,001,473                $13,608                                 73.6 years

Merrymount ES      $974,933                     $6,156                                 158.4 years

Wollaston Library    $369,964                     $536                                   690.2 years

ROOFS

Wollaston Library      $224,512                      $216                                  1,039.4 years

Bernazzani ES          $516,591                      $1,464                                352.9 years

Snug Harbor ES        $752,821                      $5,631                                133.7 years

Squantum ES           $318,853                      $3,272                                  97.4 years

WINDOWS

Fire HQ                     $161,523                     $1,274                                      126.7 years

Engine No. 2              $199.999                     $686                                        291.5 years

This week, we reached an agreement with our downtown development partners guaranteeing that 25 percent of all construction jobs on the $1.4 billion project will be set aside specifically for Quincy  residents. I cannot overstate the importance of this agreement for our City’s future, especially in the current climate.  This will mean more than 1,000 jobs for Quincy residents, the largest single infusion of job creation in Quincy history.  For the full story on the jobs agreement, click here.

We have much work remaining to finalize the full agreement on New Quincy Center, but we continue to make steady and real progress almost on a daily basis. 

Our opponent, however, continues to attack our downtown plans for some reason. He offers no real explanation or or any alternative vision, and I’d respectfully suggest that this is exactly the kind of leadership we cannot afford to go back to.

To catch the Mayor’s QATV show “Straight Talk”  at 8 p.m. on Thursday and replaying throughout the weekend.

Thank you to everybody who came out to hold a sign, check polls, drive voters, make phone calls and most importantly — voted!

It was a great victory won against the backdrop of the worst economic crisis in a generation, incumbent mayors losing in cities across Massachusetts, and an opponent who pulled out all the stops, including full use of personal attacks and dishonest tactics.  

We are now 2-0 against Bill Phelan, and we’re going for the sweep in November! We have plenty of work ahead, so please stay tuned and get involved if you can.

Thanks again!

Hi everyone, 

Let me first express my gratitude for the help and friendship of so many people.  I am truly blessed  to be part of such a wonderful community.

I cannot overstate the importance of Preliminary Day, Tuesday, September 22. Simply put: The Preliminary is every bit as important as the November election, and I respectfully ask for your vote. 

Our opponent is working hard spreading negative and dishonest attacks around the City, and we need to send a strong message that this will not stand.  Please take some time to speak to your family, friends and neighbors about the importance of the Preliminary.

If you or anyone in your family needs a ride to the polls, please call 617-773-KOCH (5624).   

Thank you!

The negative and dishonest attacks coming from the other side in this campaign continue  to mount, while Mayor Koch has talked openly and honestly about the issues facing the City. In an effort to show the pattern of spin and concealment that affects virtually every issue, we are releasing two small pieces of information on Bill Phelan’s $66 Million honeywell deal.

These documents relate to a payment that was made to Honeywell in 2007, but never included in any budget, never approved by the City Council, and kept off the City’s  books until Mayor Koch took office.   Found here is the page from the Powers and Sullivan independent audit, which says in part that the payment was “intentionally left off the cash book” and that such a move “could be considered fraud in a financial statement.”   

And found here is a memo to Mayor Koch in April 2008 saying that no account or budget had been identified to pay for the Honeywell plan, and that one needed to be found in order for the City Council to approve the appropriation. 

What these documents show are an intentional effort to keep the Honeywell payments from affecting the tax bill in an election year. It’s there in black and white.  It’s the same shell game that happened with the $5 million in Water and Sewer fees used to pay for the police and fire budgets. The $1.7 million in debt payments that were never included in the budget; the $2 million in reserves  misused to offset the regular budget; the $1.7 million in employee contracts that weren’t funded, etc.

The Mayor will continue to talk about his record of  honest leadership, but that does not mean the dishonest spin coming from the other side will not be challenged.

Click here for our latest literature  piece, “$100  Million Reasons Why We Need The Honest Leadership Of Mayor Koch.”  It lays out in fairly in-depth detail the problems that Mayor Koch inherited and highlights the less-than-honest attack strategy on the part of the Mayor’s opponent.

While there are those who seem intent on engaging only in dishonest and negative attacks, we’re busy working to get  the job done. Today’s example: One of the oldest and most respected Quincy businesses is becoming an active investor in plans to redevelop Quincy Center.

It’s this kind of thing that happens when people come together, roll up their sleeves, and work in the best interest of the City, not self-interest. Click here to read the story.