Sunday, July 13, 2003
Romney MBTA Chief: 'Romney MBTA Chief Wrong Choice?'
When Joseph C. Carter was formally sworn in last February as chief of the MBTA police force he brazenly told the Romney-beholden search committee "I greatly value the opportunity that you have provided me, and assure you that you have made the right choice." (source: Boston Globe, 2/9/2003)
Well, the early returns indicate Carter may have been a bit too brazen. For while violent crime rates are falling across the nation, violent crime rates on the MBTA have skyrocketed under his watch. (source: Boston Globe, 7/13/2003)
The problem according to Carter? There are too few police officers.
"We have a very small department. We can't be everywhere," Carter said, sounding like the Brimfield Chamber of Commerce.
In other words, despite the fact that he changed the culture of the police force from one that was pre-emptively tough on youthful offenders, Carter now wants us not to blame the managers, rather to blame the accountants.
Okay, Chief Carter, which accountant would you finger first, Eric Kriss or Willard Mitt Romney?
The good news? Team Reform now has a sure-fire reason to push for an MBTA fee increase. After all, the MBTA is among the last remaining resources that the fee-crazed Fraud Governor has not tapped.
The bad news? Safety on the MBTA is likely to remain unaddressed. After all, it's the MBTA.
Not too long ago, Romney's loathsome $150,000-a-year spokesman climbed on his high horse to rail (get it?) against MBTA budget problems, sneering "Mitt Romney will insist on effective management of MBTA capital projects, including the Greenbush Line. He will have a zero-tolerance policy for cost overruns. Families in Massachusetts must live within their budget, and so should state government." (source: Boston Herald, 11/20/2002)
Now when was the last time the Fraud Governor announced a zero-tolerance against lawlessness on the MBTA?
Exactly.
When Joseph C. Carter was formally sworn in last February as chief of the MBTA police force he brazenly told the Romney-beholden search committee "I greatly value the opportunity that you have provided me, and assure you that you have made the right choice." (source: Boston Globe, 2/9/2003)
Well, the early returns indicate Carter may have been a bit too brazen. For while violent crime rates are falling across the nation, violent crime rates on the MBTA have skyrocketed under his watch. (source: Boston Globe, 7/13/2003)
The problem according to Carter? There are too few police officers.
"We have a very small department. We can't be everywhere," Carter said, sounding like the Brimfield Chamber of Commerce.
In other words, despite the fact that he changed the culture of the police force from one that was pre-emptively tough on youthful offenders, Carter now wants us not to blame the managers, rather to blame the accountants.
Okay, Chief Carter, which accountant would you finger first, Eric Kriss or Willard Mitt Romney?
The good news? Team Reform now has a sure-fire reason to push for an MBTA fee increase. After all, the MBTA is among the last remaining resources that the fee-crazed Fraud Governor has not tapped.
The bad news? Safety on the MBTA is likely to remain unaddressed. After all, it's the MBTA.
Not too long ago, Romney's loathsome $150,000-a-year spokesman climbed on his high horse to rail (get it?) against MBTA budget problems, sneering "Mitt Romney will insist on effective management of MBTA capital projects, including the Greenbush Line. He will have a zero-tolerance policy for cost overruns. Families in Massachusetts must live within their budget, and so should state government." (source: Boston Herald, 11/20/2002)
Now when was the last time the Fraud Governor announced a zero-tolerance against lawlessness on the MBTA?
Exactly.
