Michael R Napert

Ah, spring. A new beginning and surprise, surprise: a new budget proposal for the next fiscal year, and finally the purple bags (might) go away.

Oh, by the way, we’ll save the fees for the bags but pay about $100 more in taxes. That’s just next year, so by the time we start paying for the new school, nominal yearly increases will make these tax bills really interesting. Naturally, it includes plenty of additional funds for those Friends of Jasiel’s, who will, no doubt, be placed into some of the “new” positions created by his honor, not to mention the very generous raises given to those already ensconced in the basically part-time corporation counsel positions. Now that we’ve given them hefty salary bumps, we will no longer need to pay for any outside legal fees, right?

Don’t misunderstand; I’ve been advocating taking better care of all the city infrastructure, as well as those who really take care of city business, so there are some positives in the new budget proposal. The addition of police officers and related equipment is also a good idea, so let’s hope they survive the City Council's scrutiny and adjustments.

Let’s not forget the executive director of the Community Development Agency, who will no doubt require some additional salary commensurate with his “added” duties as head of RDA, and/or the FROED, or whatever his honor cares to name it. I expect that Mary Sahady, as well as Cathy Ann Viveiros, along with the other recent appointees will also be entitled to additional salary bumps. After all, if the part-time corporation counsel warrants a $30,000 raise for doing less work than the person who held that job 40 years ago, an argument can be made for those Friends of Jasiel’s as well, and it’s already been three or four months since their last salary adjustment.

Be sure to keep a tight reign on that paycheck, as his honor may have a few more friends needing meaningful employment.

Michael R. Napert

Fall River