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Boston DNC Convention 2004 –
Anatomy of an inevitable taxpayer mugging
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Introduction
Citizens'
inconvenience and business
loss will be only the beginning of this partisan political
boondoggle, the Democratic National Committee's 2004 convention.
Direct costs of outright taxpayer subsidies, indirect
costs imposed by public
employee unions pressure, and implied or perhaps explicit quid pro quo
benefits to corporate large donors are just as inevitable as "cost
overruns" were to the Big Dig -- as we predicted back in the
mid-80s.
This is, after all, Massachusetts. The DNC couldn't
have picked a better sucker.
In the end, Democrat organizers will turn to the state
for an expensive taxpayer bail-out. In this state dominated by Democrats,
so many with presidential aspirations (JFK in '60, Ted Kennedy '80,
Dukakis and his disastrous "Massachusetts Miracle" in '88, Paul
Tsongas in '92, and now John Kerry in '04), inevitably it's like a Boston
Celtics slam-dunk right there in the FleetCenter's hoop. When the time
comes -- despite "the worst fiscal crisis since the Great
Depression" -- we Massachusetts
taxpayers will bankroll an 11th-hour bail-out of the Democrat's
national convention.
That's a FleetCenter event you can bet on.
Here's an historical time-line, so that later there can
be no excuses but lame excuses.
And we will be here to again announce "we told you
so"!
Chip Ford – December 11, 2002
The cost overruns for the Democratic National Convention, now exceeding $5 million, must be covered by the party itself — not by the taxpayers of Massachusetts, who already are shouldering a hefty bill for related public safety and infrastructure needs....
The amount the Democrats and Republicans choose to spend to solemnize their preordained presidential nominations is their business. But it’s not the public’s business, nor is it the public’s responsibility to foot the bill.
(Full report follows)
The Telegram & Gazette
Friday, June 18, 2004
A Telegram & Gazette editorial
Overpriced pep rally
Convention overruns are on the Democrats’ dime
The cost overruns for the Democratic National Convention, now exceeding $5 million, must be covered by the party itself — not by the taxpayers of Massachusetts, who already are shouldering a hefty bill for related public safety and infrastructure needs.
Even Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who led the intense campaign to bring his party’s convention to Boston next month, said the overruns are "on their dime."
He’s right. Because John F. Kerry has his party’s nomination locked up, the convention will be little more than a multimillion-dollar pep rally calculated to generate a maximum of free television time for the candidate. (New York taxpayers should be equally leery of any public subsidies for the Republicans’ meeting in August to rubber-stamp the nomination of George W. Bush.)
There are many reasons for the overruns, beginning with the Democrats’ low-ball $50 million estimate two years ago. Costly features since added to the extravaganza have boosted the price tag. So have high labor costs along with costs related to construction delays caused by the Boston police union picket last week.
As to where the money will come from, would it be impolitic to suggest that Mr. Kerry and fellow members of the millionaires club known as the U.S. Senate might chip in to cover the shortfall?
The amount the Democrats and Republicans choose to spend to solemnize their preordained presidential nominations is their business. But it’s not the public’s business, nor is it the public’s responsibility to foot the bill.
Boston police and Democratic National Convention officials say they just want to give cabbies some DNC business, but taxi drivers are crying no fare! ...
BPD hackney honcho Mark Cohen said he wants a flat rate that will get cabs to the airport, but stay within the DNC's travel budget....
Karen Grant of the DNC Host Committee said organizers committed to giving 5,000 delegates a ride. She would not say how much is budgeted ...
"It's forcing us to help subsidize the Democratic convention, which is illegal," said cabbie Bill Ford. "I'm taking their advice: 'If you can, take the week off.'"
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Friday, June 18, 2004
Meter's running on deal between cabbies, DNC
By Jules Crittenden
Boston police and Democratic National Convention officials say they just want to give cabbies some DNC business, but taxi drivers are crying no fare!
Both sides will meet today at Boston Police Headquarters to see if they can hash out a deal on discounts for Dems going to and from the airport.
BPD hackney honcho Mark Cohen said he wants a flat rate that will get cabs to the airport, but stay within the DNC's travel budget. "Somewhere out there is a figure that will make everyone happy," said Cohen, who acknowledged a reported rate of $8 per rider is too low. He said the flat rate will apply to all individual airport-hotel fares, riding in groups of three.
Karen Grant of the DNC Host Committee said organizers committed to giving 5,000 delegates a ride. She would not say how much is budgeted, but said instead of hiring shuttle buses, the voucher plan gives cabs a shot at airport fares.
Cabbies, already angry about DNC road closures, say the city's ability to unilaterally set fares is playing them against shuttle buses. Charles Marckinson, president of Boston Cab Drivers United, said any discounted rate will mean a drastic cut to the usual multiple-rider rate, where each passenger pays $2 less than the meter total. He is concerned about setting a precedent.
"We work with our meters," said Marckinson. "We're just going to boycott the airport."
"It's forcing us to help subsidize the Democratic convention, which is illegal," said cabbie Bill Ford. "I'm taking their advice: 'If you can, take the week off.'"
But Larry Meister of the Independent Taxi Operators Association said a flat rate of at least $10 might work. But he said, "Are you going to be able to get three people with luggage into a cab?"
Loud and boisterous protesters are expected to branch far beyond the "free-speech zone" next to the FleetCenter at next month's Democratic National Convention, planning to gather at sites ranging from Copley Square and Faneuil Hall to John F. Kerry's Beacon Hill townhouse and the park near the Stony Brook MBTA station....
"There's going to be impact, but to the extent we can minimize the impact, we're doing our best to achieve that," Malone said. "We're trying to make sure that the city will function through this."
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Friday, June 18, 2004
Rallies to go beyond 'zone'
Protesters plan citywide events
By Scott S. Greenberger, Globe Staff
Loud and boisterous protesters are expected to branch far beyond the "free-speech zone" next to the FleetCenter at next month's Democratic National Convention, planning to gather at sites ranging from Copley Square and Faneuil Hall to John F. Kerry's Beacon Hill townhouse and the park near the Stony Brook MBTA station.
On Portland Street downtown, the New England Anti-Vivisection Society plans to distribute "Cruelty-Free Living Kits," recommending that consumers frequent local vegetarian restaurants and buy only products that are not tested on animals. Several groups, including the anarchist Bl(A)ck Tea Society, plan to rally on Boston Common. And Boston Mobilization will construct faux prison cells on Copley Square as part of a "Close Down Guantanamo" rally.
The wide array of events and sites, described in permit applications filed with the city of Boston, virtually guarantees that even those Bostonians determined to steer clear of the FleetCenter will get a taste of the four-day convention, whether they want it or not.
"DNC convention week is a unique event, and the city is preparing for it," said Seth Gitell, a spokesman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino. "Mayor Menino believes that demonstrations are part of a lively democracy."
The permit applications won preliminary approval from the city. The deadline for submitting an application is 14 days before the event, so the number of protests is likely to grow before the convention's July 26 start date.
Some groups, such as the Bl(A)ck Tea Society, have applied for multiple permits, and groups expecting 20 or fewer people don't have to apply, as long as their event won't interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
Carol Rose, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, which has criticized the city for dragging its feet on issuing permits, said confusion over the rules has prompted some groups to delay applying and persuaded others to come to Boston without official approval. Rose said she expects the number of protests and marches to far exceed the roughly 50 applications the city has already received for events outside the free-speech zone.
"If somebody wants to come and participate in the political speech that is going in Boston during that time period, for a lot of people the first choice is to try to get a permit and play by the rules," Rose said. "But if because of bureaucratic ineptitude and lack of planning they can't get a permit, they'll probably come anyway."
Patricia A. Malone, director of the Boston's Consumer Affairs and Licensing department, said the city is trying to balance protesters' First Amendment rights with the interests of residents going about their daily business.
In many cases, groups wanting to protest must apply not only to Malone, but to public safety, parks, and transportation officials. On the application forms, would-be protesters have to detail whether they plan to use amplified sound, serve food, provide portable toilets, or attract an audience with special effects.
Permitting officials from a variety of city departments are scheduled to meet this morning to discuss the growing number of convention-week activities.
"There's going to be impact, but to the extent we can minimize the impact, we're doing our best to achieve that," Malone said. "We're trying to make sure that the city will function through this."
The city set aside the free-speech zone, a 29,000-square foot site bordered by Causeway and Canal streets, to meet court-mandated requirements that demonstrations be allowed within sight and hearing of the intended audience.
Many groups are hoping to catch the attention of delegates, so that site, which will hold about 4,000 people, is considered prime real estate.
But other groups believe they can deliver their messages more effectively in other places. Operation Rescue, the antiabortion group, plans to hold candlelight vigils outside the Louisburg Square home of Kerry, the presumptive nominee and an abortion rights supporter, between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on July 25, 26, and 27. Democrats for Life, another antiabortion group, believes it can get the publicity it wants by rallying at Faneuil Hall.
"It's a good site for a rally, and it's pretty close to the FleetCenter," said executive director Kristen Day. Day said the two-year-old group has reserved the site at 11 a.m. on July 27, but it isn't sure how many people will show up.
"There are so many prolife Democrats out there, and they all feel like they're the only ones," she said. "We want prolife Democrats to know they can speak out now. It's time to stop hiding, time to stop whispering. We should be proud of who we are and unite the voices out there."
Eve Lyman, director of Boston Mobilization, said the grassy area of Copley Square is "perfect for what we're looking for." The group plans to use hand-held wooden frames with wire mesh to simulate prison cells at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"Prisoners" will stand behind the frames, but there will be mirrors attached to the mesh so passersby can imagine what it would be like for them to be detained there. Lyman said there will be about 35 cells, placed at five-yard intervals around the square, and she expects between 500 and 2,000 people to attend.
The park near the Stony Brook MBTA station in Jamaica Plain is the site for an event to highlight issues important to that neighborhood, according to organizer Francesca Fordiani, a former City Council candidate.
Fordiani says she belongs to a loosely formed coalition of local groups that wants to emphasize the importance of housing, immigrant rights, voter participation, and education. The coalition has reserved the site from 5 a.m. to noon on July 25.
"It's an open question as to how we're going to express those themes," she said. "We also want to have fun, and have an event that people from the neighborhood want to come to and speaks to them and speaks to the delegates who will be in town as well."
Globe staff writer Rick Klein contributed to this report.
Security officials insist they have no choice but to hobble motorists by closing a 7-mile stretch of Interstate 93 during next month's Democratic National Convention. Now they are adding blinders by banning traffic report helicopters and planes within a 30-nautical-mile ring of airspace around the FleetCenter during the July 26-29 meeting....
Residents are giving up enough for the sake of the convention without being forced to sacrifice their eyes in the sky.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Friday, June 18, 2004
A Boston Globe editorial
Working Around It: Traffic hazard
One in a series of editorials about the Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Security officials insist they have no choice but to hobble motorists by closing a 7-mile stretch of Interstate 93 during next month's Democratic National Convention. Now they are adding blinders by banning traffic report helicopters and planes within a 30-nautical-mile ring of airspace around the FleetCenter during the July 26-29 meeting.
Mayor Menino deserves support in his effort to secure a waiver or pool arrangement for airborne traffic reporters, whose work it is to steer drivers clear of what are expected to be major tie-ups when motorists detour onto feeder roads. Current plans call for a single State Police helicopter to feed traffic reports to major news outlets, according to Major Michael Mucci of the State Police. But that may not be sufficient given the acute information needs of commuters during the unprecedented shutdowns of local roadways. And the security concerns sound hollow given that a State Police officer is already attached to one of the private helicopters on routine traffic duty.
If the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the federal Transportation Security Administration are worried about the integrity of Boston's airspace, they should add federal law enforcement agents to the airborne traffic teams.
Residents are giving up enough for the sake of the convention without being forced to sacrifice their eyes in the sky.
Room for disagreement
City officials are squandering much of the good will created last month when civil rights groups and the Boston police agreed on the location of a protest zone near the FleetCenter that places demonstrators within sight and sound of the delegates. But the area remains littered with Big Dig road debris.
Convention planners and the Menino administration are sparing no expense in real dollars and political capital to ensure that the delegates get to exercise their right to political speech inside the hall. Deference is also due the protesters who seek to exercise that right in the open air. That requires quick work by the crews needed to clear the debris and prepare the ground for peaceful protests.
The National Lawyers Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union are also legitimately displeased with the city's lagging response to permit applications for groups seeking to protest across the city. Bureaucratic roadblocks seem to crop up everywhere. The latest is insistence on a no-march ordinance during evening rush hour. Given the gargantuan efforts taken to keep cars out of the city, it's hard to see the wisdom in that.
People looking for trouble do not request permits. The city should stop treating protest groups as public enemies.
The city of Boston now estimates that transportation shutdowns ordered by the Secret Service will double the costs of security for the Democratic National Convention, and bring the event's budget to $95 million -- nearly twice the estimate when Boston landed the convention in 2002.
In a letter sent Thursday to top House and Senate budget-writers, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who is hosting the Republican National Convention this summer, asked for an additional $25 million each for their cities....
The addition of another $25 million in expenditures would bring the event's total cost to $95 million -- almost twice the $49.5 million budget that was forecast when Boston was awarded the convention in 2002, and nearly $1 million per hour for the four days the convention will last.
Local convention officials said they're optimistic about the prospect of receiving more cash. But if the money doesn't come through, millions of dollars in security costs could fall to taxpayers in the city of Boston and surrounding communities, many of which are bracing for thousands of additional cars on their roads when I-93 is shut down during the four nights of the convention.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Convention estimates hit $95m
Projection nearly twice original tab
By Rick Klein, Globe Staff
The city of Boston now estimates that transportation shutdowns ordered by the Secret Service will double the costs of security for the Democratic National Convention, and bring the event's budget to $95 million -- nearly twice the estimate when Boston landed the convention in 2002.
In a letter sent Thursday to top House and Senate budget-writers, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who is hosting the Republican National Convention this summer, asked for an additional $25 million each for their cities.
Late last year, the two cities were allocated $25 million each for security costs at the conventions. But after the US Secret Service mandated the closure of the Central Artery near the FleetCenter and the North Station commuter rail hub following this spring's terrorist bombings in Madrid, local security officials determined the ripple effects meant a drastic escalation of costs.
"These two major changes to the original security plans will require an immense coordinated regional effort to address these mass transit disruptions, including extensive traffic management, communications, and sheer human effort," the mayors wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Globe. "The challenge and logistics of performing this task safely will stretch and strain the area's resources to their limit."
The letter does not provide a specific accounting of how the $25 million would be spent, but US Representative Michael E. Capuano, a Somerville Democrat, said the figure was based on estimates compiled by local security officials. The extra $25 million is needed to pay for additional police officers to enforce road closings and handle traffic diversions, and to support a "complex alternate mass transit plan" to take care of commuters who normally use North Station, according to the letter.
Local convention organizers said some of the money would be used to reimburse Boston's suburbs for the traffic- and security-related costs they rack up, including additional deployment of police, fire, traffic, and emergency medical
personnel. Until now, those communities have been told they would have to cover such costs on their own.
Members of the Massachusetts and New York congressional delegations are planning to make the mayors' request formal in the coming days, and said it's too soon to forecast how leaders of the congressional appropriations committees will react.
Capuano said they'll have to scramble to secure the money before Congress breaks for the summer at the end of July. He said New York and Massachusetts representatives may not have a spending bill to tack their request on to before then, meaning they would have to seek the money in the fall.
"The convention will probably go off without this money being certain," Capuano said. "I think we have a good, strong argument, but these things are never done until they're done."
Menino's request to Congress is the first public indication that the Democratic convention's security budget is likely to be substantially more than the amount already provided by the federal government. The $25 million already allocated was to cover costs that included protection of the FleetCenter, police for convention-related events, and overtime needed to keep normal police patrols in Boston neighborhoods.
The addition of another $25 million in expenditures would bring the
event's total cost to $95 million -- almost twice the $49.5 million budget that was forecast when Boston was awarded the convention in 2002, and nearly $1 million per hour for the four days the convention will last.
Local convention officials said they're optimistic about the prospect of
receiving more cash. But if the money doesn't come through, millions of dollars in security costs could fall to taxpayers in the city of Boston and surrounding communities, many of which are bracing for thousands of additional cars on their roads when I-93 is shut down during the four nights of the convention.
Seth Gitell, a Menino spokesman, said a major reason the mayor is
asking for the money is to keep the burden off of city taxpayers. The federal government should pay for security costs, since additional precautions are being ordered by the Secret Service for the first national political convention since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Gitell said.
"We'll cross that bridge if we have to come to that, but we don't think it's necessary at this point," Gitell said of the use of additional city tax dollars to support the convention.
The concerns about additional security costs come as convention construction and production costs have ballooned -- by about $10 million -- driving up the convention budget by $5 million, counting other cost-cutting measures -- triggering a tussle between local and national organizers over who should have to bear the costs. Without the extra $25 million in congressional funding, the new security costs would also have to be covered by private donations, or by state and city taxpayers.
In New York, police officials have estimated security costs at the Republican convention at $76 million. Boston organizers don't expect the Democratic convention's security costs to approach that level, since New York is a far more populous city, and the
New York Police Department is purchasing far more security-related equipment, said Boston police Superintendent Robert Dunford, who is coordinating local convention security plans.
Last month, state and federal authorities detailed a sweeping series of road closings that will be in place during the convention, July 26-29. Nearly 40 miles of major roadways will be closed, and I-93 -- the main north-south commuting thoroughfare -- will be closed during the evenings from Braintree to Woburn. The Central Artery runs just a few feet to the east of the FleetCenter, where some 6,000 delegates and alternates will convene for the convention and Senator John F. Kerry will formally receive the Democratic nomination for president.
The closings have sparked widespread concern among commuters and elected leaders, especially those in Boston's suburbs. This week, the mayors of Medford and Somerville said they will block traffic being detoured from I-93 through their communities if gridlock threatens public safety, and the additional costs have also been a cause for concern in smaller cities and towns in Greater Boston.
Mayor Michael McGlynn of Medford said he is pleased to see the city of Boston pursuing more cash from the federal government. "We can't make Boston safe and neglect surrounding communities," he said. "If there are no funds, I think they have to look at changing the plan."
City taxi drivers continued to balk yesterday at a proposal to give Democratic
National Convention delegates flat-rate vouchers to use to pay cab fares next
month....
"We want to work on the meter," Meister said. "If you give a flat rate to the
DNC, then the next group that comes in will want it, and we'll lose the meter
altogether." ...
Another driver, Sam Cohen, said he worries about being reimbursed by the
DNC.
"We might not get our money for a hundred years," Cohen said.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Cabbies stand firm in voucher fare flap
By David Weber
City taxi drivers continued to balk yesterday at a proposal to give Democratic National Convention delegates flat-rate vouchers to use to pay cab fares next month.
Independent Taxi Operators Association Vice President Larry Meister said city licensing officials have arranged for taxi company representatives to meet with DNC officials in the coming days to hammer out a plan to handle the large influx of people needing transportation from Logan International Airport to various hotels.
"We want to work on the meter," Meister said. "If you give a flat rate to the DNC, then the next group that comes in will want it, and we'll lose the meter altogether."
One cabbie who declined to give his name after an informational meeting at police headquarters yesterday said the voucher plan stinks.
"The only ones who are going to make money are the restaurants, hotels and hookers," he joked, adding he probably would prefer not to work rather than take the vouchers.
Another driver, Sam Cohen, said he worries about being reimbursed by the DNC.
"We might not get our money for a hundred years," Cohen said.
Meister said the prospect of massive traffic jams due to road closures during the convention only exacerbates drivers' fears that they would lose money under the voucher system.
Boston cabdrivers upset about plans to pay them with vouchers during the Democratic National Convention yesterday took their complaints to Boston police, who agreed to arrange a meeting with convention organizers....
Irate taxi drivers say they've been upset since the city told them they would have to accept vouchers worth $8 from Democratic delegates riding from the airport. They said that city officials later upped the rate to $10, but that that figure is still too low.
"We're not going to get rich, but we don't want to get robbed," said Arthur Rose, a driver for 32 years.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Cabdrivers decry convention vouchers
Want to charge usual meter rates
By Heather Allen, Globe Correspondent
Boston cabdrivers upset about plans to pay them with vouchers during the Democratic National Convention yesterday took their complaints to Boston police, who agreed to arrange a meeting with convention organizers.
About 30 drivers met at police headquarters with officials including Mark Cohen, head of the Boston Police Department's hackney division. Cabdrivers picked a committee to represent them in negotiations with convention planners.
"We are acting as a facilitator," said Beverly Ford, Boston police spokeswoman. "We don't have control over vouchers but want to work something out. We're trying to set up a meeting so organizers can hear their concerns."
Irate taxi drivers say they've been upset since the city told them they would have to accept vouchers worth $8 from Democratic delegates riding from the airport. They said that city officials later upped the rate to $10, but that that figure is still too low.
"We're not going to get rich, but we don't want to get robbed," said Arthur Rose, a driver for 32 years.
Cabdrivers said they want to charge the usual meter rate for Democrats coming for the convention.
Officials at Boston 2004, the city's convention host committee, said the committee has discussed several options, including using shuttle buses or hiring private carriers to ferry delegates to and from the airport.
"We will sit down with representatives with the cab industry," said Karen Grant, a spokeswoman for Boston2004. "It's important to understand that we are still weighing all three options."
Grant and police officials said a date has not been set for talks.
As Boston police hackney officials and Democratic National Convention hosts prepare to meet cabbies tomorrow to work out a discount voucher plan, one irate driver is exploring a Federal Election Commission complaint.
Cab driver Bill Ford, an independent driver who says he's voted for more Democrats than Republicans, objects to what he considers a forced donation to the Democratic Party....
"People can't be forced to do this," Ford said. "If they do this, they would in effect be forcing us to make a donation."
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Fare plan drives hub hack to eye FEC gripe
By Jules Crittenden
As Boston police hackney officials and Democratic National Convention hosts prepare to meet cabbies tomorrow to work out a discount voucher plan, one irate driver is exploring a Federal Election Commission complaint.
Cab driver Bill Ford, an independent driver who says he's voted for more Democrats than Republicans, objects to what he considers a forced donation to the Democratic Party.
The plan now being discussed would require cabbies working the airport to accept discount vouchers and multiple riders. Estimates on the value of the vouchers have been placed at $10 or more, but cabbies said compared to their regular multiple-rider fares, they would lose money.
"People can't be forced to do this," Ford said. "If they do this, they would in effect be forcing us to make a donation."
Other cab drivers have objected to the setting of a precedent, suggesting they'll be asked to honor discounts for other conventions down the road.
Ford said he was told by an FEC official last week that there appears to be a violation of campaign finance laws. An FEC spokesman told the Herald that while businesses and individuals are free to make cash or in-kind donations to host committees, the regulations do not specifically address a scenario in which licensed cabbies would be required to accept discounted fares or lose airport business.
Host committee spokeswoman Karen Grant noted the Boston convention host committee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group, and that no taxi plan exists as yet. She declined to comment on a potential FEC complaint.
Larry Noble, a former FEC general counsel who is now director of the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, agreed that FEC regulations are not clear on the issue.
"It is a muddy area," Noble said. "What is untested is if, because of the host committee's relationship with the city, it has the ability to force discounts, that it is not a voluntary contribution. There's an arguable point."
Noble said he doubts the FEC would rule against the city and the DNC. But he suggested the issue may be more of a political problem than a legal one if the Democrats are perceived as chiseling working cab drivers for a cheap ride.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino said yesterday that he has received assurances from Senator Edward M. Kennedy that his request for an additional $25 million for skyrocketing security costs at the Democratic National Convention will be rushed through Congress before the convention convenes in late July.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Menino sees hope for plea on funds
Kennedy assurance on convention cited
By Jenna Russell, Globe Staff
Mayor Thomas M. Menino said yesterday that he has received assurances from Senator Edward M. Kennedy that his request for an additional $25 million for skyrocketing security costs at the Democratic National Convention will be rushed through Congress before the convention convenes in late July.
"It's bipartisan legislation that I believe has a lot of support, and I believe it will happen quickly," the mayor said at a groundbreaking ceremony for a Hyde Park housing development. "I'm as confident as I can be, with Senator Kennedy's assurances."
But aides to some congressional leaders voiced more caution, saying the request, made jointly with Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York, is being made very close to the convention and the summer recess for Congress, which is due to start the Friday before the Boston event begins.
Bloomberg is also seeking $25 million, for security at the Republican National Convention in August.
Some close to the budget process said the maneuver could be difficult to pull off, given the few weeks remaining before the summer break, and the possibility of disagreement about the most appropriate vehicle for the provision. "It's going to be cutting it pretty close," a congressional aide said on the condition that his name not be used.
The mayors' letter, sent Thursday, marked the second time convention organizers in the two cities have gone to Congress for help as cost estimates have crept upward. Last fall, a similar bipartisan measure won the cities an initial $50 million for equipment, training for police and firefighters, and overtime pay.
Costs escalated again because road closings mandated by the US Secret Service will cause widespread disruption of traffic and mass transit systems, the mayors said in the letter.
Menino said he spoke with Kennedy last week about the request, and the senator told him it could be approved in time. An aide said yesterday that Kennedy is working with the New York delegation to identify "the next suitable appropriations bill" to which the request could be added.
Others close to the appropriations process identified several different ways the funding request could move forward.
The logical place for the money would have been in the homeland security budget, but that bill has been approved by the House, said Representative John Olver, a Massachusetts Democrat and a member of the House Appropriations Committee. One possibility would be a measure in the Senate version allowing reimbursement to each of the two cities for costs up to $25 million, he said; the provision would not become law until it is approved by both houses.
The funding also could be added into the arms budget, which is possible given the precedent set by the addition of a humanitarian funding item unrelated to defense. Less likely, said Olver, would be a bipartisan agreement to pass a one-item supplemental budget, possible only if both parties decide it's important enough.
"There are several ways it can be done -- it's a matter of finding a way both parties can agree on," he said. "I do think it will have broad bipartisan support ... It's hard to imagine a more attractive target for terrorists."
Several congressional aides said yesterday that the request originated with convention leaders in New York.
Menino stressed that the rising costs of the convention have resulted from mandates set by the Secret Service, which he called "extravagant plans ... that have gone beyond what we thought was necessary." The additional money would help pay for traffic consultants, road barriers to block closed roads, vans to transport police, and many more police to control traffic flow on and off Interstate 93, which will be closed for four nights from Braintree to Woburn.
Some of the funds could be used to help communities like Somerville and Medford, where authorities expect to be overwhelmed by the traffic diverted from the highway, Menino said.
The head of the Democratic National Committee is blissfully insisting next month's presidential convention won't result in the predicted traffic gridlock.
In fact, DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe told The Herald most every widely reported problem with the convention just isn't real.
Despite the influx of 35,000 people, McAuliffe said, "there's not going to be cars everywhere."
"Contrary to what people think, it is not going to be a traffic gridlock," McAuliffe said in an interview.
Asked what he would say to Boston residents upset about four-day-long road closures, McAuliffe said, "Everybody's going to be able to move around easily and freely. They're going to have a great time.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Monday, June 21, 2004
DNC chief’s rosy road outlook: Traffic? What traffic?
By Noelle Straub
The head of the Democratic National Committee is blissfully insisting next month's presidential convention won't result in the predicted traffic gridlock.
In fact, DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe told The Herald most every widely reported problem with the convention just isn't real.
Despite the influx of 35,000 people, McAuliffe said, "there's not going to be cars everywhere."
"Contrary to what people think, it is not going to be a traffic gridlock," McAuliffe said in an interview.
Asked what he would say to Boston residents upset about four-day-long road closures, McAuliffe said, "Everybody's going to be able to move around easily and freely. They're going to have a great time.
"I hope the citizens of Boston come down and partake in some of the events that we're having."
In keeping with his upbeat assessment of the convention, McAuliffe said construction will be finished in time and that fundraising issues - a budget now $5 million over - would be resolved.
"Conventions are like sausage making," he said. "A lot of different pieces go into it and it always comes out great.
"It's going to be a spectacular convention."
With all the state delegation hotels within 3.4 miles of the Fleet Center, McAuliffe said the conventioneers will not be driving.
"Most all of our people are going to be walking around, we have designated bus routes, so there's not going to be cars everywhere," he said.
The possibility of traffic nightmares arose after security officials announced they would close a seven-mile stretch of Interstate 93 nightly during the convention.
Organizers have never said delegates will cause the traffic. Just closing down the major highway arteries in rush hour is expected to cause the traffic tie-ups.
As for locals planning vacations to avoid the DNC gridlock, McAuliffe said, "If some people don't want to take part and don't want to watch all of us walk around with our hats and buttons, maybe it's a good week to go," but then insisted he would be proved right.
McAuliffe said he faced the same doubts before the 2000 convention in Los Angeles, which he chaired, but that the traffic "worked."
"I went through this in L.A., everybody fearful of what it would do," he said. "It did not."
Deputy Boston Transportation Commissioner Tom Tinlin said McAuliffe's rosy scenario might not play out.
"I think that if everybody heeds the warnings we're giving out, then Terry McAuliffe is on the money," Tinlin said.
"But if people choose to conduct themselves as business as usual, unfortunately there are going to be problems."
The city is asking drivers to carpool or switch to public transportation during the convention.
U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Somerville) agreed that conventioneers won't find it too difficult to move around town, but added, "My concern is both for the convention and my constituents."
He said most commuters will be able to adjust to the traffic rerouting but still hopes that the Secret Service plan for road closures will be changed.
As for the pace of renovations, McAuliffe said, "I talked to the head of Shawmut Construction the other day, he's going to deliver it on time."
He also said that despite concerns about soaring cost overruns and public fingerpointing about whether the city or the Democratic Party will pay, money issues would be worked out.
"The funding issues always get resolved," he said. "We go through this every four years and it always gets resolved."
The security smack-down surrounding the Democratic National Convention is likely to keep Museum of Science visitors away while stranding some employees, so the brainy Boston attraction will knock off early during the DNC, a spokeswoman said....
The New England Aquarium, which will play host to several delegate bashes, also plans to close early during the July 26-29 Democratic get-together.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Monday, June 21, 2004
Latest casualties: Science museum, aquarium
By Thomas Caywood
It ain't rocket science.
The security smack-down surrounding the Democratic National Convention is likely to keep Museum of Science visitors away while stranding some employees, so the brainy Boston attraction will knock off early during the DNC, a spokeswoman said.
The normal post-Fourth of July 7 p.m. closing time will be changed to 3 p.m.
"Mostly because the city plans to start shutting down the major arteries around that time and just to make sure our employees can get out and get home," museum spokeswoman Carole McFall said.
The New England Aquarium, which will play host to several delegate bashes, also plans to close early during the July 26-29 Democratic get-together.
Aquarium spokesman Tony LaCasse said the tentative plan is to pull up the gang plank at 3 p.m. - two hours early for a summer weekday.
"Number one, that is to allow our employees that are not involved in DNC events or parties to get home given the road closings," LaCasse said. "And we need that time to set up. We have a number of DNC events we are hosting and some of them are large scale."
McFall and LaCasse said they didn't expect the early closing times at their attractions to put a damper on the days of DNC delegates. Both attractions will open at 9 a.m. as usual.
"We hope they do take advantage of coming over to the museum during the day," McFall said.
Delegates jonesing for a late afternoon cultural fix can always head over to the Museum of Fine Art, where it will be business as usual, an official said. The Huntington Avenue art gallery stays open until 9:45 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.
The state Inspector General's office has flagged three Democratic National Convention-related expenses and is asking, with good cause, why Boston officials are leasing equipment that might otherwise be bought or even borrowed. That inquiry is prompting fiscal watchdogs in the city to ask how, when, and if Boston taxpayers will be reimbursed....
Although security matters are foremost for Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, he must also remain fiscally accountable to the public. In addition to the $25 million in federal funds he now controls, the mayor last week requested an additional $25 million from Congress to address unforeseen security needs. Any signs of waste could affect that request. And Boston taxpayers are paying close attention for fear they will wind up subsidizing the convention....
Suspicions are high that the mayor's team cannot pull off the convention without tapping taxpayers.
"I can guarantee you that the day this convention is over they will be working on a supplemental appropriation," says City Councilor Maureen Feeney, who chairs the body's convention oversight committee.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
A Boston Globe Editorial
WORKING AROUND IT
The party's price tag
(One in a series of editorials about the Democratic National Convention in Boston.)
The state Inspector General's office has flagged three Democratic National Convention-related expenses and is asking, with good cause, why Boston officials are leasing equipment that might otherwise be bought or even borrowed. That inquiry is prompting fiscal watchdogs in the city to ask how, when, and if Boston taxpayers will be reimbursed.
The Boston Police Department contracts, listed in a recent issue of the state's "Goods and Services Bulletin," include up to $500,000 for the leasing of concrete Jersey barriers for a nine-day period, up to $100,000 to lease passenger vans for an 11-day period, and up to $400,000 to rent tables, chairs, and tents for a one-year period.
Although security matters are foremost for Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, he must also remain fiscally accountable to the public. In addition to the $25 million in federal funds he now controls, the mayor last week requested an additional $25 million from Congress to address unforeseen security needs. Any signs of waste could affect that request. And Boston taxpayers are paying close attention for fear they will wind up subsidizing the convention.
The Boston Finance Commission, the city's fiscal watchdog, is examining the contracts to determine if the city may be leasing items it already owns. City councilors are also analyzing the mayor's proposed operating and capital budgets to satisfy themselves that no convention-related expenses are buried within. Suspicions are high that the mayor's team cannot pull off the convention without tapping taxpayers.
"I can guarantee you that the day this convention is over they will be working on a supplemental appropriation," says City Councilor Maureen Feeney, who chairs the body's convention oversight committee. If that proves true, the Menino administration had best show up in protective garb.
Opening night
Protecting the participants and the public at next month's Democratic National Convention will require many layers of security, ranging from officers in their normal uniforms to "public order platoons" in full tactical gear, according to Boston Police Deputy Superintendent Robert O'Toole.
O'Toole, a special weapons expert, says that a strict operational plan will remain in place as long as the delegates remain in town. But the biggest police concern is probably opening night, July 26. If violent protesters are targeting the convention, says O'Toole, their aim would likely be to disrupt it quickly in the same manner used at the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle.
In Seattle, police officers failed to conduct a proper threat analysis and were taken by surprise. In Boston, however, the police aren't likely to be caught off-guard.
City taxi drivers and Democratic National Convention hosts struck a deal last night that will give all 5,000-plus delegates vouchers for discounted, $12 rides to and from Logan International Airport, with a three-person-per-cab minimum.
The vouchers - good only for the five days before and after the convention (July 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31) - represent a roughly $4 increase over the flat rate convention organizers had originally proposed, but $3 less than the price drivers had pitched.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Convention, cabbies strike $12 voucher compromise
By Marie Szaniszlo
City taxi drivers and Democratic National Convention hosts struck a deal last night that will give all 5,000-plus delegates vouchers for discounted, $12 rides to and from Logan International Airport, with a three-person-per-cab minimum.
The vouchers - good only for the five days before and after the convention (July 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31) - represent a roughly $4 increase over the flat rate convention organizers had originally proposed, but $3 less than the price drivers had pitched.
"If the meter were running, it would be a lot more," David Sandberg said after he emerged from the meeting with about 15 other drivers and convention officials. "But we would rather get the business than lose the business."
The agreement is believed to be the first of its kind for a national party convention. Both parties typically have used buses to shuttle delegates, said David Passafaro, president of Boston 2004.
But Mayor Thomas Menino had lobbied for the use of cabs to generate revenue for local hackneys - upward of $120,000 under yesterday's deal.
"They're our ambassadors," Menino said yesterday. "When a person gets in a cab, (the drivers) send the first message about what Boston is about."
Under yesterday's agreement, drivers picking up delegates at Logan will be able to bypass taxi pool lines and will not have to pay the $1.75 fee Massport normally charges them each time they leave the airport. The Radio Association agreed to drop the 8 percent handling fee for drivers picking up fares there.
The agreement came after a 90-minute, often heated, closed-door session at Copley Place during which the drivers could be heard shouting, largely because they had been left out of talks leading to the original proposal, Sandberg said.
Greater Bostonians aren't waiting to see the whites of their eyes this time.
When the Democratic National Convention invades late next month, locals will be heading for the hills, the beach or anywhere away from the Hub, according to a survey released yesterday.
More than three out of four Greater Bostonians polled said they plan to skip town rather than face the roadblocks, the protests and other heeadaches expected during the convention week of July 26-29.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Escape from the Dems:
Vacation companies eye Mass. exodus
By Greg Gatlin
Greater Bostonians aren't waiting to see the whites of their eyes this time.
When the Democratic National Convention invades late next month, locals will be heading for the hills, the beach or anywhere away from the Hub, according to a survey released yesterday.
More than three out of four Greater Bostonians polled said they plan to skip town rather than face the roadblocks, the protests and other heeadaches expected during the convention week of July 26-29.
Vacation Outlet, the Woburn-based travel package retailer, surveyed 1,600 Greater Boston residents via e-mail and found 77 percent of them planning to hit the road when the Democrats arrive.
"You might say skipping town is the logical course of action given an event of this magnitude," said Jessica Labaire, Vacation Outlet brand manager.
Melynn Nuite, a nurse at the New England Medical Center, said she will do some administrative work from home, take vacation days and visit family in Maine, rather than face the commute from the North Shore.
"It's prime vacation time, so when God gives you lemons, you make lemonade," she said.
Vacation destination marketers, keenly aware of the potential for DNC-related traffic chaos and other headaches, have launched an advertising war targeting Bostonians looking to get out of the Hub.
This week, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce began running ads on Kiss 108's "Matty in the Morning" show encouraging listeners to "escape to the Cape" during convention week.
"We're trying to make (people) aware that the Cape is not sold out," said Wendy Northcross, the chamber's chief executive.
Listeners also will get a chance to win a four-night getaway at the Sheraton Hyannis Resort valued at $1,500.
New Hampshire's Division of Travel and Tourism is running print and Internet ads touting the Granite State as the "perfect escape" from the convention. One ad shows a jam-packed subway car and says, "One if by land, two if by sea, a million or so on the T - head north."
The Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau is getting in on the action, running radio spots on WBZ that also play off Paul Revere's historic ride. Instead of the British, the ads warn, "The convention is coming."
The threat of gridlock during the Democratic National Convention next month has Hub tour operators ready to bail if traffic snarls, and at least one operator may park its fleet of trolleys for the week.
"We're contemplating and talking very seriously about the possibility of not even opening that week. That decision has not been made yet," said Shawn Ford, vice president of sales for Old Town Trolley Tours.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Hub tour operators may duck gridlock
By Thomas Caywood
The threat of gridlock during the Democratic National Convention next month has Hub tour operators ready to bail if traffic snarls, and at least one operator may park its fleet of trolleys for the week.
"We're contemplating and talking very seriously about the possibility of not even opening that week. That decision has not been made yet," said Shawn Ford, vice president of sales for Old Town Trolley Tours.
The company also has considered opening two hours early and closing before the unprecedented Secret Service-mandated roadblocks go up in the late afternoon, Ford said. But the prospect of road closings during the day to accommodate demonstrations and protest marches could be just as problematic for Old Town, which lets riders get off at attractions and resume the tour on a later trolley.
"Once one section of the city gets shut down, the system gets backed up and you can't get to the people that are waiting to re-board or even start a tour," Ford said.
Over at Duck Tours, the plan is to try to keep on quacking.
"As of right now, we are just playing it by ear," said Bob Schwartz, Duck Tours marketing and sales coordinator. "We are going to start out that Monday and just see how things go."
One of the company's sales booths is inside the Museum of Science, which already has said it will close at 3 p.m. so employees can get home before the DNC lockdown. The New England Aquarium also has made tentative plans to shut its doors then.
Boston Tours, a small operator that shuttles sightseers into the city from the suburbs, will try to run during the July 26-29 event.
"The drivers are concerned, but I said, `Hey, just go ahead and do it. Drive in and see what happens,' " owner Paul Naughton said.
Naughton figures he can shave a half-hour off lunch and get out of Dodge before Interstate 93 and other main arteries are closed at 4 p.m. each day.
Party conventions, no longer contests to pick a presidential nominee, have over the last dozen years turned into trade shows for the political world and major entertainment venues for corporations and special-interest groups. Some government watchdogs say new rules that bar soft-money contributions to political parties are fueling an entertainment arms race at the conventions to buy influence with powerful public officials.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Corporate interests use conventions to rub elbows
By Mary Leonard, Globe Staff
WASHINGTON -- Overlook the stated purpose of the Democratic National Convention in Boston next month: to nominate John F. Kerry for president.
July 25 through 29 will also be a time of nonstop parties by corporate lobbyists, trade associations, and nonprofit advocates competing to entertain and influence Democratic policymakers and politicians.
"It's not an opportunity that we want to let slide by," said Daphne Magnuson, a spokeswoman for the American Gas Association, which has a combined entertainment budget of about $700,000 for the Democratic National Convention in July and the Republican National Convention in New York in late August.
The AGA, a trade association for the natural-gas industry, has an ambitious party plan: a dinner honoring Senator Max Baucus of Montana, the ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee, and a late-night reception for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on July 26; luncheons feting Senators Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, senior members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 27 and 28; and a bash for the nation's Democratic governors at Ned Devine's Irish Pub at Faneuil Hall on July 28.
Party conventions, no longer contests to pick a presidential nominee, have over the last dozen years turned into trade shows for the political world and major entertainment venues for corporations and special-interest groups. Some government watchdogs say new rules that bar soft-money contributions to political parties are fueling an entertainment arms race at the conventions to buy influence with powerful public officials.
"These big parties 'in honor of chairman X or chairman Y' are a particular problem and should not be going on," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a nonprofit group that monitors government ethics. "They allow a federal officeholder to throw a big party at the convention, paid for by a corporation, industry, or interest group that may have very important business pending before the member's committee."
Under House and Senate ethics rules, members of Congress are barred from accepting gifts valued at more than $50. There is no prohibition against lawmakers being feted at receptions and parties as long as they are organized by the special-interest and advocacy groups -- a loophole Wertheimer says should be closed at the party-packed conventions.
Representative Barney Frank of Newton, the ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, will be honored at a brunch at the Bay Tower Room July 27 sponsored by the Financial Services Roundtable, a Washington trade association that represents the biggest banking, investment, and insurance institutions, including Prudential Financial, State Street Corp., Credit Suisse First Boston, Fidelity Investments, Merrill Lynch, MetLife, and State Farm Insurance.
Frank said "it's very flattering when people want to do things in your honor." He added that he has an obligation to attend such functions and "carry the banner" as the committee's senior Democrat to prod financial institutions to better serve the poor. Frank scoffs at Wertheimer's suggestion that powerful interests host convention parties to curry favor and obtain access to members of Congress.
"He thinks I owe these groups because they make me come to their party?" asked Frank, adding that banking interests can talk to him in Washington without hosting an event. "I think Fred Wertheimer has a serious confusion between a favor and a pain in the tuckus."
The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association and the National Association of Broadcasters are sponsoring a lunch at the Boston College Club July 26 for Representative Ed Markey, the Malden Democrat who is the ranking member on the House Telecommunications and the Internet subcommittee.
"He's a person who has been involved in regulating our industry for many years," said B. Allan Sprague, president of the 125-member organization. "The event is to reflect the fact that [Markey] has been accessible and understands our issues, even though he doesn't always agree with us."
Patton Boggs LLP, one of Washington's premier lobbying firms, is helping MassMutual Financial Group of Springfield host a dinner for the Massachusetts congressional delegation on July 26. Sovereign Bank New England is taking over the .406 Club at Fenway Park July 26 and inviting 400 to 500 clients to rub elbows with members of Congress from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Red Sox chairman Tom Werner will be the guest speaker.
A confidential calendar of private events, produced by the Boston 2004 convention host committee and obtained by the Globe, shows nearly 200 receptions, luncheons, and after-hours parties taking place Sunday through Thursday of convention week at venues from Symphony Hall to the JFK Library to the Roxy Nightclub. Among the sponsors are General Motors Corp., Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner Inc., Alabama Power, Union Pacific, and DaimlerChrysler, and the Bond Market Association, according to the calendar.
Karen Grant, spokeswoman for Boston 2004, said the city's convention organizing committee has no role in scheduling or planning the private parties, but in some cases it did assist companies and groups seeking entertainment sites. The host committee has raised $37.5 million in donations from individuals, corporations, and nonprofit organizations, Grant said.
With new rules barring their unlimited donations to the political parties, special-interest groups have been working closely with the Democratic National Committee, its campaign committees, and the governors' association to find events to sponsor at the national conventions. "Since this is one of the few ways that an industry or interest group can spend unlimited amounts of money, the parties this year have been raised to an art form," said Steven Weiss, a spokesman for the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit group that tracks money in politics.
Some extracurricular convention events planned for Boston have gone awry. Senator Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas Democrat, canceled "Rockin' on the Dock of the Bay," a charity concert to benefit CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation, after the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington accused her of violating rules against soliciting charitable donations from corporations and filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee.
To raise its corporate profile at the convention, Congressional Quarterly, a Capitol Hill publisher, is partnering with the Creative Coalition, a nonprofit arm of the arts and entertainment community that will provide celebrities such as Jennifer Tilly, Jason Bateman, Mary Stewart Masterson, and Bianca Jagger for parties.
"A convention isn't just a great opportunity to raise the awareness of the benefits of using natural gas," said Magnuson of the American Gas Association, which is holding a trap shooting tournament for GOP members of Congress in New York. "It's an awesome event and a piece of history."
The Boston Finance Commission is investigating the Boston Police Department's decision to rent nearly $200,000 worth of Jersey barriers and fencing for the Democratic National Convention, since the city already owns equipment that could be used to help secure the perimeter of the FleetCenter....
"They're leasing items that they own," Conley said. "If you own a car, why do you go out and lease one? Why don't you determine what you own and what your needs are before renting something?" ...
Boston last year won a $24.85 million grant for convention-related security needs, but the city must provide formal documentation to justify its costs.
In addition, Mayor Thomas M. Menino is asking Congress for another $25 million, since security costs will probably far exceed the amount provided in the initial grant....
Meanwhile, Governor Mitt Romney lobbied Republican lawmakers yesterday in Washington on behalf of the city's request for an additional $25 million for security costs....
"I believe that's merited, and I'm hopeful to see strong support on both sides of the aisle for that proposition," Romney said.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Fincom questions city's rental of barriers for convention
By Rick Klein and Raphael Lewis, Globe Staff
The Boston Finance Commission is investigating the Boston Police Department's decision to rent nearly $200,000 worth of Jersey barriers and fencing for the Democratic National Convention, since the city already owns equipment that could be used to help secure the perimeter of the FleetCenter.
The city is set to sign a $192,000 contract with Interstate Rental Service Inc. to provide 2,000 feet of concrete barriers topped with cloth-covered fences for nine days at the end of July. Jeff Conley, Fincom's executive director, said city officials appear not to have checked Boston's inventory before deciding to rent, an assertion the city denies.
"They're leasing items that they own," Conley said. "If you own a car, why do you go out and lease one? Why don't you determine what you own and what your needs are before renting something?"
Conley said that if the city does not really need the additional equipment, the federal government may not reimburse the cost, leaving the burden on city taxpayers. Boston last year won a $24.85 million grant for convention-related security needs, but the city must provide formal documentation to justify its costs.
In addition, Mayor Thomas M. Menino is asking Congress for another $25 million, since security costs will probably far exceed the amount provided in the initial grant.
But city officials say they are confident that the rental of specialized Jersey barriers can be justified to the federal government. The concrete barriers owned by the city do not include the special fencing needed to establish a security perimeter, and even those that could be put to use at the FleetCenter will be needed elsewhere in the city, as Boston copes with unprecedented traffic shutdowns mandated by the Secret Service.
"I don't think anybody is going to think this isn't a necessary expenditure," said Lisa Signori, the city's chief financial officer. "When we applied for the grant, it was always envisioned that we would need barricades."
Boston Police Superintendent Robert Dunford, who is coordinating local convention security preparations, said planners conducted an inventory of available Jersey barriers before deciding how many to rent. The results showed the city, along with state agencies that could provide barriers, would not have enough available during the convention, he said.
Also, the barriers owned by the city and state agencies are different sizes. Planners decided the best way to construct a safe perimeter was to rent barriers of a uniform size, Dunford said.
Interstate is expected to provide about 250 Jersey barriers. While city officials declined to say how many Boston owns, citing security precautions, Conley said he believes at least some of those barriers could be used in a security perimeter of the FleetCenter and a nearby protest zone. Interstate provides barriers every year for the Boston Marathon, and also helped with this year's Super Bowl parade in downtown Boston.
Meanwhile, Governor Mitt Romney lobbied Republican lawmakers yesterday in Washington on behalf of the city's request for an additional $25 million for security costs.
Romney met with Senator Robert Bennett of Utah, a member of the Senate's Appropriations Committee, and said he is confident the security money will come through for Boston and New York, which is hosting the Republican National Convention.
"I believe that's merited, and I'm hopeful to see strong support on both sides of the aisle for that proposition," Romney said.
The senior senators from New York and Massachusetts predicted that the money will be approved quickly by Congress. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, said the two states' delegations are working together to get the cash allocated for the conventions.
Kennedy said recent warnings by the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security underscore the need for additional security precautions at major events like the conventions.
The historic marketplace turned mall is shaping up to be the top icon of Boston, the leading backdrop for anchor shots outside the FleetCenter. NBC and MSNBC plan to park there for days, broadcasting the "Today" show and cable fare from a 30-by-20-foot plot near the Salty Dog cafe....
Convention-related news will probably dictate a few more prominent sights, producers say: Empty lanes of closed-off Interstate 93; police picketers, if the city's contract disputes haven't been resolved; the protests that take place throughout the city.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Media picking Faneuil Hall as perfect Boston backdrop
By Joanna Weiss, Globe Staff
By now, a few things are nearly certain about Democratic Convention Week. The traffic will be maddening. The politicians will be glad-handing. And anyone flipping through the television dial, in Massachusetts and around the world, will get mightily accustomed to gazing at Faneuil Hall.
The historic marketplace turned mall is shaping up to be the top icon of Boston, the leading backdrop for anchor shots outside the FleetCenter. NBC and MSNBC plan to park there for days, broadcasting the "Today" show and cable fare from a 30-by-20-foot plot near the Salty Dog cafe.
Other networks have also expressed interest in parking anchors and sets in the plaza, said Michael Kelleher, vice president and general manager of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, which oversees the shopping and dining space.
And the City of Boston, concerned that protesters might gobble up all of the public space around the site, applied for permits to allow television satellite trucks to park around the city-owned entrance.
The city won preliminary approval for permits at Sam Adams Park, near the eponymous statue; on Curley Memorial Plaza; and on Washington Mall, an upper-level lip of City Hall Plaza that overlooks the marketplace below.
For an event designed to showcase Boston to the world, image has been a top priority for planners. Officials with Boston 2004, the local host committee, steered network scouts to city sites.
After scoping out a few locales, from the banks of the Charles River to the dock by Old Ironsides, NBC executives concluded that "Faneuil Hall had the whole package," said Phil Alongi, executive director of the network news division. He hailed the marketplace's history and constant foot traffic and said the site seemed to represent "the pulse of the city."
But some media critics balk at the notion that Faneuil Hall, wrapped in classic brick and cobblestone, is still the truest Boston ambassador.
"Forget about blue states and red states; the theme will be blue bloods and red brick," said Matthew Felling, media director of the Center for Media and Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., who wishes the networks would more creative
"Unfortunately, America's going to be pelted with the same images they see in every set-up shot they see on 'Cheers' and 'Ally McBeal,' " he said.
Felling's suggestion: Give would-be tourists a different sense of Boston color.
"Wolf Blitzer at Wonderland. Ted Koppel at Ruggles. Who wouldn't love to see the back and forth between Bill O'Reilly and a waitress at Durgin Park?" he said. "If you're going to do site research, do something new."
At least one network will bypass Faneuil Hall completely. The Fox News Channel will set up at the Boston Harbor Hotel, broadcasting from the roof and from a ground level spot overlooking the docks.
"Faneuil Hall ... seemed like a cliche almost," said Marty Ryan, executive producer of Fox's political coverage. "We wanted to find some place that looked different."
Some producers counter that shorthand is essential to giving viewers an instant sense of place. "You would want something identifiable, more than unusual," said Marcy McGinnis, senior vice president for news coverage at CBS. "You go to Rome, you're standing in front of St. Peter's. You go to Paris, you're at the Eiffel Tower."
Faneuil Hall has logistical advantages, too, said Rosemary Lappin, political producer at WCVB (Channel 5), with history, tourists, and proximity to the FleetCenter.
It also offers a chance to attract spectators and generate buzz, Kelleher said. When ABC's "Good Morning America" broadcast from the site last year, about 1,000 people showed up at 6 a.m. to catch glimpses of network stars.
News executives say they'll have ample opportunity to showcase other Boston images, as well. ABC and CNN are touting the campaign bus, a sort of roving studio that rolled through Iowa and New Hampshire during the Democratic primary season.
Convention-related news will probably dictate a few more prominent sights, producers say: Empty lanes of closed-off Interstate 93; police picketers, if the city's contract disputes haven't been resolved; the protests that take place throughout the city.
And in case Fanueil Hall gets overcrowded, the city has reserved a less-traveled but still brick-filled spot for spillover: North Square, near Paul Revere's House, in the North End.
Subway and commuter rail riders will be discouraged from bringing briefcases or backpacks on board during the week of the Democratic National Convention, and any passenger who does have a bag or parcel may be subject to having it searched, MBTA officials said yesterday.
T police said they are seeking additional officers from other law enforcement agencies to conduct spot baggage searches at all 200 subway and commuter rail stations in Greater Boston, though they stressed that details of the plan have yet to be worked out.
"We're asking people not to bring bags or parcels on with them that week," said T spokesman Joe Pesaturo. "If they do, they should not be surprised if they are stopped." ...
When asked about the logistics of checking large numbers of passengers carrying bags during the convention and whether that might produce delays or long lines, Pesaturo said he could not discuss details....
Passengers have the option to refuse an inspection, but they won't be allowed to ride the subway or commuter rail. If they insist on riding the T, they will first be warned and then arrested for trespassing if they proceed, Carter said....
The civil liberties group is concerned that T police will target people who they believe look like terrorists or look suspicious....
The baggage search policy, the first in the nation, has also been criticized by members of the T's Rider Oversight Committee, whose members fear the searches will be invasive.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
T riders face more random checks
Searches planned during convention
By Anthony Flint, Globe Staff
Subway and commuter rail riders will be discouraged from bringing briefcases or backpacks on board during the week of the Democratic National Convention, and any passenger who does have a bag or parcel may be subject to having it searched, MBTA officials said yesterday.
T police said they are seeking additional officers from other law enforcement agencies to conduct spot baggage searches at all 200 subway and commuter rail stations in Greater Boston, though they stressed that details of the plan have yet to be worked out.
"We're asking people not to bring bags or parcels on with them that week," said T spokesman Joe Pesaturo. "If they do, they should not be surprised if they are stopped."
The policy could complicate the commute for residents that week, especially with the city and the T encouraging people to ride the trains, rather than drive into Boston.
"It involves everyone," Pesaturo said. "It's a week of extraordinary security measures."
When asked about the logistics of checking large numbers of passengers carrying bags during the convention and whether that might produce delays or long lines, Pesaturo said he could not discuss details. But he promised a comprehensive public-education campaign explaining all procedures within the next few days.
The policy, for the convention week of July 26, is in addition to a random-check policy that the T will begin next month.
Under that program, which was prompted by the bombing of trains in Madrid, four teams of police offficers will fan out to different stations every day and randomly stop people carrying bags or parcels.
The agency is already facing criticism for that approach, and yesterday, Joseph Carter, police chief for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, met with civil liberties advocates who are concerned that the searches will be intrusive and might be based on profiling.
Carter said the officers conducting the search will primarily use an explosives detection device to scan the bags. If those devices are not available, the teams will use dogs trained to detect bombs, and, as a last resort, manual inspection, where riders will have to allow their backpacks and handbags to be opened.
The inspections "will be conducted on a systematic, random sampling basis, to eliminate the element of discretion," Carter said. It "will be limited in scope and duration and conducted in the least intrusive manner possible."
Passengers have the option to refuse an inspection, but they won't be allowed to ride the subway or commuter rail. If they insist on riding the T, they will first be warned and then arrested for trespassing if they proceed, Carter said.
Carol Rose, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, who met with Carter along with representatives from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and the Anti-Defamation League, said the groups will monitor the searches and make sure they are truly random. The civil liberties group is concerned that T police will target people who they believe look like terrorists or look suspicious.
The baggage search policy, the first in the nation, has also been criticized by members of the T's Rider Oversight Committee, whose members fear the searches will be invasive. The committee, which is made up of riders and transit and environmental advocates, was established after January's fare increase to monitor service on the T.
Several members of the committee said they were concerned that riders would be subject to embarassment if subjected to manual inspections.
They also said that many immigrants, who use the transit system and who may not understand what the search is about, might flee when faced with a search by a police officer.
"These folks don't have any other means to get around," said committee member Davida Andelman.
"What if someone opens their bag, and there's a joint in there?" said another committee member, Jeremy Marin, referring to a marijuana cigarette. He said he wanted to know if that person would be arrested for drug possession or whether someone who flees a search would be pursued.
"We're not looking for joints," said Michael Mulhern, the T's general manager. "We're looking to remove threats and for this to be a deterrent. Police officers will exercise their own judgment."
The panel first proposed a resolution calling on the T to hold a public hearing before implementing the policy and then changed the request to a public meeting explaining the procedures and allowing public comment.
There are "no plans to hold a public hearing," Pesaturo said. "It's been properly vetted."
Cancel the convention!
It's costing way too much. It's turning into a major inconvenience, especially for those who commute into the city from North of Boston. Besides, the selection of a Democratic nominee for president is already a foregone conclusion....
Meanwhile Joe Average, whose taxes will help pay the millions of dollars in security costs and has been told he can't use the train if it goes to North Station or drive on Interstate 93 if it's after 4 p.m., is left to wonder how all this hoopla benefits him.
(Full report follows)
The Eagle-Tribune
Thursday, June 24, 2004
An Eagle-Tribune editorial
DNC means 'Do Not Come' to Boston
Cancel the convention!
It's costing way too much. It's turning into a major inconvenience, especially for those who commute into the city from North of Boston. Besides, the selection of a Democratic nominee for president is already a foregone conclusion.
The producers of "Survivor" or "Last Comic Standing" do a better job keeping a secret than do either of the major political parties, for which these quadrennial nominating conventions have essentially become a weeklong promotional vehicle for their respective candidates.
The Democratic National Convention will, of course, take place as scheduled July 26-29 at the FleetCenter. This despite the security concerns and the fact that the area around North Station will be battened down tighter than the U.S. military headquarters in Baghdad. And it will be covered by the major news networks, their anchors looking down upon the crowd from the luxury boxes high atop the arena, despite the fact there will be no news of any significance. (These days not only is the presidential candidate determined well in advance, but he gets to pick his own running mate, whose name will be made public well before the delegates arrive in Boston.)
But given the tremendous cost -- $75 million and rising for the Boston event -- and lack of real business to conduct, it's time both Democrats and Republicans reconsider the wisdom of these gatherings. What was touted as a boon for the city when Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and Mayor Thomas Menino jubilantly announced Boston's selection as host several years ago appears destined to become a drag on the economy, with working stiffs being told to make plans to spend the week at home or on vacation and suburbanites vowing not to come within 20 miles of the place.
So delegates and the multitude of special-interest groups seeking to woo influence within the Democratic Party via dinners, cocktail parties and other special events should have the downtown pretty much to themselves. Meanwhile Joe Average, whose taxes will help pay the millions of dollars in security costs and has been told he can't use the train if it goes to North Station or drive on Interstate 93 if it's after 4 p.m., is left to wonder how all this hoopla benefits him.
With convention construction already $5 million over budget and three days delayed due to a picket line, all was amazingly quiet inside the FleetCenter yesterday - 33 days from DNC D-Day.
Convention organizers and Mayor Thomas M. Menino say construction's on schedule.
But, to the naked eye, the FleetCenter is far from ready for Sen. John F. Kerry's big event.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Thursday, June 24, 2004
An eerie calm prevails at the FleetCenter
By David R. Guarino
With convention construction already $5 million over budget and three days delayed due to a picket line, all was amazingly quiet inside the FleetCenter yesterday - 33 days from DNC D-Day.
Convention organizers and Mayor Thomas M. Menino say construction's on schedule.
But, to the naked eye, the FleetCenter is far from ready for Sen. John F. Kerry's big event.
Workers have taken out seats to make room for the convention stage and steel has been added to the ceiling to help light the ceremonies.
Outside, only the foundation and part of the roof have been constructed for the media pavilion.
During a tour of the construction, the feel was more Spanish siesta than Swiss train.
Four workers pulled down railings on some aisles while a lone welder sparked from the rafters.
All told, there were more people on line at the North Station Dunkin' Donuts than working inside the convention hall.
Reporters strained to see the progress.
"Which steel is it?" a radio reporter asked DNC spokesman Angus McQuilken about supports added to the ceiling.
"The gray steel," he replied.
"Which gray steel?" the reporter asked.
DNC organizers say the relative quiet yesterday doesn't mean anything. They eagerly ticked off construction accomplishments.
"One thousand yards of concrete poured, 1,500 yards of fill placed in the concrete, 50,000 square feet of hot top paved, the skyboxes were shelled out, 60 tons of structural steel was put in place - do you have any idea what that takes?" asked DNC spokeswoman Peggy Wilhide.
"We had 200 Verizon workers in there the last 24 hours. They're in every nook and cranny, they're not all on the FleetCenter floor."
Menino said he hasn't seen the progress but isn't worried.
"They got all the seats out of there, that's a good sign," Menino said. "They are moving as quickly as they can and they assure me they'll finish on time."
Convention hall director Alan Rose said, "We're on schedule and we're gonna get the job done."
Getting the job done, Wilhide said, will mean almost round-the-clock work the next four weeks. She said she couldn't calculate the overtime required but that conventions always work this way since so much must be built so quickly.
"It's a tight schedule, it always was, it still is," she said.
City officials appear to have reached tentative agreements with groups planning protests at next month's Democratic National Convention that will allow permits to be issued for demonstrations....
City officials initially blocked applications for a street march anytime between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., saying it was a blackout period due to rush hour. Hopkins said the city will allow the parade period during the blackout period.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Thursday, June 24, 2004
City, DNC protest groups nearing deal for permits
By Jack Meyers
City officials appear to have reached tentative agreements with groups planning protests at next month's Democratic National Convention that will allow permits to be issued for demonstrations.
Carol Rose, head of the American Civil Liberties Union's Massachusetts office, said she and a representative of the National Lawyers Guild made progress in recent meetings with city officials.
As a result, "the city sent a letter saying permits are going to be issued this week" for some organizations who have applied for demonstration permits, Rose said.
Merita Hopkins, the city's top lawyer, said, "Everything is working out OK." She said a proposed parade route for demonstrators to use during the late afternoon would be unveiled to representatives of the protesters today.
City officials initially blocked applications for a street march anytime between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., saying it was a blackout period due to rush hour. Hopkins said the city will allow the parade period during the blackout period.
Rose said there is growing confidence that the designated protest site near the FleetCenter will be ready a month from now when protesters start showing up in Boston.
Bombarded with negative news about the Democratic National Convention, Mayor Thomas M. Menino put two local business executives in front of television cameras yesterday to offer a positive message about the convention and to calm fears about inconveniences.
It won't be so bad, they said, just as the Blizzard of '78 wasn't so bad....
For anyone who lived through it, the blizzard that walloped New England in February 1978 may not be the most reassuring image. The freak weather system paralyzed the city with hurricane-force winds and more than 2 feet of snow. Thousands of motorists were stranded....
The mayor accused the media of dwelling on the convention's inconveniences, such as the closure of Interstate 93, and urged residents to think positively.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Globe
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Convention assurances offer cold comfort
Menino says city can handle woes
By Heather Allen, Globe Correspondent
Bombarded with negative news about the Democratic National Convention, Mayor Thomas M. Menino put two local business executives in front of television cameras yesterday to offer a positive message about the convention and to calm fears about inconveniences.
It won't be so bad, they said, just as the Blizzard of '78 wasn't so bad.
"Large-volume events, disruptions in operations, we do it every year on July Fourth, with hundreds of thousands of people," said Bonnie Michelman, director of police and outside services at Massachusetts General Hospital. "People still talk about the Blizzard of '78 who are at the hospital."
For anyone who lived through it, the blizzard that walloped New England in February 1978 may not be the most reassuring image. The freak weather system paralyzed the city with hurricane-force winds and more than 2 feet of snow. Thousands of motorists were stranded.
But yesterday, snow was the metaphor for the July 26-29 convention, when some 35,000 visitors are expected and about 40 miles of roads will be closed.
"Our South Boston plant has been making blades day in, day out for 100 years, so we equate the impact of the [convention] to that of a four-day snowstorm," said Eric Kraus, vice president of corporate communications at Gillette Co., who was also at the mayor's press conference.
Menino announced an Info 2004 hot line, similar to winter storm hot lines he has set up in the past. This one, along with a new information page site on the city's Web pages -- will be for residents seeking information about anything from road closures to public events.
"We can do it," he said. "We will get around this convention in July."
Menino said City Hall will remain open during the convention and is offering a limited number of City Hall employees the option to work 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. He urged other businesses to do the same.
"Boston is leading by example," he said.
The mayor said residents can call the hot line at 617-635-2004 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. As the convention nears, the hours may be extended. Information will be available at www.cityofboston.gov/info2004.
The mayor accused the media of dwelling on the convention's inconveniences, such as the closure of Interstate 93, and urged residents to think positively.
"Our city needs more of that 'can-do' attitude that these two companies have shown us," he said. "There's no doubt about it, hosting the DNC is a major undertaking.... We all have to be creative and flexible."
Michelman of MGH said: "We know this is going to create some tough challenges, and perhaps some inconveniences during the week. .
"We're very excited about it," she said. "My plan is to celebrate with my staff after this 96 hours and to have some fun. But we are open for business as usual."
Commuters riding the Orange Line and highway buses during the Democratic National Convention are being warned to leave shopping bags, suitcases and other large packages at home or risk losing their right to ride, MBTA officials announced at a press conference Thursday.
While riders using other subway lines will be subject to random searches beginning July 1, those with parcels larger than a loaf of bread will be banned from the Orange line and buses. Riders who may be traveling with such items are advised to find an alternate route, said MBTA General Manager Michael
Mulhern.
(Full report follows)
State House News Service
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Some travel banned during DNC
Commuters riding the Orange Line and highway buses during the Democratic National Convention are being warned to leave shopping bags, suitcases and other large packages at home or risk losing their right to ride, MBTA officials announced at a press conference Thursday.
While riders using other subway lines will be subject to random searches beginning July 1, those with parcels larger than a loaf of bread will be banned from the Orange line and buses. Riders who may be traveling with such items are advised to find an alternate route, said MBTA General Manager Michael Mulhern.
In addition, T officials are distributing hundreds of thousands of information packets and subway schedules, in hopes of easing residents’ concerns about commuting during the last week of July. For people who still have questions once they hit the stations, 200 yellow-shirted "MBTA ambassadors" will be on hand to direct commuters.
"We need not pretend it’s going to be business as usual that week," Mulhern said. "But we are going to try to be as efficient as possible under the circumstances."
The MBTA’s web site will be updated regularly with commuter rail schedules and nearly 80 new signs will direct delegates and other out-of-towners to nearby T stations.
As commuters sweat through convention gridlock, area pols and delegates - many who live within a few miles of the FleetCenter - will be living it up in posh, traffic-free serenity at their own downtown hotel....
Two-thirds of the delegates live within 30 miles of the FleetCenter, 56 live less than 10 miles away from the Democratic National Convention site.
And they'll be paying $100-a-night less than the general public at the well-heeled Copley Square hotel.
Most of the politicos say they booked the room to avoid the mess their convention will create - unapologetic about the perk unavailable to any other Greater Boston resident.
(Full report follows)
The Boston Herald
Friday, June 25, 2004
Easy commute for delegates:
Local pols opt for posh downtown digs
By David R. Guarino
As commuters sweat through convention gridlock, area pols and delegates - many who live within a few miles of the FleetCenter - will be living it up in posh, traffic-free serenity at their own downtown hotel.
Nearly 140 delegates, led by the state's top pols, reserved rooms at the Fairmont Copley Plaza by today's deadline - including several congressmen, state constitutional officers and dozens of state lawmakers, the Herald has learned.
Two-thirds of the delegates live within 30 miles of the FleetCenter, 56 live less than 10 miles away from the Democratic National Convention site.
And they'll be paying $100-a-night less than the general public at the well-heeled Copley Square hotel.
Most of the politicos say they booked the room to avoid the mess their convention will create - unapologetic about the perk unavailable to any other Greater Boston resident.
"Who knows what we are going to encounter during the convention week?" said state Auditor Joseph DeNucci, whose West Newton home is 12 miles from the FleetCenter.
"I think it'll be more efficient to have a base in town rather than go all the way home to change a shirt. And I'm sure we're going to have to change our shirts that week."
Other pols taking rooms at the Copley Plaza are U.S. Rep. Edward J. Markey, who lives six miles away in Malden, Attorney General Tom Reilly, who lives 10 miles out in Watertown, and Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, whose house is 11 miles south in Quincy, party officials said.
Cahill originally planned to stay home. "Honestly, if there weren't all these logistical issues being thrown at delegates and at Boston, I don't know that he would have locked in a room," Cahill spokeswoman Karen Sharma said.
The Massachusetts delegation, like all other state delegations, has a reserved hotel with cut rates for the convention week. The local delegation, at the direct urging of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy [related, bio], landed the swish Copley digs.
Some delegations, such as Montana, are staying in local college dorms.
Massachusetts Democratic Party spokesman Jane Lane said the delegation would use all of the nearly 140 rooms set aside.
A Herald review of delegate addresses shows many delegates live just a stone's throw from the FleetCenter - in East Boston, Chelsea and South Boston. Some, such as Senate President Robert E. Travaglini of East Boston, said they'll stay at home and avoid the hotel costs.
Others, though, live 150 or more miles away.
"I think a lot of people want to be in the epicenter of activity," Lane said. "This is a treat for them. This is their vacation week. Why not spend it at a hotel?"
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