MORE THOUGHTS ABOUT THE TREASURER'S RAISE

The recent action trying to approve a raise for Hartford's Treasurer Adam Cloud just stinks, pure and simple. Did Cloud not understand the dollar sign and the zero's that listed his salary before he ran?

I have to wonder how this action was on the agenda and moved forward so quickly when our previous Treasurer, Kathleen Palm-Divine, had to fight for years to get her raise put forward. But then again, Kathleen wasn't a political operative pushing the ethical limits.

And it confuses me why the Council President would introduce the resolution authorizing the raise. Does rJo Winch not realize that Cloud and a couple of her Council counterparts were instrumental in her political demise? Cloud was right there, front and center at the Democratic nominating convention cutting the deals that forced Winch as well as Sean Arena off the slate.

In true Hartford political style, I would not have been surprised to see Winch landing a job in the Treasurer's Office when the new term starts if the Treasurer got his raise, but that wouldn't happen in Hartford, would it? Maybe she could get the job the Treasurer's wife had, now that he was forced to realize having his wife work with him was a conflict.

Maybe rJo could handle Clouds "community giving and outreach" plan so that he wouldn't have to strong arm City vendors to benefit his campaign worker's non-profits.

But the larger question is why the public had to be the first to identify the Council's actions as illegal. Does the Mayor have a staff to review things first. Do we not have a Corporation Counsel that should have enough legal experience by this time in her career to question improper actions by the Council.

Even more importantly, the Corporation Counsel sat on the dais as the pay raise was raised and very little debate took place. Would it have been that difficult for the Corporation Counsel to raise a point of order? "Madame President, I have concerns regarding the legality of this matter and recommend it be tabled for further research"

I'm not sure that anyone cared about the legality. If the illegal nature had not been pointed out here by a commenter more than 24 hours prior to the Mayor's veto, would it have just gone through unquestioned? How could four attorneys sit there, 3 Council members and the Corporation Counsel, and not realize the actions they were voting on might be illegal?

How is it that the "dangerous" lefto Councilman Luis Cotto, as GOP Town Chair Mike McGarry describes him, and the other WFP Councilman Larry Deutsch, were the only ones to question the actions. Forget the legality, what about the moral and ethical issues of the raise? Hartford has the highest unemployment in the state and many residents would love a $10,000 salary, never mind a $10,000 raise.

Who is the "dangerous" lefto now Mike? Cotto and Deutsch said no, but your own Republican fully supported it. One of those things that makes you go "hmmmm" and shake your head in disbelief.

And Cloud was already elected and knew the salary. It is not like we are saying we need the raise to a salary to be competitive and attract the best possible Police Chief or Tax Collector or any hired position. Cloud was elected, and if the salary wasn't enough, then don't run.

I miss Kathleen Palm-Devine.