Right.
Everybody welcome to soapbox is
a special edition really my name is Marcus Wiley I'm the host of the moderator
Today show really not I'm not concerning myself to host today is the moderator
because we have an informative panel discussion if you will decision to run or not
to run and you're watching the T.V.
Thirteen on cable channel thirteen and also seen streaming in real time at The View
C.C.T.V.
Dot com And this this program will certainly be archived so you can watch it on
demand to view C.C.T.V.
Dot com And each time you wish to I want to first of all welcome my my guests city
clerk David Rushford for joining us here today Paula cava Who what do you do in
these are you doing a little bit of everything you're
a professor you're staying out of trouble Mr Levy's keep me out of trouble guidance
from Mr Rushford you know so thanks guys so
a little bit here at the courthouse yes what are you doing there not as
a client not as a court right. Stable him doing
a wonderful job for most county Absolutely and of course the the inimitable Mr
Jordan Levy for the. Guys like good was good to see you all and thank you David for
taking time I know this is your mouth getting ready for this there's been
a redistricting issues going on so you have your attention all over the place the
time a few more yeah absolutely this is
a year for the council to run school committee mayor council now the purposes of
today's program is you know this was actually an idea Jordan brought to my
attention he said you know why not talk about something have
a program we can of an educational value relative. Running for office so we decided
let's let's do this and let's what can we do to you know to train people so to
speak give them an idea about what's what's involved in running for any office
really but if you want we can focus on the local office I think that might be
appropriate to see we're in
a you know that year for the for the council to run for example so and in this way
I want to say that at the outset here that's what the program is for it's not
necessarily. What's the word I'm looking for is it also endorse anyone
OK because because I know Paul you considering running I just want to know you're
not OK Oh OK I just want to get that out there because I I heard that you may have
been so well after talking with former mayor here made me back to my senses
OK not all the time it's all timing and Paul said some things with his life that
have changed of where he is. You know for on because when you run for public office
you have to have
a clear mind and you have to give one hundred percent there's no other way around
those things if not capable of doing that to do yourself
a favor don't run yeah you're not in that and that's
a great way to start the program of the decision to run and not to run. You know
why why even run in the first place. Well let me start off and I tell you what
captures because they did was with me when I first ran in Paul and I've known each
other a long time there's got to be something more than I want to be
a city council or school committee person and that's one of the problems we've seen
in the past number of years about the quality of the candidates and run and the
lack of candidates that run because they don't they don't really have
a mission of what purpose do they want everyone wants to run that is why you go to
. Everyone wants to serve we all say the same thing that's going to be
a driving force behind you want to make changes but what changes and I think that
discourse has been lacking I think the the fundamentalist fundamentals of what it
takes to run for office has been lacking the courthouse I think the quality
candidates have been lacking Yeah so what do we will have
a funny of quality candidates I remember one joke has been home Sturm. And senior
in the day to me were statesmen they would diplomats they work for the betterment
of the city they were able to come to consensus they had
a purpose of why they wanted to effectuate change and they had differences did not
. Isolate them in any one camp one corner in take away from the entire process and
I'm not sure. If we did if we're there today with the types of candidates and
types of officeholders we have Yeah now you know Gray Davis is there's an awful
Jordan is correct I mean in running for public office is
a great deal of give There's not a lot of take there's
a time commitment from people who want to run for office and then after you are
successful if you if you are successful is the time commitment involved in speaking
to the constituency on a continuing basis to to be
a clearing house for people's problems complaints and concerns and of course the
commitment of time in public meetings is not to be underestimated. People who have
young children should be considerate of the fact that nights out of the house. The
week as well as attending social events on the weekend is all part of public
service it's a lot of give you not a lot of take back it really is
a commitment and when you say that people kind of look at you
a little strange if you step back after you've made that commitment you do some
soul searching because you really want to know why did you give so much of yourself
because what you take away is from others to take away from your children you take
away from your spouse or from your friends because you really have to do this job
you have to totally commit because people will demand certain things and if you
fail to make that commitment then you just not with the success you know there's
a lot to this it's more than running. So it's so do you have any do you have any
regrets about about that oh yes I have I have regrets of I wish I spent more time I
guess I wish I'd spent more time my wife I wish I could win with time my friends
but I on the other side I'll flip that pancake weight over and say boy I like it
I'm lucky I've been you know people people have become part of my family I've met
people that I never would met before I was able to help people I know I've helped
people I've reached out to the people who didn't have
a voice I was there for them so I have received much more than I gave from so many
people but everyone has regrets and everything we do in life where whether you're
running this radio or television station or whether one's in private industry
suffer regrets do the assets outweigh the negatives Absolutely I think public
office is
a great experience of anyone could have been. Now you know you mentioned earlier
you mentioned there's
a certain quality of statesman like qualities and you mentioned some names earlier
of people that really could affect change and they had a mission and
a purpose is there
a commonality between those types of people that that I'm missing now is
a certain background prerequisite that vision may be missing think they had
a vision I think they were grounded in why they were running and I think they
really hear about the city I believe the office holders today care about the city I
think at times that they don't have
a unified vision. And it's very splintered type of approach but the challenges
today in Georgia we're talking about that earlier the challenges today much
different than one thousand nine hundred one thousand nine hundred eighty nine
hundred seventy and it takes it takes more work on their part to to unify to to go
forward from. I think an individual really has to have as drug and said some
burning desire to want to contribute to the community if you don't have that then
you're not going to be in it for the long run and I think we're finding that there
is
a great deal to talk about in Wester So if an individual out there has. Been area of
interest I think is lacking on the eleven member body now might be
a good time to jump in but you have to weigh all of the factors the time commitment
the money that's needed to be raised to run for public office and the fact that
it's not you know getting
a little bit late in the year to be on the ballot for September sort of preliminary
in the November election tomorrow there's
a couple of the just quick things here number one it's all changed when I first
read in one thousand we started running in one nine hundred seventy four I was
elected nine hundred seventy five dollars on November of seventy four I served I
was sworn in seventy five. That's like going to go the way we were we were in
totally grassroots totally door to door neighborhood to neighborhood no one knew
anything we were all babes in the woods we just motivated people but there were
issues with revaluation there was
a tax and spend things so nothing changes but the media was different back then and
I'm not not not in the media I'm part of the media so I'm not knocking them but you
have a twenty four hour news cycle now even wish to believe it or not because
a lot of things are streamed out there it's also
a gotcha press so you know the press was
a lot of time the personal backgrounds of personal life styles of people in
a lot of good people out there is another subject my family to this not going to
get out there and you know be an open book that wasn't part of what life was about
we have the advantage of you know bob and weave rumors that would people put out
they would try to destroy you but it's different and so I'm not sure they were
great statesman Paul back then the really different than the kind of people we have
today I think the portrayal as been so negative and people elective office for so
long not with the media that good people just don't want to step into the fray and
it's not necessary is it not why. I think it's necessary I'll fight you fight on
the floor of the council want to have
a ban right let me we can do that we can have those discussions back that we don't
have anymore as mayor judge would do that I work for the ministry the
administration during that period of time and we did have some knockdown fights. In
the council chamber walking out of the council chamber. We were friends we had very
serious talks about how to move to City had to leave with the battle that took
place in the chamber in the chamber you leave it right there you go home you wish
all the other things daily I would talk the next day and we do
a recap of what happened at the council meeting last night you know where was I
what good good things did we do what good things that we did so we were confident
with each other and we built that kind of relationship when we look at the self
introspective look I don't see that happening up there anymore what individuals you
have an eleven individuals on Tuesday night on the council side and seven
individuals of the school committee tries are all go to different directions and
they tend to hold that little bit of a grudge after work yeah I think there's
a lot of bad friction I think and they were really going to be the butt you know
the baton leader up there and then you know the council's going to change
dramatically with the consequence of going out of there because like I don't like
and he's a fall leader they don't have
a full leader right now so when people have an opportunity you know get off your
duff it is a little late it is and it is late
a lot so when when should it when should have people made their decision to resign
is there are a lot of people who are community activist who would serve
a great function being in an elected office it's almost like the next step in their
progression and being
a fully integrated member of the you know the committee as of the community but
there are many people as Jordan said the media tend to be in this gotcha mode there
are many people I've spoken with over the course of the last several years trying
to encourage them to be more involved they're well spoken that their passion for
their neighborhood issues they have passion for environmental issues they have
years of experience working on either a board or a commission or
a neighborhood organization and I actually have people who push back and it's you
know no no I wouldn't subject myself to that I would subject my family to that. So
there has to be a little bit of a softening as far as the media giving people
a break let's embrace the idea that people bring many different positions and and
experiences to elective office and give people an opportunity to bring those
forward so it's probably more I mean it's got to be related to just the the economy
itself people so many media channels out there ones fighting for attention so
they're going to go for the lowest common denominator is not the media's fault it's
yesterday's fault because they lack ideas everyone runs on the same promise of
change I'm running on change Yeah right yeah I have changed my pocket you don't
have three quarters and two nickels I mean you know what change what specific thing
do you want to do when I read the nine hundred seventy four and seventy five we
came out and we had
a platform we had I think fifty thousand times David that we distributed around the
city was
a platform there were actually things that I put down in black and white that we
did when we sat down in the side What changes did we want to make I want to change
the form of government nine hundred seventy four and I said so well you know people
like that I didn't like that you know we wanted to do things in taxes we want to do
some things with spending I'm telling this was in one nine hundred seventy four so
people could pick me apart if they wanted in the campaign other people just put
their name out there we didn't do that we went out and told people we're going to
do it and then when I got in office I tried to do it and that's lacking out there
with it even when it's it's not really makea they have these ideas but they still
tell anybody and that's why they don't have organization that's because they're not
ready they don't know what it takes to take the job there's been
a lot of criticism and is this related I mean I hear
a lot of criticism today where you see people say well they seem to be rubber
stamping the city manager for example is that is that because there's
a lack of ideas are is it just that he's just batting
a thousand right now I mean what is really what's the reality about what do you see
I think it takes in my in my opinion I think takes some courage to bring out
different positions. And live and die by your wind X.
Amount you can lose six months similar as the resident requirement that the mayor
cover mayor is putting out there the other thing I think is
a common. Tug of war between administration and elected body given our form of of
government and you know I think is Jordan mentioned it's been twenty thirty M.
Span to say is this the right way to go and push Do we need that political leader
that can hawk the state national institutions to our agenda in the community at the
same time do we have that manager that is
a business minded person. That can run
a fiscal when I need to say that Michael Bryant is doing wonderful job with the
fiscal budget city but that leaves a lot of room for ideal
a lot of room for debate
a lot of room for agreement and disagreement candidates need to come forward and
bring up that
a gender I believe yeah you know we did it we did some editing once for Congressman
McGovern he wanted to take. George McGovern's visit to Worcester and he gave
a speech this was years ago and about in the platform he was presenting you know
it's like we're going to do this for the for the schools we're going to do this for
the for the cities that you could take that same. Videotape and play it today put
someone else's face on it and it's the same issues that keep coming up over one
hundred seventy four campaign and we could talk about the same issues yet you know
because
a lot of this stuff has been out there were no one does anything about this the
point is that is that is that nothing is prohibiting people from running the link
that I think
a lot of people see that the only prize involved in running for office is the wind
and then the lifetime career as
a politician forever the the dialogues he actually in conversation is as important
to the community there are so many people who don't sit in one of the eleven seats
and never have but they bring
a great deal of talent and discussion and thought provoking discussion to local
issues and those are many times the best pressure possible for those who are an
elective office so running is one thing but being in office is
a completely different story and when and when we would when we ran it was five
thousand dollars out who no benefits it's not a bad job right now that we get paid
a thirty thousand they have
a retirement and they get health insurance so I mean the self perpetuation of
getting reelected is critically important so you never take too many diverse
opinions out that are going to tick off to other people because if things are all
up in the era where the bridge is going to solve you know you're not going to
polarize too many people you're going to patronize your base and I think that mass
dialogue connects challenge that's ideas not to go off into
a different tangent but is that does that mean it would be better to go to with
more. Control term term limit not have
a term which I what I think we should do which I've been
a kid of days ago challenges that was what people shouldn't be afraid to run for
office right with the fear of losing because it is about the dialogue and ideas
running about the running the first time doesn't mean you have to be successful
Jordan ran and was successful many people have run
a second or third time when to end up being great contributors to the public
dialogue but even once you win it shouldn't matter if if you have those ideas like
Jordan was talking of my few have ideas to make change and it's just not going to
it's not successful. That shouldn't I mean you got you might lose the next election
but at least you got your point out there you know sort of jump into the so much of
this because it you know Paul talked about when he was working for the
administration at that time like that people thought you know I had
a big mouth I do
a big mouth and people thought that I was argument of and I was I came in the but I
was passionate I really believed in what I had to do it wasn't
a part on I end up to be the most popular politician during my tenure because
people even that didn't agree with me respected the fact that I was taking on the
positions I was talking about the issues but I never attacked the issue of I didn't
have a resolution to it so what they do now they get a person
a little contest going on up there but they don't have any answers to anything so
this is wide open for new candidates if they if they have the backbone they have
they gotten they got the stomach and they have the willpower to get up there and
mix them up people want to bait they want debate they want the issues debated I
think this is
a perfect time for people to run for office even though it's like I think the
public I think the public has an opportunity in
a responsibility to get much more engaged in where they are at this present time
and I think if we walk again today we know this much better with the statistics if
we look at the statistics of turnout in the past relative to the problems and
challenges we have I think the public is shirking their responsibility to make the
elected officials more accountable and I agree with Jordan that you don't need term
limits if you have
a very active and gauge public because they will dictate what they want as
a community and I think chill up until this time this point that is missing in was
to politics I think there's
a misnomer out there amongst the public that you have to have
a whole closet full of new ideas to be
a candidate and that's not necessarily correct Jordan is an ideas person Jordan had
a campaign slogan way back in the seventy's that said Jordan Levy kids Jordan Levy
can help and what that mom. Auto says is that we might already have
a raft of laws and ordinances and policies and procedures in place somebody needs
to make certain that those are carried out affectively they might just need
tweaking you don't have to be an ideas person to be
a great contributor we might have already the best garbage pick up and leave
sweeping in street plowing program in the world but someone has to continue the
effort it's feet to the fire as these guys have both said the idea is that the
issues of thirty forty years ago this still with us local government is not about
reinventing the wheel it's about providing direct public service over and over and
over again and doing it perhaps more efficiently cost effectively with better
customer service and people's input but it doesn't necessarily change the street
still need to be swept the lights still need to come on the police still need to do
their thing so being of in effect of. Being affected on the board of directors that
is the city council might just involve taking the existing rules and laws and
keeping the feet to the fire those of us who are actually employed to carry us so
that could be
a platform for someone they could say you know I'm just what I like what's going on
I want to make sure it's there that could technically be tweak it there
a caring person you know your neighborhood Well you know you you know you
constituents you might have a good background in business you might have
a good back to pick background and community activism you also have to be ready to
run that means you don't reinvent yourself during the campaign David so right on
the mark and what he just said but you have to have you DON'T of for instance if
you're just going to tweak the street sweeper program all you got it won't talk to
the campaign about what you're going to do with the street sweeping program this is
not on the job training you got to get ready before you decide to run that up on
the stand in
a small budget you're going to know where you go after you've got to go after the
types of services you're going to tell people how you like to make them better
you've got to go out and support the things that are good you want to advocate for
those but you've got to go out there and identify yourself my God. I mean I've had
these people on my show these candidates I'm not going to do it this election
because they are it's the most boring fifteen twenty minute interview because he
also said that they were on the take but everybody going to be careful to say the
same thing everyone wants change up every morning I change or change my underwear
or my clothes you know what sort of
a you know we've had this coming year we're going to have the Universe twenty fifth
anniversary of district representation in the city council being
a district city council is
a very much different job than being in that large council and I think that people
running for office really should know that difference that
a person who represents one fifth of the city nit knows to needs to know intimately
the neighborhoods that are involved in that district where is the has
a bigger vision macro vision of the city and its problems where its direction is
going second our development so there are two different types of people one city
council so it isn't just one thought process that goes into running for elected
office locally I also think we have to have a discussion in this city and if I was
a candidate running one of my prime platforms would be to have
a discussion about the charter of the city of Washington this China has to be
review with the
a change from the form of government or you don't that China has not effect of
charter as it is it's all it's stale and it has to be updated it would be one of
the major issues and I would talk about as you look at District representation it
look at that model representation you look at polarisation and look at the
demographics you look at the needs of the city not when five years and ten years
from now this Chahta has to be looked at again and it shouldn't be revolutionary so
we should make it between up the manager in
a strongly official would take you know five six years to go through the process
listen to the legislative move but the reticence to really have
a discussion but one of the the book The End of the city this is nuts is there is
there
a chance for him being away twenty five years old yeah because the mayor. Could
hold many titles in redefine roles that could all be from the president to I mean
you know of the contents of the strong mayor of this of that if I was
a strike first elected mayor it was it wasn't an effect of period of change of the
city or is it
a misnomer and it has continued to perpetuate this misnomer three Mariano to Mari
Conny move. And now of Joel Bryan I mean are we doing
a disservice having the structure as it is right now that's what's going to have an
America it's
a ceremony it's one of eleven you know it's one of eleven votes but and I need to
give Jordan some credit because when I worked for the administration. We did not
want to really identify that we had gang problems at one time the city was done in
no to the power is ceremonial and in oversight of the council the agenda so forth
and so on it can also set the course of public policy and the gang problem was one
of the bigger if people look back twenty years of discussion that was brought
forward through Jordan and the Council pushing the administration to come to terms
with the problem that we had and it gave at that time cheap Gardella some
opportunity to bring some preventive types of programs you know least keep our city
within check we're not absent that problem today but that was
a mayor council push relative to public policy and I think myself personally our
council need to do much more public policy facing given the challenges we face as
a community and so then do you need need any special requisite for that twenty to
be an attorney do I need you know to have some certain background for this guy you
you've held a view you need to have
a heart he need to know the local the you need to know contemporarily what this
city is comprised of are we a college town are we a city of working people are we
a city where people actually reside but travel to to work in one twenty eight and
four ninety five I we have
a combination of all of those things are we have place for many different ethnic
groups are we or what are we what do we want to be polished correct Jordan's
correct setting policy is the job of this board of directors that is the city
council moving forward that's the crux of the discussion and these take place so
whether even whether you win or lose if you've instigated
a conversation that's that's that's what's very important and that highlights the
fact why you need dialogue why you need to have these this kind of validated talk
of the forums and right before the time and the legal move overs as
a forum no one shows up of the League of Women Voters you might carry to your
station we might carry it live in Austin. Everyone changes the church when they
hear that they don't want to hear me I can I can you know I mean well we could
become kind of the fuel has become kind of jaded It's like they're just going to
promote themselves not as it is right as we see the negative side we see seldom
actually going to trial to matter he just drags down everybody that's in public
office to the lowest common denominator because they the purpose comes across
everyone's
a crock but we know some people are corrupt but the majority people I've dealt with
in public office and for almost forty years now have been on this Todd working men
and women that really give a damn about who they serve. Then did
a lot of play kids
a voter to discern the turnout was that what was the last turn out there that's an
interesting B M twenty twenty and twenty five percent and you know in this
morning's media there was
a study that was just released talked about the fact that younger people have
fallen. Victim by their own deed to what is called Social autism and it
doesn't have anything to do with clinical autism it has to do with the lack of
engagement of so many people and that is
a very big problem we are people who have vested interests in the future of the
city the homeowners the taxpayers their children the school system there all the
people who want to say community to live in and they are disengaged everyone is so
busy doing this and on the web that there is
a lack of engagement civically and that term that is
a very big problem someone who can motivate people to become civically involved
whether it's through neighborhood organizations Crimewatch groups religious
organizations this is what we really need we need people who are willing to get out
there reengage the public so that the job of government becomes something that
everybody is a majority a concern and that's where the Tea Party concept has such
a wonderful concept forget the National Tea Party but here's what's
a group of people that all of
a sudden want to get involved and they come with Do you agree with them you don't
agree with them left or right it makes no difference the problem they have is that
they identify themselves as one philosophy but if they just did that far of
a broader philosophy and then could motivate and bring people to the to the to the
point of taking out nomination papers getting behind that kind of candidate you
know much of that sort of process you know doing the door to door I mean no one
understands how they want to resist so it's not walking its neighborhoods that we
walk the neighborhoods you know Jordan you know interesting in the statement in
flashing back to college campuses back in the late sixty's and seventy's and they
were in the protest the massive amount of young adults that would come out if.
Protest the war on Vietnam so if you say no we're going to we're going to go this
is special edition we're going to go longer today so we hear the music that's
usually the the cutoff point but I just want to tell the viewers You're watching
other C.C.T.V.
a Special edition of soapbox we're continuing nonstop so we're going to keep going
right through with the show why it is
a year because we're keeping on going to pick up on that go ahead I'm sorry and
like this you know you look back and you would see that social movement on the
campuses relative to the issues that were most important to them today we have some
significant was going on we have significant issues you do not in my opinion see
that type of energy movement on the campuses of trying to affect change on the
macro level and I think with Dave said it goes all the way down to the micro level
in our neighborhoods we're is the movement for change. Well the lot of it there is
conversation out there I guess that I'm dating myself by casting
a blanket over everything there are plenty of blogs out there that will give you
conversation but there's
a big problem with that blogs are anonymous blogs are hateful blogs have no
accountability right when you come out as a community activist or
a person wants to be involved in
a community you you have an identity you're out in the community it's physical it's
not virtual They had to have virtual involvement is
a cop out and it will not benefit this community in the long run to effectuate
policy with reference to the involvement of colleges and was done to talk about
community policing and the effectiveness and the deployment of police and fire
throughout the city that's something that doesn't take place in a blog because
a blog is
a hit whack somebody get off go do something different and that does that doesn't
serve an end result you want so much for speaking from their own experiences
individually David talking really about the district council as well you know if
you don't run you hope to be mayor Rob or whatever you going to do you got to go
out there and identify the neighborhood needs of the people's needs and remember
the the time that we spent in great value in the disappointment the first night of
the special of the September primary when we came in I think it was thirty six
people on the ballot I think at that time and I think we came in like seventeen and
I had eleven votes we spent like three days in the valley got eleven votes or seven
votes or whatever it was but you know something someone had to represent the voice
and you have people going to go out there so I think you know if people are
thinking about running just you know get out there we're just don't run I mean
you've got to you've got to move around you've got to talk about the issues forget
the forget the the blogs in the the technical things that that's how you put
together the campaign organization the Internet is
a great vehicle to identify voters make sure you do
a voter poll get them all to the polls do all those things but if you don't go out
in top issues. And force the debate if you're waiting for the media to force the
debate it's not happening the candidates have to force at the big challenges I just
don't understand why people run for city council and school committee and don't
challenge the company well look into eventually individually they pick out pick out
a couple of councillors who are doing their job or even in the last the statewide.
Elections you have people doing that and some people just didn't want to show up
with that's fine you know then you have an empty chair on the stage and you debate
you want the chair I mean you do theatrical but you know something you do something
. But no one wants to they want to be listed as one of six votes for
a lodge so you don't want to lose Paul's vote you know David's vote to keep
everybody happy so we're happy to Lopes Yeah you want to because people go out
twenty five percent remember his name and people still think I'm running from that
and I just gave
a vote and I leave the voting but no I do and this is what I will count on strong.
Watch
a graph you're going to put you know I mean that's very savvy and I said today the
one living the walk we have been on the ballot you want to yes yeah but that's
a big there is you know that's one of the big differences I think when you talk
about how it's changed over the years is this the social media I love that term is
the social autism because a lot of people are just focused on this one thing it's
a virtual world but there's
a good and bad about that as you point out you can use this media to maybe pull
people to get the word out but on the other hand it is in
a way it's disconnecting people when you think it be connecting people it's not
really what is the last time
a candidate want to say because the school committee sent out
a question the it to the voters about issues that were important to them. I mean I
put in
a my top you can do this for less money today than you could do when he was back
when we were there and you go out there and try to find out what really people want
to say if nothing more it would be a hell of
a campaign beginning point of reaching out to people and say hey you know here's my
four thoughts do you agree or disagree with this and when you put in your comments
below and get some interest from the colleges I mean David knocked on my door what
i for us and we did not know David and he didn't one of the move in with us forever
but anyway it was you know not that it was a you know me and he was just
a young man I think it was eighteen years old is I want to work for him and we had
Dave if you remember this is not about me but it but it's an interesting microcosm
of what could happen today we had we did not have
a standing up person in Iraq in this nation and know how to work in the campaign
but John they have to be people out there in two thousand and eleven who have
either disenfranchisement from the local scene or they have
a burning interest for something in the neighborhood and want to come forward come
so it's our job to say to people this is how you do it how how do we include Kate
that in people in this day and age do they see that fundraising is something they
can't possibly accomplish do they see the bookkeeping that's involved in running
for office as something they can't overcome they don't have
a talent or they don't have
a connection to somebody who will help them with that. They need to be an infusion
of young people who are going to take over and responsible for what happens in our
neighborhoods and in our schools you know we haven't talked about schools but my
God if there's less energy and running for office it's it's
a disease with this with the school school vs school community we sometimes have
a is. An inability to get more than the basic six who are going to be serious
candidates for school committee when they occupy sixty to sixty five percent of the
budget locally that's an absolutely amazing lack of interest in everything and
again they get the last of the media attention I think and of endless schools an
interesting point and we all come to children in school. Minorities the bulk
and one of the lowest turnout in our community protect us from the minority
community and I think there needs to be
a lot of engagement and I think. Ten years from now the city which is going to be
quite different but the transition we've spent on living fortune of time and energy
and resources into the minority community to get them to register to vote into
Among it is perpetuates itself over and over and over again this has to come from
within the community and community has to rise in the leadership within the
community if there's leadership in that community has got to the side that not of
the get out of poverty and get out and get
a fish caught in this community the change of color has to take place and that has
to come from within the community David Rushford took over the election commission
and does it as has done more of
a voter registration and reaching out into the minority community than ever before
his predecessor work on that but you know we still see divorce or not we still see
five six seven percent of the action in the comes out it's growing it has to come
from the within the community or it doesn't it's not going to happen doesn't it
just boggle your mind that people who have the most of the biggest vested interest
people have students in the school system they don't vote we don't see them voting
right and I just think I just don't see why is there not
a connection between participation at the voting booth and people's result in the
classroom why is it that it's always
a we versus them attitude and lack of what not but has there been any poll to that
to that nature I mean is that is that people work it's the reality make it you
don't need
a whole to discern there's no excuse there's no excuse I wonder also we have many
immigrants coming here from different types of governments different countries and
I want to go back to the charter when I worked for the city it was interesting the
number of people within the minority community look at the mayor as the person that
ran the city he or she was the all power in our government because that's the type
of government they did come from and I think some of it going back to the child
review I think it needs to be looked at how do we engage all communities how do you
. No but we did then we took
a position where you just heard the child to have certain proof of precluding
responsibilities we were not we talked about that but we also represent the people
you know we had
a bully pulpit but we were now in made sure that what we stood for was what the
people wanted so I was an advocate and I think that's OK you have to become an
advocate because each kid would run out of left field and you don't come up with
some bird brained idea that is not relevant to the quality of life for the people
the city of Washington but you're going to go out there we go inside the
communities and be intently back for them but you know David Rushford as
a city for us in head of the Election Commission there's
a clearinghouse folks out there that if you want to run for public office you have
any questions whatsoever I mean we have one of the pieces of you put that show to
the other was how do people run when you know this guy's got the fortunes of
knowledge and over this is what one learning moment right now another you know and
I'm going to tell people to go back to up I mean this is clearly house and he's
going to the system that is fantastic up there so people don't have to fear one of
the regulations one of the rules David has committed I'm not propping him up he
just does this wonderful work he has made it accessible people don't have to fear
card because something is a former elected official that's have
a cup of coffee with them sit down with them be off to take their ideas what's it
like to go to the library there's
a graphic of information at the Public Library. And maybe even the League of Women
Voters I don't know how active they are
a little bit tsunami clearing house of the league actually held up pretty
successful. Run
a not run format but at the library it's the second or third time they've done it
we participate in that Josh we do know and you know our office actually is our
representative and we do see
a number of people putting their foot in the water trying to find out this is
something that is good for them so there are glimmers of hope and would join with
your encouragement on the radio and Paul. You from the you know the trenches having
feelers out there all throughout the community I hope I hope that we do see some
new people coming forward at least for the discussion and least to engage the
public in what goes on within the city government is
a five hundred million dollar budget and no one should ever run unopposed no one
should ever run unopposed. Now let's say you know you're getting
a market I know why I want to run and I've discerned the fact that OK it's not it's
not just a stepping stone I'm not looking for
a career but I have these issues and this is what I sincerely want to run for what
happens then but what's the next what's the first step I need to do I think people
need to get together around
a table with some people they might rely on that we're going to help them to get
the message out nobody can work singularly you need to have your eyes ideas bounced
off of people find out if they resonate then come to City Hall come to the
elections office on the second floor talk with Joshua about the requirements what
signature requirements are there for the particular office we'll put you in touch
with the office a campaign
a political finance talk about talk to them about setting up your depository
account easy to do so you have to have an account that's separate from your
personal account around oh yes OK but it but people don't feel from that because
it's
a very easy thing to do because Josh David over at the the registrar of voters can
very simply tell you where to go and what day to go not what does
a multitude you go to
a bank you go to someone working there the cow and then the political finance
office very easy to work with these people in Boston
a very cooperative if you have
a problem with the form go back up to the coroner's office and Josh will come over
and tell them and I've seen this been
a working because you know again if you've been so long as direct like I have been
you know and we didn't have those reporting to begin with and they didn't know why
I was still there the majority of people who sort of the local city council this is
their first foray into public office not many people came into it with previous
experience let's face it people in city council are coming down from serving as
Congressman they're coming from the neighborhood level they're coming from either
their professional background and bringing their expertise whether it's in
accounting history teaching whatever they're bringing it to the forefront for
perhaps the very first time. So if they so their special requirements inserted like
you mentioned you have to have
a separate account. Do you why do you even need money in the first was can you run
can you run without funds today can you use social media community media can you do
is there are other ways to do it without really having to raise money which is that
Obama is going to raise one billion dollars to run for president State Rep right
and state rep race in the thirteenth next trick some of the candidates were up to
forty thirty forty thousand dollars the race itself collectively was one hundred
fifty two hundred thousand so kind of defy think the answer though Bill Coleman
right now Coleman has been involved with more social issues and helpful issues
gets a little fruity every once in
a while with some of his ideas but certainly has had his name out there since I
first ran in one thousand when he might walk down the risk on always on
a Saturday night with tuxedo on the putting the recipes you know there's was caught
on there with
a group of picture of the other side yard we need more eclectic people write
a lot about has
a guy that are into his spurs to be elected to the city council but never organized
a group of people that could get on the air and never and I understand he had some
kind of call on problems when he first began I mean the one that says that wasn't
there that's float but that's not an excuse for not winning but he never raised
enough money he never got serious in the campaign he never had any kind of people
August I was never set the table Bill would look in the mirror and vote and
campaign Well Bill was never going to be on was Jimmy Fallon because he's not you
know he just fired him self right now you know you really need to enjoin people you
know for sure your idea is to engage other people in your mission if you can do
that then the money follows logically the money will come on now you don't need
fifty thousand dollars to run for city so that's not that's not
a measurement those craggy raised two hundred million this guy could raise it if
there were five blocks in the race but if you don't have an organization to raise
a dime unless you want to solve support your own your own campaign I mean you've If
once you get. The knowledge out there that you have enough people around you that.
World get out there and you start running fun raises small fundraisers you and
house parties this job west all the money going to go when you're raising me God
I'm saying is for I have an idea but all he does it on me it's all me money so so
does it you don't want to campaign manager you know the campaign manager of
a city council Rescue Committee that's
a waste of money can can raising too much money. Puts you into
a position where you're compromising your values and you know you national goals
and always you don't have any values when you come in I mean we live in the UK Here
page two hundred dollars I always had
a hundred dollar bill in my wallet my platform was if you give me money and you ask
me for a favor and give me
a hundred bucks back and I ran on that for twenty years and I did I was scared
a hundred bucks but nobody gave
a back of them of the hundred bucks my wallet Jordan I don't think anybody would
have did give you more than a hundred dollars today but that's that was
a that's the the thing so I mean I think everything to limit it to what you have to
do I don't see there's too much money if you sell yourself out you saw yourself out
you're going to be a corrupt it makes
a difference whether in office or out of office in aged it's no imitation I hope my
my friend on the left hand side here is
a race in some way one more race and one Rocky will put
a rocky music one more. But age is not
a. Non-issue so is that finally something you have in your how you see value change
you see this as
a strategic opportunity to make that change because the legal requirements it's
going to let's look at Gary Rosen for
a minute yeah prime example the guy never had an organization's life he never
raised any serious money. He gave no more columns than whatever invented on the
answer of the all the people that know him but he you know he just did it with
sweat equity. I mean he just stood on that show his budget was probably huge you
know I mean and you know he's broken so often and you know we lasted he lasted so
what I want to campaign like I wrote since no I would not as he's probably most
know but you can do some things without spending
a lot of money if you have organization friends people that believe in your message
what about those people that say just want to run just to make
a point and they don't real scenario is serious is that
a waste of everybody's time and money or is it's is it worth it in the terms of you
know put policy somewhere along the line if you see the number of issues that come
before the city council you really need to become well versed you can't just be
a one issue person and let everything else just float by you really need to be
engaged you really need to care about things that happen across
a wide spectrum of issues not just taxation not just teaching not just crime you
need to take
a look holistically at the community that you're representing especially if you're
an at large council or
a district council or is can be more involved in constituent issues and that's why
it's
a great balance to have at large and district councils but for the most part you
can't take
a pass on ninety percent you need to be engaged on many of the issues that if
you're ready for city council in this coming election in school committee and you
haven't been attending the city council meetings or the school committee Shame on
you. Shame on you and you know what I mean by attending I'll be speaking up
something called watching you know you can stand up on some issues and get some
free press you kidding challenges counselors you have your say you go to
a community meeting you know the press covers some of those communities get
involved take a position it's a free ride but make sure it's
a sensible position be heard be seen be introduced. But don't let this to the
editor I mean there's
a lot of ways that you get your positions out this is sort of its preliminary sort
of like priming the same phrases I did you also find out what the issues are and
what the council is doing about those issues I mean watch that process of how
a council meeting is run you know ninety nine percent probably perfunctory but
ninety nine percent of the time that's where all the money is being spent and the
data result there to be in to be educated about where the city is spending five
hundred million dollars budget and the city manages annual budget messages on the
website and I think the city's website is probably one of the better written ones
and better organized ones but it is great to have the utilized I think it all goes
back to engagement in people being artistically disengaged socially unappreciative
in an engaging and knowledge not knowledgeable enough about what there is available
in this community five hundred million dollars
a year to provide local services that's
a great deal of money in the pot to divvy up there have to be people out there who
have ideas and new ideas and perhaps. You know how to redirect some of that but
when you get David during the campaign Paul immoral what you get your campaign all
the time is when I ask
a question or other people ask questions then they can they can squash you know
well you know when I'm in. No way to meet women women you should know that it's
a right not what you're going to do otherwise you should be running I mean you
should have looked at the budget you should've eaten up that budget you should've
taken the pot you should ask questions during budget review you should know what
you have to if you don't want to do the if you don't want to do the ground work the
sweat equity of the homework then do yourself
a favor don't run this this is winnable this is winnable there are candidates on
this city council is accomplished right now that of all if people in
a school committee very vulnerable. If you want to run in win this year I believe
people can win I really do but you've got to go you know Cream rises. Whatever it
is you're going to want to go now David mentioned that it's kind of lately is it
too late no it's not too late now actually I think that some people just decide
underestimate what they know about the community if you've grown up here if you're
someone who's you know you stay engaged by reading I think every pretty good diving
board to jump from you know in this community we're talking about you know how many
people actually. What's our audience out there especially in the schools eighty
five percent of the families in the city send their kids to public school system
how is it that we have been early enough people to come up with six warm bodies to
serve on the school committee has to be
a. Great untapped number of people out there who could offer new opinions
reinforced opinions redirecting resources into the school to problems like you say
some of them might be afraid to run for you know this gotcha media type of I find
it had bad either had to believe watching
a school committee that ninety percent of the people in this committee couldn't
grasp the issues and take on that leadership role So legally what I'm sorry about
legally what's what's required if somebody says I'm going to run right now I mean
do you believe us not a sign we need to be a U.S.
Citizen and least eighteen years of age and reside in the city it was to run for
office in signatures with
a committee get the signatures need one hundred certified signatures for his
district council three hundred for school committee three hundred for city council
and to get those signature forms to those reforms that you get from your actions
right at the Election Commission office on the second floor of City Hall now is how
he's using it signatures you can get three hundred signatures in an afternoon or
certainly within two days if you want to stand at
a shopping center or go with this I'm of group of people concert or something you
just want to walk around. It is not difficult to do You could if you get entree
into high rises for the only way you go over to a big go to any of these things
a church organization whatever it is it's not
a difficult thing very small number of registered voters have to sign and with the
with the legal aspect in terms of bookkeeping and fund raising Do you need to hire
a C.P.A.
To be on your. You know when your campaign committee anybody who does their checking
account online can can easily do their own financing you could name a treasure or
a family member I know Jordan Maxine was always your Treasurer I think it's
probably a good a good thinking for
a candidate to have their spouse or significant other be in control of the
financing it's not like trying to manage something for not in company it's
a matter of doing it just like your own home check and just one that we would want
to be
a special something that it was also meant that you can't say hey you know I didn't
know that I was going to be spent on you but it's very easy to do and that's making
a skill sets skill set yeah yeah I'm thinking of Janice NATO. I would love to have
run a council today with
a lady that was grassroots invested time in the community is not afraid to take
a stance was courageous to take
a stance. Was not afraid to fight her colleagues to to go if you actually came to
a fair share which absolutely actually why dog it was actually activists and she
was engaged to a neighborhood activist about taxes on the cost of care not
a lot of money not a lot of money she lived on Cambridge here in London came
a three you know if somebody is unsure whether or not they should be running once
you start going around getting signatures you'll be told whether or not you're
a good candidate and people will be either incentivize you and encourage you well
they'll ignore you if you get ignored then you know it might not be the right thing
for you but why not try yeah we talked about you know the political climate and
some of the changes it has activism itself changed. You know in terms of the
face value of it are they out there the activists out to face to face I think there
are some who have energy but they just get on
a blog they throw it across something so it's sort of it does rain but it's not
really done i guess i think Joe may O'Brien is your real because of his
being so active in the community I think that you've got not only
a good example of the mayor being an activist but we have
a chief executive this country who was a community activist How could this not be
a great time for people to see that by that are currently it is led by their
example yeah good sort of good point yeah. It has changed dramatically this
change electronic media can be a big negative could also be a big. But we've lost
a lot of our interpersonal skills of talking to each other standing on the corner
standing outside of a supermarket standing outside of a bakery on
a Sunday morning shaking hands with people after they go to mass
a lot of these things have changed if they bring politics back to that rally on the
corner type stuff and then go into the church picnics on Sunday afternoon
unfortunately that takes away from your family but you know you press the flesh and
tell people you're all about introducing yourself to the community it's
a seven day seven night commitment you make for certain periods of time in you can
get your name out there and if people reject your message don't reject as David
just said that rejecting that is just some guy say if you approach and some women
to take the approach where they get their families involved so in
a way it can keep your children with you can do a lot of things there's
a lot of fun to this there's
a lot of fun what you know marching into Columbus Day parade the St Patrick's Day
parade if you have a couple bucks you want to sponsor a band was
a lot of stuff if you can do it you can show up at the concert at the park you just
walk by you don't want to intrude on people and go over there at lunch time with
a common walk around introduce yourself to people you know you have
a job do your job take a half hour off
a lunch that's the stuff you can do so with the last little roughly less than ten
minutes. You win the election you decide to run you follow the advice you're still
esteemed panel has provided you win then what. It sounds like the movie The
Candidate that you really at the judges say you get out of then you say what the
hell that I'm going for that's for you know well what happens is there is an
orientation state reps get this little orientation I mean what happens next well of
course the term is
a two year term for city council those who are successful this November will be
sworn in the first secular danger and you were there is an orientation that we
provide that helps people to understand the protocols and the parliamentary
procedure but again we've had over the course of my tenure with the city thirty two
years they've been people of all different ability levels all different occupations
some the walk of patients whatsoever except homemaker. Emerging taking those people
in co-creating them into the the life of
a city councillor and the routine of the weekly city council meetings and. Is one
that most people of can handle quite easily. You know the budget cycle there are
two things that city councils are really employed to do one is to employ
a city manager and the other one is to review and approve a budget
a balanced budget and being involved in those two particular major themes I think
is something that most people can can grasp very easily but Davis like yourself
quite of the AGO in his office of the city clear up because they act as
a tremendous asset and they are the the the right and left hand of members of the
city council the mayor of. Dr freed over the school committee there's
a core of the school committee so if any council what you're elected. Then you go
see the clerk. Who's impartial always has been work for the Council even though
it's under contract. And. I mean it's
a good thing you do have some on the job training she just asked David and David
will give you an opinion of this is what you have to do in this is how you file an
author and it's not that complicated if you have any common sense and you know the
issue is you do your homework you come in prepared. It's not it's not difficult to
do because you're a N.
And you learned it and you have people behind you. It's not rocket science it
really isn't rocket science and listen to people and go to other people if you call
them that it involved in
a private sector or say to someone you know I got this problem with this budget
item this makes sense to you and someone has so maybe financial expertise and you
look at this enormous adjoin this is all right so then you find
a balance and you can you reach out to people neighbors are all wrong apparently
you know when I was chair with the school committee because I was never talk to
parents all the time build quality to your will coalitions and you can't succeed by
yourself so now if you if you win or lose if you lose it doesn't mean it's
a life political life is over right you can always know what we write should most
people were going to lose the first time out because they don't have
a recognition. Paul you've been involved in lots of different emerging communities
in the city African community gunning community how do you suggest that somebody
from
a minority community of the Latino community because we are on the verge of becoming
a Latino majority community how would you say that somebody from an African
background would try to coalesce people to secrecy either on the school committee
of the city council where they begin I think there are
a number of people out of the F.
American community that have spent a lot of time and invest
a lot of their energy into the city of Boston such as Robert Thomas I think an
individual that has invested in itself or herself in the community they have that
base out there they have that coalition they can go to I think just to be here for
three to five years no matter what background and I think that you can put
a successful race together tomorrow I think will not win. OK So if you're one of
those people call City Hall That's right Lexington What's the number the last
always seven nine nine one zero zero four Ask for Josh Maduna he's probably the
only person that's going to pick up the phone there anyway and Josh be very happy
to lead you into the process thank you very much guys thank you Joy and thank you
thank you David thank you very much for being here and again considering running.
Cons and David at the Election Commission office seven nine nine one zero zero four
talk to Josh get you started Thank you guys.