Buried in the final paragraph of the Wicked Local story about the Greer Tan Swiston and Kay Khan state rep race is this…
If she wins the state representative seat, Swiston said she won’t step down from the Board of Alderman. But she said she won’t run for re-election to the board in 2013.
While there are other state representatives in Massachusetts who’ve also held elected municipal positions at the same time, I don’t recall this being the case in Newton. How do you feel about an elected official holding two positions at the same time?
Tom Stanley in Waltham is both a City Councillor and State Representative. John Lawn served out his term as Town Councillor when first elected to the State House in the 10th Middlesex District. The question I would ask Greer is how she will juggle her two government jobs along with a real estate career.
I’m not thrilled about having someone spread that thin.
But the question for me is, “what’s the process for a replacement if she were to step down in January?” Special election? Takes time. Appointment by someone? Mayor?
Finally, many already argue, somewhat persuasively, that 24 is too many aldermen anyway, so how bad could it be to really only have 23+ for a year?
Dan, When an Alderman resigns mid-term, he or she is replaced by special election if there are at least 9 months remaining in the term. If there are fewer than 9 months remaining, the vacancy is filled at the next regular City election.
And I’ll take this opportunity to put in a plug for the charter commission signature drive that is kicking off on Election Day, led by the League of Women Voters of Newton. Our charter hasn’t been significantly revised in 41 years. Prior to the 1971 charter commission, vacancies on the Board of Aldermen were filled by a vote of the Board of Aldermen, regardless of remaining term. In practice, Aldermen would sometimes run for re-election and then resign, allowing the Board to control its membership. The 1971 charter commission ended that practice. It also changed the mayor’s term of office from two years to four and instituted an override of the mayor’s veto…all in all, the charter adopted in 1971 gave more power to the voters, and created a stronger executive branch and stronger checks and balances.
A year-long League of Women Voters study of Newton’s charter that concluded in 2010 found that we have opportunities for improvement to our government. League volunteers will be collecting signatures at the polls on Election Day, so please sign! And if you’d like to help collect signatures on Election Day, email [email protected].
Rhanna –
Thanks for the reminder about the Charter Commission. The TAB hasn’t yet posted the guest column that Anne Borg and Sue Flicop wrote about the League’s petition drive, but here’s a link to their letter to the editor. I’ll start a thread too when the column becomes available.
Thanks, Gail. Here is a link to a fairly comprehensive Tab op ed on the subject of a Newton charter commission that ran in June.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/newton/news/x2067836725/Borg-Flicop-Kidwell-Its-time-for-a-Newton-Charter-Commission#axzz2AR4oZZGi
Rather than special elections that are rather expensive on a per-vote basis due to low turnout, I’d rather see a vacancy filled by the runner up in the last election, rewarding someone who took the trouble to run, therefore encouraging more contested races, and also perhaps providing more diverse viewpoints on the B of A or School Committee, at least temporarily.
That’s what happens in Lowell with City Council and School Committee, although it’s a bit different in that members of both are all elected at-large citywide.
Don’t most Newton Aldermen have full time jobs in addition to their Aldermanic duties? I’m not sure why this is an issue.
Lynne it is only an issue because Alderman Swiston is a republican.
If anything they should Thank her for not vacating her alderman post if she is elected to State Rep as it will save the city the money for a special election.