Mayor says Democrats responsible for convention overruns

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Rick Klein, Globe Staff | June 17, 2004

Mayor Thomas M. Menino said yesterday he will make sure that city taxpayers don't have to cover cost overruns at the Democratic National Convention, saying that he believes decisions made by the national Democratic Party are responsible for the fact that construction and production costs have ballooned.

Menino said the convention show is being designed by the Democratic National Committee and Senator John F. Kerry's campaign, not the local host committee the mayor leads. Since their decisions for more expensive staging and production are adding to the convention's budget, he said an estimated $5 million in additional costs should be paid with funds raised by Kerry and the DNC.

"It's their obligation," Menino told reporters at a City Hall news conference. "It's an issue for the Democratic National Committee. It's on their dime, not the city's dime, and they have to deal with those issues of the overruns in the convention costs . . . It's not the City of Boston, that's for sure."

The mayor's comments sharpened a disagreement between local and national convention organizers over the source of the cost overruns. The Kerry campaign and DNC officials have said that unanticipated cost increases in labor, electricity, and providing work space for members of the news media are causing the budget spike, not any added elements ordered by the party.

more: http://www.boston.com/news/politics/conventions/articles/2004/06/17/mayor_says_democrats_responsible_for_convention_overruns/

[Frodo]

1. Let me guess.

Is the mayor maybe a Republican?

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. No, he is a Democrat

[Frodo]

6. hmmm.. OK.

I guess he's just looking out for the good of his city. I understand they're a bit ticked at the anticipated traffic problems.

[DenverDem]

2. Gouging the tourists.

It's an American tradition.

[Frodo]

3. The convention doesn't have to come out of hard money, right?

[MallRat]

5. Dear Mayor Mumbles: STFU.

"The mayor's comments sharpened a disagreement between local and national convention organizers over the source of the cost overruns. The Kerry campaign and DNC officials have said that unanticipated cost increases in labor, electricity, and providing work space for members of the news media are causing the budget spike, not any added elements ordered by the party."


Maybe if you weren't embroiled in a pointless pissing contest with Boston's public safety unions, perhaps the local labor unions would be more accomodating.

Keep it up, Mumbles. It's been a while since you've had a serious challenge in a mayoral primary.

-MR

[Leilani]

7. Why did the Dems choose Boston?

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

It has been trouble from the beginning.

It would have been a good idea to choose a battleground state, out of the stereotypical Northeast.

The sunbelt, or the West...Arizona, with a Dem governor would have been good.