Political postings

[JohnAKeith]

Gold rush is on for plum job
By Yvonne Abraham
The Boston Globe

To paraphrase General MacArthur, old city councilors never die, they just fade away. And for councilors, the preferred fade is into a better paid, even more obscure political post.

It’s no surprise, then, that recently deelected Boston councilors Stephen Murphy and Charles Yancey are eyeing runs for Suffolk County register of deeds.


What self-respecting pol with scant career prospects wouldn’t want that gorgeous gig?

The office, where an army of devoted and/or tenured clerks record real estate transactions, is the perfect place to close a career on the public payroll.

First of all, the job pays $124,000 a year — way more than the measly $99,500 Murphy and other councilors fought for so hard last year.

Second, if you can avoid assaulting employees (like ex-Suffolk register of probate Patty Campatelli) or stealing $100,000 from the copying machines (Middlesex’s John Buonomo), register jobs are super-obscure affairs to which almost nobody pays attention, even on Election Day. Not like those trying spots on the council, where pesky reporters track whether you’re actually showing up for work. Win that first election, keep your nose clean, and you’re pretty much in for life.

More good news: Being a councilor is great training for being register of deeds because, just like a councilor, a register has no actual power. You’re presiding over a record-keeping system run by career clerks who live for details. It’s possible to be a good boss, or a bad one, but you only have so much control.


That’s because the secretary of state is really in charge. Bill Galvin has been supervising most Registry of Deeds offices since the late 1990s. His outfit calls the shots — gathering up fees, awarding contracts, even deciding who gets hired.

“We run the registries effectively,” Galvin said.

The downside to this lack of heft for the elected register is that it’s harder to do patronage hiring, if that’s your thing. The upside: Less work!

Former Boston city councilor Mickey Roache gave up the plum position in December, after 13 years. Galvin can appoint his replacement, but can also choose to wait for the results of a special election in the fall. So far, he has opted to wait.

A bunch of people have pulled papers to run.

“There is this sort of gold rush on,” he said.

It almost goes without saying that perennial candidate Doug Bennett is among the aspirants. And there is Yancey, of course, who told elections staffers he might run for Congress instead, as if this was a realistic option.

And Murphy, who really wants it.

“He has made several efforts to get appointed” to the position, Galvin said. “I made it clear he was not going to be appointed.”

Yeouch. Murphy, whose wife works in Galvin’s elections division, said on Friday that he did seek to be appointed — “It’s preferable to being elected, I suppose” — but he never spoke with Galvin directly, since the secretary did not return his call.

If he appoints anybody, Galvin said, it would be a professional with an appreciation for what real estate records are about. Ideally, he added, he or she would be an attorney who could also win an election.

But you have to wonder why register of deeds should be an elected position in the first place. Maybe it made sense hundreds of years ago, when land titles were big, disputed, political affairs, and when great power resided in the office. But now, when those who head the records repositories have so little autonomy, shouldn’t the job be held by a consummate bureaucrat, rather than a good campaigner?

Of course, precisely because registers are politicians — with connections among the legislators who would decide their fate — that will never happen.

So there the candidates for this lofty office will be, near the bottom of your ticket this fall, and forevermore. Most folks will vote for the person whose name seems most familiar, and not give it another thought.

And as long as he or she can behave, the victor will be sitting pretty — for an awfully long time.

Yvonne Abraham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at yvonne.abraham@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @GlobeAbraham.

[TheRifleman]

Any possible way we can do a Survey on this site
Who is voting for
Bernie Sanders
Hilary Clinton
Donald Trump
Ted Cruz
Kaisch (whatever his name is)?

None of the above

[BussesAin'tTrains]

Originally Posted by TheRifleman

Any possible way we can do a Survey on this site
Who is voting for
Bernie Sanders
Hilary Clinton
Donald Trump
Ted Cruz
Kaisch (whatever his name is)?

None of the above

Make a thread w/ poll.

[statler]

^^ Yeah, what Busses said. Go for it. Just do it in the General section.

[TheRifleman]

Originally Posted by BussesAin'tTrains

Make a thread w/ poll.

Can you make it? I don't know how. I'm just curious on the opinions on this board.

[Arlington]

Rifleman, are you trying to smoke out individual who-supports-whom, or just wondering how the ArchBoston community shook out on election day(s)?

[dwash59]

I created a poll.

I believe it is set up in a way that it doesn't show who people voted for or even who voted, so people can be anonymous.

[TheRifleman]

Originally Posted by Arlington

Rifleman, are you trying to smoke out individual who-supports-whom, or just wondering how the ArchBoston community shook out on election day(s)?

Not at all. Just an overall wondering what type of group I'm dealing with in here.

I'm the nut who voted for TRUMP

[statler]

See, nothing nefarious. He just need to know whether or not to report this place during the Time of the Purge. Nothing to worry about.

[TheRifleman]

^^^^
Statler that was funny.

[Arlington]

I suppose Trump supports transit and infrastructure spending, in an Hitler-built-the-Autobahns sorta way.

Though today I learned Hitler stole credit for the Autobahns. The first Autobahn was actually built by Konrad Adenauer, the Center party mayor of Cologne whom Hitler deposed, impoverished, and occasionally imprisoned and later was chancellor during the post-War. I'd definitely vote for a CDU if it rose from the ashes of the Republican party, though there's no Adenauers out there that I see.

[Randomgear]

Well, I couldn't figure out who to support (if only Bernie would wear his red beret...) so I voted against DT.
I still don't feel good about voting for someone who believes in spontaneous generation to the point that he thinks women come from kitchens.

[JohnAKeith]

Alright, I'm in.

I'm running for Suffolk County registrar of deeds. The registrar of deeds leads the registry office in taking care of all deeds filed for Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.

I've pulled papers and am collecting signatures. For some insane reason, you have to get 1,000 signatures in order to qualify. First thing, we have to fix that.

The office is considered a plumb "hack" job - Mickey Roache held it most-recently until he quit in December. Ex-Boston city councilors Stephen Murphy and Charles Yancey are rumored to be running, as are five "newbies", all from the southern neighborhoods of Boston. I'm the only "Boston Proper" candidate and, from what I can tell, the only real estate broker. Meaning, perhaps the only candidate who has actually been in the registry more than once in their lives. (You go there when you buy or sell your condo / home.)

I just pulled papers so my website, etc., are just getting going. The election isn't until November 8 so there's plenty of time for voter outreach and putting together my team (I need a campaign manager and PR / social media maven, stat. Apply within.)

Those of you with long memories will remember I ran for Mass state rep in 2009, coming in second to Aaron Michlewitz. I am a non-party independent candidate, so no Democratic (or, Republican) primary for me; I go straight to the general election.

The 1,000 signatures are intimidating, especially since the deadline is May 3rd and I need to get them in earlier because they have to be checked for accuracy and you always have to collect a couple hundred extra because some inevitably can't be checked out. So, look for me at your local Stop & Shop tomorrow and next week.

This race is different from my last one: This one, I can win. I'm best-qualified, plus the other candidates have their own issues. Name recognition is the key to success and I plan on making my name known far and wide!

http://www.johnfordeeds.com

[datadyne007]

Originally Posted by JohnAKeith

Alright, I'm in.

I'm running for Suffolk County registrar of deeds. The registrar of deeds leads the registry office in taking care of all deeds filed for Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.

I've pulled papers and am collecting signatures. For some insane reason, you have to get 1,000 signatures in order to qualify. First thing, we have to fix that.

The office is considered a plumb "hack" job - Mickey Roache held it most-recently until he quit in December. Ex-Boston city councilors Stephen Murphy and Charles Yancey are rumored to be running, as are five "newbies", all from the southern neighborhoods of Boston. I'm the only "Boston Proper" candidate and, from what I can tell, the only real estate broker. Meaning, perhaps the only candidate who has actually been in the registry more than once in their lives. (You go there when you buy or sell your condo / home.)

I just pulled papers so my website, etc., are just getting going. The election isn't until November 8 so there's plenty of time for voter outreach and putting together my team (I need a campaign manager and PR / social media maven, stat. Apply within.)

Those of you with long memories will remember I ran for Mass state rep in 2009, coming in second to Aaron Michlewitz. I am a non-party independent candidate, so no Democratic (or, Republican) primary for me; I go straight to the general election.

The 1,000 signatures are intimidating, especially since the deadline is May 3rd and I need to get them in earlier because they have to be checked for accuracy and you always have to collect a couple hundred extra because some inevitably can't be checked out. So, look for me at your local Stop & Shop tomorrow and next week.

This race is different from my last one: This one, I can win. I'm best-qualified, plus the other candidates have their own issues. Name recognition is the key to success and I plan on making my name known far and wide!

http://www.johnfordeeds.com

I saw on Twitter that you have Jim Aloisi's endorsement! Good start. If he trusts you, I trust you! I like your goals & qualifications too. Sounds like you'd be a great fit.

[dwash59]

Glad you're in the race, I like many of your goals.

First thing I would do upon getting in office is push for the creation of a bug report form. Sometimes i find a bug (e.g. wrong sales amount, link to a past deed is wrong due to inverted numbers) and e-mail them, but it seems like a semi-awkward method.

[JohnAKeith]

Good news is, data, you're in the county!

[DBM]

Originally Posted by JohnAKeith

Good news is, data, you're in the county!

Oh man, you had me at "digitize records.... perhaps back to colonial days."

Ever tried to construct a map of parcel ownership boundaries in colonial-era JP? Not so easy given that the ward atlas maps didn't start publishing until the 1870s... also, as custodian of the Commonwealth Archives, how could Billy Galvin not endorse a platform like that?

[Arlington]

Why is Leland Chung running against Pat Jehlen for State Senate in Camb-Som-Med, and what makes him think he can win?

I can't find any serious policy differences

His campaign:
I am ME! I am fancy/famous/JFKschool/Cambridge. she's her boring old Somerville self. Vote for me because millennial fierce urgency of now.

Her campaign:
Teachers unions dig tenure and so should you. I will soon start benefitting from Seniority and Democrats should only expect competition in that first fight for an open seat. Primary challenges baffle me.

Any suggested basis for preferring one to the other?

I like Jehlen for her transport-urbanism (and seniority in shaking the money tree for bike-Ped improvements to DCR parkways and along the Mystic and can't see a upside to switching before she retires (she has announced for re-election)

[JohnAKeith]

There's a twitter account or something which goes by "I'm Leland Chung .. and I'm running for this now!" or something similar. So, you're not alone in questioning.

[JohnAKeith]

I miss you guys!