Daily News Transcript: County Commissioner Candidates Square Off

The Daily News Transcript has a story on last evening’s debate between Norfolk County Commissioner candidates Tom Gorman and Michael Walsh.

DNT noted Gorman’s platform succinctly:

The Dedham Republican is once again running with the sole purpose of dissolving county government entirely.

“I’m not your typical candidate,” he said in his opening remarks, explaining he’s been a “man on a mission” for the past 12 years in filing legislation to cut wasteful spending by eliminating the branch.

Gorman Plan to save Dedham $521,301 over 3 years

DEDHAM – Thomas E. Gorman says his county government reform plan will save the town of Dedham an estimated $521,301 over the next three years.

Gorman, the Republican candidate for Norfolk County Commissioner, said he will propose eliminating the county’s executive functions. Such a move would allow the town of Dedham to keep the $173,767 it currently pays the county in an annual assessment. More

Gorman plan to save Quincy $1,527,528 over 3 years

DEDHAM– Thomas E. Gorman says his county government reform plan will save the town of Quincy an estimated $1,527,528 over the next three years

Gorman, the Republican candidate for Norfolk County Commissioner, said he will propose eliminating the county’s executive functions. Such a move would allow the town of Quincy to keep the $509,176 currently pays the county in an annual assessment. More…

Gorman: Sell Presidents Golf Course

DEDHAM – Thomas E. Gorman, a candidate for Norfolk County Commissioner is a man on a mission. Two years ago, Gorman ran for a seat on the board of commissioners on a platform that would abolish the executive branch of county government, and he received nearly 75,000 votes for his efffort.

This year Gorman is waging the same campaign with the same platform and his message has been resonating with voters. Gorman’s plan to abolish county government involves six steps: transfer the registry of deeds, court systems, sheriff’s department and county pension system to state agencies that already oversee those departments. And transfer the jurisdiction of the Norfolk County Agricultural School to the Blue Hill Regional School committee. Gorman’s plan calls for the sale of Presidents Golf Course for about $6 million, and he wants to distribute the proceeds to the 28 municipalities of Norfolk County . More

DTN Editorial: County government deserves a critical look

The Daily News Transcript has published an editorial from Norfolk County Commissioner candidate, Tom Gorman. Inside the editorial, Gorman urges the DTN editors to take a “look” at the waste with county government.

Here’s the money quote: 

Thanks to shrinking newsroom budgets and an overall growing civic apathy by the general public, the Norfolk County Board of Commissioners has been allowed to operate under a virtual cloak of secrecy for the past 20 years. It’s to the point where I would bet that fewer than 15 percent of Norfolk County residents can name all three commissioners, let alone what they even do, or on what they spend their $4.5 million annual allotment of property tax dollars.

Gillis fills campaign coffers with money from political insiders, subordinates

DEDHAM — More than 40 percent of the campaign contributions given to Norfolk County Commissioner John Gillis this year came from political insiders, state and local employees, or county bureaucrats, according to a recent analysis by the Republican candidate for county commissioner, Thomas E. Gorman.

“This analysis exemplifies why we need to abolish county government,” said Gorman. “It is an antiquated form of government that exists only to provide a patronage haven for the politically connected.”

Gillis, who has been receiving a taxpayer-funded paycheck for more than 50 years, has raised $14,140 for his re-election bid, according to reports filed with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Of that money, just under $6,000 was identified as having come from long-time political insiders, former elected officials from Quincy and Braintree , and county employees. Continued

Boston Globe: Candidate Poses Question on County’s Future

The Boston Globe notes candidate Gorman’s recent success in getting the required signatures for a Norfolk County ballot question.

Gorman… has posed the question so voters would decide whether to direct state Representative Paul McMurtry, a Dedham Democrat, to vote to dissolve county government and transfer its function to the state.

Daily News Transcript: County question going to local voters

The Daily News Transcript has news on Tom Gorman’s successful move to have a non-binding question placed on the November ballot.

Republican candidate Thomas Gorman’s ballot question will ask voters in the 11th Norfolk District whether their state representative, currently Paul McMurtry, D-Dedham, should vote to abolish the county government and transfer its responsibilities to the state.

Gorman had this to say in the article:

“It’s more of a public opinion poll,” said Gorman, who hopes the ballot question will also increase awareness of his campaign. “If it’s overwhelmingly supportive of my position … then we bring it to legislators and say, ‘Look, we want you to vote for this.’ It’s a polite way of citizen legislation.”

Press Release: Secretary of State Approves Ballot Question

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

DEDHAM – Thomas E. Gorman, a candidate for Norfolk County Commissioner, is pleased to announce that the Secretary of State’s office has approved his petition to place a non-binding question on the November 4, 2008, ballot asking voters in Norfolk County’s 11th District whether they would support the abolition of county government.

“I am pleased that voters will finally be able offer their opinion on this important public policy question,” said Gorman. “My belief is that a majority of voters will agree with me that they no longer wish to see their property taxes used to support a non-essential bureaucracy.”  Continued…

Wellesly Townsman: Commissioner Candidate Wants to Dissolve County Government

The headline says it all. Who else could they be writing about? 

The Wellesly paper checks in with a fresh story on the Norfolk County Commissioner’s race.

Here’s the keeper…

The Norfolk County government has a $34 million proposed fiscal 2009 budget, which is funded mostly by state reimbursements, a portion of the excise tax and fees on deed transactions, and a county tax that cities and towns, including Wellesley, pay based on their property taxes.

Translation: The Norfolk County government couldn’t spell waste if you spotted them the first four letters. Their budget relies (almost) solely on state and town handouts.