Koch blasts city’s census newsletter: Says taxpayer money used to print ‘campaign’ brochure; Phelan links opponent to past scandals

By JOHN P. KELLY
The Patriot Ledger

Quincy Mayor William Phelan’s political opponent accused him of squandering public money on 50,000 ‘‘campaign’’ brochures mailed out with the yearly census.

Thomas Koch, who announced his candidacy in January, called on two state agencies yesterday to investigate whether Phelan abused his position by spending taxpayers’ money on the ‘‘Quincy View’’ newsletter, which was printed by a private company and mailed to residents last month.

The mayor’s office was quick to call the accusation groundless and retaliated with a harsh attack against Koch, saying the criticism was odd coming from someone ‘‘spawned’’ from an administration that was rife with scandal and fiscal mismanagement.

The political tit-for-tat began when Koch issued a morning press release announcing he had requested both the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to investigate Phelan’s conduct in mailing the brochure.

According to the complaint, Phelan’s staff began assembling the four-page brochure shortly after Koch announced his resignation as park commissioner on Jan. 23 to run against Phelan. After a private firm printed the brochures, city employees worked overtime to stuff them into envelopes, and the census mailing was delayed as a result, the campaign’s press release said.

Thomas Largey, the mayor’s top aide, disputed allegations that the brochure was politically timed, saying it had ‘‘long since been in the drafting stages’’ by the time Koch announced his candidacy.

‘‘Koch may think opening a dialogue with residents is a strange way of running government, but we think that’s how government should be run,’’ Largey said.

The four-page color pamphlet includes a photograph of Phelan on the front page, quoting him as saying the aim of the newsletter is to ‘‘provoke further dialogue’’ with residents by updating them on city projects and providing space for mail-in feedback and suggestions. Overviews of several city projects follow, under headings such as ‘‘vibrant downtown closer to reality’’ and ‘‘city to create new waterfront park.’’ It includes a phone number for residents to call for sidewalk repairs and touts the progress of initiatives in a dozen city neighborhoods.

Denis Kennedy, spokesman for the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance, said investigators look for a ‘‘clear campaign component’’ in determining whether public mailings cross the ethical line.

Touting one’s record does not necessarily classify it as campaign literature without an ‘‘explicit request for election or re-election,’’ Kennedy said.

Koch’s campaign filed a public records request to the mayor’s office yesterday for documents detailing the cost of producing and mailing the brochure.

‘‘We want to keep the administration honest,’’ Koch said in an interview. ‘‘The mayor is in his sixth year, and this is the first time he’s done this.’’

‘‘He’s sitting on about $200,000 in his campaign war-chest,’’ Koch said. ‘‘If (the brochure) is as political as I think it is, the money should come out of that.’’

Largey, the mayor’s executive secretary, said future editions of ‘‘Quincy View’’ were planned, though he could not say when the next would be published or how much the first had cost.

Taking the offensive, Largey said Koch ‘‘was spawned from an administration that did whatever it wanted, whenever it wanted to - regardless of what taxpayers wanted.’’

The remark, a reference to Koch’s role as the top aide to former Mayor James Sheets, is the first evidence of a possible campaign strategy by Phelan to portray Koch as closely linked to an administration that ended under the cloud of a federal grand jury investigation and a controversial city hall break-in.

Largey said the Sheets administration ‘‘squandered millions on the Fore River shipyard boondoggle,’’ referring to a failed attempt to return shipbuilding to Quincy, ran six-figure deficits and suggested building a high school ‘‘on a toxic waste dump.’’

Koch responded by saying he will ‘‘gladly talk about my record’’ and said he looked forward to debating Phelan.

John P. Kelly may be reached at jkelly@ledger.com .

Copyright 2007 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Tuesday, March 13, 2007