Mike Marino (R)
Candidate for Common Council
Background
Born In Middletown, Have been part of the Middletown police department since age 18. (currently hold the rank of sergeant). Have a 15 year old son who attends xavier high school. Member of the Elks lodge #771. Have been involved in organized labor for all of my years with the city and have held the presidents office with the police union seven times.
Experience
I have never held public office.
Qualifications for Position
Being a current city employee I feel that I have seen the waste of taxpayers dollars first hand. I also have seen how much politics comes into decisions where it is not needed. In short not being a politician myself I feel that I would make decisions based on the true facts not on what is best for me as a politician.
Reasons for running
I have dedicated my entire adult life to the City Of Middletown as a police auxiliary and then as a full time police officer. I would like to know use what I have learned through the years to help the city as an elected official.
Goals
Get new business into Middletown. For to long we have treated the city as a small town. We as elected officials have an obligation to assist bringing business into our city.
Control spending. Just like with our own finances, we should not be spending what we do not have. All to often the city uses money that they simply do not have.
Doesn't the Hatch Act prevent active municipal employees from holding public office?
ReplyDeleteRe: Anonymous 7:06-
ReplyDeleteRead the Act before making the comments! Ms. Daniels is within her rights to run for Board of Ed because it is a non-partisan position.
Let me get this straight...an active member of the MPD is running for city council and is claiming as one of his qualification that he has an insider perspective on wasteful spending. Is he going to let us know where he has observed the waste? Will he recuse himself from discussion that impact his own employement by the town.
ReplyDeleteBoard of Ed is not non-partisan. You have to run as a party candidate.
ReplyDeleteTeachers who work for schools that are funded wholly or in part by the State are exempted from the
ReplyDeleteHatch Act.
Funny how this was never an issue in the past when certain candidates ran for office and worked in the City or the board of Ed. But I guess when republicans run it is a different story, typical.
ReplyDeleteActually, the Board of Education IS a partisan position.
ReplyDeleteThe Hatch Act, for those of you unfamiliar with it, is a federal law restricting the political activities of state, federal or local government employees whose jobs are funded in whole or in part by federal grants, loans, or direct federal expenditures. It is administered by the Office of Special Counsel in Washington. An employee so covered may not be a candidate in a partisan election--one in which the employee represents a political party. They have a pretty extensive website, if you're interested.
Ms. Daniels indicates elsewhere in this blog that her position is funded exclusively by state, not federal funds. This would of course exempt her from the provisions--it has nothing to do with the educational aspects of the position sought, but the source of the grant funds.
Since the act implicates state employees, I sought an advisory opinion from the Office of Special Counsel prior to accepting the nomination. The office conducted an investigation, spoke with the higher level employees of the Public Defender Division, and concluded my nomination and running for election would not implicate the Hatch Act. I presume that any other candidates for office have taken similar steps, or that their positions involve no federal funding. So I guess the answer to your question is "no, it doesn't prevent active municipal employees from holding public office," unless they have some involvement with federal grant funds or loans.
Wouldn't Sheila also be exempt from the Hatch Act as an employee of the school system? The Hatch act states employees who work for educational or research institutions which are supported in whole or in part by a State or political subdivision of the State are not covered by the provisions of the Hatch Act.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that police officers were covered under the Hatch act, though. Didn't Councilman Halibozek (sp?) have to resign due to the Hatch act because he was a police officer? He was a state officer, if I remember correctly. Is that the distinction? I don't want to sound like I'm accusing Mr. Marino of violating the act, I'm just satisfying my curiousity.
I waant to thank those of you that have supported me on this issue.
ReplyDeletePlease note, though, I am not an employee of the school system.
I work under the Quality Enhancement Grant that supports the School Readiness Grant. Both grants are state funded. The Quality Enhancement Grant is held by the United Way. I am paid by the United Way and my job supports all preschool programs in the City of Middletown.