Daily Archives: January 29, 2010

Captain Conflict aka Kevin J Murphy

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REP. Kevin J Murphy aka Captain Conflict (of interest)

Once again Capt. Conflict has stepped into the spotlight showing his arrogance and total disregard for trying to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest by representing a client in front of the MA. Alcohol Beverage Commission. A body that is part of the State Treasure’s Office and one that  the Elected  Representative has budgetary approval over.

How or why a sitting State Rep. can continue to represent clients in front of a state board that he has fiscal oversight of any kind on is beyond me. He could if he felt slighted or wronged vote to cut their budget, have the Auditor investigate them or a number of other things to make them uncomfortable.

He will point to this situation and say What are you talking about, I lost the case. Not the point here Murph but you have shown time after time you don’t get the point. 

He  serves as far as I know  (he was as of Oct 09) as  The Dracut School Departments Lawyer. Okay so the Town pays him as a Lawyer and he represents a client in front of the ABC who is appealing a ruling made by the same town who pays him to represent their school dept but that isn’t a conflict?

How about for example when  Rep. Murphy represents the bus driver’s union in Lowell, in contract re-negotiation talks with the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA.) The LRTA receives a quarter of its operating budget from state funding–which Rep. Murphy gets to vote on.

He even represented Lowell’s four assistant school superintendents in contract renegotiations one of which was his wife. (For which Rep. Murphy secured a $10k raise two years before his wife’s contract expired.)  And how is this not a conflict of interest?.) 

How he can earn a full time salary as a REP of $70K ( a base of $61K, $7,200 for Expenses and a $26 a day per diem to drive to the State-House) and earn over $100,00 in Private practise yet never be in conflict according to him. If not Legal Kevin how about just the appearance of conflict or doesn’t that matter as long as your getting paid?

Murphy claims one doesn’t interfere with the other but where was this self proclaimed champion of education when it came time to vote in January on Education reform? He did not vote.  Was he in Court of representing a client before a State board? No one has answered my question on that.

Did he resign or was he removed from the house education committee if as he stated the other day he will fight for education? When is he going to be called on to answer these questions?

I will email him 5 questions…Care to guess whether he has the courtesy, backbone or courage to answer me. I doubt it, he will ignore me like he avoids answering any who challenge him about his conflicts.

Tom Golden went after slick Willy in Lawrence, what about the King of Conflict here in Lowell Tom? Do you have the courage to go after him like you went after Willy?

Lowell Pays Coaches Top Dollar

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  There was an article in the Lowell Sun the other day that focused on the long hours coaches put in for what turns out to be  minimal pay. It showcased a couple area coaches and showed that with their preparation and off-season programs most coaches work for less than minimum wage when all that time is factored in.

What a friend pointed out to me and what I found more interesting was the side bar story about salary comparison of area  Varsity coaches;  Based on this story Lowell appears to pay their coaches much more than any other communities in  the area for the major sports.

Let me be clear here before I get crushed with comments, I am not disputing the hours put in by a coach or the fact that coaches are not in this for the money. Most spend a great deal on what they make on the program or the kids in one way or another.I’m also not saying we should eliminate sports. I’m just pointing out that Lowell seems to pay the highest salary in a time when money is tight and funds can be better used elsewhere.

In Football Lowell pays $13,353 which is $3,250 more then the next highest  area school (Billerica). In Basketball it is a $3,400.00 difference, Ice Hockey and Wrestling $3,174, Baseball/Softball $3,724.00, Cross Country $2,767.00

I know it may not seem like a lot of money but with tight budgets and possible level funding coming from the state, reductions and cuts may be a necessity so  isn’t it time the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few? (Mr. Spock Star Trek, Wrath of Kahn)

While sports is an important part of High School life and a way for some to get into college the average student doesn’t participate nor attend most of the sporting events. In the other sports like Field Hockey, Tennis, Track etc. salaries are much closer. Why is it in these sports we pay $3,000 more?

If you total the difference between what Lowell pays in Football, Basketball, Wrestling, Baseball and Cross Country. it equals $19,039 more then the next highest district. Couldn’t we buy some needed text books or  computers or Library books that more students could use?  

I always thought and still do that the average student gets neglected. Tthey are provided the minimal service while the Athlete and the “smart kids”  get the attention, the better teachers,  better schedules and tutors.  The Special Needs kids get extra support and services.  Your average student who doesn’t participate in sports and isn’t an honor high honor student goes along usually un-noticed. It may seem like a small item but as a guy who was the average student it was always something that I noticed and thought was unfair.

 If we need to make any cuts and with negotiations coming up for the Football Coach,  we need to look at the salaries for coaches in these sports and  line them up with the rest of the Merrimack Valley Schools.

 The article which can be found here: http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_14258908?IADID=Search-www.lowellsun.com-www.lowellsun.com

*Note from the Sun Colum : Top-step salaries are listed from those teacher contracts with salary steps based on experience; current coaches have not necessarily reached top step. At most schools, boys and girls coaching the same sport (example, basketball) make the same pay.  Sources:   School department budgets, teacher contracts, athletic directors