Council Talks Three Strikes Legislation, Impaired Hearing Help, and Satellite Dishes

let out a laugh after banging his gavel ending the Council's regularly scheduled Wednesday meeting. The meeting was to start at noon, but ended up being closer to 1 p.m., and the Council followed their late start with more than half a dozen of recesesses, finally ending the meeting after 3 p.m.

A resolution by District 4 City Councilor Charles Yancey "urging Governor Deval Patrick and the 187th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts thoroughly review and publish the finding of the social and economic impact the proposed 3-Strikes Habitual Offender Bill may have on all Massachusetts' cities and towns if passed and enacted" is what tripped up the Council.

Several councilors did not agree with the title of the resolution, while Yancey felt the resolution was simple and could send a message quickly to the state Legislature. 

Said Yancey, "All we’re doing today is saying before you take action, tell us what the impact [of three strikes legislation] will be on the City of Boston. Nothing more complicated than that." 

said his desire to not vote on the resolution today was meant to not "malign the intent of the maker" i.e. Yancey, but Consalvo said he needed more time to study three-strike legislation. Consalvo added due to his working on "myriad city issues" he hasn't had time to read committee reports, comments from professionals, and more, on three-strike legislation. He added he felt it "bothersome" that his colleagues were urging the Council to vote on "something they didn't feel informed about."

Several other councilors including and desired pushing the resolution back, too.

Murphy lectured his colleagues about taking more than six recesses and 45 minutes to discuss a pending state bill that's not being rushed on Beacon Hill.

The resolution was tabled so councilors could become more informed. It will be at least two weeks before the council picks up the issue up again due to scheduling conflicts.

Too Many TV Satellite Dishes

District 1 City Councilor Sal LaMattina took aim at satellite dishes offering an: Ordinance amending and adding various subsections of CBC Chapter XVI, Regarding the Placement of Satellites, Antennas and Receivers on Residential Properties throughout the City of Boston.

LaMattina said he sees too many satellite dishes, "Some houses with eight dishes. They are destroying the character of our neighborhoods. I see them on roofs, the front façade of houses." LaMattina said a lot of the homes with satellite dish clusters are owned by absentee landlords.

He added the dishes are a public safety hazard often blocking windows, adding it's a national problem that other major cities such as Philadelphia have addressed by amending current laws. A committee hearing will occur in the coming weeks to discuss the issue of satellite dishes in Boston.

Getting into the flow of the Council, District 3 City Councilor Frank Baker offered his maiden Council filing today - asking for a hearing to create a 24-hour substance abuse hotline run by the City of Boston. Every councilor offered support for Baker's first filing and rose to give him a standing applause after he gave a very personal speech about how drug substance abuse has plagued many people he has known. The ordinance was moved into committee for a future hearing.

Also on the agenda was District 2 City Councilor Bill Linehan, who requested and received full support from the entire council, on adding a budget request to offer an auditory hearing aid loop in the Boston City Council Iannella Chamber. Linehan said 70 percent of hearing aide users would be able to use a telecoil to attach to their aide if they were attending a meeting and hear the council.