David Rushford | InCity Times

I am a former Republican activist who changed to unenrolled when the pro-life plank was removed from the party platform.

I pulled a Republican ballot on primary day and wrote in Guy Carbone, Belmont for Attorney General, who I had also supported in 1990. I filled in the oval.

When I went to the election return website, I was astounded to see that there were no write-in votes for Carbone, in Ward 3 Precinct 4, where I voted.

Curious, I looked into the other write-in races and found a high percentage of write-in votes disallowed in Worcester.

In the AG race McKenna recieved 281 votes, Carbone 60 votes, discounted write-ins 513. And in the 14th House seat, they threw out 88 write-ins and only gave Don Motta 19 votes.

This does not pass the smell test; perhaps they only counted the stickers. Someone needs to look into this.

Brian O’Malley
Worcester

By Rosalie Tirella

Worcester City Clerk David Rushford loses three clerks and he’s throwing a royal hissy fit! Yep! Rushford, who also runs the Worcester Election Commissions Office, wants to close his City Clerk office – the taxpayers’ office – at 2:30 p.m. instead of at the usual 5 p.m. (and collect the same humungus salary, we suspect). You know, so Rushford’s palsy walsy with Nick K. at the T & G, but that doesn’t mean the old T & G reporter needs to become Rushford’s personal stenographer. Nick shouldn’t jump every time some city haller loses his job or a few staffers and then threatens all hell will break loose now that they aren’t part of the scenery. (Nick, these people are using you!)

A quick recap: Rushford is threatening the city: if you don’t give me back my three clerks, I close down this office at 2:30 p.m. – not at 5 p.m. I will not do the city’s business – important business like marriage and death certificates, voter registration, dog licences, etc. It’s funny: Rushford gladly volunteered to take over the Election Commission Office a few years ago – the extra chores were no problemo, he said (and of course he got a pay raise). But now that he’s lost three people – he’s got a gaggle of clerks helping him on Main Street – he’s lost it! He threatens the Worcester taxpayer – just like he did earlier, when he said automated telephones/receptionists would replace the live bodies who now answer the phones in his office. Remember, David, you run an office that could be run by a new City Clerk, if you’re ever disgusted enough to leave town. But you won’t! (Why would you?!)

Love him or hate him, DPW and Parks head honcho Robert Moylan has been doing his job with a hell of a lot fewer people for years. Molylan, up until this latest budget crisis, hasn’t pulled crap like this (except for the closing of the city pools). He’s never said to the City: Well, that’s it, we don’t have the people. The doors at the DPW office will close in the middle of the afternoon. Good fuckin’ luck, Worcester!

Rushford needs to get a grip and do the best he can with what he’s got, instead of issuing ultimatums through the press. Remember, there’s always someone willing to do your job (probably just as well or almost as well) – and keep your shop open til 5 p.m.