WE GOT OUT PACED

In Lynn when you don't keep PACE you fall behind.
To the tune of $1.95 Mil comes to mind.

Because of a whistle he did blow
Fortucci said he had to go.

Since the case went to court
I am sad to report

The judge did say
With taxes you will pay!

THE BALLAD OF MONROE STREET

The silence broken by a chain saw's buzz

Falling down a tree that was.

All in the name of fleeting fame

For hopes of being in the game.

No song for a plant to cry

Just a little more beauty left to die.

It's only the price we pay

When fools pretend to play.

PUBLIC BENJAMINS

Had enough of your praise
Now I want a RAISE!

I know money is owed everywhere
But do I look like I care?

Sure the city is short on cash
And the rats are feasting on our trash.

Think of how my credibility will soar
When no one around me makes more!

BACKROOMS AND BAR FLYS

Pardon the interuption,
It's just our culture of corruption.

Didn't mean to shine the light
On our catty little fight.

Here's how we do business in Lynn
That fabled "City of Sin".

Our gang problem isn't limited to youth,
You'll find them at city hall, that;s the truth!

Attorneys deliver closing statements in Pace trial

CITY CIRCUS CALLED OUT

STATE OF THE CITY!
Saturday, May 31st, 2014
Lynn Public Library
2:00 p.m.

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Don't fall for anyone's delusion,
The STATE OF OUR CITY is confusion.

Trust in our leaders has faltered
Because of questions of books being altered.

A MEASURE TO TREASURE

You say you're a player,
Smarter than the mayor.

Your job she tried to erase
But in the end you fired PACE.

JUDY was your pal
Cause she showed you how.

Providing oversight was the reason
You gave for condemning his treason.

So it's not like it came out of the blue,
His firing was justified thanks to you!

Lynn treasurer: No choice but to fire Pace

PAYBACKS AND PAYOFFS

Don't look now but you may be in danger
Of giving back the money not rightfully yours
For this the one you thank won't be a stranger
It's MISS JUDY who's walking through those doors.

It's the usual NOT POLITICS AS USUAL requiring a change
The pay structure we need to rearrange.
About what we paid CLANCY she is sore,
But in the end she'll want more

Retro pay questions loom in Lynn

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE TRUTH FAIRY?

It is critical
To have a terminal,

A place to park our boat
If economic development is to remain afloat

Maybe we have no mall
But we got shows at city hall.

Lynn ferry terminal seen as next step

DOES YOUR BOAT FLOAT?

Traveling to Boston by sea
is surely most fine
on that everyone would agree
still folks, it's not the BLUE LINE!

Commuters impressed in ferry’s first day

JOIN MY DELUSION, STATE OF CONFUSION

The Mayor will be putting on a show.
Off to the library we go.

The State of the City we will learn
And the truth we shall hope to discern.

You see on school spending we've been short.
Unfair accounting has been her retort,

So we have heard the excuse,
Full of drama but short on news.

Excuse me, I'm just anxious to know,
"Just where did the money go?"

Lynn Public Library

2 hours ago

Citizens of Lynn! The 4th Annual State of the City address with Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy will be held here at the library next Saturday at 2pm. All are welcome!http://ow.ly/x4q1t

MY MONEY OR YOURS

Are you getting nervous?
Paid to much for your service.

Now you are a fearing
To the Mayor you must be endearing.

Starting to squirm
Cause in the apple the Court found a worm.

Refusing to reveal
The potential cost of the deal

Cause the cost of blackmail is praise.
All to justify a raise.

Retro pay questions loom in Lynn

COMPTROLLER UNCONTROLLED

Delusions on confusion can give cover for cover-up
While leaving isn't the same as going away.

Pawns must pay for the games their Queens play.
There is a price when plans you disrupt.

Former Lynn comptroller claims confusion on correct pay amount

THE FASHION OF FALLOUTS

Because past spending the Mayor chose to ignore
Soon potholes we will have more.

In order for reelection to be smoothe
Certain factions she tried to soothe.

For the sake of a temporary boost
Now old problems have come to roost.

You might as well give up, resistance is futile.
If you haven't noticed, my POETRY can be brutal.

Pothole complaints piling up

RAISE RIOT

The truth is not really lost
In fact it's soon to be found
Given government's cost
Taxes go up or services go down

No matter how you choose to slice
The outcome is the same
You may feel Judy's nice
But since it's her budget, she will get the BLAME.

ADDRESSING THE ADDRESS

Mohegan Sun holds NSCC employment fair

It should come as no surprise
That Lynn will benefit if Mohegan's Sun does rise.

But even iff Everett does Wynn
Our town should benefit being the city of sin.

Good leadership will make the most of either way.
Our city should cash in at the end of the day.

Profiting off another's vice
Only requires thinking twice.

As long as it is understood
There goes the neighborhood!

City makes pact with Mohegan

TERRITORIAL RIGHTS

My thriftiness you did praise.
Election is over, time for a raise.

As you can clearly see
They say it's time for me

To cash in
On what for CLANCY  I called a SIN

Hey but TICK TOCK
I am really just a CHIP off the old block!

Councilors: Time for mayor’s pay to enter six-figure territory

SOME WOLVES WEAR WOOL

JUDY is so gosh darn smart
Just where do I start

Hiding behind the appearance of being cheap
But now preparing to reap.

Her fashion sense has earned her a tag
As a lady with a bag.

Because of her GREED
A container she'll NEED

To carry the cash from the city coffer
Sorry CHIPPER she got a BETTER offer

Councilors: Time for mayor’s pay to enter six-figure territory

GETTIN JOLLY WITH JUDY

Nothing too fancy,

spending lots of money

to keep from paying CLANCY.

Winning back money

that we may never see,

all so you can give more to ME!

You see we needed a change

so the city's budget 

I could quietly rearrange.

Sure there's no money for schools.

tell me now, "How does it feel?"

to have been played for fools?

Kennedy: Time for pay raise

CONTESTED DEVELOPMENT

"You Are Not Welcome Here"
words sure to cause fear

for new businesses hoping to find
a new enviroment to be kind.

For a business hoping to grow
this comes as quite a blow.

 hopes of seeing a welcome mat
have fallen seriousy flat.

Neighbors oppose Boston Street CVS plan

HONOR RE-GUARD

A room for reading
was the purpose of this proceeding.

A key to succeeding
or boredom just beating.

This honor they did bestow
as a form of gratitude they did show

for a voulunteer whose service was long
helping to keep thw Girls Inc strong.

Longtime volunteer honored at Girls Inc.

STOCKING THE NET

So they are holding a forum for a proposed school?
Well that's just downight cool.

We could maybe do this in Lynn
if we only knew where to begin.

Maybe a good place to start
would be to get our spending out of the dark

See millions are missing and that just ain't right
Perhaps we'll see who's holding the bag when dawn comes to light.


Swampscott sets public forum for proposed school

ENSNARE THE HARE!

It's the newest revival without a tent.
Not stopping until 4 million dollars spent.

Residents to be concealed
While new businesses to be revealed.

Economic development has been slow
But to those people in the know,

Slow and steady wins the race.
At least that's EDIC's case!

VICTORY DEFINDED

The battle takes its toll,
rejected as a place to poll.

Warriors remain distraught,
wrong campaign fought.

Victory is defined on how you choose
All is not lost, unless you lose.

Ford fails as polling place

A VIEW TO KILL

When our civil rights are abused,
the leter of the law gets confused.

For me judical overreach is always right
but when it comes to others it's a fright.

Our liberties we must protect
selective application we must object.

The rule of law we can not desert
just because the camera goes upskirt.

An act to which most object
but the rule of law we must protect.

The lesson learned from this exchange,
those laws we must rearrange.

Court ruling spurs calls to pass ‘upskirting’ bill

THROWAWAY PAY

Recyling rates to raise.
This summer starts the first phase.

A new five year plan for trash
in the end will save the city cash

or at least some may hope.
I wonder how the rats will cope

With all this new fangled technology,
if so the Mayor may owe us an apolgy.

Recycling rate to ‘increase significantly’

INTO THE WOODS

Before you take another look,
remember true support comes with an open check book,

In theory we all want an accessible trail
but to finance we often fail.

Talk is cheap as they say,
we'll know for real when it's time to pay

When even basic rights come at a price
spmeone, somewhere has to sacrifice.

Move for accessible pathways at Lynn Woods draws support

ADDICTION FRICTION

Sometime demons take the shape of a pill
While others need a needle to rob your will.

A demon can be one you smoke
Either way reality you choke.

In the end one loses control
And the devil takes another soul,

Police: Lynn man crashes car with kids inside after drug overdose

THE ABC'S OF DCF

Sorry but you all are being played for fools.

Same people same rules.

The system will stay broke

As long as calls for change you choke.

DCF needs total rehab.

Standing up makes it easier

When in your back they stab.

Local parents put support behind DCF head

REPEAT OFFENDER

I wrote about this prolem before
but obviosly this crisis calls for more.

Spending cuts designed to hurt the poor
will case crimes of desparation to soar.

Looming Lynn shelter cuts ‘a kick in the pants’

A BETTER WAY?

For the sake of traffic flow
I may not have any place to go

when I need to park
so I can begin to embark

on a downtown shopping spree
or just to see what I can see

These conequeneces may not have beeen intended
but may happen when one-way traffic is ended.

Two-way streets may ease traffic

MAKE A NEW PLAN, STAN

Tired of being used only for a dumping ground,
the citizens demand you stick around..

With a city of our size
why don't you realize?

The need for urgent care
is around everywhere

Don't sacrifice that need
for the sake of only greed!

Partners fine-tunes Union plan

CREDIT FOR COLLEGE

In our classrooms there be a crowd
but it get really loud.

Are you ready for more
cause we may be adding NORTH SHORE!

LYNN PUBLIC SCHOOLS have been shortchanged
cause the CITY'S budget has been rearranged.

Now will they resist
giving the college an assist

We can't solve our own problems now
but YOURS? Just tell us how!

Tech may be home to NSCC programs

REELCTION PROTECTION

No mumbo jumbo, slieght of hand, or other such trick,
make no mistake, I HAVE DELIVERED FOR THE DISTRICT

Of course, some may be deceived
about what I have receieved.

Let the record show
I didn't know.

No paper trail
equals no time in jail.

So I humbly ask for your vote
and the only thing off shore you think of is a boat.

Tierney: I’ve delivered for district

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR STAKES DONE?

LPS to get PARCCing ticket
while sticky is CHESTER'S wicket.

Test Amxiety, some kids will get a double dose
just to see how it goes.

Oh, were just going to try it,
that's why it's call it a pilot.

Either way we'll pay
for one that has nothing to say.

If you believe in his interest there is no conflict,
I can't wait to see your next trick

Lynn to pull double duty on testing

GROSS TO NET

City Hall, where the tricks are cheap

and the Mayor hopes for a stall.

The State Legislature may change the rules

playing the taxpayers for fools'

All in an effort to conceal

what is really real

Money does line mant a pocket,

to us they really sock it

TOO SMART TO FAIL

Our Mayor may be
a memer of MENSA
but be on the lookout for
school supplies she may to fence a

good schooling has been taken
cause our responsibilities we've foresakin.

Now our bill is
gonna come due,
it'll mean higher taxes
for me and you.

There is already a BOND
of which I'm none too fond.

With all this new found debt,
I'm ready to shout!
Property owners guess what?
We'll be looking to you for our own bail-out

JUMPING UP FOOR A SHORTFALL

Your problem gives me great sorrow
but I can solve it tommorrow/

I know I've been a thorn in your side
and from my rhymes you can't hide.

Why don't you hire me and give me a job
so I don't have to say mean things and make you sob.

With a salary of 8.5 MILLION dollars
guaranteed to make me HOLLER!

DIRECTION OF MY AFFECTION

If only JUDY would be my Valntine
perhaps the light of poetry on her I would not shine/

Om all the silly little mistakes
that she often makes.

But alas the expression of my love
is met with directions to where to shove.

PLOWING AHEAD, FALLING BEHIND

A Snow Emergency and Parking Ban Will Be In Effect At 5 PM Today

Better late than never.
our Mayor was trying to be clever.

Public safety we will sacrifice
everything has a price.

Fifty, One Hundred dollars a plate
raising campaign dollars you're first rate.

The rain will wash away the snow
but in the ice it's hard to row.

Because of the way you think,
your political ship may sink.

NO DESIRE FOR FIRE

Smoke Signals are a way
to send out a PSA.

Number  of languages total forty-nine
but Fire Chief McDonald has done fine.

Maybe that's why he succeeded
cause no translation needed.

Passing out plenty of free alarms
so residents come to no harm.

McDonald honored for fire safety campaign

DEFEND THE WIND

Get ready for the whine
cause broken is our new turbine.

Taxpayers want to know
where did all the hot air go?

Is cold weather here a surprise
or are they pulling the wool over eyes?

Turbine on the fritz thanks to freezing temps

TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

How can we walk
when shoveling you balk?

If responsibilities you bail,
your ticket's in the mail.

Fifty is the price to pay
if it's not done in a day.

Lynn takes on shovel scofflaws

itemlive.com

PARTY PLANS

Having a spot of tea
to learn what our city government be

Looking for a soltion
in this land of revolution.

Don't let our size frighten you.
C'mon, I'll show you what to do!!

Mayor, Khmer community meet over tea

RIGHT TO BE WRONG

How can we truly expect
the uninformed to serve and protect.

Sometimes we must sacrifiice confidentiality
for the sake of reality.

We'll never know what we don't know
Occasionallly Civil Rights are all for show.

Autism registration forms aid police

WAX IMPRESSIONS

What starts as a small  size
can quickly burst into a huge surprise.\

Every large fire began as a small flame.
The end result remains the same.

Take care to handle,
the roar of the candle!

Lynn FD sounds warning about candle use following minor fire

NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

Ourzomig laws need an update
that's what they say

or we must trust in fate
because that is the only way

for us  to legally prevent\
a most unwelcome guest

to officically become a resident
so let us set your mind at rest.

City zoning could get makeover

EATING CAKE

It has been said "All politics is local",
and that is surely true.

When it comes right down to it,
keep my streets plowed so I can get through.

If it's my vote you want you
etter be prepared to spend.

Only don't you dare even think
about raising my property taxes again.

An army and single general battle city snowfall

BODY DOUBLE

Body found in Saugus River

Over the river and through the woods.
Bodies in both no matter where we go.

Worry about safety maybe we should.
Who'll be next you just never know!

Body discovered in Lynn Woods; no ID

HOOP HOPES

These BULLDOGS hae bite to their bark.
Being undefeated sure ain't no lark.

Ending the season undefeated
Is the goalfor us to be treated.

English continues to ramble through Northeastern Conference

WALK THE TABLE TALK

Victims of benefits cut
Just got a punch in the gut.

Hard to look for a work anywhere
When you don't have bus fare.

More a lack of real jobs
Than being lazy.
Both political parties
Acting a little crazy.

Benefits bill battle hits home

CHOICES AT THE CORNER

English students on attack
In a search for a healthy snack.

Too much sugar, too much salt
An unealthy lifestyle, who's at fault?

In the end who's really to blame?
In radio and TV, the answers the same.

Itall comes down to a matter of OUR choice.
What we  put in our mouthecomes our voice.

English students campaign for healthy foods

CITY SNOW JOB

No off street parking?
Well that's too bad
Thanks to the snow
there's money to be had.

If your car's on the street
we'll give it tow.
You can't park there
because of the snow.

Our city does pray to
the weather Gods to provide
a hidden tax
for us to hide.

City nets thousands from tows

NAME SHAME

Someone no one knows
found where mother nature grows.

Along the neaten path
possible victim of another's wrath.

The response to another's violence
is far too often only silence.

Body discovered in Lynn Woods; no ID

YOU CAN'T SPEND TWICE

Easier to juggle a long neck than a book
cause you can plainly see from where you took
and there's no computer to have a look.

Trouble  will come, on that you can bet
due to shortfalls on school spending net.
Chips will fall where they may on that we will let.

New accounting may threaten to expose
just how clean you've  kept your nose
and give us doubts on the leader we've chose.

PITFALLS OF SHORTFALLS

Some people juggle balls while others prefer a book
better start worrying if the STATE takes a look.

While the election was on JUDY'S reputation was intact
but now the Dept. of Ed/ demands funding be exact.

The CITY'S budget will be busted
and we'll begin to doubt who we trusted.

PICK A CARD, ANY CARD

Promises of a good job
just another way our dignity to rob.

Nothing does a casino produce
except away our vices to seduce.

The rich get richer on the backs of the poor
who another scheme they choose to ignore.

Officials engage prospective casino employees

PLAYING THE NUMBERS

They say crime is down I hope that is true
but I have my doubts because  of the skew.

Unfortunately these figures may come out of the blue
because of domestic assaults reports are to few.

Solving the problem, only one thing to do,
nore education for me and you!

Overall crime down, robbery on rise

DRIVING ONE HOME

Being without document and still able to drive
that's an argument that some think doesn't jive.

Some say safety needs to be taken into account
but there are those that doubt that amount.

Here is an issue on which there is a great divide.
With or without a license, we'll be taken for a ride.

Sharp split over immigrant driver’s license bill

TIME FOR A TENANT

The "Gear" plant is ready to be sold,
most valuable land in Lynn or so we're told.

A developer we need to convince
that we had best interest

when it we did re-zone
so hopefully you'll call Lynn home.

Gear plant ‘ready to be sold’

THE TROUBLE WITH TRADITION

Hoping for a little Lady Luck.

the trend she may buck.

Three may be a crowd but there may be one more.

From what I hear tell, we won't stop at four.

In order to keep dreams alive,

the field of candidates may reach five.

It comes down to who'll best represent

our varied views, surely to vent.

Potential female contender weighing a run for Walsh’s seat

THE LUCK OF THE DRAW

We must move to bolster
the safety of the holster.

If by accident the gun one does obtain
from stray violence we cannot abstain.

Time to sound the alarm
before another suffers harm.


Coppinger: Lynn Police to review gun holsters

THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE TOWN

Many will not be satisfied
with the ruling of justified.

Claims will be made
that racism will not fade.

Don't mean to sound the alarm
about the impending harm.

Due to the surprise
about the treuth seen through different eyes.

DA: Lynn Police justified in fatal shooting www.itemlive.com

COURTING SUITORS

So it goes
as traffic flows.

For coffee wants no light
cause on the run gets the slogan right!

In court is their next brew
papers to file, preparing to sue.

The question for our business climaste comes through.
Will it take one lump or two?

Construction start set for grocery store

ONE MORE TIME ON SOMEONE ELSE'S DIME

Lost because of Lynn
so he's at it again.

His grapes have been sour
but maybe this time will be his hour.

With money from the outside,
voter's to be taken for a ride.

With them he'll go
though he pretends not to know.

At his party they'll be no play
for one named RICHARD TISEI

Tisei running again to unseat Tierney

CLINGING TO THE LAST WORD

Despite questions of jurisdiction
she came with a prediction.

In 2015 voting will return
just not at the place for which  you yearn.

In this contest in which we piss,
she claims final say so your hopes to dismiss.

Poll site problems persist in Highlands

EYES ON HIS PRIZE

Leaving public service for private pay.
No hypocrisy here just the American way.

Non-profit doesn't mean no profit, by the way.
Still another example of how politics can pay.

Walsh leaving Legislature to take hospital council job

LIFE COACHING ON A COUCH

Hard to do homework when
you don't have one to work from.

Somehow the schoolwork gets done.
It's a realization that only
through education the game gets won.

Higher number than anticipated expected at Lynn Youth Count

NO DIPLOMA NEEDED

Photo by: Item photo / Kait Taylor

More info awaited on shooting

The time to end violence is now
on that no one would disagree.

The question everyone asks is how
With all answers, education is key.

Lessons need to be learned
so values can be discerned.

Before another life comes to an end,
we need to show how to be a friend.

AN APPRECIATION OF POETRY

To no one's surprise

for the makeover I was passed by.

After all, truth and trust aren't always the same

and let's face it, some of my rhymes are pretty lame.

So at cost of being loyal

on their behind, I will remain a BOIL.

Kennedy’s office receives face lift

LET'S BE ADULT ABOUT IT!

About the lack of parent involvement they complain
yet there is one fact they fail to explain.

That is how in the evening, closed school buildings remain.
Reconciling this this faulty logic, drives me insane!

‘Crisis’ in Lynn adult education

PAY TO PASS

Jobs and cash are coming, only there are not a guarantee
but that but it's only the benefits politicians see.

Crime and traffic sure to rise.
Voters approval will take two tries.

For a chance, the dice they'll roll
never realizing we'll pay a toll.

Casino benefits intrigue Revere business owners

BEFORE AGAIN

Who you going to believe?
No matter the party
politicans like to decieve.

Promises of no pain ahead
cause to say, "What the hey!",
we all like sliced bread.

Baker: I won’t cut local aid to cities, towns

HYPOCRITS AND MISFITS

Judy helped to push the Bond
even though spending she claims to not be fond.

But she found political power a brand new drug,
now on state aid they may now pull the plug.

It's all part of the games politicans play
so I can't wait to say,

"How do you like me now?"
when the state kills the cash cow.

Budget gaps threatening communities

NEW FRIENDS, OLD WAYS

A reelected Mayor who is definitely smart
hopes to make a brand new start.

An agenda to be pushed through Council
with a new President hopes to control.

With many problems ahead,
proposed solutions will cause dread.

While it is true you can't spend your way out,
willingness to sacrifice is always in doubt.

Kennedy builds bridge to council

FISCAL DIVIDE

Not everyone agrees with the craze
of ganging up for a raise.

What we have here
is a call for senility by Cyr.

Lynn councilor: Negotiating with unions separately ‘completely ridiculous’

CLIMATE CHANGE

Tie to come together,
no matter what the weather.

It doesn't have to be a storm
to make teamwork the norm.

Today we may know how
but tomorrow;\'s political forecast remains foul.

Mayor to stress unity, trust