Posts tagged patronage
Ken Girardin: To Deliver Public Excellence, Mamdani Must Challenge Public-Sector Privilege
October 8, 2026 // Meanwhile, the city pays more than $1 billion annually into union-managed “welfare funds” meant to provide dental, vision and other benefits for current workers and retirees. Former Comptroller Brad Lander all but stopped conducting oversight reviews of these funds, even after a trio of union officers became guests of the federal government for swiping money from one of the funds. Instead of turning over cash to dozens of union funds, the city could cut out the middlemen and administer benefits directly. That would allow it to achieve greater economies of scale and avoid further embezzlement and abuse—though it would trim the number of patronage jobs union executives can hand out.
Stamford Firefighters’ Lawsuit over Test Scores Lingers as Police Win Their Cases
March 2, 2022 // In 2006, for example, the Stamford Fire Commission had to throw out its list of candidates after top scorers on the exam asked why those with lower scores were offered jobs, including a commissioner’s son, the chief’s son, and the mayor’s nephew.