May 21, 2025 • 37 mins
MA State Auditor Diana DiZoglio completed an audit into the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, which oversees the state’s emergency shelter system. The 74-page report came out with findings that include "mismanagement" and "failing to assess" the surging numbers" of migrants, and bungling oversight of spending on food, transportation, and housing costs. In addition to handing out no-bid contracts. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio joned us to discuss her report.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
We are delighted to welcome the Auditor of the Cornwaltha, Massachusetts, Dianatzoglio.
She is fighting on the State House on behalf of
all citizens, Democrats, Republicans, and independents. She is probably the
least liked public official amongst the other public officials up
(00:28):
at the State House right now because she wants to
audit the legislature, and seventy two percent of the people
in Massachusetts agree with her based upon the ballot decision
question that was voted upon last last on November. But
we want to talk today about tonight about this seventy
four page audit of the Executive Office of Housing Liverable
(00:52):
Communities Emergency Shelter. First of all, Madam Auditor, congratulations for
having more courage, which I think than just about anyone
on Beacon Hill, and I mean that sincerely. Welcome to
Night Side.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Thanks for having me, Dan. It's always great to be back,
great to have the opportunity to talk about some of
the work that we're doing to increase accountability up on
Beacon Hill. You are correct, I am persona non grata
up on Beacon Hill right now. But it is the job,
and I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve
(01:27):
as auditor, so happy to chat with you about some
of our latest findings.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Well, you are persona non grata, but you're also an
elected statewide official or constitutional officer as the state auditor,
and a Democrat. You've been in the House of Representatives,
you've been in the Massachusetts State Senate, and now you
are positioned as the auditor. The legislature does not want
to be audited by you, and it's really the legislative leadership.
(01:54):
And we can talk about that quickly, but I want
to focus on this report. I read it this afternoon.
I didn't read it verbatim. I went over it as
best I could. I read it quickly, at seventy four pages.
I would be lying to you if I told you
I could, I could cite chapter and verse. However, the
concern that is obvious. And by the way, anyone who
(02:16):
wants to take the time if they want to see
a thorough report done in language that anyone can understand,
this is the report to look at it. It is
really well done by However, whoever, how many members of
your staff were involved in this. There are visuals which
which help explain. There are graphs you focus on the
(02:41):
no bid contracts and a couple the focus seems to
be on one at a restaurant over in East Boston
and also a cab company down in Truro. And one
of the best representations of this is a page twelve
which is a colograph of themalth of Massachusetts broken down
(03:01):
by county basis county level and the company that provided
food I guess statewide Spinelle Ravioli Manufacturing Company. They're there,
I believe, East Boston. And then the Mercedes Cab company,
well named Mercedes Cab Company is down at the tip
(03:24):
of the cape in Truro. Why would there not have
been some some cabs spread around the state so that people,
if we are going to accommodate people of the shelters,
that all of the money was not given to one
cab company and primarily one food provider. That is that
(03:46):
strikes me. It hits me in the eye when I
read this report, Am I missing something?
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Well, first and foremost, Kan, thank you so much for
complimenting the breadth of the report and the depth of
the report. I cannot take credit for that report being
so as in depth as it was. That is my
team in the Office of State Auditor doing great, great work.
I have an amazing team of audit professionals who really
(04:15):
do work over time on making sure that they are
doing their due diligence and having the necessary conversations to
make sure that these reports are robust, that they're accurate,
and that they're getting all the information out to the residents.
So kudos to the amazing team and the Office of
(04:38):
State Auditor. And certainly, yes, the findings that our team
found are certainly concerning, right on many different levels, you
know level You know, the first level is on the
level that these these contracts and the millions of our
tax dollars were executed with no bidding process. And folks,
(05:01):
we totally understand this is a humanitarian crisis. You know,
this is something that's happening across our nation. It's not
just happening in Massachusetts. These are challenging times, uh, and
this is you know, something where we would expect that,
you know, in the administration's first dealings with such challenging times,
(05:22):
that you know, there could be some errors made during
this process, uh, in trying to find solutions in a
quick manner on various topics, but on these particular contracts UH.
The the administration did have data UH dating you know,
(05:43):
back to when this started to become an issue with
these arrivals and with the need for shelter increasing rapidly.
There were several months in between when the administration started
to collect and review data and when the no bid
contracts were executed.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
UH.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Emergency no bid contracts are intended to be used for
emergency situations and think about, you know, a tree falling
on a building, right, some sort of an unforeseen event
that could not have been predicted. There were several months
in between when you know this this UH, the influx
(06:26):
started happening, and there was a lot of data that
the Executive Office of Housing Livable Communities is tracking in
order to be able to plan a bit better for
some of these contracts to be executed. If an emergency
contract is executed, however, it is supposed to be executed
(06:47):
for several weeks, not for several months. There was a
difference between an emergency contract meant to cover emergency time
frames UH and just outright contracts that are given out right.
So the report did cite the Administration for the improper
and unlawful use of the emergency procurement process. Again, certainly,
(07:10):
we understand if there's an emergency situation, but there are
proper protocols and procedures that need to be followed that
were not, and these excessive lengths of time that these
contracts were executed really, you know, can can do a
lot of damage to the public's trust regarding the process
that is supposed to be followed. When we give out
(07:30):
millions of dollars in state contracts, folks want to know
that that process is fair and that it is equitable,
and that it is being done in an appropriate manner
so that it's not you know, able to be alleged
that it's paid to play or that you know, there
are inequities in the process. So we did cite the
administration for that. What you're talking about, Dan regarding you know,
(07:53):
these companies just being located in one spot and why
were they selected. Well, you know, we did ask the
administration why these companies were selected, and they couldn't provide
evidence as to why they thought that they were the
best selection out of other options. For example, I actually
made a phone call and had a conversation with my
(08:14):
local Merrimac Valley Regional Transit Authority staff, and they informed
me that, you know, if the administration had reached out
or wanted to reach out, that they would be more
than willing as a local regional public transit authority to
assist in providing cost effective opportunities to the Commonwealth to
(08:37):
serve in the shelter situation where the needs are they
save a pass by too shelters in our region on
their current bus route, and that they would be more
than help happy to assist in any way, shape or
form and provide potentially again more cost effective opportunities for
(08:57):
the Commonwealth to take up. We yes, madam, let me just.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
I want to take quick break here. I know we're
limited on time, but I want to drive the point
home that there were several counties who were not ever
involved in any of this. So, for example, you had
counties like Duke's County, which is Mantesvinyar, Nantucket County which
is Nantucket, Hampshire County, which is really in the in
(09:25):
the middle of western Massachusetts, which really wasn't touched. And
then you had counties like Middlesex. They had twenty eight shelters.
Open Essex had had twelve, Norfolk eleven, Worcester eleven, Suffolk
had six, Plymouth had six. So it was interesting that
(09:48):
that it wasn't as if the counties that provided the
shelter had cabs available for people were who were in
the shelters. This map, to me, is stunning. I want
to talk about that, and I want to get back
to the cost a little bit. I don't know if
we're going to have any time for the questions for you,
because you've had a long day and I promised that
(10:08):
we'd let you go at nine thirty. But I will
invite people if they want to call and comment on
what you have to say. We will take calls, certainly
after we give you the opportunity to get some sleep.
My guest is the Massachusetts State Auditor, Diana Disauglio. This
is a scathing report. It does not, in any way,
(10:30):
shape or form suggest that how the Healthy Administration handled
this and this report, I need to mention, covers thirty
months from July twenty twenty one through December thirty first
of twenty and twenty three. We'll get to some specifics
right after the break. My guess is the state order.
The came Wealth of Massachusetts Democrat Diana Dosaglio.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
It's night side with Dan Ray on.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Boston's news radio with me, it's the order of the
call Wealth of Massachusetts. Diana is Uglio. Can we focus
a second on this cab company out in Truro. If
my math is right, and I think it is, there
was something like fifteen ninety four cab rides. The average
(11:15):
cost of these cab rights was like three hundred and
sixteen dollars. I mean, I realized the cab is coming
from Truro, and I assumed that these cabs are driving many,
many miles, not just on the Cape but elsewhere. I
assumed the cab rides were given. Why would they not
have split this up? They have a cab company at
(11:37):
the far tip of Cape cod Who figured that one out,
Madam Auditor?
Speaker 6 (11:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:44):
This this, this is not thoughtfully considered.
Speaker 5 (11:48):
Dan.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
And again when we asked the administration for you know,
documentation to verify that they had considered other options and
done due diligence in selecting vendor for again months and
months at a time to provide these services, they could
not provide evidence that they had actually done. So there
(12:09):
are alternatives out there, and when you have a transportation
company located in just one part of the state that's
delivering to all different parts of the state where the
MBTA is located in many of these areas, and the
regional transit authorities in some cases have themselves offered to
actually assist with providing more cost effective options. But then
(12:34):
you see that one bus ride was taken a little
over three miles down the road that cost nearly five
thousand dollars for one bus trip. You know, we just
did a quick internet search and found that, you know,
you could charter a bus for an entire day for
a fraction of the cost. You know, we did cite
(12:57):
that to the administration as being problematic.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Bus ride five thousand dollars, that that should be in
the Guinness World Book of Records. They should be very
proud of that.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
This is insane, I mean, in the reality is dan
is that we do you know, we do have these
dollars going out to these private vendors right when we
do have services right now within our own public transportation
system where in some cases folks have stood up and
said they're ready to assist, right so we could be
(13:29):
reinvesting those tax dollars back in to our public transportation
system and getting services at a fraction of the cost.
It does take some work to have those conversations and
to due diligence into looking at those options. And that's
simply what we said to the administration. Look, we understand
that you can't change the past, can't go back in time.
(13:51):
This is an opportunity to look at some of the
decisions that were made and to make changes so that
history doesn't repeat itself. You know us what oughts are
there for. They're not there just to harp on agencies
and just tell them what they did wrong. They actually
exist to help to make government work better for those
it's meant to serve. The audit did list several recommendations
(14:14):
with the findings. It pointed to some of the flaws,
but yes, it did also make recommendations for improvement, like
making sure that you know, these these processes are documented
so that evidence can be collected to demonstrate that the
process was fair, the process was equitable, making sure to
create systems that are more efficient so that even skimming
(14:37):
isn't going on. You know, in some of these cases
where you know there was money lost, it wasn't exorbitant
in nature, but it still was money lost. We identify
those opportunities as well, where you know, there's bits and
bits of tax payer dollars being lost in you know,
nearly nine point six percent of transactions, nearly ten percent
(14:59):
of trans actions with the Finelli Ravioli company. We saw that,
you know, in the delivery fees there was nearly a
ten percent rate of overcharges occurring. Right now, small enough
regarding the loss of revenue in comparison to the larger
scope of the money being spent, but it's still a
(15:19):
loss right, and a penny saved is a penny earned.
And we work hard for our tax dollars. We want
to make sure that we are you know, guarding those
tax dollars. Even in those cases, isn't it where maybe
the administration doesn't consider it worth paying attention to, We
did ask them to, you know, work on making those
systems more efficient. You know my issue, Dan, because I
(15:41):
do have to go in a couple of minutes here,
But my issue is we did make recommendations, and those
recommendations are meant to help this administration and to help
the Executive Office of Housing and Loveable Communities to do
better by the taxpayer moving forward. And I think that
you know, again, when we look back in time, we
see that some mistakes, some errors occurred, things could have
(16:04):
been done better. Better. It was a very challenging time.
But what we really need to see is for the
administration move out of its defensive posture towards these audit
findings and recommendations and move more towards a willingness to
look at some of the areas where they could improve
to help instill the public's trust. To hear the governor say,
(16:28):
you know, essentially that she doubts that she will take
a look at these recommendations and work to implement them.
When she when she simultaneously said she hadn't even seen
the report, that's a bit discouraging, right, because we do
these reports, Like you said, it was over seventy pages.
The team worked really hard on this report. EOHLC themselves
(16:52):
operated in the spirit of cooperation with our team. They
worked with our audit team, you know. And if there
are areas of agreement, okay, areas of disagreement, okay. But
I do hope that the governor does, at their minimum
look at this report. Because she said she hasn't seen
it yet look at the report before, you know, stating
(17:13):
that she's already unwilling to implement any of the potential
recommendations for improvements. I think that, you know, that's a
disservice to the taxpayers to not at least attempt to
consider the recommendations. Right, So hopefully we will, we will
get a better, you know, a better attitude moving forward
from the administration so that we can you know, again
(17:36):
work to make government work better.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
By the way, just when you mentioned ell HLC, that
is the Executive Office of Housing Liver Communities. There's one
cab ride and I'm sure you were aware of this,
but which I found and I had heard about that
cost one hundred and forty dollars for exactly three hundred
and twenty two feet from the point of pickup. And
(17:59):
people will say, well, how's that possible. My understanding, this
cab company on the Cape, every time a cab they
dispatched a cab, it was one hundred and forty dollars
to get to the pickup point, which is which is weird.
So they're guaranteed one hundred and forty dollars whether the
pickup point is a half a mile away or ten
(18:19):
miles away.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
And of course people and Dan in addition to what
you just said, In addition to what you just said,
it was roughly, it was roughly it was over three
hundred and fifty thousand dollars that the Commonwealth was charged
for cancelations, for no shows and things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Right.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
So you know, when you have one hundred and forty
dollars fee for the base rate for a pickup, right,
and then then that gets canceled for some reason, but
we're still charged, you have to wonder was there a
better way forward?
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Right?
Speaker 3 (18:54):
And we believe there was. Can you imagine anybody who's
taken a cab, anyone who's taken an oar or anything.
You know, it's just you get to charge one hundred
and forty dollars.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Yeah, I just want people to understand this, and I'll
let you go. So you call an uber or you
call a cab or whatever, and the cab arrives at
the door, and you want to go five miles, some
five miles, and at the end of the five miles
they say to you, that's one hundred and fifty eight
dollars or something. You're gonna say, one hundred and fifty
eight dollars, I went five miles, oh, one hundred and
(19:27):
forty dollars for us to get to your house. And
the eighteen dollars is for the five miles that we
drove you what a scam. Auditor. Thank you for this report.
It is so important. I am very disappointed that Governor
Healy has had the reaction that you've reported to us.
And I hope Governor Healy wants to come on the
program and criticize the report or point out any mistakes
(19:51):
in the report, because it looks to me like a
very tightly written and presented and reasoned report. And I
just got to say congratulations, and please don't don't quit.
Don't I mean, I know, thank.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
You, and and look what I will what I will
ask folks, you know, I mean, just to advocate for
some of this stuff, uh, because the AUTO reports really
are there to help right in this This isn't about
you know, laying criticisms on people or uh, you know,
just uh putting fault on on on folks around agencies.
What this is about is this is about helping to
(20:29):
make systems work better for the residents of Massachusetts, right
and what our request is of this administration is simply
too uh you know, for the Governor and the administration
to thoughtfully examine the report before uh making judgment. Calls
about all you know already stating that they're you know,
(20:53):
unlikely to implement the recommendations. I think that there are
some you know, uh solid recommendations in there. Certainly, you know,
they don't want to take all the recommendations. They are
the governing agency of the Commonwealth. They have a right
not to take the recommendations. But you know, the team
did work hard, they worked alongside of the Executive Office
(21:16):
of Housing and Movable Communities. And to just dismiss the
report without even having seen it, it is unfortunate. So
I am going to ask, you know, anybody that does
you know, call the administration to advocate that you simply
just ask that the administration read the report, review it,
and hey, if we agree on some things but disagree
(21:38):
on others, okay, but at least review the recommendations and
let's see if we can work together to improve some
of these systems to save tax payer dollars, to make
sure that we're getting the most baying for our book,
and also to make sure that these no bid contracts
are being entered into only when it is truly, truly
(21:59):
appropriate and for shorter time periods, so that we can.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
Instill public trust and public faith in government, that the
system is fair and equitable, and that people are able
to get access to these opportunities, you know, even if
they are not politically connected.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
So you know, please keep advocating for that. We are
here to help. We're here to help make government work better,
but obviously we can't do it without you. So thanks
so much, Dan for having me on tonight.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Please appreciate it very much for the end of a
long day. I just want to add one final PostScript
to that is the automatic sure defensive posture and reaction
does not look good for Governor Healy's office, and I
hope that she understands that the automatic defensive posture and
reaction does not. She does not wear that well. Simple
(22:49):
as that auditor, I'm telling you, you you are are,
You're breath of fresh air on Beacon Hill in terms
of openness and transparency, I kind of having a better
state auditor. And I just say thank you on behalf
of every taxpayer in Massachusetts. Liberal conservative, moderate Republican Democrat, Independent, unenrolled.
(23:10):
We're all owe you a debt of gratitude for having
the courage.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Ever, I have an amazing team. I have an amazing
team in the Office of State Auditor. So I want
to throw that thanks back to our team, into our staff,
to the auditors. But thank you so so much, Jan
I really appreciate the opportunity to chat tonight again. Please advocate,
We're here to help, We're here to work together. Thanks
so much, Thanks so much.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
State Auditor Diana de Zauglio, and I got to tell
you she's up there. Look, I know how to waste money.
I know how to waste my own money, but I
don't want the Commonwealth of Massachusetts wasting my money on
no bid contracts. And when you read this report, when
you look at this report, you will you will be appalled.
You will be appalled. I'm going to open up the
(23:54):
phone lines.
Speaker 7 (23:54):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Diana has had some very long days, and I agreed.
I wanted her to free for you to hear from
her tonight. And she is. I don't know how she's
actually even awake at this hour, but obviously she is
an advocate for everyone. And look the money that is
wasted folks. Is money that could be spent on people
(24:17):
in Massachusetts who truly need assistance. And this has nothing
to do with legal or illegal or immigration. This is
evidence of how some people on Beacon Hill don't look
at the tax dollars that are extracted from you as
a precious commodity that should be used to help people
(24:38):
in need. That's the point. You take my tax money.
I don't mind that you spend it on people who
are down in their luck. I don't mind that you
spend it on people who have disabilities. I don't mind
you have spend it on people who are trying to recover,
who are trying I don't mind that. Okay, I don't
mind it that you spend it on kids who don't
have two parents. I understand that's part of the social contract.
(25:00):
But to take money from taxpayers and basically throw it
away a no bit contracts to a cab company in Truro, Massachusetts.
Take a look at the map. If you don't know
what Truro is, it's next to Provincetown. You got to
drive probably one hundred miles. One hundred miles just well,
maybe not one hundred, at least eighty miles to get
(25:20):
to either one of the bridges. How crazy is it
to have a cab company on serving people who are
in shelters that is positioned in Truro, Massachusetts. And if
the owner of that cab company wants to come on
and talk about it, you have an open invitation any
night to join me on night Side. I now give
you an open invitation to react to what you heard
(25:40):
from the Order of the come Oalth of Massachusetts. The
number six one seven, two five four ten thirty or
six one seven nine three one ten thirty back right
after the news at the bottom of the hour. Sorry
about the delay, but this was too important as far
as I'm concerned.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Night Side Thought with Dan Ray. I'm WBZ Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Okay, you heard from state auditor Diana Dezaglio. I know
that very few of you have read the seventy four
page report. I've looked at it, I've scanned it, I've
read portions of it. It's appalling. It's appalling. They had
a no big contract with one Cape Card cab company.
(26:21):
It looks to me like one no bid contract for
the entire state. If you're familiar with a map of Massachusetts,
there's a town called Truro. It's at the far end
of the Cape. That's the last place you should be
running care. You should have had cab company somewhere in
the Boston area, and you should have split it up.
You should have had some cab company wherever the folks
(26:44):
were going to be sheltered. You need to have some
transportation available for them. And this was a sweetheart deal,
and it was a no bid deal, the aptly named
Mercedes Cab Company. And again, if the owner of that
cap company would like to come on and explain to us,
to me and you how this all came to be
and why they got what seems to me to be
(27:05):
a sweetheart deal. I would love them to come on,
but I don't think we'll hear from them. Let me
go first to phill in Boston. Phil, I assume you're
probably pretty perplexed by this.
Speaker 8 (27:15):
Well, I was in. But the image in Truro and
the bridge, they're better than buy an event. But Dan,
who this is kind of who negotiated I don't know
it was on negotiation, but who decided on these figures?
Were they doing? There's no back and forth, Willer Dylan.
When you buy a Cowie and buy something. There's no
(27:36):
willer and dealer. We're gonna settle on no competition. I
guess that's a little bit contract thing with that. Ladies
who want to heck of a Charlotte.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
By the way, well let me let me tell you.
If there is one person on Beacon Hill right now
who I have complete confidence in, not only on this
but on auditing the legislature, it is the state auditor.
She is, she said to herself. She's a person in
Congrada within at the State House. And those people up there,
(28:03):
they got a good thing going, and we talked about
that a lot, and you need people up there to
shake it up a little bit because the problem is
it's my tax money in your tax money. I don't begrudge.
I'm not someone who's saying, you know, let poor people
take care. No, I need to pay taxes. That's part
of the social contract. I want to help people, and
(28:25):
I help people separately from my taxes. By the way,
my wife and I are very generous, right, But I
don't want someone to I don't want someone to throw
my tax money away. I don't I don't pay taxes
to make this sure that some cab company in Truro.
Speaker 8 (28:46):
Living down there, you couldn't have picked.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
You couldn't have picked. By the way, they were only
in all of Barnstable County. Uh and trolls in the
farther into Barnstable County. There were only three shelters in
all of Barnstable County. So in total there were dozens
of shelters. Okay, there were. There were hotel sites in
(29:12):
I mean they were like eight.
Speaker 8 (29:15):
Cover up the sign of the hotel, but a sign
being like and Risley, it wasn't a hotel anymore.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
But got it? You got it, you got it. And
and to and to give a no bid contract to
a cab company in Truro had someone had to know
someone and you had to look at that and say,
how is this possible? And by the way, every person,
every person who was in the shelter who called the
cab because people have medical emergencies and they have to
(29:44):
go and do some shopping. They don't have cars. Whenever
the cab company was summoned kirching one hundred and forty
dollars to start as soon as the person got in
the cab. And there's waiting time too. If the person
happened to be late.
Speaker 8 (29:58):
But we're talking my level stuff too. We're talking with
the full contract, We're talking all kinds of of the contracts.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
You got it. You got it, Phil, I thank you
for chiming into there. Because money was taken from you.
Your money was wasted, My money was wasted. Every person
in this audience tonight should know that some of their
tax dollars were wasted, and substantial amounts of tax money
was wasted, and the and the governor apparently saying that
she doesn't want to read the report. Really really all right,
(30:29):
thank you, Phil, appreciate it. I get rolling here. We're
gonna continue. I got Dennis and Lowell coming up next.
Jina and Bridgewater, got a little room for you. We're
gonna uh end this part of the conversation at ten o'clock.
We have a guest coming up talking about coyotes in Braintree,
rather coyotes in Brookline. I'm sure they're coyotes in Braintrey too.
Take a very quick break coming back with Dennis and Gina.
For sure, maybe you as well. Six one, seven, two thirty.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
All right, we go to the calls Dennis and Lowell. Dennis,
we have full lines, but you're you're rough, buddy. Go ahead,
what's your your thought of this? I'm appaulled.
Speaker 5 (31:07):
Oh absolutely, thank you very much. You know, I couldn't
resist calling because the known Diana since she first ran.
And I'll tell you she hasn't disappointed me or her
supporters in the greater little area.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
She's a good one. She's a good one. Yeah, tell you.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
I mean she's she's so well spoken and sincere speaking
about the public trust and advocating equity and accountability. Ye
people can spell that.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
And transparency and and I'll tell you she is uh.
Look the people who were up there and who were
ripping us off, she's enemy number one to them. Okay,
Oh yeah. And and I gotta tell you she's doing
a fabulous job. She's a fabulous She's a Democrat. I mean,
this is not a Republican Democrat thing. She's a Democrat
(31:55):
who's doing a fabulous job.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
Yeah. I just finish off, like I didn't read seventy
four page document, but the glow up today they read.
They printed those statistics, the three hundred foot you know
drive for a hundred forty dollars and three hundred and
fifty thousand dollars for five hundred reported no shows and
two thousand, three hundred cancelations. I wish I had that business.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Oh way, yeah, keep talk about that. Hey, Dennis, thank
you my friend, I really man. Thank you so the work, buddy.
Thanks much. Good night. Let me go next to I
told you we get Dennis and Gina and Gina. You're
next on nightside. Welcome Hi, ginape I've got to hit
it here. My mistake, Gina, that was my mistake. I
(32:38):
missed the button. Go ahead, Gina, You're next.
Speaker 7 (32:41):
How are you?
Speaker 9 (32:43):
I just want to say thank you. The dians is
augly when anybody else who's alt trying to do the
best for everyone. But I just want to say I
became home. It's because of the gas company so many
years ago. And I know you know who I am.
But let me explain something to you. I wasn't cut
it around. I went hungry and I still go hungry
for many days. Okay, I'm going to marry with his
no stores to go to get anywhere. I didn't have
(33:05):
the luxury of getting into a shelfice so I can
go out there and get a job and live my
life the way I should have, like I did before.
Now I don't think it's right. I've tried calling the
governor's office. I'm not getting anywhere. I've called a few times,
I don't get the right answers. I'm not against anybody,
but i'll tell you what. I've been deprived of even
seeing my family because I can't get anywhere, all right.
(33:27):
I have a brother that was a Vietnam veteran that
just passed away recently that I was told, and the
place where he was at prevented me from even talking
to my brother. They've seen my number come through and
they ignored it.
Speaker 5 (33:38):
All right.
Speaker 9 (33:39):
Then people are ignorant, and I usually don't talk about anybody,
but I'm so happy for anybody who can get the
right things done in this world. I wasn't cottered around
to have a cab, all right, and I ll stand that.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
And you're a US citizen who should be prioritized, So Geine,
I totally agree with you. I need to hear from
some other folks here, but I appreciate the fact that
you called in and by I'll tell you thank you.
Speaker 9 (34:04):
That's all I can say.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
She does a great job, and I'm sure she's listening.
Thank you, Gina. I appreciate you. Thank you, Dan, thank
you very much. So we go to Bernie in New Hampshire.
Bernie got to be quick for me. You'd like to
get you in one more in go ahead.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
Bernie, Hey Dan, how you doing good? Real quick, real quick.
I watched her this morning. She's so well spoken and
a report was so concise, and it's just a breadth
of brush hair for Massachusetts politics. I work in mass
so I get to pay taxes and mass But about
a month ago you had one of our representatives on
(34:35):
and and I can well afford to pay my my
my maintain my vehicles and pay my taxes and all that.
But he was just looking for ways to save his
constituents money, seems. And so the politicians and mass well
that isn't their top priority. But you know, the one
thing that stuck out to me is like the Spinelle thing,
like that woman that just got off the phone, Like
(34:55):
I work in mass all the time. Spinelli's has a
good quality food and it's and they tal and like,
why my good work is getting spinales. Well, I mean
it's a bit easier and better and law cross effective
ways to feed them and like why is the stuff
allowed to happen?
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Well, it's it's part of the game in Massachusetts. Once
they get elected in Massachusetts, they forget where they came from. Uh.
They they get re elected, there's no pressure on them.
The Republican Party has to get there act together, making
a two party state again, like it is in New Hampshire.
It's a competitive state in New Hampshire and you get
better government out of It's as simple as that.
Speaker 4 (35:34):
All right, thank you for my time.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Let me thank you very much Bertie for call and
appreciate it very much. All right, let me get one
more in here before we got a run. Let me
go to paton Rhode Island. Pat, you gotta be quick
from me, go right ahead, all right.
Speaker 5 (35:46):
Two sentences.
Speaker 7 (35:46):
Number one, listening to Night's Side can change your life.
About twelve years ago on the air, you introduced me
to someone called Gary Johnson who was running for the
President's Libertarian Yes, I am now on the Liberty I
am now on the Libertarian National Committee. I actually in
charge of the National Convention. So that's what happened because
I listen to your show.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Well, do me a favor Pat do me a favor. Okay,
since you're now active in that, I'm more than happy
to have folks from the Libertarian Party on. I have
an interesting view of it, which is probably not identical
to yours, but I'm thrilled that you have gotten involved
in it. Rob will give you my direct number at BZ.
(36:25):
Give me a call and we can have a chat,
because I think that there's a lot of the Libertarian Party,
particularly economic ideas, that people need to be exposed to.
So again, I thank you for the kind words. It's
a thrill to hear a phone call like this in
all honesty. And Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico,
I had him on several times and maybe I'll have
(36:48):
you on as well.
Speaker 5 (36:49):
Well.
Speaker 7 (36:50):
Listen, if I can tell you this, the libertarian approach
of this is twofold number one, get government out of
these programs, but at the same time, perform voluntary support
for people in need. And that's what we do is libertarians,
we actually talk to talk and help people out who
have less.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Okay, well again, give Rob, give Rob get my number.
Rob will give you my number, Call me and I'll
get back to you. We'll have a conversation off here.
Thank you, Pat, and thanks for calling. Well that's an
interesting phone call, and that's an interesting hour. And we
come back. We're gonna have another interesting hour. We're gonna
talk about coyotes in Brookline. I mean coyotes in Brookline.
(37:27):
We're not talking about Wyoming anymore. We're not even talking
about the suburbs. I saw some of the stories last
night on some of the newscasts, and we're going to
talk about it on the other side, coming back right
after the ten o'clock news on nightside.
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
We are delighted to welcome the Auditor of the Cornwaltha, Massachusetts, Dianatzoglio.
She is fighting on the State House on behalf of
all citizens, Democrats, Republicans, and independents. She is probably the
least liked public official amongst the other public officials up
(00:28):
at the State House right now because she wants to
audit the legislature, and seventy two percent of the people
in Massachusetts agree with her based upon the ballot decision
question that was voted upon last last on November. But
we want to talk today about tonight about this seventy
four page audit of the Executive Office of Housing Liverable
(00:52):
Communities Emergency Shelter. First of all, Madam Auditor, congratulations for
having more courage, which I think than just about anyone
on Beacon Hill, and I mean that sincerely. Welcome to
Night Side.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Thanks for having me, Dan. It's always great to be back,
great to have the opportunity to talk about some of
the work that we're doing to increase accountability up on
Beacon Hill. You are correct, I am persona non grata
up on Beacon Hill right now. But it is the job,
and I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve
(01:27):
as auditor, so happy to chat with you about some
of our latest findings.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Well, you are persona non grata, but you're also an
elected statewide official or constitutional officer as the state auditor,
and a Democrat. You've been in the House of Representatives,
you've been in the Massachusetts State Senate, and now you
are positioned as the auditor. The legislature does not want
to be audited by you, and it's really the legislative leadership.
(01:54):
And we can talk about that quickly, but I want
to focus on this report. I read it this afternoon.
I didn't read it verbatim. I went over it as
best I could. I read it quickly, at seventy four pages.
I would be lying to you if I told you
I could, I could cite chapter and verse. However, the
concern that is obvious. And by the way, anyone who
(02:16):
wants to take the time if they want to see
a thorough report done in language that anyone can understand,
this is the report to look at it. It is
really well done by However, whoever, how many members of
your staff were involved in this. There are visuals which
which help explain. There are graphs you focus on the
(02:41):
no bid contracts and a couple the focus seems to
be on one at a restaurant over in East Boston
and also a cab company down in Truro. And one
of the best representations of this is a page twelve
which is a colograph of themalth of Massachusetts broken down
(03:01):
by county basis county level and the company that provided
food I guess statewide Spinelle Ravioli Manufacturing Company. They're there,
I believe, East Boston. And then the Mercedes Cab company,
well named Mercedes Cab Company is down at the tip
(03:24):
of the cape in Truro. Why would there not have
been some some cabs spread around the state so that people,
if we are going to accommodate people of the shelters,
that all of the money was not given to one
cab company and primarily one food provider. That is that
(03:46):
strikes me. It hits me in the eye when I
read this report, Am I missing something?
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Well, first and foremost, Kan, thank you so much for
complimenting the breadth of the report and the depth of
the report. I cannot take credit for that report being
so as in depth as it was. That is my
team in the Office of State Auditor doing great, great work.
I have an amazing team of audit professionals who really
(04:15):
do work over time on making sure that they are
doing their due diligence and having the necessary conversations to
make sure that these reports are robust, that they're accurate,
and that they're getting all the information out to the residents.
So kudos to the amazing team and the Office of
(04:38):
State Auditor. And certainly, yes, the findings that our team
found are certainly concerning, right on many different levels, you
know level You know, the first level is on the
level that these these contracts and the millions of our
tax dollars were executed with no bidding process. And folks,
(05:01):
we totally understand this is a humanitarian crisis. You know,
this is something that's happening across our nation. It's not
just happening in Massachusetts. These are challenging times, uh, and
this is you know, something where we would expect that,
you know, in the administration's first dealings with such challenging times,
(05:22):
that you know, there could be some errors made during
this process, uh, in trying to find solutions in a
quick manner on various topics, but on these particular contracts UH.
The the administration did have data UH dating you know,
(05:43):
back to when this started to become an issue with
these arrivals and with the need for shelter increasing rapidly.
There were several months in between when the administration started
to collect and review data and when the no bid
contracts were executed.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
UH.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Emergency no bid contracts are intended to be used for
emergency situations and think about, you know, a tree falling
on a building, right, some sort of an unforeseen event
that could not have been predicted. There were several months
in between when you know this this UH, the influx
(06:26):
started happening, and there was a lot of data that
the Executive Office of Housing Livable Communities is tracking in
order to be able to plan a bit better for
some of these contracts to be executed. If an emergency
contract is executed, however, it is supposed to be executed
(06:47):
for several weeks, not for several months. There was a
difference between an emergency contract meant to cover emergency time
frames UH and just outright contracts that are given out right.
So the report did cite the Administration for the improper
and unlawful use of the emergency procurement process. Again, certainly,
(07:10):
we understand if there's an emergency situation, but there are
proper protocols and procedures that need to be followed that
were not, and these excessive lengths of time that these
contracts were executed really, you know, can can do a
lot of damage to the public's trust regarding the process
that is supposed to be followed. When we give out
(07:30):
millions of dollars in state contracts, folks want to know
that that process is fair and that it is equitable,
and that it is being done in an appropriate manner
so that it's not you know, able to be alleged
that it's paid to play or that you know, there
are inequities in the process. So we did cite the
administration for that. What you're talking about, Dan regarding you know,
(07:53):
these companies just being located in one spot and why
were they selected. Well, you know, we did ask the
administration why these companies were selected, and they couldn't provide
evidence as to why they thought that they were the
best selection out of other options. For example, I actually
made a phone call and had a conversation with my
(08:14):
local Merrimac Valley Regional Transit Authority staff, and they informed
me that, you know, if the administration had reached out
or wanted to reach out, that they would be more
than willing as a local regional public transit authority to
assist in providing cost effective opportunities to the Commonwealth to
(08:37):
serve in the shelter situation where the needs are they
save a pass by too shelters in our region on
their current bus route, and that they would be more
than help happy to assist in any way, shape or
form and provide potentially again more cost effective opportunities for
(08:57):
the Commonwealth to take up. We yes, madam, let me just.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
I want to take quick break here. I know we're
limited on time, but I want to drive the point
home that there were several counties who were not ever
involved in any of this. So, for example, you had
counties like Duke's County, which is Mantesvinyar, Nantucket County which
is Nantucket, Hampshire County, which is really in the in
(09:25):
the middle of western Massachusetts, which really wasn't touched. And
then you had counties like Middlesex. They had twenty eight shelters.
Open Essex had had twelve, Norfolk eleven, Worcester eleven, Suffolk
had six, Plymouth had six. So it was interesting that
(09:48):
that it wasn't as if the counties that provided the
shelter had cabs available for people were who were in
the shelters. This map, to me, is stunning. I want
to talk about that, and I want to get back
to the cost a little bit. I don't know if
we're going to have any time for the questions for you,
because you've had a long day and I promised that
(10:08):
we'd let you go at nine thirty. But I will
invite people if they want to call and comment on
what you have to say. We will take calls, certainly
after we give you the opportunity to get some sleep.
My guest is the Massachusetts State Auditor, Diana Disauglio. This
is a scathing report. It does not, in any way,
(10:30):
shape or form suggest that how the Healthy Administration handled
this and this report, I need to mention, covers thirty
months from July twenty twenty one through December thirty first
of twenty and twenty three. We'll get to some specifics
right after the break. My guess is the state order.
The came Wealth of Massachusetts Democrat Diana Dosaglio.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
It's night side with Dan Ray on.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Boston's news radio with me, it's the order of the
call Wealth of Massachusetts. Diana is Uglio. Can we focus
a second on this cab company out in Truro. If
my math is right, and I think it is, there
was something like fifteen ninety four cab rides. The average
(11:15):
cost of these cab rights was like three hundred and
sixteen dollars. I mean, I realized the cab is coming
from Truro, and I assumed that these cabs are driving many,
many miles, not just on the Cape but elsewhere. I
assumed the cab rides were given. Why would they not
have split this up? They have a cab company at
(11:37):
the far tip of Cape cod Who figured that one out,
Madam Auditor?
Speaker 6 (11:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:44):
This this, this is not thoughtfully considered.
Speaker 5 (11:48):
Dan.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
And again when we asked the administration for you know,
documentation to verify that they had considered other options and
done due diligence in selecting vendor for again months and
months at a time to provide these services, they could
not provide evidence that they had actually done. So there
(12:09):
are alternatives out there, and when you have a transportation
company located in just one part of the state that's
delivering to all different parts of the state where the
MBTA is located in many of these areas, and the
regional transit authorities in some cases have themselves offered to
actually assist with providing more cost effective options. But then
(12:34):
you see that one bus ride was taken a little
over three miles down the road that cost nearly five
thousand dollars for one bus trip. You know, we just
did a quick internet search and found that, you know,
you could charter a bus for an entire day for
a fraction of the cost. You know, we did cite
(12:57):
that to the administration as being problematic.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Bus ride five thousand dollars, that that should be in
the Guinness World Book of Records. They should be very
proud of that.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
This is insane, I mean, in the reality is dan
is that we do you know, we do have these
dollars going out to these private vendors right when we
do have services right now within our own public transportation
system where in some cases folks have stood up and
said they're ready to assist, right so we could be
(13:29):
reinvesting those tax dollars back in to our public transportation
system and getting services at a fraction of the cost.
It does take some work to have those conversations and
to due diligence into looking at those options. And that's
simply what we said to the administration. Look, we understand
that you can't change the past, can't go back in time.
(13:51):
This is an opportunity to look at some of the
decisions that were made and to make changes so that
history doesn't repeat itself. You know us what oughts are
there for. They're not there just to harp on agencies
and just tell them what they did wrong. They actually
exist to help to make government work better for those
it's meant to serve. The audit did list several recommendations
(14:14):
with the findings. It pointed to some of the flaws,
but yes, it did also make recommendations for improvement, like
making sure that you know, these these processes are documented
so that evidence can be collected to demonstrate that the
process was fair, the process was equitable, making sure to
create systems that are more efficient so that even skimming
(14:37):
isn't going on. You know, in some of these cases
where you know there was money lost, it wasn't exorbitant
in nature, but it still was money lost. We identify
those opportunities as well, where you know, there's bits and
bits of tax payer dollars being lost in you know,
nearly nine point six percent of transactions, nearly ten percent
(14:59):
of trans actions with the Finelli Ravioli company. We saw that,
you know, in the delivery fees there was nearly a
ten percent rate of overcharges occurring. Right now, small enough
regarding the loss of revenue in comparison to the larger
scope of the money being spent, but it's still a
(15:19):
loss right, and a penny saved is a penny earned.
And we work hard for our tax dollars. We want
to make sure that we are you know, guarding those
tax dollars. Even in those cases, isn't it where maybe
the administration doesn't consider it worth paying attention to, We
did ask them to, you know, work on making those
systems more efficient. You know my issue, Dan, because I
(15:41):
do have to go in a couple of minutes here,
But my issue is we did make recommendations, and those
recommendations are meant to help this administration and to help
the Executive Office of Housing and Loveable Communities to do
better by the taxpayer moving forward. And I think that
you know, again, when we look back in time, we
see that some mistakes, some errors occurred, things could have
(16:04):
been done better. Better. It was a very challenging time.
But what we really need to see is for the
administration move out of its defensive posture towards these audit
findings and recommendations and move more towards a willingness to
look at some of the areas where they could improve
to help instill the public's trust. To hear the governor say,
(16:28):
you know, essentially that she doubts that she will take
a look at these recommendations and work to implement them.
When she when she simultaneously said she hadn't even seen
the report, that's a bit discouraging, right, because we do
these reports, Like you said, it was over seventy pages.
The team worked really hard on this report. EOHLC themselves
(16:52):
operated in the spirit of cooperation with our team. They
worked with our audit team, you know. And if there
are areas of agreement, okay, areas of disagreement, okay. But
I do hope that the governor does, at their minimum
look at this report. Because she said she hasn't seen
it yet look at the report before, you know, stating
(17:13):
that she's already unwilling to implement any of the potential
recommendations for improvements. I think that, you know, that's a
disservice to the taxpayers to not at least attempt to
consider the recommendations. Right, So hopefully we will, we will
get a better, you know, a better attitude moving forward
from the administration so that we can you know, again
(17:36):
work to make government work better.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
By the way, just when you mentioned ell HLC, that
is the Executive Office of Housing Liver Communities. There's one
cab ride and I'm sure you were aware of this,
but which I found and I had heard about that
cost one hundred and forty dollars for exactly three hundred
and twenty two feet from the point of pickup. And
(17:59):
people will say, well, how's that possible. My understanding, this
cab company on the Cape, every time a cab they
dispatched a cab, it was one hundred and forty dollars
to get to the pickup point, which is which is weird.
So they're guaranteed one hundred and forty dollars whether the
pickup point is a half a mile away or ten
(18:19):
miles away.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
And of course people and Dan in addition to what
you just said, In addition to what you just said,
it was roughly, it was roughly it was over three
hundred and fifty thousand dollars that the Commonwealth was charged
for cancelations, for no shows and things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Right.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
So you know, when you have one hundred and forty
dollars fee for the base rate for a pickup, right,
and then then that gets canceled for some reason, but
we're still charged, you have to wonder was there a
better way forward?
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Right?
Speaker 3 (18:54):
And we believe there was. Can you imagine anybody who's
taken a cab, anyone who's taken an oar or anything.
You know, it's just you get to charge one hundred
and forty dollars.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Yeah, I just want people to understand this, and I'll
let you go. So you call an uber or you
call a cab or whatever, and the cab arrives at
the door, and you want to go five miles, some
five miles, and at the end of the five miles
they say to you, that's one hundred and fifty eight
dollars or something. You're gonna say, one hundred and fifty
eight dollars, I went five miles, oh, one hundred and
(19:27):
forty dollars for us to get to your house. And
the eighteen dollars is for the five miles that we
drove you what a scam. Auditor. Thank you for this report.
It is so important. I am very disappointed that Governor
Healy has had the reaction that you've reported to us.
And I hope Governor Healy wants to come on the
program and criticize the report or point out any mistakes
(19:51):
in the report, because it looks to me like a
very tightly written and presented and reasoned report. And I
just got to say congratulations, and please don't don't quit.
Don't I mean, I know, thank.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
You, and and look what I will what I will
ask folks, you know, I mean, just to advocate for
some of this stuff, uh, because the AUTO reports really
are there to help right in this This isn't about
you know, laying criticisms on people or uh, you know,
just uh putting fault on on on folks around agencies.
What this is about is this is about helping to
(20:29):
make systems work better for the residents of Massachusetts, right
and what our request is of this administration is simply
too uh you know, for the Governor and the administration
to thoughtfully examine the report before uh making judgment. Calls
about all you know already stating that they're you know,
(20:53):
unlikely to implement the recommendations. I think that there are
some you know, uh solid recommendations in there. Certainly, you know,
they don't want to take all the recommendations. They are
the governing agency of the Commonwealth. They have a right
not to take the recommendations. But you know, the team
did work hard, they worked alongside of the Executive Office
(21:16):
of Housing and Movable Communities. And to just dismiss the
report without even having seen it, it is unfortunate. So
I am going to ask, you know, anybody that does
you know, call the administration to advocate that you simply
just ask that the administration read the report, review it,
and hey, if we agree on some things but disagree
(21:38):
on others, okay, but at least review the recommendations and
let's see if we can work together to improve some
of these systems to save tax payer dollars, to make
sure that we're getting the most baying for our book,
and also to make sure that these no bid contracts
are being entered into only when it is truly, truly
(21:59):
appropriate and for shorter time periods, so that we can.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
Instill public trust and public faith in government, that the
system is fair and equitable, and that people are able
to get access to these opportunities, you know, even if
they are not politically connected.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
So you know, please keep advocating for that. We are
here to help. We're here to help make government work better,
but obviously we can't do it without you. So thanks
so much, Dan for having me on tonight.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Please appreciate it very much for the end of a
long day. I just want to add one final PostScript
to that is the automatic sure defensive posture and reaction
does not look good for Governor Healy's office, and I
hope that she understands that the automatic defensive posture and
reaction does not. She does not wear that well. Simple
(22:49):
as that auditor, I'm telling you, you you are are,
You're breath of fresh air on Beacon Hill in terms
of openness and transparency, I kind of having a better
state auditor. And I just say thank you on behalf
of every taxpayer in Massachusetts. Liberal conservative, moderate Republican Democrat, Independent, unenrolled.
(23:10):
We're all owe you a debt of gratitude for having
the courage.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Ever, I have an amazing team. I have an amazing
team in the Office of State Auditor. So I want
to throw that thanks back to our team, into our staff,
to the auditors. But thank you so so much, Jan
I really appreciate the opportunity to chat tonight again. Please advocate,
We're here to help, We're here to work together. Thanks
so much, Thanks so much.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
State Auditor Diana de Zauglio, and I got to tell
you she's up there. Look, I know how to waste money.
I know how to waste my own money, but I
don't want the Commonwealth of Massachusetts wasting my money on
no bid contracts. And when you read this report, when
you look at this report, you will you will be appalled.
You will be appalled. I'm going to open up the
(23:54):
phone lines.
Speaker 7 (23:54):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Diana has had some very long days, and I agreed.
I wanted her to free for you to hear from
her tonight. And she is. I don't know how she's
actually even awake at this hour, but obviously she is
an advocate for everyone. And look the money that is
wasted folks. Is money that could be spent on people
(24:17):
in Massachusetts who truly need assistance. And this has nothing
to do with legal or illegal or immigration. This is
evidence of how some people on Beacon Hill don't look
at the tax dollars that are extracted from you as
a precious commodity that should be used to help people
(24:38):
in need. That's the point. You take my tax money.
I don't mind that you spend it on people who
are down in their luck. I don't mind that you
spend it on people who have disabilities. I don't mind
you have spend it on people who are trying to recover,
who are trying I don't mind that. Okay, I don't
mind it that you spend it on kids who don't
have two parents. I understand that's part of the social contract.
(25:00):
But to take money from taxpayers and basically throw it
away a no bit contracts to a cab company in Truro, Massachusetts.
Take a look at the map. If you don't know
what Truro is, it's next to Provincetown. You got to
drive probably one hundred miles. One hundred miles just well,
maybe not one hundred, at least eighty miles to get
(25:20):
to either one of the bridges. How crazy is it
to have a cab company on serving people who are
in shelters that is positioned in Truro, Massachusetts. And if
the owner of that cab company wants to come on
and talk about it, you have an open invitation any
night to join me on night Side. I now give
you an open invitation to react to what you heard
(25:40):
from the Order of the come Oalth of Massachusetts. The
number six one seven, two five four ten thirty or
six one seven nine three one ten thirty back right
after the news at the bottom of the hour. Sorry
about the delay, but this was too important as far
as I'm concerned.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Night Side Thought with Dan Ray. I'm WBZ Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Okay, you heard from state auditor Diana Dezaglio. I know
that very few of you have read the seventy four
page report. I've looked at it, I've scanned it, I've
read portions of it. It's appalling. It's appalling. They had
a no big contract with one Cape Card cab company.
(26:21):
It looks to me like one no bid contract for
the entire state. If you're familiar with a map of Massachusetts,
there's a town called Truro. It's at the far end
of the Cape. That's the last place you should be
running care. You should have had cab company somewhere in
the Boston area, and you should have split it up.
You should have had some cab company wherever the folks
(26:44):
were going to be sheltered. You need to have some
transportation available for them. And this was a sweetheart deal,
and it was a no bid deal, the aptly named
Mercedes Cab Company. And again, if the owner of that
cap company would like to come on and explain to us,
to me and you how this all came to be
and why they got what seems to me to be
(27:05):
a sweetheart deal. I would love them to come on,
but I don't think we'll hear from them. Let me
go first to phill in Boston. Phil, I assume you're
probably pretty perplexed by this.
Speaker 8 (27:15):
Well, I was in. But the image in Truro and
the bridge, they're better than buy an event. But Dan,
who this is kind of who negotiated I don't know
it was on negotiation, but who decided on these figures?
Were they doing? There's no back and forth, Willer Dylan.
When you buy a Cowie and buy something. There's no
(27:36):
willer and dealer. We're gonna settle on no competition. I
guess that's a little bit contract thing with that. Ladies
who want to heck of a Charlotte.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
By the way, well let me let me tell you.
If there is one person on Beacon Hill right now
who I have complete confidence in, not only on this
but on auditing the legislature, it is the state auditor.
She is, she said to herself. She's a person in
Congrada within at the State House. And those people up there,
(28:03):
they got a good thing going, and we talked about
that a lot, and you need people up there to
shake it up a little bit because the problem is
it's my tax money in your tax money. I don't begrudge.
I'm not someone who's saying, you know, let poor people
take care. No, I need to pay taxes. That's part
of the social contract. I want to help people, and
(28:25):
I help people separately from my taxes. By the way,
my wife and I are very generous, right, But I
don't want someone to I don't want someone to throw
my tax money away. I don't I don't pay taxes
to make this sure that some cab company in Truro.
Speaker 8 (28:46):
Living down there, you couldn't have picked.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
You couldn't have picked. By the way, they were only
in all of Barnstable County. Uh and trolls in the
farther into Barnstable County. There were only three shelters in
all of Barnstable County. So in total there were dozens
of shelters. Okay, there were. There were hotel sites in
(29:12):
I mean they were like eight.
Speaker 8 (29:15):
Cover up the sign of the hotel, but a sign
being like and Risley, it wasn't a hotel anymore.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
But got it? You got it, you got it. And
and to and to give a no bid contract to
a cab company in Truro had someone had to know
someone and you had to look at that and say,
how is this possible? And by the way, every person,
every person who was in the shelter who called the
cab because people have medical emergencies and they have to
(29:44):
go and do some shopping. They don't have cars. Whenever
the cab company was summoned kirching one hundred and forty
dollars to start as soon as the person got in
the cab. And there's waiting time too. If the person
happened to be late.
Speaker 8 (29:58):
But we're talking my level stuff too. We're talking with
the full contract, We're talking all kinds of of the contracts.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
You got it. You got it, Phil, I thank you
for chiming into there. Because money was taken from you.
Your money was wasted, My money was wasted. Every person
in this audience tonight should know that some of their
tax dollars were wasted, and substantial amounts of tax money
was wasted, and the and the governor apparently saying that
she doesn't want to read the report. Really really all right,
(30:29):
thank you, Phil, appreciate it. I get rolling here. We're
gonna continue. I got Dennis and Lowell coming up next.
Jina and Bridgewater, got a little room for you. We're
gonna uh end this part of the conversation at ten o'clock.
We have a guest coming up talking about coyotes in Braintree,
rather coyotes in Brookline. I'm sure they're coyotes in Braintrey too.
Take a very quick break coming back with Dennis and Gina.
For sure, maybe you as well. Six one, seven, two thirty.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
All right, we go to the calls Dennis and Lowell. Dennis,
we have full lines, but you're you're rough, buddy. Go ahead,
what's your your thought of this? I'm appaulled.
Speaker 5 (31:07):
Oh absolutely, thank you very much. You know, I couldn't
resist calling because the known Diana since she first ran.
And I'll tell you she hasn't disappointed me or her
supporters in the greater little area.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
She's a good one. She's a good one. Yeah, tell you.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
I mean she's she's so well spoken and sincere speaking
about the public trust and advocating equity and accountability. Ye
people can spell that.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
And transparency and and I'll tell you she is uh.
Look the people who were up there and who were
ripping us off, she's enemy number one to them. Okay,
Oh yeah. And and I gotta tell you she's doing
a fabulous job. She's a fabulous She's a Democrat. I mean,
this is not a Republican Democrat thing. She's a Democrat
(31:55):
who's doing a fabulous job.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
Yeah. I just finish off, like I didn't read seventy
four page document, but the glow up today they read.
They printed those statistics, the three hundred foot you know
drive for a hundred forty dollars and three hundred and
fifty thousand dollars for five hundred reported no shows and
two thousand, three hundred cancelations. I wish I had that business.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Oh way, yeah, keep talk about that. Hey, Dennis, thank
you my friend, I really man. Thank you so the work, buddy.
Thanks much. Good night. Let me go next to I
told you we get Dennis and Gina and Gina. You're
next on nightside. Welcome Hi, ginape I've got to hit
it here. My mistake, Gina, that was my mistake. I
(32:38):
missed the button. Go ahead, Gina, You're next.
Speaker 7 (32:41):
How are you?
Speaker 9 (32:43):
I just want to say thank you. The dians is
augly when anybody else who's alt trying to do the
best for everyone. But I just want to say I
became home. It's because of the gas company so many
years ago. And I know you know who I am.
But let me explain something to you. I wasn't cut
it around. I went hungry and I still go hungry
for many days. Okay, I'm going to marry with his
no stores to go to get anywhere. I didn't have
(33:05):
the luxury of getting into a shelfice so I can
go out there and get a job and live my
life the way I should have, like I did before.
Now I don't think it's right. I've tried calling the
governor's office. I'm not getting anywhere. I've called a few times,
I don't get the right answers. I'm not against anybody,
but i'll tell you what. I've been deprived of even
seeing my family because I can't get anywhere, all right.
(33:27):
I have a brother that was a Vietnam veteran that
just passed away recently that I was told, and the
place where he was at prevented me from even talking
to my brother. They've seen my number come through and
they ignored it.
Speaker 5 (33:38):
All right.
Speaker 9 (33:39):
Then people are ignorant, and I usually don't talk about anybody,
but I'm so happy for anybody who can get the
right things done in this world. I wasn't cottered around
to have a cab, all right, and I ll stand that.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
And you're a US citizen who should be prioritized, So Geine,
I totally agree with you. I need to hear from
some other folks here, but I appreciate the fact that
you called in and by I'll tell you thank you.
Speaker 9 (34:04):
That's all I can say.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
She does a great job, and I'm sure she's listening.
Thank you, Gina. I appreciate you. Thank you, Dan, thank
you very much. So we go to Bernie in New Hampshire.
Bernie got to be quick for me. You'd like to
get you in one more in go ahead.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
Bernie, Hey Dan, how you doing good? Real quick, real quick.
I watched her this morning. She's so well spoken and
a report was so concise, and it's just a breadth
of brush hair for Massachusetts politics. I work in mass
so I get to pay taxes and mass But about
a month ago you had one of our representatives on
(34:35):
and and I can well afford to pay my my
my maintain my vehicles and pay my taxes and all that.
But he was just looking for ways to save his
constituents money, seems. And so the politicians and mass well
that isn't their top priority. But you know, the one
thing that stuck out to me is like the Spinelle thing,
like that woman that just got off the phone, Like
(34:55):
I work in mass all the time. Spinelli's has a
good quality food and it's and they tal and like,
why my good work is getting spinales. Well, I mean
it's a bit easier and better and law cross effective
ways to feed them and like why is the stuff
allowed to happen?
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Well, it's it's part of the game in Massachusetts. Once
they get elected in Massachusetts, they forget where they came from. Uh.
They they get re elected, there's no pressure on them.
The Republican Party has to get there act together, making
a two party state again, like it is in New Hampshire.
It's a competitive state in New Hampshire and you get
better government out of It's as simple as that.
Speaker 4 (35:34):
All right, thank you for my time.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Let me thank you very much Bertie for call and
appreciate it very much. All right, let me get one
more in here before we got a run. Let me
go to paton Rhode Island. Pat, you gotta be quick
from me, go right ahead, all right.
Speaker 5 (35:46):
Two sentences.
Speaker 7 (35:46):
Number one, listening to Night's Side can change your life.
About twelve years ago on the air, you introduced me
to someone called Gary Johnson who was running for the
President's Libertarian Yes, I am now on the Liberty I
am now on the Libertarian National Committee. I actually in
charge of the National Convention. So that's what happened because
I listen to your show.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Well, do me a favor Pat do me a favor. Okay,
since you're now active in that, I'm more than happy
to have folks from the Libertarian Party on. I have
an interesting view of it, which is probably not identical
to yours, but I'm thrilled that you have gotten involved
in it. Rob will give you my direct number at BZ.
(36:25):
Give me a call and we can have a chat,
because I think that there's a lot of the Libertarian Party,
particularly economic ideas, that people need to be exposed to.
So again, I thank you for the kind words. It's
a thrill to hear a phone call like this in
all honesty. And Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico,
I had him on several times and maybe I'll have
(36:48):
you on as well.
Speaker 5 (36:49):
Well.
Speaker 7 (36:50):
Listen, if I can tell you this, the libertarian approach
of this is twofold number one, get government out of
these programs, but at the same time, perform voluntary support
for people in need. And that's what we do is libertarians,
we actually talk to talk and help people out who
have less.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Okay, well again, give Rob, give Rob get my number.
Rob will give you my number, Call me and I'll
get back to you. We'll have a conversation off here.
Thank you, Pat, and thanks for calling. Well that's an
interesting phone call, and that's an interesting hour. And we
come back. We're gonna have another interesting hour. We're gonna
talk about coyotes in Brookline. I mean coyotes in Brookline.
(37:27):
We're not talking about Wyoming anymore. We're not even talking
about the suburbs. I saw some of the stories last
night on some of the newscasts, and we're going to
talk about it on the other side, coming back right
after the ten o'clock news on nightside.
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