They Say Timing is Everything

By Liam Day
May 7th, 2008

Norman Mailer once wrote,

Politics is not an art of principles but of timing.

At the time, he was referring to Ed Muskie, but might as well have been describing Newton Mayor David Cohen, who just asked for a 28% pay increase even as construction costs on the most expensive school building project in the state’s history have ballooned to $197 million and the city is asking its residents for a $12 million override.

In fairness, he has not had a raise since entering office almost 10 years ago. Still, if it were me, I don’t know. I might ask for the raise, say, next year.