Cambridge, MA Keeps Sinecure Alive

In spite of all the delusions revealed by Cambridge City Councilors, e.g., that the city is a world class city, and that councilors speak for "the most vulnerable," that they support "education," and "affordable housing," it is really an ordinary conformist city. This report verifies how any government is unable to stop wasting taxpayer funds. Once an agency is created it will never be defunded. The Nuclear War and Peace Commission, created in 1986, was established to work to prevent nuclear war. It did an outstanding job. Since 1986 there was no nuclear war in Cambridge, in Italy or in Chile. Now the Commission needs a new mission. Under its previous Commissioner, the mission was to prevent conflict between high school students. Now it is the coordinator for sister cities. That reveals one more pattern of Cambridge government. There is no shame among Cambridge officials for taking taxpayer money for doing nothing. How many people without homes could be housed with the taxpayer funds wasted on the Nuclear War and Peace Commission?

[From article]
Sister cities are official relationships between two municipalities that wish to share aspects of their culture, according to Corr. They are usually built around common interests such as business and research, and help diasporic ethnic groups stay connected to their country of origin.
Cambridge has a long history of global sister city ties, including six active relationships with municipalities including San José Las Flores, El Salvador; Tsukaba, Japan; and Yerevan, Armenia. Former sister cities have included Dublin and Florence. Cambridge is also currently in the process of forming a relationship with Les Cayes, Haiti.
“Cambridge is well known, well connected internationally, obviously through institutions like Harvard and MIT, but just the city in general is very connected internationally,” Corr said.
Corr said he expects the process to take a few months to ensure that the relationship is beneficial to both sides.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/2/11/cambridge-new-sister-city/

Cambridge Explores Sister City Relationship with Reykjavik, Iceland
By JOSHUA J. FLORENCE and SAMUEL VASQUEZ

Harvard CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
February 10, 2016