Friday, February 24, 2006

Talk about good damage control. Felix Arroyo didn't just air his dirty laundry on a Friday afternoon--he aired it on a Friday afternoon, two years before the next city-council election!

Just one question: what does "unfavorable driving record" mean, exactly?

Here's the press release put out by Matuya Brand, Arroyo's recently hired spokesperson, at 3:18 p.m. today. (Apparently Matuya's stint as Dianne Wilkerson's flack taught her some lessons about how to handle damaging revelations...)

"Information on Councillor Arroyo's Financial Matters

"City records show that I owe the City of Boston $399 in unpaid motor vehicle excise taxes for one year, for cars which I no longer own. I continue to believe I may have been incorrectly charged for vehicles which were not on the road, but will nevertheless resolve this issue in the near future.

"I additionally owed approximately $25 plus interest for a missing property tax payment in 1997, an amount which I believed had been paid through an escrow account set up through my mortgage company. I recently paid this amount in full.

"I do not owe any other local, state, or federal taxes or student loans.

"I also have an unfavorable driving record (I assure you that this does not and will never include operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol). I am now using public transportation.

"As an elected official, I understand that I am and should be held to a higher standard. I am grateful to represent the people of Boston and will continue to work to meet that standard."