Christy Mihos
Encyclopedia
 |
|
| Massachusetts Turnpike Commission Member: | July 1, 1999 - July 1, 2004 |
| Successor: | Daniel A. Grabauskas |
| Profession: | Convenience Store Franchise Owner/Politician Politician A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making... |
| Wife: | Andrea Mihos |
| Residence: | Yarmouth, Massachusetts Yarmouth, Massachusetts Yarmouth is a New England town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 24,807 at the 2000 census.... |
| Religion: | Greek Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,... |
| Political Party: | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Christy P. Mihos (born June 13, 1949 in Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
) is an American politician
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
and businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
from the U.S. commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He was an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate for Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Massachusetts in 2006
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2006
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. Former US Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 2007 until January 6, 2011. In his first elected office, Patrick is the second African-American governor in the United...
and ran again as a Republican in the 2010 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2010
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic Governor Deval Patrick was re-elected to a second term. Also competing were the Republican Party nominee, businessman Charlie Baker; independent candidate and State Treasurer Tim Cahill; and...
. He did not receive enough votes at the Republican Caucus to qualify for the primary ballot. Mihos previously served as a member of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
from 1999 to 2004.
Background
Christy Mihos, best known for his outspoken reform at the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, owns the Christy's Markets convenience storeConvenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
chain on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
. A previous store was opened by his grandfather, Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
immigrant Christy Mihos, was started in Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
in 1934, several businesses removed. Peter Mihos, Christy's father, and James Mihos, an uncle, ran the store along with the rest of their families until 1984. The chain once included 144 stores found throughout eastern Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, but, in May 1998, he and his brother sold 132 of them to 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
. However, Mihos retained 12 Christy's on Cape Cod along with some real estate holdings.
Mihos graduated from Brockton High School
Brockton High School
Brockton High School, established in 1871, is a high school located in Brockton, Massachusetts and is the largest high school in Massachusetts and New England. Although it is smaller by approximately 200 students than Reading High School, Brockton is one of the largest high schools east of the...
and did his undergraduate studies at Stonehill College
Stonehill College
Stonehill College is a private Roman Catholic college located in Easton, Massachusetts, United States, founded in 1948. Situated in North Easton, Massachusetts, a suburban community of 23,329 people, Stonehill is located south of Boston on a campus, the original estate of Frederick Lothrop Ames...
in Easton, Massachusetts
Easton, Massachusetts
Easton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 23,112 at the 2010 census.Easton is governed by an elected committee of selectmen and a town administrator.- History :...
. In 1990, he ran for the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. Mihos lost the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
by only three votes to Robert Hedlund, who later won the general election.
Tenure in the Turnpike Authority
In 1999, he was appointed to the Massachusetts Turnpike AuthorityMassachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
by Governor Paul Cellucci
Paul Cellucci
Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
, where he served as Vice Chairman. During his tenure on the Authority, Mihos frequently clashed with Chairman Matt Amorello over a number of issues regarding the Big Dig's budget and excessive spending. In 2001, after voting to postpone a toll
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
hike and seeking to fire Bechtel, the general contractor of the Big Dig,Mihos was fired by Acting Governor Jane Swift, along with Director Jordan Levy
Jordan Levy
Jordan Levy is an American politician and talk radio host from Worcester, Massachusetts. He served as the Mayor of Worcester on two occasions, first from 1981 to 1982 and the second time from 1988–93...
. Mihos sued in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
, claiming that the Governor did not have the authority to fire him. Mihos won his case and was reinstated to the Authority, along with Levy. Mihos later sued Governor Swift for violating his First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
right to free speech, and settled that case in U.S. District Court
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, USA. The first court session was held in Boston in 1789. The second term was held in Salem in 1790 and until 1813 court session locations...
for $197,000.
In 2004, when Mihos' five-year term on the Authority expired, Governor Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
replaced him with Daniel A. Grabauskas, the 2002 Republican nominee for State Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
. During his term on the Authority, Mihos also served as a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
.
2006 Campaign for Governor
In late 2005, Mihos announced that he was thinking of running for Governor in 2006.. After Romney announced that he would not seek re-election, Christy decided to pursue his candidacy further. Lieutenant Governor Kerry HealeyKerry Healey
Kerry Murphy Healey was the 70th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. She served from 2003 to 2007 with Governor Mitt Romney. She was the 2006 Republican nominee for Governor of Massachusetts, losing to Democrat Deval Patrick in November 2006...
had won the support of Romney and the majority of the state Republican leadership for the nomination, so Mihos decided on the Independent route, announcing his candidacy for Governor of Massachusetts via televised interview on March 2, 2006.[1] http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/03/02/in_blow_to_gop_mihos_to_run_as_independent/ The next day, he held a rally at the Massachusetts State House
Massachusetts State House
The Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
to officially announce his candidacy.
A centerpiece for Mihos's platform in his run for Governor of Massachusetts in 2006 was what he called "Proposition 1," a plan to dedicate 40% of the state's budget to aid for the cities, end annual re-assessment of property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
es (similar to California Proposition 13
California Proposition 13 (1978)
Proposition 13 was an amendment of the Constitution of California enacted during 1978, by means of the initiative process. It was approved by California voters on June 6, 1978. It was declared constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Nordlinger v. Hahn,...
), and eliminate fees for public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
. This is not affiliated with the Proposition 1 on the ballot during the election, which, if it had passed, would have allowed convenience and grocery stores to obtain licenses to sell alcohol. Although he believes in tradition marriage between a man and a woman, he believes the personal lives of Massachusetts residents should be left private, and a vote on same-sex marriage is an issue for the voting public, not one man. In addition, he had pledged to enact campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns....
laws.
On June 8, 2006, Mihos announced that he had selected John J. Sullivan
John J. Sullivan
John J. Sullivan is the town moderator and a former selectman of Winchester, Massachusetts, and a 2006 candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. A lifelong Democrat, he ran as an independent in the 2006 election as running mate to Christy Mihos...
, a Winchester, Massachusetts
Winchester, Massachusetts
Winchester is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, eight miles north of Boston. With its agricultural roots having mostly disappeared, it is now an affluent suburb...
town moderator
Moderator (town official)
A moderator is an official of an incorporated town who presides over the town meeting, and in some cases, other municipal meetings. In the United States, the area of the country best known for the town meeting form of government is New England. The office of moderator exists in at least Connecticut...
and lifelong Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, to be his running mate.
Mihos generated controversy in September 2006 by airing an animated political commercial showing a Big Dig engineer and politicians with, literally, their heads up their behinds. Further speculation and controversies followed suit with articles published in the Boston Globe regarding Mihos' involvement with public university professor Lou DiNatale's polling data. The Boston Globe article draws attention to the conflict regarding DiNatale's involvement in Mihos political campaign, as well as his poll analysis despite the fact that DiNatale was never employed by Mihos.
Mihos came under heavy media fire in 2006 when the Boston Globe reported that he was using a public university professor, Lou DiNatale, to conduct polling data for him. The state education system prohibited their educators from being involved in political campaigns. The Boston Globe wrote that DiNatale had "an interesting relationship with Christy P. Mihos, now an independent candidate for governor."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/artlicles/2006/03/07/umass pollster worked on side/
2010 Campaign for Governor
On July 1, 2008, Mihos announced his intention to launch a2010 gubernatorial
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2010
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic Governor Deval Patrick was re-elected to a second term. Also competing were the Republican Party nominee, businessman Charlie Baker; independent candidate and State Treasurer Tim Cahill; and...
bid. Mihos was being advised by Dick Morris
Dick Morris
Dick Morris is an American political author and commentator who previously worked as a pollster, political campaign consultant, and general political consultant....
, a former advisor and strategist for former US President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
On April 17, 2010, balloting at the Massachusetts Republican State Convention resulted in
Charles D. Baker beating Mihos by a margin of 89 per cent to 11 per cent; the less-than-15
per cent showing denied Mihos a spot on the GOP ballot in a possible primary. Mihos told
reporters he did not plan to keep running for office.
Activism
Mihos was at one time a board member of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket SoundAlliance to Protect Nantucket Sound
The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound is a 501 nonprofit self-styled environmental organization dedicated to the opposition of the Cape Wind project and to the long-term preservation of Nantucket Sound...
, which seeks to raise awareness and prevent the construction of Cape Wind
Cape Wind
The Cape Wind Project is an approved offshore wind farm, on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound off Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, proposed by a private developer, Cape Wind Associates, the brainchild of Jim Gordon and a Limited Liability Company set up as a joint business venture...
, a wind power
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
project in Nantucket Sound
Nantucket Sound
Nantucket Sound is a roughly triangular area of the Atlantic Ocean offshore from the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is long and wide, and is enclosed by Cape Cod on the north, Nantucket on the south, and Martha's Vineyard on the west. Between Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard it is connected to the...
(Source: public records - Massachusetts Division of Corporations).