Gough: Farha says medical issues led to tax problems as he considers future as 4th Ward alderman

Mike Farha has been a Republican alderman representing Quincy’s 4th Ward for 26 years. For most of that time, he has been a reliable advocate for his constituents, whether it was commercial encroachment on residential neighborhoods or taking care of stop signs, streets or sidewalks.

As he enters the twilight of his political tenure, he’s unsure if he will run again in 2027 — or if he’ll finish his current term. His time has been marred by recent health issues and rising medical bills that have led to financial difficulties, including his failure to pay property taxes on his home for each of the last three years.

For someone whose job in the public sector to determine how much in property taxes his constituents pay, not paying property taxes may seem hypocritical.

Two other issues for Farha are his City Council meeting attendance record and his abdication of serving on City Council committees. He stepped away from the 911 and Finance Committees — he was the chair of both — in April 2023 and now serves on no committees. The other 13 aldermen all serve on at least one.

Farha, 68, has missed 21 City Council meetings since April 24, 2023. He still received his full compensation for each of those meetings, as the absences were voted on and excused by his colleagues. Aldermen are paid $7,300 annually.

Farha said his health issues (which he described in detail, but I will respect his privacy on the specifics) have caused most of those absences.

He also has walked out of meetings because he said he’s been frustrated with the process — especially with the city’s health insurance issues, which he said has also contributed to his financial dilemma. He was grandfathered into being eligible for city health insurance, a benefit that has been removed for more recently elected aldermen. Only Farha, Dave Bauer (D-2nd Ward), Mike Rein (R-5th Ward) and Jack Holtschlag (D-7th Ward) are on the city’s health plan.

Farha addressed those issues and others in a Wednesday, Aug. 14 conversation I had with him. His tax problem is an issue I’ve been aware of for months but struggled to come to grips with writing about it. It’s not pleasant, and it feels like kicking someone when they are down.

But when you’re asking people to pay their property taxes, you should pay yours as well.

Here are some of the highlights from our conversation, which Farha agreed to have recorded, as I generally do with most interviews.

FARHA: Here’s the thing, okay? First, it’s inexcusable, I admit that (regarding his past due property taxes).

So there are three things that are outstanding (regarding his past due property taxes). One I solved Tuesday, the other ones I’m working on, but that wasn’t my own making. That situation was … I went to the mayor (Mike Troup). He said he was the expert, and I took (his word) that he really knew what he was talking about when it came to health insurance.

Farha said he was referring to an allergy screen.

FARHA: I said, “Are you sure that’s covered?” He said, “Absolutely covered.” So then it took QMG (Quincy Medical Group) a long time to get that. They’ve always been good. I have no issue with QMG. It takes them a long time, because the way the process works, the bill goes to Blue Cross Blue Shield first, and then it goes to the clinic, and then the insured, which would be me. So that was $1,200, and I said, “Well, now wait a minute. How can I have $1,200 when it’s a $1,000 deductible?”

Farha said the coverage wasn’t sufficient for his procedure. He also has Medicare Part A.

FARHA: So that’s one of the things I’m mad about, not because of me but because I had 40 to 50 employees saying they were going through the same thing. I’m sure they called (the media). I’m positive they called you, because a lot of them said they called everybody.

Farha said he is selling personal property to get caught up on his property taxes.

FARHA: I’ll have this (the taxes) taken care of by most likely the end of August. At the latest, it’ll be the middle of September. The only caveat to that is I have big pieces (of property), and I’m in the process of selling one, but it takes time. I’m going to lose money, but that’s OK.

Farha said while he has issues with Troup, he still likes him. However, he has pledged his support in the 2025 mayoral race to fellow Republican Dan Brink, with whom he served on the City Council. He also said he likes former City Treasurer Linda Moore, who made an Aug. 12 announcement for an independent mayoral bid.

FARHA: (Moore) was very nice when she called. I like Linda. I always have I said that. And Danny and I are friends. We’ve been friends a long time. He’s made me laugh, and I think his heart is in the right place. Now, that being said, Troup obviously had good people behind him before. I wish him well. I wish her well. Everybody thinks I hate (Troup). I don’t hate him. We just don’t get along … He gets on my nerves sometimes because he wants to. He wants to have control of everything. The best way to have no control is to try to have control of everything.

Farha expressed frustration at people who he believes “went after him” regarding the publication of his financial situation.

FARHA: The longer you’re in politics, the more sickening it becomes. (Former Quincy Herald-Whig political writer) Doug Wilson said years ago that if a person can survive 10 years, he’s very good at it, yeah, but nobody survives after two terms. There’s just too much … I didn’t set out to do this … I’ve got to be honest, up until the last five years, things happened in the other (mayoral) administrations, but it was a little easier to manage because (former mayors) didn’t get in the way. I mean, there are real problems here.

You’re gonna get old, and when you get old, you’re not as smart as you used to be. I try to get along with everybody. The biggest mistake I ever made was running against Chuck Scholz (for mayor in 2001). He’s a better man, and Chuck and I are now friends.

Farha said he didn’t know if he would run again in 2027. He admitted he didn’t know if he would even fill out the remainder of his current term as he reflected.

FARHA: It’s part of my life, OK? The hard part is … I mean, you know, it’s not easy. I mean, I want to be buried next to my wife (Jeanne, who died on Sept. 15, 2013, at age 53), but yeah, I don’t necessarily … you know, I’m getting older. Do you like the winters here? I kind of think I just want to settle down someplace warm where I can sit on a lawn chair and fall asleep every day.