Another money grab; Tech agency chief Adams to get $510,000 parachute

Add Mitchell L. Adams to the list of top officials such as William M. Bulger and Matthew J. Amorello whose public service is apt to be overshadowed by their self-service on the way out the door.

We admired Mr. Adams' work at the Revenue Department, and he has been effective as head of the quasi-public Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. So the $255,000 salary and $510,000 platinum parachute he negotiated as Kerry M. Healey's campaign - and his job security - began to wane is disappointing, indeed.

Sharing culpability is the MTC board that OK'd the extraordinary severance deal - shades of the board-approved bonuses and perks that prompted a highly critical state audit in 2001 and led to the resignation of Massachusetts Technology Park Corp. executive director Joseph D. Alviani.

Sadly, the improved fiscal restraint noted in a follow-up audit in 2004 evidently was transient.