I totally agree with Plato, Don. It is inbred in all those who wish to rule, govern over any people, unbridled. The ever watching eye of private citizens......no, I better not go there.
There are two few elected officials, I have a drop of faith in governing responsibly. I'm talking about all elected officials here.
Look to the place we have come to, there are too many takers and not enough givers. How shall our future be better for our children? Our wallets are thinning out, while the politicians ravish in the luxuries, of taking whatever they wish to give themselves.
This is a hot topic for me. Yes Don, the world is fill of evil men in high places and in low places. Watchdog groups and some reporters expose some of those evils, but it continues to breed more and more evil.
It comes down to the love of money, more than loving the people they were elected to serve.
Apathy, is our nation's sleeping pill. As my family members say, It's always been that way and it'll never change. Your wasting your breath talking about it.
Don, I'll continue to waste my breath, it's worth it to me.
Happy New Year's Eve, Don, for tomorrow is the beginning of another year ruled by evil men and women.
Anybody want to bet against seeing a repeat of the usual nepotism and patronage feeding frenzy at tomorrow's Organizational Meeting? I'm interested is seeing if the Supervisor and Mr. Matters vote to re-hire Mrs. Malone and Mr. O'Brien. The "cover last year was that they were appointed for "two years" the previous year so the relatives wouldn't have to vote for their reinstatement. I'm betting the deal has been made. Same old same old. So much for a financial recovery plan. Won't happen as long as the same old mischief goes on.
And the latest gossip is that Langley thinks he's going to supplant Malone's plans to succeed him in the Supe chair by hanging around with McCabe. ROFLMAO
What is amazing about the nepotism appointments of last year and Ginny O'Brien's husband and Phil Malone's mother is that there exists not one single piece of documentation from the 2011 Organizational Meeting to show or to prove that both nepotism appointments were for a two year period.
Nepotism appointments are enough of a drag on our town's fiscal situation. To have them made without proper process reflects badly on the entire town board - including Supervisor Langley and Board Member Matters.
Remember all the public quotes from Ginny last year about the Supervisor's pay? Best guess...there was a "deal" struck to return the Supervisor's salary to its previous level in exchange for the silent vote nepotism appointments of Ginny's husband and Phil's mother.
I'll probably be disappointed again but I hope that they will do the right thing regarding nepotism. I'm also hopeful that the "extra" clerk/secretary position that was created mid year accommodate a clerk who underperformed in the court and remains on the payroll with undefined duties does not appear tonight as a permanent position.
Anon. 4:16 AM, I don't understand the principal of a silent appointment. Last Wed. all the Board Members made their appointments, and the Receiver of Taxes made hers. They all were voted on 5-0 yes. They are all on the public record, recorded by the Town Clerk. Mr. O'Brien nor Ms. Malone was mentioned Wed. night at the organizational Board Meeting.
We do have two new officers, who were sworn in Wed. evening. As always, I say, "be safe".
Bonnie....They just put the names on the schedule at the end of the Agenda. It's a departure from past practice, but it avoids the naming of anyone in a specific motion. I'm not sure it is legal, but I am sure that it is pure SLEASE. Anything to get the relatives on the payroll.
Gadfly, I would think the Town Attorney Mr. L., would have advised the Board Members, of the legality of the silent appointments of their relatives. Heck, if it's OK, the board should do a silent appointment of all town employees? Fascinating thought.
Bonnie: For YEARS the town illegally paid sick leave incentive and longevity pay to elected officials. Read the 2012 OSC audit. It says: "It is well established..." about how elected officials pay is handled. But not in East Greenbush.
And where was the town attorney in advising the Board about all that? Either silent or stupid or both.
Oligarchy certainly exists in E.G., fine, but how is our community better served when there is no diversity in appointments and hiring? Equal opportunity for others to serve in almost non-existent.
I'm not saying all town employees are bad for the town, but is everyone's job performance that good that no one will ever get fired from their job? Will a wife ever fire her husband or son fire his mom or a uncle fire his nephew or whomever fire his son or son-in-law, niece or daughter. Just using examples here.
When I say diversity, I mean non-relatives, a greater balance of employees enrolled in different political parties. As a matter of fact, I believe a person's political affiliation, should not be the driving issue when being interviewed for a job, if interviews are even allowed anymore.
Just some thoughts that came to mind Mr. Gadfly. As someone once said, "if you are not for us, you are against us". This "US" stuff is nothing but a bunch of nonsense. This statement is not true. A person should be hired for the job because he or she is well qualified to do so, not for what they can contribute to the PARTY, as a town employee.
Bonnie: I have a great deal of experience hiring in the private sector. Affirmative Action is a requirement in every hiring situation I have been involved in. Equal Opportunity is the law.
The greatest advantage of diversity is it promotes different ideas through different experiences. Diversity expands the knowledge base. Diversity expands sensitivty to others.
Nepotism is the exact, polar opposite of diversity. Patronage is almost identical. In breeding in nature weakens the species. In hiring it is pretty much identical because people are less hired for their experience, skills and talents and pretty much only for who they know.
Sue Mangold was as wrong as wrong could be when she suggested that passing on jobs from parents to their children is a positive thing. We dumped the notion of royalty in this country when our country was founded. But our town continues the practice of succession based on political affiliation.
Real leaders value people with differing views. Weak leaders see differing views as a threat. Which view most applies to our town board?
Thanks for your response Ray, diversity is so important in the workplace. Ray, I have a question for you. On Wednesday's agenda, under the Supervisors appointments, the following two are blank. 1. Bookkeeper, 2. Secretary to the Supervisor. You were taking notes, did you happen to catch the Supervisor mentioning names for those two appointments? No notes for me, my bad.
Question for anyone, Meaghan L Hart was appointed by the Supervisor as Director of Finance. Is she related to Councilperson Sue Hart Mangold? I do realize that possibly not all Harts in E.G. are related to Ms. Mangold. Just wondering on this one appointment.
If a parent is a doctor, lawyer, engineer, plumber, electrician, baker, developer, carpenter, accountant, policeman, firefighter, postal worker, bureaucrat, truck driver, nurse, politician, etc., the chances that one of the children follows suit are pretty good. Yes, I am well aware of the difference between the private sector and the public sector.
I didn't hear any names associated with the Bookkeeper or Secretary to the Supervisor positions.
Director of Finance Meaghan Hart is not related to Councilperson Mangold.
Thanks Pete and Anon. for answering my questions. As I said, I do realize that possibly not all Harts in E.G. are related to Ms. Mangold.
Good point Pete about children following suit to their parents vocation, but family appointments are different than following suit. Chances are pretty good too, that children following suit, do not have their parent for their boss. We are also talking about the extended family, beyond children. I really do get what you are saying Pete.
Also Pete, I was surprised to see the two vacant positions, as they are important as other appointments are, to start off the new year. Keep warm.
First to my dear departed Mother (an RN) for failing to mention nurses above ... she was very influential in two of my cousins entering that profession.
Second to the readers for belaboring my point in a somewhat politically incorrect but historically accurate way ... back in the day, a plumber, electrician or carpenter was very proud to add "and Sons" to the business name, ensuring that the family business would continue.
Similarly, many legal, accounting and medical offices feature redundancy in their names, i.e. "Smith, Smith and Jones, Attorneys at Law"
Excellent points Pete.....when it comes to family businesses in carpentry and commerce, etc. But when you apply the modality to politics and government you get the definition of Nepotism. There is a reason for standards related to family relationships in Ethics codes for political figures. And we don't have a decent Ethics code here in East Greenbush because of at least one Board member having difficulty with the concept of family disclosure.
I can appreciate the attempt to make family relationships in East Greenbush government all warm and fuzzy. But it's not that at all. It's really nothing but the framework for the Oligarchy we have to live with. And you can name the family network roots on a little more than the fingers of one hand.
I appreciate Pete's comments but when it comes to businesses that are considered public --and government would be one of them -- it is presumed there will be a neutral playing field -- where anybody with the right qualifications and experience has a shot at getting the job. So I do not think Pete's analogy translates to the public sector. Sorry Pete, and Happy New Year!!
I respectfully disagree with Pete. Supervisor Langley had no family members with any experience in government and look at the outstanding job he is doing as the leader of the 5-0 majority town board.
Yeah, all he had to do was get in lock-step with Mangold, Malone and O'Brien (along with Matters), to "lead" that 5-0 majority. They jerked him around until the showed the "leadership" they wanted. And now he thinks he'll get re-elected for showing that compliance.
Yeah - and the sky is falling, we're all going over the fiscal cliff and the debt ceiling is crushing us to death! Is there anything else you gadflys can think of? Did I forget anything? My God ! The world is coming to an end- the Mayans were right !
This is a perfect example of the real problem with you denizens of Talks....instead of replying with an argument with content, you attempt to "wise crack" a non-existent point. We don't have a financial recovery plan, so the sky is falling and we're going off the fiscal cliff. Why don't you guys sit down and take a shot at a plan? My guess is that one would put your jobs in jeopardy because a primary constituent of such a plan is a workload analysis. That's why we get wisecracks from you for your patrons in this administration.
Never forget that the first Finance Committee was disbanded in large measure because it made it clear that a financial recovery plan required a workload analysis.
Correction EG Gadfly. There was a financial recovery plan introduced a couple of years ago. Many chose to ignore it and more have forgotten it. Taylor put one up and it had nothing to do with the Finance Cmt. It was her plan and she printed it in the paper.
I think the reality is that we asked a lot of good and relevant questions about: Overtime, fringe benefits and who got them, scrap revenue, managing Bruen finances pursuant to OSC recommendations, workload analysis, time and attendance management, internal controls, etc., etc.,.....
Pete: Bless you. You are the ultimate spinmeister; the David Axelrod, if you will, of the local Democratic Party Committee.
You have a singular gift to see things in a unique way and to turn every East Greenbush sow's ear into the ultimate silk purse.
It is no wonder you get appointed to more and more positions in town. You are a true party loyalist and noted flag bearer.
You possess a true politician's gift to ignore the reality around you. Audits? No problem. Moodys? No problem. Standard and Poors? No problem. And no financial plan for our town? Most certainly no problem.
We do all wish our tax bills reflected your rosy outlook. Unfortunately, that's where all the spin and all the lack of leadership from the CFAC to the Town Board has to meet reality.
And when it comes to our taxes the people of this town are getting nothing but royally screwed by the political royalty called the town board that passes itself off for leadership in our town. Spin that.
Don, per the April 28, 2010 Finance Committee Meeting minutes: “Rick opened the meeting with discussions regarding a financial recovery plan (FRP) and concerns some committee members have discussed with him. A discussion ensued regarding a FRP and whose responsibility it is. Some members felt that the committee should make recommendations based on the FRP that the Supervisor puts forth, while some members felt the committee should be willing to prepare a FRP. The discussion concluded with a consensus that the committee will review, comment on, and/or prepare a(n) FRP, if formally requested to do so by the Board.” The minutes can be found at: http://eastgreenbush.org/downloads/cat_view/62-finance-committee-meeting-minutes
You may recall that I opposed voting to review a nonexistent plan and suggested that, if requested to do so by the Board, the Committee develop a financial recovery plan . I vividly recall strong opposition to the latter.
Pete....We are in total agreement. My central concern as a citizen is that since the 2009 OSC report recommended the development of a Financial Recovery plan, no Supervisor or Board has made any move whatsoever to do just that. The OSC recommendation was to the Board. Nothing has happened. The Board could request that another entity take on the task, but it hasn't done so.
I think we both know that such a plan would entail tough medicine for an entity which has had pretty much a free hand at taxing and borrowing and spending. It would mean a freeze on hiring, a real study of how money gets spent around here, some real oversight of personal service expenditures and benefits, etc. I think we've both done these kinds of things for the State in former lives.
The fact is that no administration has made any move in this direction, so we're stuck with the old and present ways. And talk of doing a Plan scares the bejezzus out of those in power because the content of such a plan strikes at the very base of what gives life to political machines - the collection and distribution to the faithful, of the proceeds of power in exchange for the perpetuation of the machine.
I think what all of this means is that we are just plain stuck with the status quo until a majority of voters gets PO'd enough to change those in charge of the status quo. Langley's victory created a brief panic, until he was co-opted. He didn't understand why he got elected and blew off his base.
EG has some big problems which will take some real creative vision to solve. I believe that the current administration has shown no ability to exercise creative vision. It's invested in self-preservation.
"The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact. The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right." Alexander Hamilton
I totally agree with Plato, Don. It is inbred in all those who wish to rule, govern over any people, unbridled. The ever watching eye of private citizens......no, I better not go there.
ReplyDeleteThere are two few elected officials, I have a drop of faith in governing responsibly. I'm talking about all elected officials here.
Look to the place we have come to, there are too many takers and not enough givers. How shall our future be better for our children? Our wallets are thinning out, while the politicians ravish in the luxuries, of taking whatever they wish to give themselves.
This is a hot topic for me. Yes Don, the world is fill of evil men in high places and in low places. Watchdog groups and some reporters expose some of those evils, but it continues to breed more and more evil.
It comes down to the love of money, more than loving the people they were elected to serve.
Apathy, is our nation's sleeping pill. As my family members say, It's always been that way and it'll never change. Your wasting your breath talking about it.
Don, I'll continue to waste my breath, it's worth it to me.
Happy New Year's Eve, Don, for tomorrow is the beginning of another year ruled by evil men and women.
Hey Don:
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!!
Thanks for the quote. My favorite Plato cite is still: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
Be well,
Tom
To all the gadfly's happy new year
ReplyDeleteAnybody want to bet against seeing a repeat of the usual nepotism and patronage feeding frenzy at tomorrow's Organizational Meeting? I'm interested is seeing if the Supervisor and Mr. Matters vote to re-hire Mrs. Malone and Mr. O'Brien. The "cover last year was that they were appointed for "two years" the previous year so the relatives wouldn't have to vote for their reinstatement. I'm betting the deal has been made. Same old same old. So much for a financial recovery plan. Won't happen as long as the same old mischief goes on.
ReplyDeleteAnd the latest gossip is that Langley thinks he's going to supplant Malone's plans to succeed him in the Supe chair by hanging around with McCabe. ROFLMAO
Gossip update is that Malone claims there is a new sheriff in town and has prohibited McCabe from even speaking to Langley.
DeleteWhat is amazing about the nepotism appointments of last year and Ginny O'Brien's husband and Phil Malone's mother is that there exists not one single piece of documentation from the 2011 Organizational Meeting to show or to prove that both nepotism appointments were for a two year period.
ReplyDeleteNepotism appointments are enough of a drag on our town's fiscal situation. To have them made without proper process reflects badly on the entire town board - including Supervisor Langley and Board Member Matters.
Remember all the public quotes from Ginny last year about the Supervisor's pay? Best guess...there was a "deal" struck to return the Supervisor's salary to its previous level in exchange for the silent vote nepotism appointments of Ginny's husband and Phil's mother.
I'll probably be disappointed again but I hope that they will do the right thing regarding nepotism. I'm also hopeful that the "extra" clerk/secretary position that was created mid year accommodate a clerk who underperformed in the court and remains on the payroll with undefined duties does not appear tonight as a permanent position.
DeleteNone of this two year stuff. They are lifetime nepotism appointments, as is common to any oligarchy.
DeleteAnon. 4:16 AM, I don't understand the principal of a silent appointment. Last Wed. all the Board Members made their appointments, and the Receiver of Taxes made hers. They all were voted on 5-0 yes. They are all on the public record, recorded by the Town Clerk. Mr. O'Brien nor Ms. Malone was mentioned Wed. night at the organizational Board Meeting.
ReplyDeleteWe do have two new officers, who were sworn in Wed. evening. As always, I say, "be safe".
Bonnie....They just put the names on the schedule at the end of the Agenda. It's a departure from past practice, but it avoids the naming of anyone in a specific motion. I'm not sure it is legal, but I am sure that it is pure SLEASE. Anything to get the relatives on the payroll.
DeleteGadfly, I would think the Town Attorney Mr. L., would have advised the Board Members, of the legality of the silent appointments of their relatives. Heck, if it's OK, the board should do a silent appointment of all town employees? Fascinating thought.
ReplyDeleteBonnie.....I think the Town ""farms out" all real legal work.
ReplyDeleteBonnie: For YEARS the town illegally paid sick leave incentive and longevity pay to elected officials. Read the 2012 OSC audit. It says: "It is well established..." about how elected officials pay is handled. But not in East Greenbush.
ReplyDeleteAnd where was the town attorney in advising the Board about all that? Either silent or stupid or both.
Oligarchy certainly exists in E.G., fine, but how is our community better served when there is no diversity in appointments and hiring? Equal opportunity for others to serve in almost non-existent.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying all town employees are bad for the town, but is everyone's job performance that good that no one will ever get fired from their job? Will a wife ever fire her husband or son fire his mom or a uncle fire his nephew or whomever fire his son or son-in-law, niece or daughter. Just using examples here.
When I say diversity, I mean non-relatives, a greater balance of employees enrolled in different political parties. As a matter of fact, I believe a person's political affiliation, should not be the driving issue when being interviewed for a job, if interviews are even allowed anymore.
Just some thoughts that came to mind Mr. Gadfly. As someone once said, "if you are not for us, you are against us". This "US" stuff is nothing but a bunch of nonsense. This statement is not true. A person should be hired for the job because he or she is well qualified to do so, not for what they can contribute to the PARTY, as a town employee.
Bonnie: I have a great deal of experience hiring in the private sector. Affirmative Action is a requirement in every hiring situation I have been involved in. Equal Opportunity is the law.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest advantage of diversity is it promotes different ideas through different experiences. Diversity expands the knowledge base. Diversity expands sensitivty to others.
Nepotism is the exact, polar opposite of diversity. Patronage is almost identical. In breeding in nature weakens the species. In hiring it is pretty much identical because people are less hired for their experience, skills and talents and pretty much only for who they know.
Sue Mangold was as wrong as wrong could be when she suggested that passing on jobs from parents to their children is a positive thing. We dumped the notion of royalty in this country when our country was founded. But our town continues the practice of succession based on political affiliation.
Real leaders value people with differing views. Weak leaders see differing views as a threat. Which view most applies to our town board?
Thanks for your response Ray, diversity is so important in the workplace. Ray, I have a question for you. On Wednesday's agenda, under the Supervisors appointments, the following two are blank. 1. Bookkeeper, 2. Secretary to the Supervisor. You were taking notes, did you happen to catch the Supervisor mentioning names for those two appointments? No notes for me, my bad.
ReplyDeleteQuestion for anyone, Meaghan L Hart was appointed by the Supervisor as Director of Finance. Is she related to Councilperson Sue Hart Mangold? I do realize that possibly not all Harts in E.G. are related to Ms. Mangold. Just wondering on this one appointment.
She is NOT related to Sue Mangold
DeleteIf a parent is a doctor, lawyer, engineer, plumber, electrician, baker, developer, carpenter, accountant, policeman, firefighter, postal worker, bureaucrat, truck driver, nurse, politician, etc., the chances that one of the children follows suit are pretty good. Yes, I am well aware of the difference between the private sector and the public sector.
ReplyDeleteI didn't hear any names associated with the Bookkeeper or Secretary to the Supervisor positions.
Director of Finance Meaghan Hart is not related to Councilperson Mangold.
Pete Stenson
Langley must be conducting a nationwide search to fill the Bookkeeper and the Secretary to the Supervisor positions.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pete and Anon. for answering my questions. As I said, I do realize that possibly not all Harts in E.G. are related to Ms. Mangold.
ReplyDeleteGood point Pete about children following suit to their parents vocation, but family appointments are different than following suit. Chances are pretty good too, that children following suit, do not have their parent for their boss. We are also talking about the extended family, beyond children. I really do get what you are saying Pete.
Also Pete, I was surprised to see the two vacant positions, as they are important as other appointments are, to start off the new year. Keep warm.
Two apologies ...
ReplyDeleteFirst to my dear departed Mother (an RN) for failing to mention nurses above ... she was very influential in two of my cousins entering that profession.
Second to the readers for belaboring my point in a somewhat politically incorrect but historically accurate way ... back in the day, a plumber, electrician or carpenter was very proud to add "and Sons" to the business name, ensuring that the family business would continue.
Similarly, many legal, accounting and medical offices feature redundancy in their names, i.e. "Smith, Smith and Jones, Attorneys at Law"
Pete Stenson
Excellent points Pete.....when it comes to family businesses in carpentry and commerce, etc. But when you apply the modality to politics and government you get the definition of Nepotism. There is a reason for standards related to family relationships in Ethics codes for political figures. And we don't have a decent Ethics code here in East Greenbush because of at least one Board member having difficulty with the concept of family disclosure.
DeleteI can appreciate the attempt to make family relationships in East Greenbush government all warm and fuzzy. But it's not that at all. It's really nothing but the framework for the Oligarchy we have to live with. And you can name the family network roots on a little more than the fingers of one hand.
I appreciate Pete's comments but when it comes to businesses that are considered public --and government would be one of them -- it is presumed there will be a neutral playing field -- where anybody with the right qualifications and experience has a shot at getting the job. So I do not think Pete's analogy translates to the public sector. Sorry Pete, and Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteI respectfully disagree with Pete. Supervisor Langley had no family members with any experience in government and look at the outstanding job he is doing as the leader of the 5-0 majority town board.
DeleteYeah, all he had to do was get in lock-step with Mangold, Malone and O'Brien (along with Matters), to "lead" that 5-0 majority. They jerked him around until the showed the "leadership" they wanted. And now he thinks he'll get re-elected for showing that compliance.
DeleteCome to think of it Matters also had no family members with experience in government maybe Pete is on to something.
DeleteYeah - and the sky is falling, we're all going over the fiscal cliff and the debt ceiling is crushing us to death! Is there anything else you gadflys can think of? Did I forget anything? My God ! The world is coming to an end- the Mayans were right !
DeleteThis is a perfect example of the real problem with you denizens of Talks....instead of replying with an argument with content, you attempt to "wise crack" a non-existent point. We don't have a financial recovery plan, so the sky is falling and we're going off the fiscal cliff. Why don't you guys sit down and take a shot at a plan? My guess is that one would put your jobs in jeopardy because a primary constituent of such a plan is a workload analysis. That's why we get wisecracks from you for your patrons in this administration.
DeleteNever forget that the first Finance Committee was disbanded in large measure because it made it clear that a financial recovery plan required a workload analysis.
Correction EG Gadfly. There was a financial recovery plan introduced a couple of years ago. Many chose to ignore it and more have forgotten it. Taylor put one up and it had nothing to do with the Finance Cmt. It was her plan and she printed it in the paper.
ReplyDeleteThe 1st committee was disbanded because you were liars. Print that Mr wonderful
ReplyDeleteI think the reality is that we asked a lot of good and relevant questions about: Overtime, fringe benefits and who got them, scrap revenue, managing Bruen finances pursuant to OSC recommendations, workload analysis, time and attendance management, internal controls, etc., etc.,.....
DeleteStay tuned for Governor Cuomo's comments about local governmental finances and consolidation of services in his Wednesday State of the State message.
ReplyDeletePete: Bless you. You are the ultimate spinmeister; the David Axelrod, if you will, of the local Democratic Party Committee.
ReplyDeleteYou have a singular gift to see things in a unique way and to turn every East Greenbush sow's ear into the ultimate silk purse.
It is no wonder you get appointed to more and more positions in town. You are a true party loyalist and noted flag bearer.
You possess a true politician's gift to ignore the reality around you. Audits? No problem. Moodys? No problem. Standard and Poors? No problem. And no financial plan for our town? Most certainly no problem.
We do all wish our tax bills reflected your rosy outlook. Unfortunately, that's where all the spin and all the lack of leadership from the CFAC to the Town Board has to meet reality.
And when it comes to our taxes the people of this town are getting nothing but royally screwed by the political royalty called the town board that passes itself off for leadership in our town. Spin that.
Don, per the April 28, 2010 Finance Committee Meeting minutes:
ReplyDelete“Rick opened the meeting with discussions regarding a financial recovery plan (FRP) and concerns some committee members have discussed with him. A discussion ensued regarding a FRP and whose responsibility it is. Some members felt that the committee should make recommendations based on the FRP that the Supervisor puts forth, while some members felt the committee should be willing to prepare a FRP. The discussion concluded with a consensus that the committee will review, comment on, and/or prepare a(n) FRP, if formally requested to do so by the Board.” The minutes can be found at: http://eastgreenbush.org/downloads/cat_view/62-finance-committee-meeting-minutes
You may recall that I opposed voting to review a nonexistent plan and suggested that, if requested to do so by the Board, the Committee develop a financial recovery plan . I vividly recall strong opposition to the latter.
Pete Stenson
Pete....We are in total agreement. My central concern as a citizen is that since the 2009 OSC report recommended the development of a Financial Recovery plan, no Supervisor or Board has made any move whatsoever to do just that. The OSC recommendation was to the Board. Nothing has happened. The Board could request that another entity take on the task, but it hasn't done so.
ReplyDeleteI think we both know that such a plan would entail tough medicine for an entity which has had pretty much a free hand at taxing and borrowing and spending. It would mean a freeze on hiring, a real study of how money gets spent around here, some real oversight of personal service expenditures and benefits, etc. I think we've both done these kinds of things for the State in former lives.
The fact is that no administration has made any move in this direction, so we're stuck with the old and present ways. And talk of doing a Plan scares the bejezzus out of those in power because the content of such a plan strikes at the very base of what gives life to political machines - the collection and distribution to the faithful, of the proceeds of power in exchange for the perpetuation of the machine.
I think what all of this means is that we are just plain stuck with the status quo until a majority of voters gets PO'd enough to change those in charge of the status quo. Langley's victory created a brief panic, until he was co-opted. He didn't understand why he got elected and blew off his base.
EG has some big problems which will take some real creative vision to solve. I believe that the current administration has shown no ability to exercise creative vision. It's invested in self-preservation.
since we are throwing quotes around
ReplyDelete"The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact. The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right."
Alexander Hamilton
Dear Don:
ReplyDeleteHere's a quote from former New York State Attorney General, Aaron Burr... "The law is whatever is boldly asserted and plausibly maintained."
Be well,
Tom