Election 2006, A Call To Serve. Part I

The 2006 election is already beginning to take shape even though the primary is eleven months away. With twelve County offices up for grabs, nine of which are presently held by Republicans, the next election could very well turn out as one the most critical in the history of local politics. A measuring stick of this next election will be whether or not Republicans can change the trends of the last couple local elections. A key component to this will be the Republican challengers for the three State Representatives seats in districts 46, 60 and 61. With the Republicans slogan 56 in 06 it will be interesting to see what strategies unfold as they attempt to achieve their goal and solidify their command of the House. If Republicans can gain four additional seats in the 06 elections they will certainly be in the drivers seat during the next redistricting opportunity in 08.

Let's take a closer look at each of these races. Vern Tincher the State Representative from District 46 is certainly no shoe-in in his district, one that he lost and then regained in this last election. In our County Tincher serves only the Bean Blossom Township, which does tend to support Democratic candidates however, it is unlikely Bean Blossom alone will have a significant impact on the outcome of this race. Serving a larger part of Monroe County is District 60, which is tightly in the grips of Peggy Welch. It is said that Welch commands 75% name recognition throughout her district, something that will obviously be difficult to overcome. On the other hand, her past voting record puts her squarely at odds with some of the core Democrats in the County, however she can usually pull a significant number of crossover votes to bolster her margin of safety. With Baron Hill’s announcement that he will be challenging again for the ninth district congressional seat, that pretty much rules out the rumor that Welch might be up for a congressional run. Since she has been virtually unchallenged in recent years it would be nice to see someone come forward that could really give her a good run for the money. It will require a significant challenger from the Republican Party to have any hopes of reclaiming her seat, one that was gained out of the Bales / Ellington primary debacle. Matt Pierce has had a cakewalk in recent elections but hopefully those days are numbered, as I understand pressure is being exerted to avoid any uncontested races next fall. This is another one of those races where it will be imperative to have a quality Republican challenger, one that will adequately represent our county and be able to work with the Republican leadership at the State level. To date, no contenders have been announced or even hinted for these three offices other than Kurt Van der Dussen of the Herald Times goading Jeff Ellington back during the waning days of the last legislative session, which would obviously not be in the Party’s or Ellington’s best interest. As for the rest of us, consider this a call to serve.

American Flags In Classrooms, What A Novel Idea

It took an act of the Senate but finally the American flag will be a requirement in all 294 School Corporations across the state of Indiana. Thanks to Senator Michael Young, a Republican from Indianapolis, Senate Enrolled Act Number 332 takes effect July 1st. The bill amends Indiana Code to require the display of a standard “classroom sized” United States flag in every classroom throughout the 2000 plus public schools. It certainly gives reason for hope that we haven’t totally lost sight of the fact that we have a lot to be thankful for as Americans. The American flag represents something we most often take for granted, freedom. The American flag represents our nation, a nation that was founded on one basic principle, freedom. We have freedom to elect our representatives in government, freedom to disagree with our government without fear of retribution and freedom to earn a living within a free market society. This inalienable right resonates within each of us from the richest to the poorest; we are all equal when it comes to freedom.

I am proud that we have Republicans like Senator Young in Indiana that take a stand when it comes to doing what is right. Children should not forget those in harms way each and every day as well as the many brave souls that have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we can continue to live under the protection of freedom. Unfortunately history isn’t being taught like it once was in our schools and often the products of our current educational system lack the basic understanding of how we got to where we are today. In talking to any veteran of a past conflict it’s hard to imagine why anyone would object to displaying the American flag in a classroom. Their sacrifice was as important to our freedom then as the soldiers currently making a sacrifice for our freedom now. In addition to the flag in the classrooms children will also be asked to participate in a daily “moment of silence” and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. This is certainly a step in the right direction for Indiana and it is the least that we can do to honor our veterans and our Country.

How Effective Will Our Local Representatives Be?

With Republicans firmly in control of the State House and Governor Daniels charting our course for recovery it will be interesting to see how well our local elected officials will be able to adapt to these changes. With Mitch’s overwhelming popularity in the state, it will take something catastrophic in nature to slowdown this Republican juggernaut as he is virtually assured of reelection in 2008. Even in a blue county like Monroe the opinion poll by the Herald Times Online indicated a 65% approval rating. With that, it is obvious that Vi Simpson's gubernatorial campaign will be relegated to taking a back seat until at least the 2012 election, something she will clearly have a hard time accepting. She will no longer have the high profile committee assignments and she will not have the access to State money to pass around both of which will hamper her ability to build support not to mention raising campaign finances. Peggy Welch and Matt Pierce are two other local legislators that will be in for a major adjustment, as they too are unaccustomed to working with Republicans in control.

The systemic improvement process that we are currently undergoing at the State level will be an ongoing education for many. Unfortunately the Democrats are proving to be some of the slowest learners as they are having the most difficultly accepting the fact that we cannot spend more than we take in. Such was the case with our local legislators as they never seemed to concern themselves about a balanced budget as long as they had plenty of bilk Indiana money to spread around throughout their district. However, since working within a tight or severely restricted budget will be completely foreign to them along with the fact they are in the minority at the State House, it certainly gives reason for concern about their effectiveness in representing the folks of Monroe County. We can only hope at this point that good candidates emerge, starting in 2006 that will be more effective at working with our Governor and more in tune with the House and Senate. Our local leaders have been very outspoken in their opposition to the Republican recovery strategy. It is my belief that each time they speak out and are critical of our Governor they are only driving a deeper wedge between Monroe County and the rest of the State. The obvious question is, what kind of support should we expect from the Republican controlled State House with two Democrat Representatives and a Democrat Senator? More than likely we will need a change, starting in 2006.

Stoops Overstepping His Duties, the Law

Last week on the AM1370’s afternoon talk show County Council President Mark Stoops provided listeners with additional proof of his intentions to carryout his unethical, not mention unlawful, activity on the Council. He outlined an agenda that included setting County Policy, something that is totally out of the purview of the Council’s responsibilities, by controlling the County Commissioners budget, in effect controlling them. Nowhere in the Indiana Code (IC 36-2-3) as it pertains to the County Government structure does it indicate that the County Council acts as an executive branch of local government to set policy. It clearly defines the role and responsibilities of the Council and limits them as the fiscal body of the County. The description of the duties of the County Council on Monroe County’s web site indicate “Appropriates all funds for county use, adopts county budget, fixes county tax rate, and has exclusive power to borrow money for the county”. Stoops has shown a tendency toward this type of improper activity recently at a Council work session where he suggested that he would like to push the Commissioner’s for increased standards for road construction in subdivisions and tying it to the increased vehicle tax. At that point the County attorney told Stoops and the rest of the Council they legally couldn’t dictate policy to the Commissioners. Obviously the title and power has gone to his head, as he evidently believes he is above the law as he has once again proven.

During the last election several of the Democrat County Council candidates took on issues that were well beyond the responsibility of the Council’s legal role in government. This early warning signal should have been notice enough of their intention to push an agenda that was beyond the limits of the elected office. Now with a full compliment of like-minded extremists on the Council, Stoops is leading the charge into shutting down the County’s economic growth engine by stopping all development. Stoops obviously has a real bad case of Commissioner’s envy, bad enough that he is willing to break the law by admitting he is going to force his hand to set policy. It is beyond comprehension why the Commissioners would tolerate this type of nonsense, they should be showing true leadership by letting Mr. Stoops, as well as all the citizens they serve, who is really in control by denouncing this illegal activity. It is interesting that a newspaper like the Herald Times that savors reporting uncivil or unethical behavior would tolerate this type of blatant irresponsibility from an elected official. In Indiana our government structure is clearly outlined to protect its residents from this type of power hungry extremist, everyone should demand that these laws be followed both in content and in spirit.

Governor Daniels, Promises Kept

It was a historical week for all Hoosiers in the state of Indiana as My Man Mitch signed the state’s first honestly balanced budget in ten years. Throughout his campaign he promised to restore fiscal integrity to our state by cutting the growth of state spending. His budget will account for about a 2.6% increase in spending as opposed to the average 6% over the last several years under the previous administration. Governor Daniels aggressive recovery strategy included 74 initiatives, with 59 of those initiatives passing through the General Assembly, and another 9 enacted through an executive action. What made this Legislative Session so significant is volume of achievements Governor Daniels was able to accomplish considering he has only been on the job five months.

One of his key initiatives was the passage of the Jobs and Economic Growth Package to help strengthen Indiana’s economy. This package created the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) as well as making it easier for small businesses to qualify for tax incentives that promote job growth and investment. It also encourages officials to make sites shovel ready for development. Another significant piece of legislation includes promoting investment in clean coal technology and the production and distribution of bio-based fuels. Indiana will also have its first Department of Agriculture and Office of Rural Affairs to promote economic growth in these vital areas. Recently, I heard this reform package referred to as; “Growing Indiana’s economy at the speed of business”.

Another major accomplishment was in the area of “Government Reform”. Our Governor’s agenda includes improving customer service and efficiency throughout state government, as one example he has already moved the Child Protective Services and the Bureau of Child Support into a new Department of Child Services to better protect our children. It will also provide for an additional 600 child protection caseworkers. Other advancements in efficiency include improving Indiana’s collection of child support payments, shortening lines at BMV branches by extending the validity of driver licenses and allowing titling and registration to occur at car dealerships. It further includes consolidating redundant government offices in areas of technology and state finances. The Governor is also creating the state’s first Inspector General to root out fraud, corruption, and theft in state government. This reform package will include whistleblower protection to encourage state employees to report wrongdoing as well as strengthening state ethics and bribery laws. All of these initiatives, as they are signed into law, will help make a positive change for all of the citizens of Indiana. For a change, it’s comforting to have a elected official that actually keeps their promises and certainly with Mitch Daniels we can honestly say promises made, promises kept.

Truly, Step Into the Light

I read with interest an article in the Herald Times by community columnist Julia Copland labeled “We should all step into the light” as she described how Bloomington High School North’s production of “The Fantasticks” was interrupted by an impassioned speech by the production director Francesca Sobrer. She took the opportunity to explain how actions taken by the MCCSC School Board to balance their budget would take its toll on four department chairs at Bloomington High School North, one of those in the Fine Arts department. Her plea to those in attendance was simply to get involved and do what they could to prevent the budget cuts from affecting the arts, which could ultimately leave the stage in the dark. The article touched on several topics including the “No Child Left Behind Act” and budget cuts at the State level, all of which have been the talking points of teachers across the state. She also quoted a recent editorial by Vi Simpson that stated “I don't agree with the notion of fixing the state's budget problems on the backs of our kids". I’ll not argue the merits of the appropriateness of Ms. Sobrer’s actions or even the implications of Ms. Copeland’s column, what I will suggest is that people educate themselves on the real issues as they relate to these topics.

Incidents like this are nothing more than a subtle but effective method to erode and undermine the efforts of our elected leaders both at the State and National level. Their narrow viewpoint in this situation is another prime example of; you can make all the cuts you want as long as it doesn’t affect me. For years the fact that our State has been drowning in red ink has escaped the attention of many with the standard excuse being; just wait, things will be better next year. If you want to shed light on the subject, highlight the fact that for the last several years our State has been running an ever-increasing deficit under the democrat leadership of Governors O’Bannon and Kernan as well as Senator Vi Simpson. Citizens of the State of Indiana were obviously tired of their style of leadership and overwhelmingly elected a Republican Governor to reverse this trend. With Governor Daniels’ adherence to his campaign promises one thing was clear, change was inevitable. What is unbelievable in this case is that Vi Simpson’s editorial would be given any merit at all especially since she was one of the engineers in this train wreck. I too say, step into the light, the one of true enlightenment. Remember those that got us where we are today and don’t let them have another opportunity to do it again. We may all have to suffer the short-term affects of balancing our State’s budget, as it is improbable that we could all decide on who should carry the greatest share of the burden when it comes to funding distribution. I too have concerns about shortfalls in school funding but I haven’t forgot where the problems originated. Without keeping this type of information at the forefront we may all be left in the dark.

Not Exactly a Hallmark Moment

At Tuesday’s County Council meeting the democrat controlled council lead by President Mark Stoops went on the offensive again, this time against Sunrise, a division of Hallmark, one of the larger employers in the county. Their justification of this attack was centered on the failure of Sunrise to comply with terms of their tax abatement, specifically compliance with employment promises. It appears that what perpetuated their ire Tuesday was Hallmark’s failure to respond to inquiries. The obvious question is how much effort was expended to make contact with Sunrise and furthermore what if any efforts are being made to help them meet their employment goals. We certainly can ill afford giving companies like Sunrise a reason to pull up stakes especially in light of the local climate for attracting new jobs. As local companies attempt to compete in an ever increasingly competitive global marketplace it is easy to understand why large corporations are trimming their labor forces. The Council should be aware that one hundred and fifty good paying jobs at Sunrise today beats no jobs at Sunrise tomorrow, any day of the week. If they wonder why Bloomington is considered anti-business, they need look no further as our elected officials should be doing everything in their power to retain our employment base rather than chasing it away.

Council Members Marty Hawk and Trent Jones were the only voices of reason during this exchange. Hawk’s comment was “I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the jobs that are there”, and rightfully so. Jones’ commented,” Our process is broken down”, obviously referring to the process that which tax abatements are managed. Council Member Sophia Travis weighed in on the subject that Sunrise has been “systematically” cutting jobs and they have been “irresponsible” in their lack of response to the county. In my opinion she should choose her words a little more cautiously as it is this type of loose cannon that could very well be responsible for running off yet another one of our larger local employers. If Hallmark chooses to pull the plug on Sunrise you should thank our County Council, especially Stoops and Travis for managing to chase off yet another one of those capitalistic corporate types that they seem to hate so much. Isn’t it a shame we can’t all work for IU or the Government!

Sustainability Or Subversive Commission?

Now that the City Council has given unanimous support for the Sustainability Commission it will be interesting to see who gets selected to sit on the twelve-member commission. The Mayor will select six of the members and another six will be selected by the City Council. What will be even more interesting to see is what role they play in local affairs once they become organized. Steve Howard, president of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce made some interesting observations in the May issue of Business Network. “What does “sustainability” mean?” Getting twelve people from various segments of the community to agree on the definition of sustainability could pose to be the group’s greatest challenge that is unless they load the Commission with all like-minded liberals. If they don’t reach across the isle and select at least six moderates the partisanship of the commission will render it totally useless with the exception of providing a scapegoat for denying our community growth and progress in the areas like economic development. Another extremely important point Mr. Howard brought up is “How can we measure sustainability?” Without some quantifiable method of measuring change how will they know they are effecting change? Without specific measurable goals a commission like this can be dangerous, as the group could exist solely to justify its own existence.

Sustain is derived from the Latin words sus, or under, and tenere, to hold, how appropriate in this case as our City Council tightens it’s hold on our community. It was reported that “While Bloomington is the first in Indiana with a formal sustainability initiative, many other municipalities are well into their efforts”, Dave Rollo, City Council Member offered San Francisco as one example. As a conservative Republican or even a Moderate Republican, San Francisco, one of the most liberal cities in the United States, is not exactly the kind of city I would prefer to emulate. Furthermore, the fact that local activist Lucille Bertuccio supports this project should be reason enough for even the moderate Democrats to be concerned. Piece by piece they’re managing to rip apart the very fabric that has held our community together by forcing their liberal social agenda on the city and rather than fighting people are simply giving up, moving away and in general, disengaging from the process which by the way, is exactly what the liberal extremists want.

Travis on the EDC, Like Mixing Oil and Water

The Monroe County Commissioner’s were faced with a real dilemma this past week, not affirm the County Council’s appointment to the Monroe County Economic Development Commission and break the spirit of the law or affirm it and appoint one of the most outspoken liberals in the county. When the dust settled, the vote was two to one, with Herb Kilmer in opposition. I’m sure this appointment was like taking a bitter pill, just hold your nose and swallow, as my guess is even Iris Kiesling had trouble with this one. Just because of some quirk in the Indiana Code that reads the Commissioners “shall affirm” the Councils appointment, we will be stuck with, at least temporarily, a hard line environmentalist that will take his marching orders from the local left. As always some people want to place blame however in this instance everyone should look closely before doing so. You really can’t blame Joyce Poling or Iris Kiesling for their affirmative vote based on the wording of the Indiana Code and certainly you can’t blame Herb Kilmer for opposing it, unfortunately in this instance too little was done too late, after all the Council made their appointment in January. No one person is to blame in this instance, as we all should be taking a hard look at why we got where we are at this point. For years citizens of this county have elected the kind of people that managed to keep this brand of liberal fundamentalist at bay however, with the recent trend in local politics, especially in the city, more of the radical left are being elected and appointed, all to the detriment of Monroe County.

Although this far left faction keeps claiming they only want to help, their true intentions are quite the opposite. What they really want is to control all growth in our county by infiltrating as many elected and appointed seats as possible. They claim to want a more compact form of urban development and yet they oppose virtually every project that would facilitate that concept. They claim they’re against urban sprawl and yet they continue to oppose compact rural developments because of environmental concerns. They can spin it any way they want but their game plan is obvious. Greg Travis wrote that he “agreed with Steve Howard of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce when he defined “Economic Development” as “the betterment of the human condition.” This is of course if it fits within his narrow definition of “betterment of the human condition”. He pretends that he is supportive of economic development by suggesting that he hasn’t done anything to oppose it, I say unlike others on the Economic Development Commission, he hasn’t done anything to promote it either. For the last several years Greg Travis, County Council member Sophia Travis’s husband, has been one of the most vocal individuals in our community with his own brand of far left fanaticism and now he’s on the Monroe County Economic Development Commission, which to me is like mixing oil and water.

Auditor's Chief Deputy Paid While In Las Vegas

It appears Monroe County’s new Auditor, Sandy Newmann, a democrat, will be keeping the State Board of Accounts busy with recent activities in her office. Just last week it was reported that Newmann had admitted making unauthorized purchases for fixed assets on a consumables supply account, that incident is currently under review by the State Board of Accounts. Also last week the County Commissioners, interestingly enough, pushed through an anti-nepotism provision in the County’s policies to prohibit family members from being hired by County officials. As you recall Newmann has her daughter working for her in the Auditor’s office and with others in that office looking to leave, the Commissioners probably wanted to make sure it stopped there. Now, purportedly Newmann has paid one of her office staff for un-worked hours, a violation of the County’s Personnel Policy. Apparently Cathy Smith, the Auditor’s Chief Deputy, accompanied her husband, Larry Smith, Monroe County Technical Services Director on a recent trip to a Las Vegas Convention on Homeland Security. He was sent to the convention as a County employee on County business, she however took time off from her job in the Auditor’s office to attend the convention on what should have been unpaid leave.

Monroe County personnel policy clearly indicates “Vacation, five days per year, after six months of employment with the County”. Since she started her job in the Auditor’s office on the first of January she obviously was not due any vacation days until June of this year. The County also has a provision for sick leave but clearly that could not be applied either, it reads as follows; “Monroe County provides paid sick leave benefits to all full-time employees for periods of temporary absence due to illness or injury”, she obviously wasn’t ill or injured. It is difficult to imagine someone that touted her vast experience in accounting, like Newmann did, being this negligent. It is unclear at this point what if anything is being done to address this most recent situation however this blatant misuse of public funds must be addressed. What is also interesting is why this hasn’t been reported in the local newspaper. It would appear that Mrs. Newmann’s troubles are far from over and she has only been on the job for five months.

Welch Buying Votes With Tax Dollars

Peggy Welch was using a tool she and Vi Simpson have used with precision over the last several years, taking Build Indiana funds and distributing them in areas where they want to build a bastion of support. Over the years this dynamic duo have poured millions of dollars into the Ellettsville area slowly but surely converting this once largely Republican stronghold. This time Welch called for a meeting with citizens of Ellettsville to let them know she had another big stash of cash for them if wanted it, all they had to do was revive the once popular Fall Festival. She informed those in attendance that the clock was ticking on the $33,500 grant and if they didn’t hurry and get a project underway soon the money would slip away. She learned early that nothing endears voters to elected officials more than wads of grant money and she worked that meeting accordingly. She also knows that once the Fall Festival is resurrected from the ashes that she will be probably be given most of the credit and who knows they might even make her Grand Marshal.

They say timing is everything and in this instance don’t you think it’s just a little interesting that she managed to convince the town to revive the Fall Festival in 2006? Lets see, it just so happens that Welch will be up for reelection in 2006 but I’m sure it’s purely coincidental. The town’s people took the bait, hook, line and sinker. Surely someone will figure out that they really won’t be able to do much with $33,500, most of which is usually matching funds that costs money to get money, something the Town of Ellettsville doesn’t have much of. It’s a shame that more people don’t understand that it is this very attitude about spending that has gotten our State in such a financial mess. While in control, the democrats spread Bilk Indiana money around the state in areas where they wanted to build their support base, in essence buying votes. This is yet another prime example of a cure looking for the symptom as the citizens of Ellettsville didn’t have an immediate need for this money, Welch just went vote shopping with our tax dollars. It’s shameful when the Republicans are trying so desperately to balance our State’s budget and cuts are having to be made in areas like education that we still have democrats that can’t get over their old spending habits. Concerned citizens should realize Welch is only impeding our states recovery process and just say no thanks, I can't be bought!

County Council Work Session A Total Embarrassment

The Council’s recent work session proved once again the democrat majority will stop at nothing to impede progress in Monroe County. The vehicle tax discussion started out as just another tax increase from the controlling left but it quickly developed into something more, a growth limiting initiative. Historically the County Council work sessions limit discussion to Council members only, the public can observe but is not allowed an opportunity to address the Council. Mark Stoops has set a precedence by inviting Charles Newmann to not only address the Council but to engage Bill Williams, County Engineer, in a debate about road construction. This bizarre incident culminated in Mark Stoops, Sophia Travis and Michael Woods, the green brain trust of the Council, suggesting they would like to push the Commissioner’s for increased standards for road construction in subdivisions. At that point the County attorney told Stoops and the rest of the Council they legally couldn’t dictate policy to the Commissioners. If that episode wasn’t strange enough, when the discussion refocused on the vehicle tax there was mention of a concern for the low income segment of the county not being able to afford the additional tax, this came from the very same individuals that initiated the discussion on the tax increase in the first place.

These power hungry democrats on the County Council need to undergo a reality check because no matter how much they want to control growth it is not under the purview of Council business. Bringing Charles Newmann, a plan commission member and self-appointed attack dog against developers, into the discussion about a vehicle tax and allowing him to put a county employee through an inquisition is a serious misguided use of the office. What this group is really attempting to do is advance their no growth agenda by leaving everyone with the impression they really don’t want to raise taxes but when the tax increase, that was their brainchild in the first place, sails through, they can pontificate how they were forced to increase taxes because of the over development of subdivisions. All the while, Bill Williams, an expert in such matters, tried his best to make this taxing trio understand that revenues from newer subdivisions actually provide funding for the repair of older county roads. Sophia Travis wasn’t satisfied with the insanity that had flourished throughout the meeting and interjected her own special variety of lunacy by proposing an annual operating permit for all out of town trucks. That one should keep the County attorneys busy for a while. Someone needs to give these misguided democrats on the County Council a good lesson in Indiana Code before they totally embarrass themselves, if that’s even possible.

Auditor Gets Caught, Under State Review

Sandy Newmann the Monroe County Auditor has been on the job just four months and already she is making the kind of mistakes that many expected from someone with little or no governmental administrative experience. Reportedly she made a purchase of $1,228 worth of office furniture on a budget that is set aside for consumable office supplies. She also ignored a standing directive of the County Council for a direct review of any fixed asset equipment purchases. The purchase is now under the review of the State Board of Accounts and could result in a recommendation that Mrs. Newmann repay the amount in question. Newmann reported that she had her Chief Deputy, Cathy Smith, check out the purchase with a field examiner from the State Board of Accounts prior to making the purchase however, with tight County budgets all purchases of equipment were to be cleared by the County Council, a step Newmann failed to take that would have prevented this mistake. Her response to this situation was; “It’s a learning curve for us and we need to make sure we don’t do it again”.

Other matters of concern at the Auditors office required action by the Commissioner’s recently to amend the County’s personnel policy to prohibit the hiring of relatives after Newmann hired her daughter Sondra Berg as a deputy auditor. Common sense would have prevented most people from making this mistake by wanting to avoid any impression of impropriety in hiring a close relative. To correct this situation Newmann should ask for her daughter’s resignation, what will be interesting to see if she possesses the ethical conscious that will guide her to take the necessary corrective action. Apparently the personnel situation in that office is very tense at the moment with two more people in that office seeking other jobs within other County offices. The obvious concern to citizens of Monroe County should be with all of the mistakes and disorganization in the Auditor’s office right now it brings in to question Newmann’s overall competence in running that office. Keep in mind that office essentially controls the checkbook of the County. Valid accurate information needs to flow from that department in order for the County Council to make proper decisions at budget time. With the County’s budget cut razor thin we can ill afford someone that makes too many mistakes and has too big of a learning curve.

Why Do People At The HT Say Stupid Things

The editorial in today’s Herald Times newspaper labeled “Ellington doesn’t speak for county” is one of the nastiest editorials that I can ever recall out of the HT and it has Kurt Van der Dussen written all over it. This is the same newspaper that insists that everyone seeking political office or already in office be civil at all times or face their own special variety of journalistic ire. The hypocrisy is so blatantly obvious when they don’t apply their own rules of etiquette and civil tone in their own newspaper. Just a couple of days ago Mr. Van der Dussen was giving credit to Jeff Ellington for defeating the Food & Beverage Tax enabling legislation with his headline “Ellington sticks a fork in the food, beverage tax”. Then in today’s editorial he writes, “The loss of $2.5 million in revenue to our area also doesn’t seem to concern Ellington. Who by the way should not be given too much credit in this episode”. If Ellington is not due any credit in this instance, why write such a demeaning and hateful editorial? Why would a newspaper stoop to calling someone a “loser”, not once but twice in the same article? It went on to state “He is not a politically powerful man” and yet they headline two articles with his name within one week and tied it to the defeated legislation, sounds to me like his efforts were not in vain.

The last sentence of this editorial indicates just how off base they’re thinking is on this subject, “He is a willing player in this political farce, but he’s no mastermind”. The moral to this story is that thank God we live in a country where any citizen can lobby their government to whatever extent their conscious guides them, that truley is what separates US from them. As a taxpaying citizen he should have every right to lobby his government representatives, let’s hope the HT doesn't consider this right to be a farce. In this case Mr. Ellington might just be a better citizen than most as he at the very least fought for what he thought was right rather than sitting at home doing nothing. As the paper so poignantly editorialized, Mr. Ellington is no longer an elected representative of Monroe County but that does not preclude his rights to lobby legislators as a citizen. Two past articles come to mind to reflect the HT’s double standards. The first article was about an email from the former mayor John Fernandez to Council Member Andy Ruff. Andy Ruff’s comments were along the lines that he didn’t need any input from John Fernandez. The newspaper went on to chastise Ruff for disregarding Fernandez; if nothing else he was a citizen of the community. Why is Jeff Ellington any less of a citizen than John Fernandez? Another editorial came out just before the last election when the HT chastised republican candidates for their “uncivil” remarks on the campaign trail, it included a line that went something like “why do candidates say stupid things?” In this instance the HT could not have been more uncivil to a citizen of our community. The question that needs asked in this instance is why do people at the HT say such stupid things?