Today's Bulletin has an article about a petition being circulated in Lathrop to stop Mayor Kristy Sayles from attending the One Voice lobbying trip to Washington DC that was approved by a majority of the council last week. The petition backers are former mayoral candidate J. "Chaka" Santos and former city council candidate Rosalinda Valencia, two vocal opponents of the mayor and regular gadflies at Lathrop city council meetings.
This most recent petty conflict in Lathrop politics falls into the same category as the shrimp brouhaha we commented on last week. Faced with an unavoidable rise in utility costs that are being passed on to the residents, critics are nit-picking minor expenditures they deem to be a waste of taxpayer money as if that plate of shrimp or this trip to Washington is the problem.
The petition supposedly only seeks to stop the mayor from going to Washington. Is it okay with the petitioners if interim city manager Cary Keaten still attends? How about if it was another council member instead of the mayor going, would that be okay? Why didn't the Bulletin ask those questions? Since the mayor is a member of the San Joaquin Council of Governments (COG) and they are paying for half of her trip, seems like Lathrop is getting a bargain. How much does the trip to Washington cost anyway? Why didn't the Bulletin ask that?
What happens once the petition is presented to the council? Is there any legal standing to the petition that requires the council to act on it? Does the city have to vet signatures on the petition? Or is this just all for show?
Once again the Bulletin falls short on reporting the facts and instead focuses on the whinings of a few sore losers who hate the mayor.
Friday, March 13, 2009
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Should I?.......Should I?.....Should I?......OK..... I should!
ReplyDeleteJackie, please....here is the brouhaha on the situation......
In the very same breath that city council approved a 100% rate increase over the next 5 years for water and sewer rates....they approve another trip to Washington DC to hobnob with Dennis Cardoza and Jerry McNerney. The hotel is a 5 star at $300.00 plus a night for 6 nights......airfare and meals and the salary of a interim city manager that is newly appointed and trying to get his sea legs under him. Typically this cost our city between 10 and 12 thousand a year.....OK COG pays half of the mayors expence.....7500....maybe 8500 by the time all is said and done...Do you pay property taxes?....that is tax payers funds as well.....oh yes...add his salary......$10,000.00 when all is said and done to lobby 2 state representitives that have offices right up the street!
This makes sense to you? Did you bump your head? Have you seen how many people are loosing their jobs? Furloughs.....lay-offs...higher taxes....less and less to go around and its a good idea to go to Washington DC for a week on taxpayers money?........There shouldnt be a petition out there.....we should tie these irresponsible politicians to a post and publicly flogg them!........Jackie.....talk to Joe...Im sure he will tell you this is a bad idea to do this now or ANYTIME! Its not personal with Kristy.....We, as a community emplore her to do the right thing....right now!....Show the status-quo politicos that the system needs to change! We can not continue down this path....it paves the way for failure.....clearly! Stop spending needlessly.....NOW!.....If you read this blog Kristy... Know that this movement is not about hurting YOU....its the system of spend, spend, spend that is hurting ALL of us......We are passing this all on to our children to sort out.
I looked up "insanity" in my unabridged edition of Funk and Wagonals dictionary......it says " Continually doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results!"
Jackie......just because we have citizens that speak out and they arent as eloquent as you may deem acceptable, doesnt mean that their voice and opinion lacks merit or shouldnt be heard.....not here.....not in Lathrop....not in this county....not in this state.....not in this country!
Dan Mac Neilage
As Steven Colbert would say, Jackie really nailed them!
ReplyDeleteI watch The Colbert Repore right after the Daily show regularly...........NO WAY would either of those dudes agree this is a good idea.......not now....not ever!
ReplyDeleteDan Mac Neilage
PS......Are you guys drinking Kool-aid from the stand on Ruby Court?
Colbert visited DC when he attended the White House correspondent's dinner.
ReplyDeleteWe're not just drinking the "kool-aide" we're mixing vats of it.
I personally think Mayor Sayles and the city manager will be great representatives of Lathrop in Washington. The mayor is a charming and competent leader and the city manager I'm sure has all the facts and figures. They'll probably scoop into the money trough and mine Washington like it was a rich gold vein.
You must be smokin dope!........They are not going to Washington to represent Lathrop.....They are expecting Lathrop to pay the way to represent COG!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is what the argument originates from.....not her charm and competence.....The dollars Joe.....THE DOLLARS!
Dan
joe,
ReplyDeleteyou are just as pathetic as your wife is. you want some of that charm? get in line.