Local government cluelessness.

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Here in Clark County, the two largest government entities are horrifically out of touch with those they would govern.

The most recent example is that motley crew of the Taliban City Council of the Supreme Soviet of the City of Vancouver.

Led by a self-serving slimeball in the person of Tim "The Liar" Leavitt, only two of those members seem to understand that we're in a terrible recession, and that they should lead by example... and stop managing by default.

In a time like this, we don't need clueless managers as much as we need engaged, thoughtful, leaders. Unfortunately, neither our county government nor our largest city government have either.

Vancouver city government had the opportunity to lead by example once before, on November 1, when idiots Leavitt, Campbell, Stewart, Harris and Smith voted to slap the city's workers by implementing the double standard that declared themselves "better" then those who work for the city.

County government was no better, because leftist Steve "Easy Money" Stuart, joined by fake Republican (and my brother in law) Marc Boldt and Tom Mielke, voted to exempt not only themselves but the entirety of the county government work force from paying any part of their health care premiums... as a part of their grand plan to raise our property taxes.

At least Clark County treats everyone the same, even if they're screwing the taxpayers across the board because of it. Vancouver's management (It can't be called "leadership," they wouldn't know leadership if it bit them on the ankle.) requires city employees to pay premiums for their health care and that of their dependents. The problem is that the city employees rightfully feel screwed because those 5 morons are forcing a double standard.

And the babble they're using to justify it?

But just what may happen next in Vancouver isn’t certain. Leavitt, who, along with the city manager, puts items on the council agenda, said he’s “conflicted” about how to proceed.

“I can understand the desire to send a ‘message,’ or ‘set an example’ for city employees,” he wrote in an e-mail. “However, I also recognize that the city council are not technically ‘employees’ of the city; we are not compensated as full-time employees, although for certainly several council members, the responsibilities are in reality full-time.”

Leavitt, best known for being a lying scumbag during his mayoral campaign when he defrauded thousands of ignorant voters who actually BELIEVED he opposed tolls, uses any excuse to avoid taking responsibility for his positions. His use of a "technicality" to avoid his leadership responsibilities while reducing, by however much, budget deficits in the face of large city layoffs is altogether typical of a slimy political worm like Leavitt.

But surprisingly, the council member sniveling the loudest was titular conservative member Jeannie Stewart.

Here's Stewart's take:

Councilor Stewart called Burkman “calculating” for bringing the topic forward the way he did.

“I’m uneasy about why it’s getting pushed the way it is now,” Stewart said Thursday.
She said she’s a fan of matching her benefits to management and nonunion workers, but said it was brought before the city council without proper time for discussion. She also talked about how many councilors don’t claim their mileage because they “feel bad,” and that she takes people to lunch “for the purposes of effective communication” and she can’t expense those fees.

“In order to get the job done, there are expenses that are incurred that right now council members are absorbing,” Stewart said. “It’s a different kind of work. I want people to understand and recognize that, I guess.”

Stewart also quibbled with the inclusion of the language saying the council would pay a percentage of “their premiums or their dependents’ premiums,” because, as of now, no employee pays a share of their own premiums, just those of dependents’.

“I do not want to be used to create a precedent that is going to take place that has not been discussed with workers,” she said. “(Burkman) is a calculating person, and whatever he put forward is exactly what he was intending it to say.”

This right up there with the largest political crock of manure since The Empty Suit assured us that the porkulous would keep unemployment under 8%.

The "why" it's getting pushed now is, of course, completely irrelevant. It's likely getting pushed now because you people were too dense to get the message the first time. But the only question isn't "why." The only question is this: Does Burkman's idea make sense?

And of course it does.

Stewart's sniveling about what other councilors don't do when it comes to issues of "mileage" and expensing lunches is completely irrelevant eyewash.

If Stewart doesn't report her mileage, that's her decision. If she doesn't want to use city insurance, that's her choice. If she wants to expense lunches, then she should change the fricking rules. But none of that has anything to do with THIS issue, which is the continued receipt of city health insurance without paying a dime in premiums.

Stewart's whining about how this shouldn't happen with this language SHOULD be replaced by her enthusiastic effort to join with Burkman to find a way to MAKE it happen.

In totality, these issues on the part of county and city government are but symptoms of the greater disease. The disease that has resulted in these clowns jamming a bridge we don't need with loot rail we don't want down our throats, the raising of property taxes in the midst of a horrific recession in a county with 13% unemployment... the total lack of concern over the local economy and the people that make up this county.

Crossposted at Tim Leavitt Watch.
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