Emperor Godfrey's Eminent Domain Lobbyist!
Yes, gentle readers. The administration that can't find in the budget the chump change that would be needed to hire a street-sweeper for Ogden's 24th Street pigeon-poop, is set to stick it to the taxpayers with a $45,000/yr professional lobbyist -- with a mission to condemn homes and businesses of some of our fellow citizens, to satisfy the corporate greed of Almighty Walmart.
Although I could rant on for hours about this, our gentle readers will be relieved that I don't have the time for that. I'll be tied up in meetings for most of the day; so I'll leave that all to you.
Please don't hesitate to chime in with your views on the latest Gang-of-Six story. This is a good one to get the ball rolling today, I think.
In the alternative, consider this an open thread.
I'll be back.
Update 12/7/05 8:43 a.m. MT: In yet another demonstration of its disdain for the public weal, the lame duck Gang-of-Six operated as the well-oiled machine its been these past four years, appropriating $45,000 for the hiring of "eminent domain lobbyist" Rob Jolley last night -- by the usual 5-2 vote. For those who may have missed this morning's Standard-Examiner article, you can read the sad story here.
There's no reason on earth that this resolution could not have been delayed until the new council's January 3, 2005 swearing-in, as Councilman Garcia suggests:
"Garcia said the vote should have been delayed until January, given that some of the new council members may sit on Ogden’s Legislative Coordinating Committee. The committee is charged with identifying issues of importance to the city at the state and federal level before making recommendations to the council."To what extent this resolution may be reversible, I really can't predict. What's likely though, is that the current council, by its action last night, has at least ratified the Jolley contract, thus binding Ogden city for the full $45,000 contract price, regardless of what Mr. Jolley's future agenda may turn out to be.
Whereas many of us had hoped the mayoral administration would adopt a new spirit of cooperation, in the face of its its decisive November 8th election defeat, Boss Godfrey instead demonstrates that he still remains -- and will remain -- the man "in charge."
Rather than extend the new council a simple courtesy, and put this decision off for another three weeks, Mayor Godfrey instead chooses to play political hard-ball. This does not bode well for council-administration relations, as we move into the new year, I would think. This is more than bad political form. It's an insult to the taxpayers of Ogden, and the new council they decisively elected.
And what think our gentle readers about this?
Comments, anyone?
