The “retreat”???

Did anyone happen to count how often a phrase similar to “maybe we should talk about that at the retreat” was used Tuesday night at the council and MPHA meetings???

It seemed to me like it was used with a great deal of frequency!!! I kept finding myself musing: “I wish that TVMiddletown had those “balloons” above the characters heads, like they use in the cartoons to show what the characters are “thinking.”

It sure seemed as if the real thought was: “Maybe we should talk about that at the retreat…” (so shut up, DAMMIT!  We don’t discuss things like that in front of TV cameras!!! Everybody in town will know what we’re up to!!!)

Hooray for our two new young members of City Council!!! Yet, how unfortunate that the first cases of “emergency” legislation that popped up happened to be the paving of University Blvd. and Sutphin St.

Poor planning on staff’s part does not justify emergency action on council’s part!!! Josh and AJ’s insistence upon reasonable time (and publicity?) between the release of information about legislation and the vote on same is truly meet and just.

However, perhaps unbeknownst to our two young friends, the issues of repairing/rebuilding of University and Sutphin using ARRA funds has been kicked around for months (if not years) and were not two of the usual “last minute surprise” type items that are often sprung on the public as part of a ruse to ramrod some pieces of spurious legislation past The People.

AJ appeared to try to stand by his convictions (a good thing) and voted “NO” on both of these non-emergency pieces of emergency legislation, yet indicated that he would vote “YES” if they were introduced “ten business days later”, again as emergencies. I think that he was trying to indicate that The People, and the council, should be given some time to consider these items before they are brought to a vote.

Josh, on the other hand, made a stirring and apparently sincere speech (with which I strongly agree, in principal) and then promptly proceeded to TWICE do exactly what he could not, in good conscious, do. He, in effect, twice voted to accept federal money. Josh simply erred in his logic, in two ways:

First, he apparently forgot that the feds (the so-called “source of the ARRA funds, are supposed to be accountable to The People. (The People can reassert this basic tenet of Americans by replacing the entire House, and one-third of the Senate this November.)

Second, that “free money” that comes with strings attached “from Washington” did not originate in Washington. It actually comes from The People who pay taxes, including The People right here in Middletown, and we do deserve to get our fair share back (after the bureaucrats have deducted a large chunk for salaries, administration, and graft, of course.) Even though I agree with all that you said about “standing on our own,” at some point the feds must stop cutting our legs out from under us (taking so much of our money through confiscatory taxes) before we can stand really tall. If we could keep more money here (and replace a few more council members) then we really could take care of oourselves and “stand on our own.” (We could take care of our own deserving unfortunates, as well!!)

So, in summary, you two are RIGHT!!! You picked an issue that needed to be addressed. You addressed it at the first opportunity after you were seated. Your cause was noble. Unfortunately, these two paving contracts were not really representative of the way the “emergency” powers are being abused. Shake it off and don’t be ashamed, though, as you are guilty of nothing more than being a little green. Remember, there is nothing illegal, immoral, or unethical about seeking outside opinions or advice anytime you may be unsure about anything. Make a phone call.

Stand fast, lads, and you will find that The People will stand with you!!!