We are supposed to be a check and balance to the Executive branch but as of our first eight months in office, we are nothing more than an extension of the Executive simply because four of the seven member council have no vision, leadership or desire to blaze their own path. Here’s an example of some spending by our County Executive that the Council has rubber stamped.

• Chief Administrative Officer Doug Browning $177,105.00
• Chief Fire Rescue Tom Owens $158,300
• Communications Director Vivian Laxton $102,000 (we already have one of these, do we really need two?)
• Animal Control Director Linda Shea $106,400
• Community Development Director Steve Horn $145,000
• New Executive Attorney Wendy Kearney $128,000 (we already have a staff of Attorneys)
• Director of something or other Margaret Nusbaum $100,000 (who is back for or double dipping tour, she retired from County Govt. just four short years ago at 47 years old.)
• Legislative liaison Roger Wilson $85,000
• Liaison to the Board of Education Janice Spiegel $50,000 (we have two teachers on the Council that could do this job for $0)

This is just a few of many in the Executive’s branch and this group alone is approximately $1.2 Million. Being one of two ( possibly three ) dissenting votes, we have little we can do to stop this other than to bring it to the forefront as much as possible.

All I can tell you is what I said in one of our previous meetings, the only thing that will decrease in County government over the next 3 ½ years is our bond rating.

You really want to make a liberal mad, talk about what they’re doing behind closed doors up front, in public without warning, they go ballistic when that happens. They want closed door politics with as little public input as possible.

One thing is for certain, they didn’t think Council member Shreve and I did our homework. They understand now that we read everything, we ask questions and we won’t be coerced into the go along to get along mentality just because the News Post pens a few hit pieces against us.

The News Post has one serious miscalculation, the voters in District 5, are informed, smart and they pay attention to the facts. So the negative campaign that is waged in most cases has little, if any effect in the North end of the County.

I’m glad to represent people up here and I will continue to listen and speak about the things that mean the most to the constituents in the district.