That's what Northampton County Council member John Cusick stated about Gracedale, the County nursing home, at a relatively quiet budget hearing yesterday afternoon that was also attended by Council members Ron Angle, Tom Dietrich, Peg Ferraro, Bruce Gilbert and Barb Thierry.Gracedale accounts for $66 million of the annual budget, and $48 million of that is personnel costs.
Council member Peg Ferraro blamed herself. "We were asleep at the switch and let it reach this point. But this is where we are now. There's really not too much you can say at this point. Suppose they get their signatures and this gets on the ballot?"
Angle replied Gracedale will be sold before that could happen, but Peg said there are times when taxes must be raised.
Cusick, who advocates a sale, still complimented Ferraro. "You were the only one willing to stand up and say 'I'm willing to raise taxes to pay for Gracedale,'" he said. But then he spoke of "optimum efficiency," saying "that is something I have never heard concerning the operation of Gracedale."
Only three of the Gracedale Goons attended this meeting, but they could be heard calling Angle an "asshole" and saying "I can't stand him" whenever he spoke.
Angle replied Gracedale will be sold before that could happen, but Peg said there are times when taxes must be raised.
Cusick, who advocates a sale, still complimented Ferraro. "You were the only one willing to stand up and say 'I'm willing to raise taxes to pay for Gracedale,'" he said. But then he spoke of "optimum efficiency," saying "that is something I have never heard concerning the operation of Gracedale."
Only three of the Gracedale Goons attended this meeting, but they could be heard calling Angle an "asshole" and saying "I can't stand him" whenever he spoke.
Classy people.
On the bright side, there were no boy scouts listening to their vulgarities. That's what happened at the last County Council meeting.
As yesterday's budget hearing concluded, Angle predicted that the County will have a budget for 2011 on November 4.
On the bright side, there were no boy scouts listening to their vulgarities. That's what happened at the last County Council meeting.
As yesterday's budget hearing concluded, Angle predicted that the County will have a budget for 2011 on November 4.
Lamont McClure, who had time to meet with his union brethren on Sunday, played hooky from today's budget hearing, as is his custom with all committee meetings.
62 comments:
I don't want to seem out of touch however what does he mean Jane Erwinsvville?
Peg Ferraro gets points for admitting her utter incompetence.
Now, it's time for her to do the right thing and resign.
We can do better with public servants who are both honest and competent to manage taxpayers' fiscal affairs.
Again, thank you, Peg, I guess. Now please do the right thing.
And, no, I'm not a Gracedale supporting union goon. The place should have been sold long ago.
"I don't want to seem out of touch however what does he mean Jane Erwinsvville?"
Nope. 'Twas Jane Ervin.
Cusick shows how utterly stupid he is. When not engineered to fail the State and Federal government pay over 90% of that $49 million needed at Gracedale. If there was a competent County Executive and Administration the County tax share at Gracedale would be less than $2 million a year at most. This is a crises manufactured by Angle/Stoffa. Those in the know know that.
Cusickknows less about County operations than Barron, he better learn more about how the County operates if he wants to be county Executive.
Angle is very proud of the fact he thinks he can circumvent the will of the people by a quick short sale of Gracedale. He knows that his majority of idiocy is doomed and he and a few others will be gone after next year.
You are the classless one O'Hare. You are an smelly overweight troll who everyday displays the behavior of an unrepentant alcoholic who still suffers the rage he never resolved. Get thee to a therapist and take Cusik with you.
Okay Jane Ervin
What did he mean by what he said
Is she the one from Lehigh County that was hit by a car? Please spell this out for me.
To 1:05 AM
I see, when you are losing an argument, your last resort is to berate and demean others. It's unfortunate you didn't have anything intelligent to share to actually fix the problem.
Is this John Cusick guy related to Norma, a Salisbury commissioner?
Will ask.
"s she the one from Lehigh County that was hit by a car? Please spell this out for me."
No. She's the one who proposed a 70% tax hike.
One would hate to see the sale of Gracedale thwarted by the grass roots group which you have deigned to characterize as "goons". If the County's fiscal saviour was in front of the group instead of attacking it you wouldn't use that moniker. Instead, they would be what they really are, citizens animated by an issue of importance simply exercising theirs rights in a democracy.
But truth has come down from on high. The marching orders have been given. Malign, distort and attack.
Well done stalking horse.
As usual peg ferraro is the voice of sanity..She and Stoffa recommended a tax increase last year which was moderate..The Democratically controlled council turned that down..bad idea. Now she is the only one with the guts to recognize that if they dont do something soon the County will be do for a monster increase in the future...Of course in the end Angle will prevail and that will abruptly put the county on poor financial footing as usual..Then he will ask employees to freeze wages and look like a hero..gotta love it...The profile in courage award to Peg Ferraro and the I'm clueless award to Angle, as usual.
Per saving gracedale site:
"Gracedale people let's get out there and get some work done,after all this to save our jobs."
So much for this referendum being about patients.
Actually 2:46 It is a referendum about the patients..If they continue under county control they won't have underpaid and overworked staff people to deal with..Also they will have someone to complain to if their loved one isn't cared for. This , of course , is in dark contrast to private nursing homes..
The referendum is of course intended to benefit the union jobs there, nothing else. The quality of care is projected to deteriorate at Gracedale bc the County can no longer afford it, so the best thing for the patients is to sell it. There are a plethora of state and federal regulations that must be strictly observed, no matter who owns it. But a prvate company is better capable of doing so. Unions don't want that bc they will lose their benefits.
This is absolute bullshit O'Hare and you know it. Just because Angle and Stoffa finally have the votes to do something they always wanted to do you play along like a zombie cheerleader.
This is about County control, this is about care of the County elderly not the unions. You are singling the establishment song but you know it is false.
A few years back if Reibman had proposed it you would have written ten to twenty op-eds.
You are truly a hypocrite. Unfortunately in this case your hypocrisy will hurt vulnerable citizens.
I was out with petitions today.
One and one half hours in the morning and one and one half hours in the afternoon. Everyone approached in the AM signed. Five refusals in the PM. One individual told me to shove the f n thing up my as. I told him thank you and have a nice afternoon. He spun the tires of his Acura and left. I think he was offended I didn't drag him out of his car and explain my position in a little more detailed manner to him. I also encountered 4 vocal opponents of Angle. One said he didn't care what he was signing as long as it was against the SOB. I want to explain I tell everyone in signing the petition it only puts it up for a vote, it does not mean you will vote to sell or keep it just allows the vote. Up or down on its own merit and in YOUR best interest. You know Democracy I also inform them this is non partisian its not a Dem or GOP thing its a moral issue, in regards to patients AND employees who might lose their jobs. I finally say thank you and remind them to make sure they vote. I do not work at Gracedale I also know no one who has received care there . I am doing this from a moral standpoint and also because Ohare has provoked me into becoming involved. You got that? I would have sat home on my as and left it go if Ohare hadn't been they way he is regarding this. So Thank you Ohare. I got 67 signatures today. All in Angle Country the Slatebelt. I'll be out again tomorrow and everyday until the mission is accomplished. Thanks again Ohare.
BTW
What is the moral issue?
Jane Ervin is not the one that was run over her friend by a car when they were both drunk, it's the other Jane.
If this or any moral issue aspect neeeds to be explained to an adult. Said adult should not be considered an adult. Now go quick aren't you missing the Glen Beck rerun little boy?
Wayne
Gotta say you TEABAGGERS are thick
The moral issue is whether the County should continue its half-century commitment to its citizens to maintain a Nursing Home for the elderly and infirm. A place in that no matter what the market dictates they will be safe and well-cared for. For the present "most" Nursing Homes will accept "many" of the same people that are at Gracedale but not always. Private homes can and have denied admission to individuals they felt would be cost prohibitive to care for.
Many private nursing homes are becoming more and more set-up for Rehabilitative services as the reimbursement is higher.
The peace of mind for county residents is that Gracedale when running properly, not the past three years, is a cost neutral operation that is there regardless of the private sector profit motive.
The moral issue? the same as putting all the Social Security money in Wall Street.
The misinformation on this topic has been overwhelming. The rush to sell has nothing to do with future cost and everything to do with John Stoffa's master plan to rehabilitate drug addicts. That will be 100% County dollars, whereas Gracedale is 5% County dollars. Stoffa needs the Gracedale money to help his drug addicted friends. All so Angle has a slim window of opportunity to dump Gracedale as he and his Council puppets have a short political shelf-life. He also wants to avoid a referendum as he knows the vast majority of voters disagree with this decision.
Politics, pure and simple politics.May God have mercy on our souls.
"The moral issue is whether the County should continue its half-century commitment to its citizens to maintain a Nursing Home for the elderly and infirm."
Then by all means Gracedale needs to be sold and placed in the hands of an organization that will enable it to continue its mission as opposed to a broke County scrambling for $ to fix windows.
Yes, there has been disinformation, and has come from fear-mongers like you who pretend to speak for God.
The mis-information is that the past three year money problems are emblematic of Gracedales history. As a matter of fact up until Stoffa ran it into the ground the place made money. The mis-information is that Stoffa gives a shit. He won't allow the 100 vacant beds to be filled knowing full well that his bed embargo will create a negative cash flow.
The mis-information is clear O'Hare and there are many more informed and intelligent people in the community that know the real story.
The fact that John Stoffa with the help of his patron Ron Angle squandered the largest cash surplus ever inherited by a County Executive is a fact that you can massage and jerk-off all you want but there it is, a fact none the less.
Too bad the elderly must pay for this incompetence.
I wanted to be see if anyone thought the moral issue was the retention of jobs at Gracedale...
Keeping Gracedale running whether it's in public or private hands as opposed to being unable to keep it running at all in the future seems to be a moral stand also.
Or facing up to the fact that social security is in future financial trouble since it is set up like a Ponzi scheme instead of using any attempt to look at it as a fear-mongering political issue. There's a moral issue that's been warped inside-out.
Speaking of moral high ground, when somebody blathers:
"Stoffa needs the Gracedale money to help his drug addicted friends."
they have fallen off of any lofty perch they may have imagined they were on.
I'm sorry, but when somebody speaks about morality outside of the context of an individual's actions and extends it to how to spend other people's money... it's not so black and white.
All I read here is that somehow Angle, Stoffa, and a majority of county council are just evil bastards. And since other counties have got out of the nursing home business I guess they had evil intentions also. There's not too much objective, or moral, discussion going on about this at all.
Does Chairman Ron have a particular buyer for Gracedale from the private sector who will maintain the same level of care in mind? When he went out to dinner with the private prison provider he tried to foist on Council did he ask if they could recommend another company to solve the County's retirement needs?
Would this be the first time the County possibly will enter into a contract with a company that was actually indicted for murder for the top notch private sector level of supervision and care it provided to inmates? Maybe the Great Helmsman can find a company that is at least only an unindicted co-conspirator to provide the same fine level of care for retirees.
By the way, what would the oft repeated 20% tax increase amount to in dollars and cents for your patron? Fortunately, he has been able to separate that private concern from his full time devotion to the needs of others.
This is precisely the kind of disinformation I get from the fear-mongers and Gracedale Goons. They know perfectly well that there is a selection committee and Angle is not on it. They also know that Angle brought an outfit from Dauphin to explain what happens under privatization, not to sell to them. They also know that Stoffa would NEVER permit any kind of inappropriate dealing.
"This is precisely the kind of disinformation I get from the fear-mongers and Gracedale Goons. They know perfectly well that there is a selection committee and Angle is not on it. They also know that Angle brought an outfit from Dauphin to explain what happens under privatization, not to sell to them. They also know that Stoffa would NEVER permit any kind of inappropriate dealing."
They also know, (per your blog) that he has been taking personal phone calls regarding the sale.
They also know that Angle ones a ton of land in the county and would be most affected by a tax increase.
They also know he is in the middle of an alleged forged Will issue. In which he stands to benefit himself and screw the rest of his family. For his financial gain.
They also know he his suing his own dead father. For his financial gain.
They also know he has a history of racism and bigotry.
And they also know that a lot of this is motivated by hatred for Angle and not good government. Thanks for clearing that up.
"Unwilling to discuss details, Angle said he is "encouraged" and believes they are going in the right direction. Angle had been ready to discuss the sale or lease of Gracedale at next week's Council meeting, but will instead continue these negotiations next week.
Ironically, as I was talking to him, he was called by a mid-state businessman interested in purchasing the County nursing home. County Executive John Stoffa has publicly stated he is called at least once every week."
Above is a quote from your Aug 13th entry. In case you have forgotten.
Way to throw your suck buddy under the bus Bernie, and expose this ethics violation.
This is exactly what I mean by disinformation. My first two sentences do NOT refer to negotiations with a possible Gracedale buyer, but with the union. You know that, but take those sentences out of context and post them here to manufacture a lie. It's very blatant and that's why you'll fail. People are not as stupid as you seem to think.
"Ironically, as I was talking to him, he was called by a mid-state businessman interested in purchasing the County nursing home. County Executive John Stoffa has publicly stated he is called at least once every week."
I was not referring to the first 2 sentences, but I did want to include them so you couldn't try to spin it away from the fact I was making.
I was referring to the part where you said he took a call about the sale as stated above.
I never said he wasn't talking about the discussions with the union in the first 2 sentences.
Great attempt however to try and spin it away from the fact that he has, and may still be taking personal calls about the sale.
I never said nobody ever contacted him. He gets calls all the time and so does Stoffa, mostly Stoffa. I have mentioned that often. But that does not mean he is negotiating or that he is making some side deal, as you suggest. I thought you had a meeting with the PSP about this. You came on here screaming that you had an appointment and he was going to be carted away. What happened?
The sad truth is that you are a liar who purposely took a statement about union negotiations and tried to make it seem that Angle was negotiating a side deal for the sale of Gracedale.
You hate Angle. You hate Stoffa. And in your sick desire to muddy them up, you lie. You end up making them look good while you look like the petty and anonymous coward that you are.
"You hate Angle. You hate Stoffa. And in your sick desire to muddy them up, you lie. You end up making them look good while you look like the petty and anonymous coward that you are."
PLEASE tell me where I said he was setting up a side deal? PLEASE SHOW ME THAT!!
I never ONCE said that he was making a side deal. You brought that up....Do you know something we don't?
No worries I will expose Angle when the time is right. I will be sure to give you a heads up so you can have your trusty flip cam handy. Just be sure to grab a cocktail so you have a steady picture.
http://www.texasprisonbidness.org/lawsuits/yet-another-geo-group-lawsuit-filed-friday-pearsall-detention-lockup
This is the type of shit your uneducated, forging, buddy is trying to bring to the Slate Belt. Maybe he should do some research before presenting shit like this. I hate to see the companies being considered for Gracedale.
It's Official! First forsale sign displayed at gracedale. Call now while operators are available*.
Gracedale Volunteer Hoists Forsale Sign.
*While supplies last.
Canty't argue the facts, so smear Angle. That's about par for the course. I wonder how many residernts were being ignored while union thugs played this game. I will admit it's a step up from shooting his sheep.
Did Ron boy consider this when he tried to bum rush GEO through County Council?
First Amendment advocates are still hoping Congress will pass the Private Prison Information Act of 2007, (H.R. 1889), and its identical Senate counterpart, (S. 2010). Introduced by Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the bills would require private prisons under contract with the government to comply with FOIA requests, just like federal agencies. Both the lawsuits and the proposed legislation seek to remedy the discrepancy in records disclosure between federal and private prisons.
According to the First Amendment Center, privately owned and operated facilities wouldn't naturally be subject to FOIA. But concerns about costs, overcrowding and safety in federal prisons have lead to increased privatization of correctional institutions, and the shift isn’t slowing down. The Center reported that more and more inmates—and the records related to their care—are controlled by private prisons.
First Amendment advocates argue that the government shouldn’t be able to avoid scrutiny by farming its public function out to private prisons, since the private correctional institutions are the functional equivalent of a government agency, the Center said. Currently, there’s no law that says private prisons have to fork over inspection reports or inmate violence write-ups the way federal facilities do. Only the contract between a private prison and the government is subject to FOIA.
But wait, camera fade to Texas: the mammoth Reeves County prison complex is run by one of the world’s largest private prison corporations, GEO, formerly a division of the giant security firm Wackenhut, which also runs a dozen other facilities in Texas, as well as nearly three dozen more across the country. According to an article on GEO by Peter Gorman, published the Fort Worth Weekly earlier this year, several more inmates appear to have died from inadequate medical at Reeves since 2008, while others have committed suicide. Just a month after the second riot at Reeves, an inmate named Jose Manuel Falcon allegedly committed suicide while in solitary confinement, “by self- inflicting numerous lacerations with a disposable razor blade,” according to prison records. His family believes there was foul play involved, and is suing GEO.
Gorman’s article includes numerous other accusations against GEO, which he says ”has one of the world’s worst track records in inmate care.”
Don't worry. Ron says these guys have his stamp of approval. Don't be an obstructionist.
Oh yes, he sez I dont have a conflict of interest but I might have a conflict of interest so I wont vote on the resolution but I will continue to participate in deliberations pushing GEO because I dont really have a conflict.
Simple. Pretzel logic of the demagogue.
Did Ron boy consider this when he tried to bum rush GEO through County Council?
First Amendment advocates are still hoping Congress will pass the Private Prison Information Act of 2007, (H.R. 1889), and its identical Senate counterpart, (S. 2010). Introduced by Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the bills would require private prisons under contract with the government to comply with FOIA requests, just like federal agencies. Both the lawsuits and the proposed legislation seek to remedy the discrepancy in records disclosure between federal and private prisons.
According to the First Amendment Center, privately owned and operated facilities wouldn't naturally be subject to FOIA. But concerns about costs, overcrowding and safety in federal prisons have lead to increased privatization of correctional institutions, and the shift isn’t slowing down. The Center reported that more and more inmates—and the records related to their care—are controlled by private prisons.
First Amendment advocates argue that the government shouldn’t be able to avoid scrutiny by farming its public function out to private prisons, since the private correctional institutions are the functional equivalent of a government agency, the Center said. Currently, there’s no law that says private prisons have to fork over inspection reports or inmate violence write-ups the way federal facilities do. Only the contract between a private prison and the government is subject to FOIA.
But wait, camera fade to Texas: the mammoth Reeves County prison complex is run by one of the world’s largest private prison corporations, GEO, formerly a division of the giant security firm Wackenhut, which also runs a dozen other facilities in Texas, as well as nearly three dozen more across the country. According to an article on GEO by Peter Gorman, published the Fort Worth Weekly earlier this year, several more inmates appear to have died from inadequate medical at Reeves since 2008, while others have committed suicide. Just a month after the second riot at Reeves, an inmate named Jose Manuel Falcon allegedly committed suicide while in solitary confinement, “by self- inflicting numerous lacerations with a disposable razor blade,” according to prison records. His family believes there was foul play involved, and is suing GEO.
Gorman’s article includes numerous other accusations against GEO, which he says ”has one of the world’s worst track records in inmate care.”
Don't worry. Ron says these guys have his stamp of approval. Don't be an obstructionist.
Oh yes, he sez I dont have a conflict of interest but I might have a conflict of interest so I wont vote on the resolution but I will continue to participate in deliberations pushing GEO because I dont really have a conflict.
Simple. Pretzel logic of the demagogue.
Did Ron boy consider this when he tried to bum rush GEO through County Council?
First Amendment advocates are still hoping Congress will pass the Private Prison Information Act of 2007, (H.R. 1889), and its identical Senate counterpart, (S. 2010). Introduced by Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the bills would require private prisons under contract with the government to comply with FOIA requests, just like federal agencies. Both the lawsuits and the proposed legislation seek to remedy the discrepancy in records disclosure between federal and private prisons.
According to the First Amendment Center, privately owned and operated facilities wouldn't naturally be subject to FOIA. But concerns about costs, overcrowding and safety in federal prisons have lead to increased privatization of correctional institutions, and the shift isn’t slowing down. The Center reported that more and more inmates—and the records related to their care—are controlled by private prisons.
First Amendment advocates argue that the government shouldn’t be able to avoid scrutiny by farming its public function out to private prisons, since the private correctional institutions are the functional equivalent of a government agency, the Center said. Currently, there’s no law that says private prisons have to fork over inspection reports or inmate violence write-ups the way federal facilities do. Only the contract between a private prison and the government is subject to FOIA.
But wait, camera fade to Texas: the mammoth Reeves County prison complex is run by one of the world’s largest private prison corporations, GEO, formerly a division of the giant security firm Wackenhut, which also runs a dozen other facilities in Texas, as well as nearly three dozen more across the country. According to an article on GEO by Peter Gorman, published the Fort Worth Weekly earlier this year, several more inmates appear to have died from inadequate medical at Reeves since 2008, while others have committed suicide. Just a month after the second riot at Reeves, an inmate named Jose Manuel Falcon allegedly committed suicide while in solitary confinement, “by self- inflicting numerous lacerations with a disposable razor blade,” according to prison records. His family believes there was foul play involved, and is suing GEO.
Gorman’s article includes numerous other accusations against GEO, which he says ”has one of the world’s worst track records in inmate care.”
Don't worry. Ron says these guys have his stamp of approval. Don't be an obstructionist.
Oh yes, he sez I dont have a conflict of interest but I might have a conflict of interest so I wont vote on the resolution but I will continue to participate in deliberations pushing GEO because I dont really have a conflict.
Simple. Pretzel logic of the demagogue.
Did Ron boy consider this when he tried to bum rush GEO through County Council?
First Amendment advocates are still hoping Congress will pass the Private Prison Information Act of 2007, (H.R. 1889), and its identical Senate counterpart, (S. 2010). Introduced by Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the bills would require private prisons under contract with the government to comply with FOIA requests, just like federal agencies. Both the lawsuits and the proposed legislation seek to remedy the discrepancy in records disclosure between federal and private prisons.
According to the First Amendment Center, privately owned and operated facilities wouldn't naturally be subject to FOIA. But concerns about costs, overcrowding and safety in federal prisons have lead to increased privatization of correctional institutions, and the shift isn’t slowing down. The Center reported that more and more inmates—and the records related to their care—are controlled by private prisons.
First Amendment advocates argue that the government shouldn’t be able to avoid scrutiny by farming its public function out to private prisons, since the private correctional institutions are the functional equivalent of a government agency, the Center said. Currently, there’s no law that says private prisons have to fork over inspection reports or inmate violence write-ups the way federal facilities do. Only the contract between a private prison and the government is subject to FOIA.
But wait, camera fade to Texas: the mammoth Reeves County prison complex is run by one of the world’s largest private prison corporations, GEO, formerly a division of the giant security firm Wackenhut, which also runs a dozen other facilities in Texas, as well as nearly three dozen more across the country. According to an article on GEO by Peter Gorman, published the Fort Worth Weekly earlier this year, several more inmates appear to have died from inadequate medical at Reeves since 2008, while others have committed suicide. Just a month after the second riot at Reeves, an inmate named Jose Manuel Falcon allegedly committed suicide while in solitary confinement, “by self- inflicting numerous lacerations with a disposable razor blade,” according to prison records. His family believes there was foul play involved, and is suing GEO.
Gorman’s article includes numerous other accusations against GEO, which he says ”has one of the world’s worst track records in inmate care.”
Don't worry. Ron says these guys have his stamp of approval. Don't be an obstructionist.
Oh yes, he sez I dont have a conflict of interest but I might have a conflict of interest so I wont vote on the resolution but I will continue to participate in deliberations pushing GEO because I dont really have a conflict.
Simple. Pretzel logic of the demagogue.
Does anyone on Northampton County Council have the political courage to suggest even a 1 mill tax increase is inevitable?
Wait till 2012 arrives. They will only wish someone had the political courage to do the right thing in the face of the wackadoodle wave.
Oh yes, how much time should the predicted republican majority in the house and senate be given to eliminate unemployment? One hour? One day? One week? Let me guess, when it doesnt happen they can still blame Obama.
Yo Teabagger
SS solvent until 2038
watch something other than FOX
you might LEARN
Also if you had a reading comprehension level higher
than 2nd grade you would have read;
"a moral issue in regards to patients AND employees"
EMPLOYEES INCLUDED
now quick Hannitys America is on wouldn't want to miss the Palin/Miller speak against hypocrtic statements by Obama interview.
Well I was out and about with petition in hand this afternoon.
A little slower than yesterday as less people were home. I did have 39 signatures and 5 refusals. This in one and one half hours. I might have gotten more however I was delayed by a supporter too SELL Gracedale. This is interesting so enjoy.
I was walking through a undisclosed location in the Slate Belt with petition in hand I have asked a few people in cars at stop signs to sign and have been successful. This time a car stopped next to me and the female driver asked if it was the petition I was carrying. I replied yes and asked her if she would like to sign. She said she didn't know and asked me to tell her the pros and cons of keeping the place. Well we all know the pros so I won't bore you I told her the con I think is most concerning is the increase in taxes which will come with keeping it. I said the 20% figure being thrown around is a guess I have heard from Ferraro 5% and everywhere in between I also said I think 20% is possible. Since the CC did not raise taxes in moderate amounts over the years to maintain levels of service we might get hit big. (I think they should be fired for not raising taxes in moderate amounts) She then wasted another five minutes engaging me in conversation about Gracedale. I finally said so would you like to sign and she said
f u
I was just wasting your time I know Ron and you people are f'd up
She stepped on the gas and drove away.
So this is my second encounter with the very small lunatic fringe that supports that Angle character
Oh well
tomorrow I continue where I left off and then the whole weekend will be devoted to the petition.
Thanks for the unwavering encouragement Ohare
One other thing another woman driving stopped me and asked to sign the petition. I handed it to her and standing over her I saw she was driving with a shirt and just flowered panties on !!!
No pants or dress in sight
I got the signature and off she went, Unfortunatly I wish she would have had pants on, if you know what I mean
LOL
Frank Merchant said...
Yo Teabagger
How sweet
SS solvent until 2038 watch something other than FOX you might LEARN
I never watch FOX, don't even get that channel.
This is the year that SS payments outpaced receipts... the tipping point. 2038 is the projected year when the "surplus" is gone. That surplus is currently in treasury securities. From now on, no matter how well the economy preforms, outlays will exceed revenue. It's demographics, retiring baby boomers outnumbering productive taxpayers.
All that information is from The New York Times not Fox News. And all this will surely have ramifications before 2038.
So what's the deal, you don't plan to be around then so it doesn't matter?
Also if you had a reading comprehension level higher than 2nd grade
National Honor Society, National Merit Scholarship Letter of Commendation, top 5% of graduating class... but then it was just a gooberment public school, so yeah I'm retarded.
you would have read;
"a moral issue in regards to patients AND employees"
EMPLOYEES INCLUDED
Yes, that was in that run-on paragraph of your's... so defend/explain it!
How many jobs are going to be lost?
How many times are companies sold, merged, split up, etc. What makes these jobs untouchable?
Isn't a sale more preferable than running it into bankruptcy?
now quick Hannitys America is on wouldn't want to miss the Palin/Miller speak against hypocrtic statements by Obama interview.
Never saw Hannity's America but I think his radio show blows chunks.
And I support your spirit in gathering signatures for your petition
"EMPLOYEES INCLUDED
Yes, that was in that run-on paragraph of your's... so defend/explain it!
How many jobs are going to be lost?
How many times are companies sold, merged, split up, etc. What makes these jobs untouchable?
Isn't a sale more preferable than running it into bankruptcy?
now quick Hannitys America is on wouldn't want to miss the Palin/Miller speak against hypocrtic statements by Obama interview.
Never saw Hannity's America but I think his radio show blows chunks.
And I support your spirit in gathering signatures for your petition"
wow...and here I had "a little" more respect for you than "Bern" but you just lost it.
Talk about "grasping at straws". I never though I would "go there" but you have forced my hand!!
As I said I have always "respected" your posts but you have brought NOTHING to the table to change my mind therefore you are nothing more than a suck buddy!!
Sorry..I though more of you until now.
10:04 PM
Anon,
What are you upset about?
Because I don't like Hannity?
I see Sean Hannity is working his kumbaya magic in here, Thats' nice.
"What are you upset about?
Because I don't like Hannity?"
It's people like you that give this blog validation. As I have stated...I have always respected your posts, and I do apologize for my initial reaction.
Sometimes you baffle me with your responses. I know you don't always agree, yet you seem to "put things mildly"
"It's people like you that give this blog validation."
Hhmmmm... sorry to disappoint you. Not sure why my presence here is any different or "validating" than yours.
My main point was that this Gracedale "discussion" is all venom and blather. Instead of discussing anything it's people supposedly taking the moral high ground while simultaneously calling names. It's bizzaro land.
Every time a substantive point is made to show that there are questionable "facts" being thrown around about the "need" to get Gracedale into private hands is is dismissed by O'Hare as hate speech. You tea party folks ignore the points and just repeat the stuff O'Hare shovels.
You don't trust Washington and Obama but you swallow the crap from Stoffa and Angle as O'Hare dutifully reports it.
You tell me how is that not a bit strange.
"You tell me how is that not a bit strange."
Uhmmm... one group is spending money we don't have, the other is trying not to do that?
The only point I've seen that makes sense is that Gracedale could break even or make a profit under proper management. But then it's lost with the demonizing rhetoric that comes along with it.
The counterpoint is that being at the mercy of whichever politician gets in office every other year is no way to run such a facility. Maybe this is one point everyone can agree on?
And maybe what previous administrations have agreed to in regards to pension benefits are proving to be unsustainable in the long run. If the facility cannot generate enough profit to satisfy these contractual obligations it's the taxpayer who is left holding the bag.
Maybe what really get's under my skin about this whole deal is that I've personally experienced plant closings and sales in the past. So I do understand the gut wrenching position that the workers are in. But it's going to be a sale, (which beats a closing) and life will go on. Nobody owes anybody a job without end or without change... welcome to the real word.
It looks like they are approaching the required number of signatures for the petition. I think it will be either closed or funded, not sold. And if they don't fund it, it should get interesting when they park all the wheelchairs at the curb. I have a question why does no one blink when the school taxes increase hundreds of dollars a year? To fund lavish benefits and pension plans?
Wayne I can see that you have closed your mind to anything other than the so called facts from Angle/Stoffa as dutifully reported by O'Hare. They have some facts but not all the facts. In fact, they purposely have excluded many facts that have been presented and O'Hare claims are bogus thug opinions. If you want the sky to be green and get enough people to scream it is green and pay a company to say its green, its green-right?
Sadly, the reactionaries will win this one. The votes are there to sell Gracedale. This deal was done before the end of last year. The sad thing beyond betraying generations of elderly taxpayers is that it is all based on a very flawed and skewed report.
As to previous Administrations versus this one. This Administration gave Human Service employees upwards of 8 to 9% annual raises based on the payscale. Something not done for over eight years previously.
So if pensions and benefits are unsustainable maybe you should fact check the Stoffa Administration's liberal contracts over four years as well as getting a new healthcare Administrator that has increased their fee to manage the County's health care by double digits. Again all provable facts. Just not the right facts, right!
Pax
Wayne I can see that you have closed your mind to anything other than the so called facts from Angle/Stoffa as dutifully reported by O'Hare. They have some facts but not all the facts. In fact, they purposely have excluded many facts that have been presented and O'Hare claims are bogus thug opinions. If you want the sky to be green and get enough people to scream it is green and pay a company to say its green, its green-right?
Sadly, the reactionaries will win this one. The votes are there to sell Gracedale. This deal was done before the end of last year. The sad thing beyond betraying generations of elderly taxpayers is that it is all based on a very flawed and skewed report.
As to previous Administrations versus this one. This Administration gave Human Service employees upwards of 8 to 9% annual raises based on the payscale. Something not done for over eight years previously.
So if pensions and benefits are unsustainable maybe you should fact check the Stoffa Administration's liberal contracts over four years as well as getting a new healthcare Administrator that has increased their fee to manage the County's health care by double digits. Again all provable facts. Just not the right facts, right!
Pax
Wayne I can see that you have closed your mind to anything other than the so called facts from Angle/Stoffa as dutifully reported by O'Hare. They have some facts but not all the facts. In fact, they purposely have excluded many facts that have been presented and O'Hare claims are bogus thug opinions. If you want the sky to be green and get enough people to scream it is green and pay a company to say its green, its green-right?
Sadly, the reactionaries will win this one. The votes are there to sell Gracedale. This deal was done before the end of last year. The sad thing beyond betraying generations of elderly taxpayers is that it is all based on a very flawed and skewed report.
As to previous Administrations versus this one. This Administration gave Human Service employees upwards of 8 to 9% annual raises based on the payscale. Something not done for over eight years previously.
So if pensions and benefits are unsustainable maybe you should fact check the Stoffa Administration's liberal contracts over four years as well as getting a new healthcare Administrator that has increased their fee to manage the County's health care by double digits. Again all provable facts. Just not the right facts, right!
Pax
Anonymous said...
"Wayne I can see that you have closed your mind to anything other..."
I don't dispute that politicians haven't screwed up in running Gracedale or Human Services in general. This administration is certainly not exempt. But unfortunately all that argues in favor of taking it out of the politicians hands. Even if you play the blame game and prove that it's all Angle/Stoffa's fault, (and for all I know it could be) it doesn't change that fact.
What have I been asking? How many people are losing their jobs? Why is the mere possibility of one of these jobs being lost a moral dilemma while private sector jobs are lost everyday? So if I'm a closed minded person at least I'm asking questions...
Wayne I think the point Pax made and very well, is that for over forty five years Gracedale has been run quite well, in fact better than many private homes. Over the past four years with a County Executive and a Council President that are salivating over selling the Home, it has run deficits.
Not a very convincing argument of anything other than this crowd has a specific agenda, sell Gracedale. They have proved nothing other than they are good at marketing the "plan" to sell Gracedale.
Points understood. But just why did our villainous politicians want to dump Gracedale in the first place? And what's to prevent future politicians from being just as perfidious as our present ones? The charge that politicians have gotten us here is a one that argues for the sale. Or promise me we'll always elect competent officials...
I also think linking this to the jobs issue (which could really be a none issue with a sale) is killing this save Gracedale movement. In the real world jobs are not guaranteed. I know it's gut wrenching when your bread n' butter is up for sale but it happens all the time in the private sector. But after it's over you see that it's not the end of the world crisis that it seems like right now.
A concerned resident group without the employee and union backing would gain much greater sympathy.
And then maybe a real discussion about gov't run vs private run could take place.
Bernie...why don't you tell them WHERE they were standing. At the 911 entrance on GRACEDALE AVENUE......not even anywhere close to where the rally was. You know it.....everybody that was there knows it, thinking you should start telling the truth and not edit your little flip cam to try to make it look different. I didn't see a one person on your video handing out political info where the rally was because if there was, you would have had it on your little toy. YOU ARE SUCH A PHONY BERNIE O'HARE!
I have a video posted on this blog that shows that political activity occurred inside Gracedale grounds, away from the exit and entrance, near the 911 center. I never said it occurred at the rally itself.
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