Next Tuesday, the county commission will once again have the chance to end the 5% contribution madness. At this point, from what I am hearing, most everyone is fine with the decision the hospital workers got from Migoya, the head of the hospital. For the Jackson employees, 3% of the payroll deduction goes away on January 1st and the remaining 2% will stop on September 30th. Good enough. At least this healthcare “smoke and mirrors” contribution, a payroll deduction that has been in place since 2009, will be over with this year.
The best thing that could happen on Tuesday is the Stingy Five don’t arrive - on time. The five commissioners that have been siding with the Mayor – Heyman, Zapata, Bovo, Bell and Sosa – should show some courage and independence and just miss the veto override vote. They should arrive after the motion to override the veto has been approved! Here are some ready-made excuses for missing the vote:
Ø Bell: “I was meeting with the Superintendent Kimball of Everglades National Park. I had this bold idea to share with him. I think we should put a chain link fence around the River of Grass. It will keep the water in the Park.”
Ø Heyman: “ I was at a National Association of County conference. I never miss a tax-paid junket. I was at the Healthy Counties Conference in San Diego and my return flight was delayed.”
Ø Zapata: “I live in Kendall. Hay mucho trafico.” (actually I was at the Property Appraiser's office but don't tell anyone.)
Ø Bovo: “ I was busy helping Mayor Hernandez remove signs off of government buildings in Hialeah.”
Ø Sosa: “With all the bad weather, I was busy pumping water out of West Miami. You know, the little city where I live is a drainage basin for Coral Gables.”
We will not be upset if any one of the five arrives late on Tuesday. Even better, one of the five could just tell the Mayor they are sick and tired of him and his little veto pen. Tell Gimenez to just keep that thing in his pocket! It is time to quit messing with the employees. Let us have a final decision on Tuesday. To the eight commissioners who have been voting to end this unjustified paycheck deduction, we wish you success on Tuesday.
5 comments:
Norma Rae - If nothing else, your one liners about the commissioners proposed tardiness are priceless & spot on!
Good luck and I hope your prophecy comes true. I also hope the voters don't re elect anyone of them, or Zapata for property appraiser!
He may really need for this to go away, and now.
In a backhanded way the mayor's union busting has backfired. The rank and file have become so demoralized by the "not on my watch" position of the mayor some have quit the union.. This is not good in an election year when the national needs boots on the ground, so the AFL-CIO has sent their big guns in to re-invinvigorate and mobilize the ASFCME locals.. Lots or resources from Washington and local organizing are going to take place and if this 5% is still around it makes it far easier to mobilize angry workers.
Carlos may be able to battle Rivera but get Rivera and Andy Madtes on the same page and Carlos has a knife in a gun fight.
At the very least it's Bye Bye Bell. Hello Cava.
The Mayor is so absorbed with finding a way to pose with Beckham that he may forget about this veto. He cancelled the Wednesday meeting of his Library Task Force so he can be available for Beckham. He is so excited to being hanging with Big Money that he may not care if the Commission votes to restore the worker's pay checks. Victory for the county employees is looking like a real possibility.
Penelas built the Basketball Arena, Alvarez built the Baseball Stadium, and Gimenez has tried to put awnings on Joe Robbie, but will settle for a Soccer Stadium. Vanity, vanity, all vanity.
They may use a different excuse, but the word is that one of the five is not coming Tuesday morning. Madam Sosa, call the item as soon as you have quorum. The Charter requires this to be the first action item of the day. Don't waste any time.
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