Comments on: Federal Grand Jury Investigating Langford Financial Dealings and JeffCo Bond Mess http://www.queervoice.net/kmcmullen/2008/05/16/federal-grand-jury-investigating-langford-financial-dealings-and-jeffco-bond-mess/ Suburban Mom-Employed-Outside-the-Home Gone Bad Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:30:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Kathy http://www.queervoice.net/kmcmullen/2008/05/16/federal-grand-jury-investigating-langford-financial-dealings-and-jeffco-bond-mess/#comment-235423 Kathy Mon, 19 May 2008 17:40:25 +0000 http://www.queervoice.net/kmcmullen/?p=2324#comment-235423 Seems Larry wants everyone to feel the pain -- everyone but him. Seems Larry wants everyone to feel the pain — everyone but him.

]]> By: ALmod http://www.queervoice.net/kmcmullen/2008/05/16/federal-grand-jury-investigating-langford-financial-dealings-and-jeffco-bond-mess/#comment-235402 ALmod Mon, 19 May 2008 15:49:19 +0000 http://www.queervoice.net/kmcmullen/?p=2324#comment-235402 I do so hope that they get him soon-- before his actions start having a more direct impact on my family's well being. This yahoo doesn't seem to realize that no matter how much gunk you clear from a drain pipe, you can't fit an elephant through to the other side. If you have a $300 million budget, you won't get $1 billion in ideas to be paid for no matter how many budget cuts you make. And now he wants to cut the city employee pay increases and have them pay roughly $200/month more for health insurance. Now, imagine if you suddenly had a $200/month bill added to everything else rising in cost. (No, these are not your politicians who make a ton of money and they're not the consultants. Those aren't the paychecks that Langford wants to cut. We're referring to the Joe average who just happens to work at City Hall and makes roughly $50k/year.) Langford's saying that employees should "share the burden." Last I checked, they were paying taxes paid to both Birmingham and Jefferson County, even if they don't live in either one and can't vote for the very people who set those taxes. Then consider that Langford argues that "nobody [pays a similar percentage of health insurance] but the government." Yes, and nobody pays as little for the work, either. Private businesses make up for what they don't pay in benefits in salary. The only way that government can compete is with better benefits and job security. Speaking of job security, did I mention that Langford is discussing job cuts? Whatever happened to letting attrition take it's course? Wasn't that what we were told was going to happen just a few months ago? Private businesses can also get away with exchanging personal favors for contracts. Government can not. When will Langford learn that government and private businesses are not the same? (I might mention... Even if Langford WAS running a private business, he'd suck at it for not being able to do simple math.) I do so hope that they get him soon– before his actions start having a more direct impact on my family’s well being. This yahoo doesn’t seem to realize that no matter how much gunk you clear from a drain pipe, you can’t fit an elephant through to the other side. If you have a $300 million budget, you won’t get $1 billion in ideas to be paid for no matter how many budget cuts you make. And now he wants to cut the city employee pay increases and have them pay roughly $200/month more for health insurance. Now, imagine if you suddenly had a $200/month bill added to everything else rising in cost. (No, these are not your politicians who make a ton of money and they’re not the consultants. Those aren’t the paychecks that Langford wants to cut. We’re referring to the Joe average who just happens to work at City Hall and makes roughly $50k/year.)

Langford’s saying that employees should “share the burden.” Last I checked, they were paying taxes paid to both Birmingham and Jefferson County, even if they don’t live in either one and can’t vote for the very people who set those taxes. Then consider that Langford argues that “nobody [pays a similar percentage of health insurance] but the government.” Yes, and nobody pays as little for the work, either. Private businesses make up for what they don’t pay in benefits in salary. The only way that government can compete is with better benefits and job security. Speaking of job security, did I mention that Langford is discussing job cuts? Whatever happened to letting attrition take it’s course? Wasn’t that what we were told was going to happen just a few months ago?

Private businesses can also get away with exchanging personal favors for contracts. Government can not. When will Langford learn that government and private businesses are not the same? (I might mention… Even if Langford WAS running a private business, he’d suck at it for not being able to do simple math.)

]]>