Get Off On The Bad Foot

The hapless Troy City Council Democrats are starting 2009 like they spent most of 2008: In a state of chaos and confusion. Democrats want to hire a counsel so they can have someone on staff to continually get beaten badly by Mayor Tutunjian on every issue imaginable. So Democrats planned to get the spending approved by the new counsel last week, except they didn't properly call the meeting. This is only about the 113th time that has happened in the last year or so, which brings us to two important questions:

1. What the hell does the Council Democrat's staff do all day? Troy taxpayers spend what, $400,000 a year for the Council office, yet every other meeting has an error or deficiency or lawsuit or something screwed up. Calling a meeting isn't complicated, for those keeping score at home. You pick a copy of the City Charter, read it, and follow the rules. The difference between the efficient way Republicans managed the office and the way Democrats have fouled up the works  during the last year is telling. Democrats promised to be more open, and, at least on the office management issue, they have been open. They have screwed up the Council office so badly, so often, that everyone knows it is a disaster. For an office of several so-called professionals, and six Council member,s to not have read the City Charter at this time is absolutely stunning. From reading the article in The Record, Council Democrats seemed surprised to learn about certain sections of the Charter.
2. Isn't there a recession or something going on? If there is, and President-elect The One seems to think there is, then why are Council Democrats looking to spend more hard-earned taxpayer money? Can't they wait until President-elect The One magically restores the U.S. economy and brings peace to the Mideast, mostly on the strength of his spell-binding speeches and several times a day workouts, and then hire the counsel? And once they have hired the counsel, then taxpayers can rest easy, knowing Council Democrats are losing arguments and cases while spending a lot of taxpayer money for legal advice. Resting easy and sipping a newly taxable diet soft drink of their choice, listening to newly taxed digital music, etc.