Jim Matthews Gives Joe Hoeffel His Wish:

Attack the employees, drive them to a union.

(click image to enlarge)

Thanks, Jim.


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Q. How Can You Tell Jimbo is Lying?

A. His lips are moving.

On Thursday, the Intelligencer's own Margaret Gibbons reported on Judge Nicholas' ruling that the ethics policy doesn't apply to elected row officers or their staff, because they operate independently of the Board of Commissioners.

RINO Commissioner Chairman Jimbo Matthews gave the following quotes to Ms. Gibbons concerning the failed attempt of his bad policy:

Matthews said that one of the major reasons he worked to include the district attorney’s office in the ethics legislation was to get back at Castor, his former running mate, because of Castor’s attempt to use the same legislation to go after his friends in county government. This would include long time Matthews ally, county Solicitor Barry M. Miller who worked on various Matthews political campaigns.

“I wanted him (Castor) to hurt, to feel the pain,” said Matthews. “He (Castor) was directing all his efforts at my friends so they could not be in politics, so I figured we could throw in the DA’s office and see if he likes that.”

Matthews said he will seek the repeal of the ethics legislation now that Nicholas has ruled that it does not apply to the personnel in the row offices, claiming it is not fair to other employees to have restrictions while row office employees have none.

Read that last paragraph again, friends:

Matthews said he will seek the repeal of the ethics legislation now that Nicholas has ruled that it does not apply to the personnel in the row offices, claiming it is not fair to other employees to have restrictions while row office employees have none.

Matthews gave interviews to more than one paper that day...here's what was reported by Derrick Nunnaly of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews said yesterday that he would request that other row offices file their own court petitions to clarify whether the policy can apply to them.

(click on the red link below to read the Inquirer article:)


Judge sets exemptions to Montco ethics rules
By Derrick Nunnally
Inquirer Staff Writer

An employee ethics policy that Montgomery County passed in April does not apply to workers in the sheriff's and District Attorney's Offices, a judge ruled yesterday.
Common Pleas Court Judge William T. Nicholas ruled that county commissioners "lack the authority to impose regulation on either the on-duty or off-duty conduct" of workers in the row offices.

The ethics policy barred county employees in influential jobs from running for office, managing campaigns, or conducting political fund-raising. The sheriff and district attorney sued the county separately, saying their employees' rights were unfairly imposed upon.

Of the 126 workers governed by the policy when it was implemented, one was a sheriff's employee and 45 were in the District Attorney's Office.
In an 11-page opinion, Nicholas wrote that writing employee rules was the responsibility of row officers. The ruling did not cover the seven county row offices that did not sue over the policy.

District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said the policy interfered with her authority to supervise her employees.

"It stunk of politics from the beginning, and that is why I chose to fight it," Ferman said.

County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews said yesterday that he would request that other row offices file their own court petitions to clarify whether the policy can apply to them.

County solicitor Barry Miller said he wanted to review the ruling before recommending whether to appeal. Read Full Text/Comments

Jimbo, Huffin-Stuff Won't "Budge" on Budget...

The two Montgomery County Commissioners introduced a budget for 2010 that will leave us with an $11 million shortfall. They are placing the burden of closing that gap firmly on the backs of the row officers and department heads, telling them to cut spending by at least 5 %.

They are also re-paying the county employees, who keep this squeaky wheel greased, by freezing their wages and making them pay what amounts to "dues" to work for the county now, in the form of payroll contributions toward their health care.

Some people may say "it's about time that county workers had to shoulder the burden"...but did you know that Montgomery County employees are paid considerably less than their counterparts in Philly and the surrounding counties, that the benefits package was incentive enough to take a low paying job in order to provide health care, without cost, to their families?

Looks like Matthews and Hoeffel are, in fact "Huffin-Stuff".

Every employer who is worth their salt looks for other ways to cut a budget before taking it to their employees to shoulder the burden. This county was operating with a surplus when Jimbo and Jo-Jo formed their unholy alliance, and have run that well dry in the less than two years they have been working together to effectively ruin Montgomery County. Shades of 1991, here we go again!

Jo-Jo- and JimTurd are also proposing that the county self-insure, stating that Blue Cross refuses to underwrite the county employees because of a $6 million loss last year...$6 million in one year? That's the risk insurance companies take.

The lone dissenter, Republican Commissioner Bruce L. Castor, Jr., proposed that the county "exhaust other options before taking it to the employees", according to the Times Herald:

Also, he suggested changing the resolution’s language dealing with proposed benefits from “Whereas, this self insurance plan will include a modest and appropriate employee contribution for health care costs” to “may include” a worker contribution.

But citing a Jan. 1 deadline for workers to consider the Keystone HMO/Flex plan before enrolling, Matthews resisted putting off the vote.

“It seems to me you’re short-circuiting the process by not hearing the options,” Castor said.

Human Resources director Eleanor Schneider (who until this year was JimTurds secretary...no patronage here, huh?) told the commissioners employees will need December to consider the benefits plan before the end of the year.

“If we don’t have hard figures, then we can’t have open enrollment meetings,” she said.

No hard figures, but the employees have to shoulder the burden? Sounds a little short-sighted for Jimbo and Huffin-Stuff to be making the egregious suggestions without the "hard figures" in front of them, doesn't it?

Once again, it's bad governance, brought to you by a tax and spend democrat and a traitor...1991 all over again!

Read the entire Times Herald article here.


And here is the rest of it. Read Full Text/Comments

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Times Herald article on the Ethics Policy

Click here for Keith Phucas' take on the court decision.


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Matthew's Hatred For Castor Has "Jumped The Shark"

For those of you who don't know the origin of that phrase, "jumped the shark" is a reference to the sitcom "Happy Days", where, in the last season, Fonzie water skis and jumps over a vicious maneater...the ratings were suffering and this was pretty much the proverbial icing on the cake.

The show had gone form a reasonably funny period (1950's-60's) show to "jumping the shark", which has become a pop culture phrase for something that has become so utterly ridiculous, so over the top, that it's totally unbelievable.

Which brings me to this...Jimbo, JimTurd, KJIII, El Rey Trejo de Mierda has finally "jumped the shark".

The Intelligencer has posted an article today reporting on the failed ethics policy that King James and Jo-Jo Huffin-Stuff recently, in their unholy alliance, passed and made county policy. This policy named 126 county jobs where the employee was forbidden from being involved in politics. The "offender" could be fired, according to the Turd-Huffin Stuff doctrine.

Fortunately, two of our county row officers, Sheriff John Durante and District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman filed suit against the commissioners (who voted 2-1 to pass, with Republican Commissioner Bruce L. Castor, Jr., the sole dissenter) to squash this egregious policy.

Judge William T. Nicholas found in favor of the DA and the Sheriff, citing that

"The county commissioners have no legal authority to hire, fire or supervise the employees of county row officers [...]".

District Attorney Ferman had this to add,

"From the beginning, this has been a fight for the independence of the district attorney’s office...It was very troubling to me when two of the county commissioners took an action that was clearly designed to control the district attorney’s office and regulate the employees of an independently elected row officer.

There is nothing more important to me than the ethics and integrity of the district attorney’s office but the regulation of our employees comes from us, not from other people with other agendas"

And what was said agenda you may ask? Well, your humble blogger knew this all along, but JimTurd's world is crumbling around him...from "The Intelligencer":

Matthews said that one of the major reasons he worked to include the district attorney’s office in the ethics legislation was to get back at Castor, his former running mate, because of Castor’s attempt to use the same legislation to go after his friends in county government. This would include long time Matthews ally, county Solicitor Barry M. Miller who worked on various Matthews political campaigns.

“I wanted him (Castor) to hurt, to feel the pain,” said Matthews. “He (Castor) was directing all his efforts at my friends so they could not be in politics, so I figured we could throw in the DA’s office and see if he likes that.”

Matthews said he will seek the repeal of the ethics legislation now that Nicholas has ruled that it does not apply to the personnel in the row offices, claiming it is not fair to other employees to have restrictions while row office employees have none.

Jimbo is certainly beginning a major melt down. To use his office and public funds to further a personal vendetta is both insipid and egregious. It's also downright mad to actually admit to doing so in the newspaper.

.

We need to send Jim Matthews a message...that we, the voters and citizens of Montgomery County will not stand by and watch him or his crony Hoeffel waste our tax dollars on personal grudges. But how?

Don't support the bastard. Don't go to his fundraisers. Don't invite him to yours. He's been formally censured by the Montgomery County Republican Committee...if he seeks re-election or pursues further office, let him be Marcel Groen's problem.

Read the entire "Intelligencer" article, byMargaret Gibbons, here

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!





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Sheriff Sounds off on County's Proposed Health Care Changes

(re-printed from the Intelligencer...Margaret Gibbons reported this well enough that I need not comment)

Sheriff blasts moves to cut Montco benefits

Requiring Montgomery County government employees to pick up part of the tab for their health care benefits, freezing their salaries and instituting payless holidays could jeopardize public safety, according to county Sheriff John P. Durante.

"I will say for the record that these proposed changes in next year's budget will affect public safety in a big way," said Durante, an independently elected row officer, in a letter he fired off to the three county commissioners Tuesday.

"When an emergency occurs, we will no longer be able to reach personnel because they will be away working part-time jobs to pay for their benefits and to support their families," said Durante, adding that he is opposed to all three measures.

At least one commissioner, Republican Bruce L. Castor Jr., is inclined to agree with Durante.

"I think John is probably right," said Castor. "All employees on the lower pay scales likely will have to take second jobs and they might not be available if an emergency comes up and they are needed by the sheriff's office or the district attorney's office."

"I, personally, am reluctant to fiddle at all with health insurance," said Castor.

The commissioners are struggling to close a projected $53.5 million funding gap in 2010 without having to increase taxes.

They have already agreed to slow down the pace of spending for the county's popular municipal open space preservation grant program and terminated four middle managers in the parks and historical sites department.

Other belt-tightening measures under discussion are freezing salaries, not paying employees for seven of the 13 holidays they have and passing on the higher costs of health insurance to employees who previously did not have to pay for health insurance for themselves or their immediate family members.

No final decisions have been made on any of these proposals that impact county employees, the commissioners have repeatedly emphasized.

However, the commissioners have been deluged with e-mails from irate county employees after sending out a memo last week with projected health care insurance costs.

For example, employees earning under $30,000 would have to pay $15 from their biweekly paychecks next year for insurance for themselves. The cost would go up to $50 a paycheck for employees wanting health insurance for themselves and two or more family members.

This is also based on a new health insurance plan that provides less coverage and also requires higher co-payments.

"We shouldn't be paying for our uncontrolled spending with employee's blood," said Castor.

Instead, Castor said, the commissioners should terminate Democratic Commissioner Joseph M. Hoeffel's "high-paid cronies who were brought on board two years ago."

Also, the county should put the county's new economic development program, spearheaded by Hoeffel, on hold until the economy turns around, said Castor.

"Let's look at everything before we look to our employees," said Castor, who is the odd man out in the bipartisan government controlled by Republican Commissioner Chairman James R. Matthews and Hoeffel.

The newspaper could not reach Hoeffel for this story.

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Nothing Is Forever...

...nothing is forever. I was thinking of that this morning and truer words have never been spoken.

This weekend, two of my very close friends each lost a parent. One lost his mom and one lost his dad, both after long illnesses. For each, this was their sole remaining parent.

I couldn't begin to fathom the grief either one are suffering right now. Both of my parents are still alive and in relatively good health. I know I feel a tremendous amount of empathy for both, and because of my relationship and friendship with each of them, their pain is also shared by me.

My friends, may you find comfort in knowing that each of your parents is not suffering anymore, and that they are now dwelling in a place that G-d has put aside for them in His house.

To my friends, know that you don't have to bear this alone...If you need anything, just call.

B.



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Fundraiser for Casey Taylor

Now that the election is over, I'd like to re-post this and ask if you'll contact me for tickets and try to attend this event...it's a worthy cause for a little baby girl who needed a liver transplant:

A while back, I posted a link and a story about a baby girl who was in desperate need of a liver transplant.

This special little girl, Casey, is the daughter of my childhood friend, "Mat" Taylor, and has a twin sister, Megan, who has thus far been healthy.

"Casey Bear" was born with a disease called "biliary atresia", which is a blockage in the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder. Casey needed an operation to clear these ducts before she was 6 months old.

Casey had the surgery, but it was unsuccessful, and she was put on a list for transplant.

After several months, Casey's outlook was getting more and more bleak. No matches were found and they started testing family members. Casey's dad was a perfect match.

Mat gave Casey part of his liver on May 21st 2009 and immediately improvements were seen. She had a few rough spots during recovery, but today, Casey is healthy and thriving and trying to catch up with her sister, Megan.

The family has racked up some serious debt between traveling to the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital for her surgery, the family traveling back and forth to stay with Casey during her recovery, the lost wages, etc. It's been a huge financial burden on them and here's why I am reporting this to you: A committee consisting of her Uncle, myself and several family friends from the Philly area have decided to plan and throw a fundraiser to raise money to offset these huge bills.

Paired with COTA (Children's Organ Transplant Association), we've hammered out all of the details and are pleased to announce that a fundraiser has been scheduled and booked for Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at McFadden's Restaurant at Citizen's Bank Park. I've attached a flyer with all of the details to this post (at the bottom). There will be a DJ for dancing, door prizes and an opportunity to win some wonderful gift baskets at the event.

Email me for tickets and more information about the event.

tickets4caseyt@gmail.com


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Montco Voters Elect 6 of 7 Republican Judges...

...and Jimbo had absolutely nothing to do with their victory.

Congratulations to MCRC Chairman Bob Kerns for his stalwart leadership in bringing 6 of his "Magnificent 7" judge candidates across the finish line.



Winning on the Republican ticket were (in no particular order): Kelly Wall, Carolyn Carluccio, Gary Silow, Pat Coonahan, Garrett Page, and Wendy Demchick-Alloy. Congratulations, Your Honors!

Congratulations to Joanna Cruz for fighting the "good fight" and working hard with the team. Hold your head high, Joanna, there is no shame in defeat. You worked just as hard as the rest of the magnificent candidates and should be very proud of yourself.

The lone democrat winner was that woman who ran several failed races trying to pick off Jim Gerlach's congressional seat...Lois something or other...

All in all, a great night for Montco Republicans, with Abington retaining it's 6 incumbent commissioners, picking up a few seats county wide, at least three District Justices, and personally, we won our first contested constable race right here in Whitemarsh (at least since I've been involved in local politics...Congrats Constable-elect Nancy Walter!

It's 2:52 am, and time for me to finally get to bed (I've been up for the past 21 hours and a little bit tired). Good Morning, to all and have a pleasant day!



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