Our governing class gives us more reasons to distrust them
Two weeks have passed since voters across most of Georgia rejected their region’s T-SPLOST proposals in a display of distrust in government. Unfortunately, that’s plenty of time for members of our governing class to provide new reasons to be wary of them.
The most egregious of the new bad examples comes courtesy of an organization whose project became a lightning rod during metro Atlanta’s T-SPLOST debate: the Beltline.
The 22-mile loop of trails, parks and transit ringing Atlanta’s urban core is supposed to herald yet another renaissance for the city of perpetual rebirth. Instead, a series of investigative stories by the AJC’s Greg Bluestein has uncovered an all too familiar sight: flip disregard for the public, this time in the expense reports of Beltline employees. These workers might not be public officials in the traditional sense, but they do have access to tax dollars.
And my, how they’ve used that access. Wedding gifts, a parking ticket and a dry cleaning bill, and pricey hotel stays, dinners and drinks from sea to shining sea: The public has been awfully generous to the Beltline staff, thanks to the Beltline staff.
Beltline executives, including CEO Brian Leary, filed for taxpayer-funded reimbursement of these and other expenses. Now that they’ve been caught, they’re repaying the public for some inappropriate ones. So far, taxpayers have recovered $750. Yet to be repaid, among other things, is a $2,100 charge for foods and drinks for “staff development” at a Braves game.
Who do these guys think they are, state legislators? Were all the lobbyists out of town?
Seriously, though: While the dollar amounts associated with these purchases may be relatively small, the attitude they reveal — a parking ticket? really? — bears the same sense of entitlement and disdain for taxpayers we’ve come to expect in many public, ahem, servants.
I like the Beltline in principle. But its inclusion as a project to alleviate metro traffic congestion, to the tune of 10 percent of the regional funds to be raised by the 10-year T-SPLOST, was unjustifiable. Don’t take my word for it: Take the words of T-SPLOST defenders who, when challenged about the project’s ability to ease gridlock, tended to change the topic to economic development or more popular road projects.
Now, the tradeoff for a shot at more than $600 million and a speedier building of parts of the Beltline may be the perception among suburbanites that Atlanta wanted them to subsidize its newest toy train. When it should have been working to repair its image, the Beltline now faces the task of living down its staff’s high living.
Speaking of living on high, ivory-tower types struck a blow for themselves last week when the Board of Regents of Georgia’s university system named a consolidated school after … the Board of Regents.
Georgia Regents University is the new name of the colleges formerly known as Augusta State University and the Georgia Health Sciences University, itself known until recent years as the Medical College of Georgia. This name has the benefit of appealing to the 17 regents who voted for it and, as near as I can tell, not one other person on the planet.
A branding survey conducted by Kennesaw State University for the regents, first obtained and reported by the Augusta Chronicle, found “Georgia Regents University” wasn’t even on the original short list of names. When it did appear in a second survey, it ranked fifth out of seven choices, besting only “Georgia Excelsior University” and “Bartram University,” while trailing the likes of “Georgia United University” and “Georgia Eastern University.”
(That unimpressive list of choices and the hideous new license plate leads one to conclude our government certainly can’t be trusted when it comes to creative endeavors.)
“Georgia Regents University” allegedly was chosen to avoid the regionalism that might have come with a name including “Augusta,” but three to four times as many people surveyed nationally thought “University of Augusta” better reflected the words “national,” “excellence” and “prestige.”
The Chronicle reported the president of the combined university, Ricardo Azziz, “says the name Georgia Regents University recognizes that it is the first research university established by the Board of Regents.”
If you’re not a regent and that thought either occurred or matters to you, congratulations: You’re qualified to join Georgia’s governing class. Keep that attitude, and you’ll go a long way here.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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113 comments Add your comment
iggy
August 16th, 2012
9:47 am
Run the lottery? Shirley Franklin? No?
Oblama
August 16th, 2012
9:47 am
Sounds a lot like the way the city of Atlanta runs the airport concessions, etc. Crooked to the bone. To much gub’ment bureaucracy and waste. To much Obamanation.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 16th, 2012
9:48 am
Yeah -
The Social Security Administration is seeking quotations for ammunition.
LINE ITEM 001: .357 Duty Carry Sig 125 grain bonded JHP hollow point bullet ammunition for Law Enforcement. Item description: GSB357SB/29408 357 SIG BJHP B: Quantity: 174 TH
The small business size standard is 1000 employees. The North America Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 332992.
This acquisition is being conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items and Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures.
This procurement is being issued as a 100% Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside. Quotations submitted from other than Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small businesses will not be considered. The incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through the latest Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-60 (JULY 2012). This request for quotation is identified as Solicitation # SSA-RFQ-12-1851.
cc
August 16th, 2012
9:49 am
The purchase of vast quantities of ammunition by non-military government agencies is a fact not reported by the media. The evidence is there and the only question can be, “Why?”
Even a simpleton can connect the dots and arrive at a logical conclusion. You can poke fum at “Curious George” but you are an idiot if you don’t consider the possibilities . . .
Cyril
August 16th, 2012
9:50 am
As for the Beltline, I won’t speak up to defend the use of public money in the ways presented by the AJC (ignorance of the law is still ignorance after all), but I will point out that many of the folks who run the organization and staff it came from the private sector. In their former world, such expenses may have been more palatable. It’s likely that most of them have never had to deal directly with public money and did not understand the limits placed on its use. Therefore, I am less interested in what they have been found to be doing previously, than what they will do in the future.
One last thought though, I hope the irony isn’t lost on those who are always calling for the government to be run like the business sector.
JohnnyReb
August 16th, 2012
9:56 am
re, non-military purchase of ammunition.
Sounds like some bureaucrat is at least smart enough to realize that should Oblama be reelected there are too many conservatives to let him dismantle the country without a fight.
I never thought of the above until Obama, but then again I never thought there were enough people with their voting head up their behind to elect someone like Obama.
Curious George
August 16th, 2012
9:57 am
East Lake Ira,
How big is the “2 O 1 2″ sticker on the bag of your vehicle, the one that (apparently) doesn’t have a working turn signal?
JohnnyReb
August 16th, 2012
9:59 am
Cyril @ 9:50.
I don’t know which private sector company influenced you to believe as you do, but my 40 year experience showed me that anyone doing what the belt line staff did would have one foot out the door. Any company that does not operate that way is not long for this world.
The Belt Line staff shannigans are typical of Liberals who constantly want someone else to pay their way.
RW-(the original)
August 16th, 2012
9:59 am
I find it very hard to believe the AJC didn’t have this story before the tsplost vote. They might think it makes them look good for running it at all but the impression I get is that they didn’t want it to negatively affect the vote, but now that the tax went down they can get this out of the way and pat themselves on the back for their great journalism.
massachusetts refugee
August 16th, 2012
10:00 am
we get the government we deserve. until or unless the electorate – and the media – weans itself from the “housewives of the jersey shore dancing with american idol” culture they are adicted to, nothing will ever ever change.
JohnnyReb
August 16th, 2012
10:03 am
RW – the AJC did run the story on belt line staff expense abuse before the TSPLOST vote. I was surprised, but they did.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 16th, 2012
10:03 am
Our choices here being; a regime that thinks so little of their citizens that they put out a moron presentation called “The Life of Julia” to try and sell you into a life of government dependency, or a regime that is too stupid to see the moronic qualities of a presentation called the “Life of Julia.”
Either one of them works for me.
And they both lead right down the same road that Assad in Syria has traveled on, shooting up those who don’t agree with you.
You should be worried. Very worried.
saywhat?
August 16th, 2012
10:05 am
Curious George
August 16th, 2012
8:53 am
What exactly does the National Weather Service need with their newly acquired 300 million rounds of “cop killer” bullets that shred through bullet-proof vests and body organs?
________________________________________________________
I’m thinking they are going to do the world a favor and shoot all the climate change deniers, but then I’m an optimist.
@@
August 16th, 2012
10:07 am
AmVet:
I voted for the third-party candidate, Monds…knowing full-well that he had no experience…much like Obama.
Here in my neck of the woods (Clayton County) I’m probably going to end up with Victor Hill as Sheriff. Why? Because he’s convinced Clayton County voters that he’s better at fighting crime than our current Sheriff.
Here’s the problem…Sheriffs don’t deal with crime. It’s the Police Department that does that. The Sheriff runs the jail and issues warrants. While Victor may have run the jail, he accumulated an unprecedented number of unserved warrants.
I’m actively campaigning against the little dic-tater.
I do the best I can with what’s available to me.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
August 16th, 2012
10:08 am
There is some personality change that takes over people, when some one brands them as elite or gives them a position of authority over others. It seems to last until they leave those positions, and magically they become real people again, demanding government be accountable. For a very few, they seem immune to this change. Maybe we could develop a vaccine, otherwise beware of government.
Trolls Bane
August 16th, 2012
10:11 am
Wow … the management took thier staff out to a Braves game with dinner and etc? Happens in corporate America from time to time ….. but I guess we have different standards when it comes to public projects that someone doesn’t like
Matz
August 16th, 2012
10:11 am
JohnnyReb @ 9:56,
That sounds like TRAITOR talk to me. Did I misread you? Or are you really hoping that federal agents will use those bullets on a sitting American President because you’ve decided you don’t like the choice the American people made?
East Lake Ira
August 16th, 2012
10:11 am
Curious: I have two stickers for Obama, thanks for asking!
Why are you pushing a story by Alex Jones – a known “Truther” – that has been debunked? This guy believes the Aurora shootings were part of a plot by Obama to take away our guns for goodness sake.
The bullets are going to Law Enforcement divisions of the agencies, idiot.
RW-(the original)
August 16th, 2012
10:13 am
RW – the AJC did run the story on belt line staff expense abuse before the TSPLOST vote. I was surprised, but they did.
I stand corrected and withdraw my complaint. Thanks JohnnyReb
Ben
August 16th, 2012
10:13 am
A friend was whining about her 45 minute commute and how Atlantans are so stupid for not passing T-SPLOST so her commute would be quicker.
Sorry honey, you made the choice to live far away from work. It’s not like traffic here is a surprise. Don’t get mad at me for not wanting to spend money to fix your life. I made the intelligent decision to move closer to my job. I know that’s difficult for some people, but that’s life. You want a bigger, cheaper house out in the boonies, that’s fine. Just don’t complain about how your commute sucks, it’s a choice you made.
And I’m not surprised some environmental groups were against T-SPLOST. They love live/work/play communities and would prefer everyone lived near their jobs. Traffic is an incentive for that.
SlickRick - glad to no longer be suffering through Fratboy George's ineptocracy
August 16th, 2012
10:17 am
Surprisingly civil this morning. Has Tiberius been banned, temporarily or otherwise?
On topic: Not sure what your thesis is today, Kyle; the article seems a bit muddled. It’s clear you’re focusing on local politics, which would beg the following question: if “our governing class gives us more reasons to distrust them,” and if said governing class is controlled by conservatives, why not vote the other side in to see if trust levels will rise? One way or another, they can’t get any lower.
Kyle Wingfield
August 16th, 2012
10:20 am
I am constantly amazed at some people’s ability to justify or pooh-pooh this kind of behavior. The number of dollars attached to these expenses is immaterial. It’s the attitude. If you know they’ll be indiscriminate about spending your money — and if you live in Atlanta, as I do, it is your money they’re spending — on the small things, what possible confidence can you have in their good stewardship of your money when there are a lot more zeroes and commas involved?
As for the comparisons to the private sector: If someone doesn’t understand they can’t spend tax dollars the way they would spend private dollars, they cannot be trusted with tax dollars. The two are not the same. It’s that simple — all the more so in a time of declining tax revenues!
cc
August 16th, 2012
10:21 am
East Lake Ira:
“The bullets are going to Law Enforcement divisions of the agencies”
So tell us, exactly how many law enforcement officer does NOAA have, idiot?
JohnnyReb
August 16th, 2012
10:21 am
Matz @ 10:11
Where did you learn to read? Your comprehension skills are lacking and you have quite the imagination. No one threatened little Barry.
Instead, it appears there is government concern that reelection of Obama will lead to unprecidented civil unrest. I think that is a legitimate concern. If Obama is reelected and continues to destroy the country, conservatives will not stand for it.
Common Sense
August 16th, 2012
10:22 am
“Wow … the management took thier staff out to a Braves game with dinner and etc? Happens in corporate America from time to time ….. but I guess we have different standards when it comes to public projects that someone doesn’t like”
The part that you do not seem to grasp is that they are not in corporate America. Know how we hear all those great quotes about their sacrifice in public service? Today there is no sacrifice.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 16th, 2012
10:25 am
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration now has a “law enforcement” agency?
Not much schooling out in East Lake, eh?
@@
August 16th, 2012
10:26 am
National Weather Service “ammunition” solicitation triggers confusion
But NWS spokesman Chris Vaccaro said the ammunition is not for the NWS. And, in fact, despite the fact the solicitation says NWS “requires” the ammunition, the same solicitation indicates the ammunition is to be delivered to the “NMFS” – which stands for National Marine Fisheries Service. Like the NWS, NMFS is housed under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
What NMFS is doing with the ammunition is another question. It may support its law enforcement function, described by NOAA accordingly:
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is dedicated to enforcing laws that conserve and protect our nation’s living marine resources and their natural habitat. Our goal is to assure that the many people who enjoy these resources for recreation or rely on them for business follow the rules that will maintain the species for future generations.
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement protects fish stocks from depletion and marine mammals from extinction. We also protect the livelihoods of commercial fishers, the hobbies of recreational fishers, and the health of seafood consumers
So what? If an angler goes over the limit, they shoot ‘em?
cc
August 16th, 2012
10:26 am
Kyle Wingfield:
“I am constantly amazed at some people’s ability to justify or pooh-pooh this kind of behavior.”
It appears that there truly is a culture of corruption at play from the lowest levels of local government to the highest levels of national government. The politicians always work on the theory that voters have short memories – and they are udually correct.
Matz
August 16th, 2012
10:29 am
JohnnyReb,
Thanks for the clarification! I’m a little on edge these days. So, when you say, ” If Obama is reelected and continues to destroy the country, conservatives will not stand for it,” do you include yourself in that group who “will not stand for it?” and if so, what exactly do YOU mean by that?
Common Sense
August 16th, 2012
10:29 am
And by treaty these bullets are considered too damaging to be used in military conflicts. They are for domestic use only.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 16th, 2012
10:31 am
@@ – It sounds like if the Sturgeon you caught is a half inch under the limit, it’s the double tap for you.
Or a ruse, one.
@@
August 16th, 2012
10:33 am
(D)ingo ALERT @ 10:17!
cc
August 16th, 2012
10:33 am
@@:
“So what? If an angler goes over the limit, they shoot ‘em?”
They now have enough ammo to start and end a small war. The anglers, armed with their rods, lures and tackle are a formiddable adversary!
SlickRick - glad to no longer be suffering through Fratboy George's ineptocracy
August 16th, 2012
10:41 am
(R)egressive (r)ecidivist (r)ears ugly head at 10:33 and before.
Schnirt
They BOTH suck
August 16th, 2012
10:42 am
Only blogger with a post at 10:17 was SlickRick.
Is that who @@ was referring to? His blogging name will suffice
SlickRick - glad to no longer be suffering through Fratboy George's ineptocracy
August 16th, 2012
10:44 am
They BOTH suck – Genius!!! Or is it “genius???”?
They BOTH suck
August 16th, 2012
10:45 am
Kyle
Thanks you as well as all others at the AJC for your continued effort to call out these scoundrels. Whether it be the upstanding Gwinnett Cty commissioners, State Reps as well as anyone connected to the Belt Line.
Call them out.
Thanks
1961_Xer
August 16th, 2012
10:45 am
. In their former world, such expenses may have been more palatable. It’s likely that most of them have never had to deal directly with public money and did not understand the limits placed on its use.
Every time someone in this forum makes excuses for these people, they are merely presenting a more solid case NOT to give them more tax dollars. It is not the responsibility of auditors and taxpayers to educate them on proper use of taxpayer funds. It the responsibility of beltway executives and employees to know the proper use of taxpayer money BEFORE they spend a dime of it.
Hillbilly D
August 16th, 2012
10:45 am
Doesn’t matter if you steal a dime or a million dollars, you’re a thief, either way.
It’s true this occurs in private business, as well, but that’s between the company and the thief. This is the people’s money.
Cyril
August 16th, 2012
10:46 am
@ Kyle 10:20am, I’m not sure who that is directed at, but I’ll reiterate what I said, “ignorance of the law is still ignorance.” Also as a resident of the City of Atlanta, I do wonder if their ignorance of the law is what caused the issue. As I said, it was good the AJC caught the issue, and as I understand it from the article the money is being repaid for ineligible items. I’m just not sure this is a witch hunt able offense as you now seem to be making it. I’ll sit back now, and I’ll make a note on my calendar for one year from now to see the AJC doing a follow up story on the Beltline future expenditures. I’m sure that will be forthcoming whether the results of the AJC’s analysis comes out bad OR good, right?
JohnnyReb
August 16th, 2012
10:48 am
Matz – I think if Obama is reelected and continues down the socialist path transforming the country, we could have a civil war.
There is also the very real possibility of civil unrest, especially from those who cling to the Democrats, when entitlement programs are cut. And, they will be cut regardless of which party is in power.
As for me personally, I intend to protect my family and what we have. If civil war errupts, now which side do you think I will march?
SlickRick - glad to no longer be suffering through Fratboy George's ineptocracy
August 16th, 2012
10:53 am
JohnnyReb (and others):
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
Up Up and Away
August 16th, 2012
10:57 am
“There is also the very real possibility of civil unrest, especially from those who cling to the Democrats, when entitlement programs are cut. ”
And did we witness any evidence of that after welfare reform in the 90s or are you just blathering?
Surely you some substantiation and not just wishing and hoping that occurs.
Road Scholar
August 16th, 2012
11:00 am
“Workers in Colombia at General Motors Plant Sew Their Mouths Shut to Protest Backbreaking Labor Conditions”
I hope they didn’t use government sponsored thread! Get over it. Any nonprofit undergoes an audit and mistakes like these are caught and rectified. The audits are typically yearly and are needed to keep their non profit status. If you have never encountered this, you must not been doing anything!
@@: “They travelled AROUND THE NATION to gain support for a local project?:
No, how about researching existing designs, policies, and how others problems are solved? Or do you do your work in a personal vacuum, I mean, since you are sooooo knowledgeable about everything? Some things cannot be handled with a phone or a computer! Seeing it operate is different. Informal and formal conversations with people who have the same problems concerning their work can be impromptu so an understanding of all the parts of a problem can lead to more perfect solutions.
Ethics Advisor@8:47: Good Post! We need to start listening and deciding what we need…not just want! Listen to others views…you might learn something !
I report: Do you think the SSA has a security force that keeps them safe from the crazies? What do you want them to use…rubber bands?
As for the name of the university…Augusta university and Medical College. Nice. Neat. And local!
Matz
August 16th, 2012
11:05 am
JohnnyReb,
Again, thanks for clarifying your position. I’m just thankful that the hundreds of thousands of AMERICAN soldiers who gave their lives for this nation’s survival can’t read this treasonous nonsense you write here, even though they did die to protect your right to be say such things.
BTW, if you have a few extra minutes this week, you might want to look up the address of your fourth-grade teacher, drive over there, and give him or her a good slap. Your understanding of the different types of government, and the associated vocabulary, deserves worse than an “F.”
Road Scholar
August 16th, 2012
11:13 am
@@ and cc: Have you noticed lately the increase in crimes committed with guns? Add to it the reasoning that people should have been packing in church (Ga Legislation) and if the movie goers in Aurora had a gun they could have stopped it. Some people are irrational regardless of the event that they feel is the breaking point. The security and lawmen in our government deserve to have the correct tools to protect themselves.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 16th, 2012
11:24 am
OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!!!
A favorite tactic of the socialists is to scream mindless slogans at you, like the whole bulging forehead and face scrunched up in rage will somehow convince you to join them but apparently they don’t want to be publicly associated with themselves, for some reason. I wonder what it could be?
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 16th, 2012
11:27 am
Road – Mace?
No, I don’t buy into the scenario where there is an army of the elderly ready to march over to the SS office in their walkers to do battle with the worthless clerks that reside within.
We ain’t Zimbabwe, no matter how much the libs wish it were so.
SlickRick - glad to no longer be suffering through Fratboy George's ineptocracy
August 16th, 2012
11:34 am
I Report – Calling Obama a “socialist” is itself the height of mindless ignorance and idiocy.
David R. Boag, DDS
August 16th, 2012
11:36 am
@ Trolls Bane @ 10:11 am
“Wow … the management took thier staff out to a Braves game with dinner and etc? Happens in corporate America from time to time ….. but I guess we have different standards when it comes to public projects that someone doesn’t like”
Or maybe there MIGHT be a difference in how closely things must be watched when times/profits are good/high vs. when times are tight and money is scarce. As a business owner, I try to reward my team when they do good work and their work is fruitful. If I have a surplus of money, I DO take them out. I don’t do that so much when I take in less than I need to pay my bills. They can’t even break even for crying out loud! And one more thing: When I do it, it’s MY money! One of the biggest differences between government and business (in the U.S) is that the GOVERNED are SUPPOSED to be the boss. And it’s OUR money! I have less of a problem with this kind of thing when: there is a surplus of cash, and b. when there is good evidence that people are working hard and being efficient.