(continued from LEE COUNTY)
Thus we have the proposed measure to restrict access to public information from the prying eyes of commissioner Bigelow; he’s a pest, you see. None other than commission lifer, Ray Judah, is leading the charge. Of course, if the rules can be changed to restrict access to the goings-on in Lee County government to those in charge of overseeing it, by extension, regular folks in Lee who are not county commissioners, certainly will have their access further curtailed.
Some time ago, I attempted to obtain historical county budget information from Lee County. Having moved here years ago from corrupt Dade County, where county commissioners had given public employees a 150% increase in salaries and benefits during those halcyon years of 1997 - 2006 (thus commensurately enriching themselves), I wanted to know, in light of recent bad economic times, if Lee County commissioners had been equally as generous.
Being fully aware that Dade Commissioners make about $30,000 annually and Lee Commissioners about $85,000, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I requested the budgets from those years. At first the county ignored my request. A second notice sent certified brought a response that if I wanted that information, I would have to pony up (as I recall) about $85.00 for the time spent (about 2 ½ hours) for county employees to “research” that information. One wonders if Commissioner Bigelow sends a check with each request. I could have sent the check (oops, money order or cashier's check - no personal checks allowed), but I know they wouldn't provide the information I requested - because that's how government bureaucracies operate (wait until you are under Obamacare and see if I'm right).
On another occasion, I e-mailed the public information officer at Sheriff Scott’s office, inquiring if the 2,000 police officers who attended the funeral for slain police dog “Rosco” were paid to attend the funeral. Scott’s office did not reply. A second, more insistent request was answered with (paraphrased) “if you want to know, why not stop by and discuss it with us.” I declined, but noted on my website that the $200,000 (my estimate) spent on that funeral, including likely overtime, cost three school teachers their jobs. And if police officers loved “Rosco” as much as we love our cats, they could have attended the funeral on their own dime.
By the way, I addressed that budget request directly to Commissioner Ray Judah, and received it (free of charge) within 24 hours. FYI, commissioners DID NOT shower county employees with excessive compensation during the good days. I’m still waiting to hear from Sheriff Scott.
I don’t know what Commissioner Bigelow’s issues are, but if they are the people’s issues, I say back off on the ‘restrictions.’
