By Donna Westfall – January 29, 2022
In the wee hours of the morning of Tuesday, January 25th I sent the following message to all Del Norte County Supervisor’s (BOS):
“I strongly and most emphatically urge the BOS to remove the following from the CONSENT AGENDA to be held Jan 25, ’22:
ANY AND ALL ITEMS RELATED TO PAY INCREASES (7% AND 5%), HEALTH AND BENEFITS/RETIREMENT/LIFE INSURANCE UNTIL SUCH TIME THE COUNTY CAN PROVE TO THE PUBLIC:
1.) WHERE THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM?
2.) IF IT’S COMING FROM THE 1% SALES TAX, WHY WASN’T THAT DISCLOSED DURING THE COUNTY’S CAMPAIGN FOR A “YES” VOTE ON THE SALES TAX?
3.) HAVE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IMPROVED FOR THE RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS IN OUR COUNTY TO WARRANT AN INCREASE IN WAGES/BENEFITS FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES?
4.) UPON TABLING THIS AGENDA ITEMS, BE PREPARED TO PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC IN THE NEXT SCHEDULED BOS MEETING TO PROVE THAT THESE INCREASES ARE NECESSARY AT THIS TIME.
5.) THEN EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHY YOU ARE NOT CUTTING EXPENSES AND IN PARTICULAR WAGES/BENEFITS/RETIREMENTS/LIFE INSURANCE.
THIS IS A VERY POOR COMMUNITY, DEVASTATED BY 2 YEARS OF “COVID”. RAISING WAGES/ETC AT THIS TIME IS UNCONSCIONABLE!”
Do you think any of the supervisor’s responded to my questions?
Answer: NO! Not a single one of them which led me to think; are they forgetting what their job is? Even my own 1st District Supervisor Darrin Short did not respond. He’s had ample time.
Let’s see what legal council has to say about our BOS deliberately hoodwinking the public into thinking the 1% sales tax money was not going to be used for salaries.
Stay tune. We’re just getting started.
Meanwhile, over 700 people have signed the petition to repeal the 1% County Sales Tax. The goal is to reach 1,000 or more by February 13th. At this rate, there should be no question that it will appear on the June 2022 ballot. Only 367 registered voters in the County need to be verified or a total of 416 County and City registered voters.
Also in the early morning of January 25th, Roger Gitlin had this posted on Facebook at 8:33am:
NEWS FLASH
I’ve just learned the following:
These two self-serving politicians DON’T NEED THE MONEY!!!
Supervisors Hemmingsen and Howard defer 1/2 of their bi-monthy pay warrants to be compensated AFTER both leave office.
Hopefully, that welcomed event will be soon.
Ask them at today’s meeting or contact them. Hemmingsen:ghemmingsen@co.del-norte.ca.us
Howard: choward@co.del-norte.ca.us
To approve a 7%’-12% payraise on the rubber stamp CONSENT Agenda, two additional Supervisors who will vote on approval enjoy large pensions from their previous
THEN AT 9:25 am:
Government employees: Retired CDCR Pelican Bay Captain Darrin Short retired at 102% of a six figure Captain’s salary. Retired Sonoma County Probation Officer, Valerie Starkey Retired as a 30+ year employee. BOTH of these Supervisors have generous medical and pension packages. IF these two do not pull the item from CONSENT and vote NO for paying themselves a huge raise, let them look you in the eye as you suffer with near $6 a gallon gasoline and massive inflation. Unconscionable if both vote for this debacle at this morning’s BOS meeting! There’s a new definition of Public Service: Self-Serving G R E E D !
