How many teachers, cops or firefighters could $5 million fund here in historic Taxachusetts? Or...just give thousands of state workers a couple days off and be required to pay overtime to those deemed "essential."
I'm a patriotic guy, and if state workers in Suffolk County all attended day-long educational teach-ins and a ceremony celebrating Bunker Hill Day (historically speaking they may want to teach that the battle mostly occurred on Breeds Hill and that technically the Brits won) or Evacuation Day (which sounds like a medical term for bowel movement) then maybe I could live with the $5 million tab...maybe.
But like Columbus Day, the "holidays" have lost any meaning. Even the most meaningful of holidays--Memorial Day--is lost on some clueless folks.
Unsurprisingly, Amherst's state government dynamic duo--Senator Stan Rosenberg and Representative Ellen Story voted to keep the hack holidays alive. After all, Amherst only has a pathetic 9.9% commercial tax base--thus taxpayer/voters gainfully employed by the private sector are in a distinct minority.
September 17 is Constitution Day. Since state and federal workers do not get it as a paid holiday, nobody seems to care. But the Feds, mainly due to Sen. Robert Byrd, decided six years ago that any publicly funded educational institution must have an teach in that day focusing on the most important document in our history.
Since the Feds decided not to come up with any extra money for this auspicious occasion, thereby making it an "unfunded mandate," you have to wonder what the adherence rate is here in our most historic of states?
Do any of the Five Colleges or the venerable Amherst Public School system hold a teach-in that day? We already know the Amherst schools ignore the requirement for reciting the "Pledge of Allegiance," so it's a pretty safe bet 'Constitution Day' falls into the same void.
But our state can continue to squander $5 million to "remember" two encounters that helped lead to the adoption of the Constitution, while not taking a little time remembering what the Constitution is all about. Only in Massachusetts!
The Republican Reports
What can I say?
ReplyDeleteYou're right: if we're not going to observe these days in a meaningful way, then they're not worth the expense.
The impact outside of Suffolk County is minimal, however: other offices remain open on these two days and workers there get two additional days off to use when they wish. I can speak only to my situation: the amount of work that I have to do as a salaried state worker is unaffected by the number of days I am expected to be there to do it.
But, once again, you're right: I see no principled argument for maintaining these days as a holiday for state employees on the calendar. I try to return value for the tax money being spent on me, and hope that you will believe that.
Rich Morse
The major point is simply that state workers get two extra days off that private folks (who fund them) do not; and it does not matter if they have to take them on June 17 and March 17 (which I'm sure those Irish folks around Boston would do anyway) or they get them to use them whenever they feel like.
ReplyDeleteBut I have no doubt taxpayers get their moneys worth with you, Mr. Morse. Being conscientious makes a big difference.
P.T. Cruiser canceled due to decling sales. Why?
ReplyDeleteAccording the the VH1 TV series UNDATABLE a P.T. Ceuiser makes you...undateable.
You mean the P.T. Loser as my friends call it?
ReplyDelete