Civil Service Protection Needs The Axe Thursday, Jun 26 2008 

Atlantic City and Political , , , , , , Jesse O. Kurtz 10:42 am

   Yesterday’s Press of Atlantic City illustrates yet another reason why civil service needs the axe.  Civil service is an artificial government intervention.  Artificial, because the mechanism does not accurately portrey reality.  Civil service ensures that workers do not receive pay commensurate to the work they perform. 

   Michael Clark begins his article: 

A City Council aide and sister to the Democratic nominee for mayor is suing the city after her salary was cut in half by her brother’s political rival.

Cheryl Banks, former Mayor Lorenzo Langford’s sister, recently filed a lawsuit against the city after Mayor Scott Evans’ administration reduced her $67,600 salary, which was twice the average salary of her colleagues.

The Press of Atlantic City reported in February that Banks was given a $31,650 raise when she was demoted back to an aide after serving as City Council President William Marsh’s chief of staff during his brief tenure as acting mayor. Before her short stint in the mayor’s office, Banks earned $33,350.

Look at this story in the following manner: 

   Ms. Anyone is employed to perform job “a” in city government.  City government pays anyone $33,350 annually for performing job “a”.  Ms. Anyone changes her job.  She now works job “b” that pays $67,600 annually.  The change in job responsibilities is what merits the pay increase.  It is not one’s connections, skin color, or other extraneous factor that merits the pay increase between jobs “a” and “b”.  Quality work and effort is what deserves payment through a salary and benefits.  Factors other than quality work and effort constantly qualifies city government employees for salaries and benefits that they do not deserve.

   When Ms. Anyone no longer is performing job “b” she does not deserve job “b’s” salary, pure and simple.  There is no way around the fact that Mr. Anyone, Cheryl Banks in this case, does not deserve job “b’s” salary when she is not working job “b”.   

   Now, why is civil service responsible for Ms. Anyone’s exploitation of the taxpayers?  Civil service makes it in theory difficult and in practice near-impossible to fire or demote a city government employee.  Government is public and visible.  Whether it is liked, or not, city government sets an example for the community.  It is daily more and more apparent that city government employees receive salaries and benefits that do not relate to their job responsibilities and performance.

   The average citizen is not inspired to work harder and be more productive, when he sees his neighbor in city government not working hard.  Civil service ensures that a city government employee can work for a few years, earn civil service protection, and then relax their work effort to the slow monotony of government bureaucracy.  The people need to force state government to axe civil service protection.

 

Labor Unions Are Above The Law Sunday, Jun 22 2008 

Atlantic City and Casino Gaming , , , , , , , , , Jesse O. Kurtz 4:48 pm

   Steven Lemongello of the Atlantic City Press writes:

Vowing that “we are going to shut this town down,” local AFL-CIO leader Roy Foster told a crowd of thousands at Saturday’s union rally that they weren’t going to march down the Boardwalk, as was previously announced. Instead, they were going to march straight down the center of Atlantic City along Pacific Avenue – a street the organizers did not have a permit to use. 

Roy Foster led thousands of union people, from around the country, down Pacific Avenue on a Saturday, shutting down Pacific Avenue.  Our local economy lost money thanks to labor union members from around the country, Governor Jon Corzine, Senator Bob Menendez, Mayor Scott Evans, and Roy Foster. 

   Mr. Lenongello continues:

Police Sgt. Monica McMenamin said that while the organizers’ permit was for a march down the Boardwalk, not Pacific, the police don’t anticipate any charges being filed. Backup plans were in place in case the route made such a detour, she said, and the march turned out to be a peaceful one without any arrests or disturbances.

Peaceful or not, the union members broke the law.  Roy Foster broke the law.  Even Al Sharpton was arrested for blocking traffic on the Atlantic City Expressway without a permit.  Maybe Reverend Sharpton should have joined UAW and he would not have been arrested.  Atlantic City Police Department needs to enforce the city’s laws equally to all.  Labor unions should never be exempted from the law, regardless of how much money they donate to Mayor Scott Evans’s campaign.

   You know, I have always wanted to have a birthday party in the middle of Pacific Avenue.  I might have to join the UAW, Local 54, or another labor union so I can hold a party in the middle of Pacific Avenue as well. 

 

Largest Single-Rooftop Solar Panel Project Sunday, Jun 22 2008 

Atlantic City and Political , , , , , Jesse O. Kurtz 4:31 pm

   Atlantic City sets-out to set another record.  This time, Atlantic City is making a move in the field of alternative energy.   Atlantic City’s Convention Center will be home to the largest single-rooftop solar panel project. 

   Energy is a complex field.  Local, County, State, and Federal governments and subsidiary agencies need to collaborate to ensure an atmosphere that is able to meet our energy needs.  Government has a lot to do with setting energy policies, but government rarely creates needed solutions to any problems.  Energy is no exception.  Government action often has the characteristic of being short-sighted.  Well-intentioned government intervention in any field always has unintended, undesirable consequences.  My case and point is ethanol subsidies, which have caused food prices to sky-rocket, the Amazon to be depleted, and most-likely will lead to a summer rationing of corn.  

   Atlantic City was the first town in New Jersey to build windmills.  It is good to diversify ones energy portfolio.  Yet there seems to be one element missing in the energy equation: savings.  With all of the credits currently generated by windmills and sold back to the power grid, there is not a commensurate savings passed on to the consumer.  The profits that government agencies makes from selling credits back to the grid get re-invested in government activity.   Hence, they are truly wind-fall profits. 

   The one factor Atlantic City residents should remind their government is that we want savings.  The solar panel project and windmills both create profits.  Pass the profits back to taxpayers, not to politicians’ pockets. 

 

Ruth Newman Shapiro 5K Run/Walk Sunday, Jun 22 2008 

Non-Political , , , , , , , Jesse O. Kurtz 3:56 pm

   This morning several hundred runners and walkers participated in the 8th annual 5K run/walk to benefit the Ruth Newman Shapiro Cancer and Heart Fund.  The event was a success.  Congressman Frank LoBiondo was present, presenting the post-race awards.  Greg Gregory, the man who runs Somers Point, was Master of Ceremonies for the event.  Mr. Gregory and the Congressman are involved in numerous charitable events in the area.

   As an aside, my Father designed the RNS commemorative pin several years ago.  That porcelain pin was sold during the famed open house fundraiser at Delancy Place and the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.   All proceeds went to this noble charity.

   Both Congressman LoBiondo and I had our wives running in the race.  I do not know how Mrs. LoBiondo did.  My wife was pleased as punch with her 30:08 time.  She had pledged to run a 5K after her pregnancy.  Now, Blasius Gerard is two days short of two months she fulfilled her pledge. 

   The race began at Boardwalk Hall, went to Vermont Avenue, finishing back at Boardwalk Hall.  I waited next to another woman’s family, who had waited until her little one was seven months to run a 5K.  We cheered on our respective ladies as they went through the finish line. 

   The next RNS fundraiser is the Show House at the Shore.  This year’s show house opens 12 July.  It is located at Three South Rumson Avenue in Margate.

 

A New Firefighter Crop Sunday, Jun 15 2008 

Atlantic City and Non-Political , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Jesse O. Kurtz 4:55 pm

   Twenty-nine people were made Atlantic City Firefighters.  Two members of the group were women, who are also military veterans, and one is a mother.  Lynda Cohen of the Press of Atlantic City writes:

The class is ready, Battalion Chief Paul Shropshire said.

“We put a piece of us into each one of you,” the instructor said. “Before, I would only call you recruits. I am proud to say today you are now firefighters.

The new Atlantic City firefighters are: Gennaro Basso, Gragg, Harvey, Stephen Duran, Berthold, Andrew Biscieglia, Thomas Flanagan, Ranon McLaughlin, Joshua Hoag, James Gillespie III, Cadavid, Martin Basso, Juan Flores, Coaxum, Dominic Berry, Broer Linblad, Michael McCabe, Watson, Pollock, Vincent Carleo, Sven Peltonen, Neil Anderson Jr., Blair, Ismail Abdussamad, Keith Coursey Jr., Andrew Lubaczewski, William Hamilton, Jr., Salvatore Cavalieri and Andrew Kyle.

   We welcome the new members.  The Atlantic City Firefighters do a great job.  The ceremony for the new firefighters is a continuity of custom.  May they continue the ACFD’s great traditions.