Politics As Usual in Ocean County

by: watcher

Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 01:52:38 PM EST

It is more probable, however, that the other old saying "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" is more appropriate.

Take for example, the campaign last year for Ocean County Clerk:  Jason Verano, the Democratic candidate alleged, that the incumbent Republican had misappropriated funds from a Dedicated Trust Fund under his control; that he had used the money for expensive trips; promotional items, and a 42? plasma TV, among other things.

"No, no, no," the incumbent said during the campaign,  "I wouldn't do anything like that!  Using the taxpayer money from the Dedicated Trust Fund for these expenses was completely legal! Please, believe me."

And, so, the voters of Ocean County did and reelected him, although by a margin almost 2/3 less than the one he had in his first election.

Then, after his swearing in, when he told us that Jason Varano was right; that he had misused the Dedicated Trust Fund money, Ocean County voters learned that he had abused our trust; that he had used our natural desire to believe our leaders for his own self-serving purposes.  "I've changed the way the Dedicated Trust will be used.  Trust me." he said.

Huh?  What about the hundreds of thousands of dollars this official now admits he misappropriated?  How do we, the taxpayers, recoup our money?

Hey, Watcher has an idea: How about he donates his salary back to the county until the debt to the rest of us is paid back?  That would work for Watcher.  How about all of you?  We could even have a public ceremony showing him handing over his $10,000 monthly salary check.  By my calculation, it would only take 2-1/2 years for him to pay back all the money that he used improperly.

Well, we know that won't happen, unfortunately, and that is why Watcher will be watching everything that happens in our government; tracking every expense; examining every contract and cross-checking them with every contribution to the party and telling you what our elected officials won't tell you.

Ocean County residents have the right to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about our government and those who hold the power to spend out money.  We have the right to transparency about every action our elected officials take, every penny of taxpayer money they spend; and every benefit they receive.

To paraphrase the famous line from the movie "Network", "We're getting mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore"