Sunday, January 24, 2016

Starve the Beast

A column I read in Thursday's New York Times echoed a thought I'd been having about Port Angeles - and that I'll get to in a minute.

Here's an excerpt from the column ("America the Unfair?") by Nicholas Kristof:

Martine Gilens of Princeton University and Benjamin I. Page of Northwestern University found that in policy-making, views of ordinary citizens essentially don't matter. They examined 1,779 policy issues and found that attitudes of wealthy people and of business groups mattered a great deal to the final outcome - but that the preferences of average citizens were almost irrelevant.

"In the United States, our findings indicate, the majority does not rule," they concluded. "Majorities of the American public actually have little influence over the policies our government adopts."

One reason is that our political system is increasingly driven by money...Solutions are complex, imperfect and uncertain, but the biggest problem is not a lack of tools, but a lack of will.

Money.

It's the money, stupid. It makes people (politicians) stupid, does the (lust for) money. Money makes the world go round, and a lot of politicians would like to keep things spinning around so fast that everyone gets dizzy - and distracted.

Politicians use money to play on our hopes (More jobs! More money!) and our fears (Loss of jobs! Less money!). Money means prosperity, and prosperity is an acceptable proxy for morality, honesty, and any number of other harder to quantify traits we all supposedly want to see in our elected leaders.

Look no further than the article in today's PDN, with the EDC doling out "Olympic leaders" awards to the same circle of old white guys (Eric Lewis, Dan Wilder, Jr., Nathan West, Jerry Nichols, etc.) who have created and/or overseen the tremendous growth of absolutely nothing that typifies Port Angeles.

(Nathan) West told the audience that 2015 was a banner year for private-sector investment.

"We had 24 new businesses open their doors in Port Angeles," West said. "We're moving in the right direction."

How many times has Nathan West said that exact same thing in years past? Let me answer for you: Dozens of times, and quite possibly more. And yet, gee, the economy in Port Angeles continues to lag in essentially every way you can measure such things. The population continues to shrink. The only direction you're moving in, Nathan, is in every-smaller circles, spiraling down, down, down. How many of those "24 new businesses" from years past are still open, Nathan? Very few. How many of this last batch will make it? Very few, Nathan.

The Pinocchio of Port Angeles: The more he lies to you,
the bushier his beard gets.

He knows that. You know that. And Nathan knows that you know that. But it's part of his job, spinning fantasy - "More jobs! More money! Hurrah!" It provides cover to his supposed bosses on the City Council, and in turn, it covers his ass, since then they won't want to replace him. It's a perfect closed system, a circular firing squad.

Or, you could look at the other article in the PDN today, about how the EDC is now "the economic engine" of Clallam County. Again, it's the same tired cast of characters (Eric Lewis, Brad Collins, Hugh Haffner, John Calhoun, and ancient Orville Campbell, among others) spinning the same old BS. The only engine the EDC has gotten going is their own - they've hired a couple of staff people. Other than that - nothing. Zero. Zilch. Zip. Nothing. Nothing but BS.

And it all runs on, thrives on, and seeks out more...money.

So what happens if you cut down the flow of money to this sick, destructive beast? Might that not force it to change its behavior? It certainly would get its attention.

With that in mind, here's an idea to consider, for those of you who are utilities customers of the City of Port Angeles. As you know, every month, for years now, there are about a third of Port Angeles utility customers who can't, and therefore don't, pay their utility bills. This has been a persistent cash flow problem for the City, as well as a headache for staff.

Now, imagine what would happen if, say, another third of utilities customers started to only pay two-thirds of their utilities bills each month? I'm not talking about refusing to pay at all, mind you, just cutting down how much you pay for the duration, in order to send a message. And by sending a message, I mean literally sending a message. With each bill, you could send in your check for two-thirds of your bill, along with a note explaining that, "Since I do not have full confidence in the City's ability to govern responsibly, I am not paying my full bill this month."

Then, you just roll over a little extra in your savings for, say, six or eight months, and let the unpaid portion grow a little more each month, slowly starving the beast of funds until this City Council gets right with the community, or gets replaced.

Only sixty-seven cents of every dollar might drive them crazy...

I offer this suggestion because, obviously, facts don't work on this Council. Shaming doesn't work either, since the Fluoride Four clearly have no shame. But when you start tightening up the purse strings...Well, that's hitting them where it hurts, and it might just have a motivational effect on them over the course of a few months.

In any case, per the column referenced above, remember: There's no lack of tools, just a lack of will, when it comes to addressing these problems in our political system. So stay strong, stay vocal, and stay on them. When it comes to cracking many of the problems facing Port Angeles, it currently comes down to simply getting one - just one - of the Fluoride Four to crack, or to leave. Then you could have a majority to get things done, and fight against the death spiral of the status quo.

26 comments:

  1. It was amusing to see how much praise the PDN could heap on the EDC without listing any accomplishment. Wonder if it had anything to do with those two full color ads the EDC bought since the first of the year. And, once again, the do-nothing members of the EDC all get in one room and pat each other on the back. As long as there are no naysayers in the room who's going to know they don't do squat. Especially as long as they can purchase this type press reporting without doing anything else.
    I do think you are a bit rough on Nathan. He has a tough job and tough times to do it in. We have a pretty good city staff. We just need to replace a few council members.

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    1. Rough on Nathan? Are you kidding? You can't be too rough on Nathan West. He knows better, yes, but he doesn't care. Look at his dead, dead eyes in that photo. That's someone who is beyond checked out. He's just safeguarding his job, and that's it.

      As for "a pretty good city staff"...Give me a break. Bill Bloor is "pretty good"? Please. City staff are the ones who have created this entire mess we're in. The decay and ruin of Port Angeles is down to them.

      The fact that they - after the fact - recommended one non-fluoridated option, does not change the preceding facts. All the debt, debacles and stupidity that have come over the last decade (or more) has been issued via staff recommendations 90% of the time. Staff decides, recommends, and then the council approves.

      Staff recommended the Turd Tank approach. Staff said let PenPly run up their utility bills. Staff said spend money to build Nathan's beach, and to send trucks through residential neighborhoods. Staff said put off needed infrastructure projects. Staff, staff, staff!

      City staff have been giving this town the finger for years. It's time to give them the boot.

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    2. "We just need to replace a few council members" does seem to understate and/or miss the point of the problem. Members of the City Council come and go; staff linger.

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    3. CK correction.... I think you meant to say: "staff malinger"

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  2. I have to wonder if one of these 24 businesses is Scott Nagel's non-existent non-profit? Is one of them Cherie Kidd's laughably lame "motivational speakers" thing?

    In other words, how many are real? How many exist just on paper? And how many, ask CK asks, are going to be here next year? How many actually provide a job to someone other than the owner?

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    Replies
    1. They might be valid small businesses but I'm guessing that al of them would have opened anyway - nothing to do with the EDC. The EDC just takes the credit regardless.

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  3. Hey, economic leaders of Clallam County...How many airline seats can I book for you all to fly somewhere to celebrate your great successes here? No, really, I'll spring for them, just tell me how many you'll...Oh, wait, that's right.

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  4. As a long time Port Angeles taxi driver, I can attest to the downward spiral of economic activity in PA. The nighttime action (drinking) is way down from 10 years ago --even a year ago

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  5. Notice in todays paper Letters to Editor. Dick Pilling supporting Dan Gase. Dick Pilling is a co-worker of Dan Gase at Coldwell Banker. I'm not buying or selling anything through these guys and recommend others do the same. Hey voters buy and sell houses and you've done nothing but disrespect these voters!

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    Replies
    1. In the same way Donald Trump is referred to as "The Donald" we must now start referring to Pilling as, "The Dick"

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  6. I like this idea. We should work every angle, every opportunity available. We need these fools to go, now.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, please! I'm willing to try and see if less money might lead to better decisions. Anything is worth a try at this point.

      Anything.

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  7. People have already been withholding their water bills for the last month or so, in protest to the fluoridation thing.

    Some one who asked the city was told there are about 1,000 delinquent rate payers right now.

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    Replies
    1. Great! It's beyond time for people to "tap" into discontent with the City of Port Angeles.

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    2. Withhold your money to hold them accountable.

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    3. Folks just need to please be careful as far as withholding money - you don't want to be sent to collections and have your credit trashed.

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    4. You will not have your "credit trashed" for paying 2/3 of your utility bill each month. That's a fantasy, one that members of the city council would undoubtedly endorse, though.

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  8. We need people with signs in front of Coldwell-Banker Realty.
    Signs to read: "Ethically challenged sales staff here"
    Let their managing broker know you are bad-mouthing Coldwell-Banker and he will show Gase the door or talk him off council. Right now the republicans think they are in charge.

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    Replies
    1. Being a business owner here, I don't feel that I can do this without suffering some sort of blowback, but I would sincerely love it if people were out there with signs like those. LOVE IT.

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    2. What you speak of is the most frightening aspect of living here. The power elite are most adept at that type of "blow-back" you speak of. There really is a tangible climate of fear and that is what we must extinguish. Free speech should not suffer "blow-back."

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  9. If Eric Lewis is so great for the local economy, how come he's in charge of a facility that is literally teetering on a cliff? And how great do you have to be to run a facility like a hospital that is essential and standard issue for all towns above a certain size? I mean, it's not like he knows anything about starting a business or creating anything. He just sits on top of the existing hospital. Who cares?

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    Replies
    1. Hey genius, just because it is essential and already existed doesn't mean it runs itself. And Eric Lewis didn't build the hospital there, someone did before him. He has been instrumental in locating facilities in Sequim, away from the cliff.

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    2. Eric Lewis?

      Why, any friend and enabler of Karen Rogers just MUST be a good guy!

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    3. Yes, Eric, with friends like Karen, who needs enemies? Like the saying goes, judge a man by the company he keeps. Her company doesn't keep so well.

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  10. Another arena for activism:
    Has anybody considered asking the Clallam County PUD to place an agenda item on its next meeting re: the fluoride issue? Do PUD commission meetings have a public comment period?
    The PUD buys some of its water from Port Angeles, and a majority of the PUD customers who must drink PA's fluoridated water objected to doing so.
    Would the PUD commissioners be willing to stand up for their customers' rights to drink unfluoridated water? They should at least provide a forum for their customers to express their opinions on the issue.
    What would happen if the PUD customers who receive PA water withhold their water bill payments too?

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  11. Anyone notice there was another slide over the weekend on the slope beneath the hospital. Tons of earth and trees came down and blocked the waterfront trail. How smart are these guys continuing to dump millions into a campus that will literally slide over the bluff--probably within our lifetime but certainly before the debt is paid.

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