That Really Grinds My Gears

I was reading the Sunday edition of The Mess and I thought I was gonna pop a blood vessel.

Buried halfway thru the first section was this little gem.

Precinct 1 constable Tom Bishop and Precinct 2 constable Leonard Denney
requested their salaries be increased from $32,000 to between $45,000 and
$48,000. Constables told the commissioners that their workload has increased
significantly, and that the position has evolved into a full-time law
enforcement job. Denney told commissioners he would not use all the money
budgeted for oil and gasoline ($12,000), and he would rather have that money
applied to his salary and non-personnel reserves. "I don't know what the other
constables have planned," Denney said. "Patroling what little I patrol, I'm not
going to burn (that much in) gas. I'd rather have it in my salary.

Bishop, on the other hand, said he has put 40,000 miles on his car in eight
months patrolling and said he would use the amount budgeted for his oil and
gasoline ($15,000). "I'm putting in 10 or 12 hours a day, sometimes more," he
said. "We're doing all the civil process we get, but we're continuing to do
other things. I know, myself, that I am trying to run a full-time professional
department now regardless of what it may or may not have been in the past."We're
getting away from the old idea of serving civil process because we're peace
officers like any other officers," he said.

I have to give Leonard credit. At least he's honest about it. He wants the money for his pocket. Damn it I'd like a $16,000 raise, too. Problem is the economy is in the toilet and I can't have one. You're a public servant and your tax dollars are shrinking. You don't get one either.


Bishop, on the other hand, is playing out exactly as many predicted. His powertrip has elevated to Defcon 2.

He sold his personal cop car to the county in lieu of a brand new car from the county. Money in his pocket, not to mention a conflict of interest.

He began a traffic stop crusade and is racking up 5000 miles a month running up and down 287 & 380. Now he's running out of gas. How much gas did Dennis Hudson use? How many pursuits was he involved in?

Didn't these guys know what the salary was when they ran for office? Do we really need an additional layer of (predominantly traffic) enforcement? What happens when gas jumps back to $4 a gallon? Do we need to ask for additional money then because the cushion was already spent?

Lord knows we can't have any left over money. That stuff has to be spent!

Vote Republican. Smaller government and less taxes?