Joe Leto wrote: “It is heartbreaking to us that the
Lodi Live page has become nothing more than political patronage.”
That is a very dumb statement. A Facebook page broadcasting public meetings
and offering commentary is not “political patronage”.
What is “political patronage”? The Lunas promising out hundreds of public
jobs in exchange for campaign support and sign locations.
A political patronage system is when jobs are handed
out as a reward for campaign activity despite how unqualified the candidate or unfair the hiring process. It’s when
Lodi violates civil service regulations to hire relatives of PRIDE
candidates. It's when Lodi wrongfully laid off two DPW workers with many years seniority over a councilwoman's son (Vinny Martin forgot that one). It’s how Joe Leto filled all of
the BOE positions as soon as he joined the Board and was made president on his
first day.
So “political patronage” is unfair hiring based on
campaign activity. It’s not a Facebook
page.
