At tonight’s council meeting, I asked the following
question:
Why won’t you
pass a pay-to-play ordinance before July 1st? I have been asking you for three years. Lodi is overpaying hundreds of thousands of
dollars each year for NO BID contracts going to campaign contributors. Whatever happens after July 1st
will be too late. There could be a real
savings here and the ordinance would free you up to do the right thing.
Mr. Masopust said that Lodi is following the State’s
example and whatever is good for the State is good for Lodi.
I pointed out that Lodi is not following the State’s
example. The State listed an example on
its’ “Best Practices” questionnaire and Lodi doesn’t follow it. The State wants Lodi to pass an ordinance for
itself and Lodi will not.
I also pointed out that the State issued a report
about the “fair and open loophole” used by Lodi which deems any pay-to-play restrictions
completely meaningless.
I directed the council to look at the Secretary of
State’s website for sample pay-to-play ordinances.
Mr. Masopust disagreed.
Other questions I asked:
In response to answers
on the “Best Practices” questionnaire, I have been asking you for three years
to pass an ordinance prohibiting health benefits for part-time elected
officials, just so your actions were consistent with your answers. For three years, you said it wasn’t necessary
and you wouldn’t consider it. Why the
change of heart, three weeks before an election?
Mr. Masopust said he still doesn’t believe that the ordinance
is necessary but they are doing it anyway.
He said they always used resolutions (which they didn’t), so now they
will have an ordinance on the books even in the State changes things again.
You said you
would have a report on the Lodi Drug Alliance at last week’s work session. Can you please explain that report?
Mr. Spiniello said it was discussed at last week’s
work session. He thought I would have
been in attendance and I wasn’t. I will
have to wait for the minutes to see what was discussed.
Other disturbing news: Patti Licata abstained on TWO bills tonight
which means even more tax dollars are being funneled to her family.
