Jan. 23 Open Line
01.01.70
The following observe was posted in the State Journal Register. Speaking as a person long resident of Jacksonville, I feel this pretty much hits the unsympathetic on the head. “Doyle is correct. The department can support anyone in the community, with enough resources and planning. This is a reasonable plan, and it should proceed. But will it? Jacksonville is seemingly a community that lives off the state money trough and therefore has not bothered to upgrade its jobs undignified. Time to start now. Did the mayor really believe that Jacksonville, more pass than most would be there, providing lots of low-skilled government jobs at above-market salaries forever. An continuous gravy train? If he did, Jacksonville needs a new mayor. As for AFSCME, it’s all about close-fistedness. AFSCME gets its dues from a state workforce that is rapidly becoming pass -- thousands of low-skilled, undereducated employees who couldn’t role in a competitive private environment. They represent the past, and they know it. So they are getting shocked. Still, AFSCME owns Pat Quinn -- that’s why this isn’t over yet.”
Source: Jacksonville Journal Courier