(July 2012)–Whenever there is an election involving a seat in Congress or in the White House, you can bet your bottom dollar it will be a big year for federal grants to be given out. Even though the national debt is $16 trillion and climbing, the “Washington Elite” doesn’t care; after all, it is not their money they are spending.
For example, in May, a list of 25 towns across the United States receiving funds to help pay firemen’s salaries or rehire them was released. The funds were awarded through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program of the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a program that provides $400 million in grants nationwide for rehiring laid-off firefighters and retaining those whose jobs are in jeopardy due to budget constraints.”
Some of the local communities that received funds from that program in May were Gloucester City ($598,000), Camden City ($5 million), Passaic ($1.5 million), and Scranton, PA ($8 million).
Just this week, Congressman Andrews announced that Voorhees will receive a $334,000 boost from the same program to hire firefighters in that township.
Here is something everyone should keep in mind: the money to hire these individuals eventually runs out. What happens then? You won’t have to think too hard. Remember 2010, when the city of Gloucester had to lay off eight firemen because the community was broke.
Because of that turmoil in 2010, I was surprised that Mayor James and Council accepted this recent SAFER grant. As it turns out, if truth be told, the City hired Triad Associates to apply for the money. Go figure, we are still in the middle of a recession, and unemployment in New Jersey is still higher than in most states.
New Jersey’s Republican Governor Christie, in a speech last week (July 9, 2012) at the Brookings Institution, a liberal Washington think tank, said he doesn’t want any more money to hire public employees.
When Christie was told President Obama was pushing to send states another dose of stimulus money to hire teachers, firefighters, and police, Christie said, “No more public workers — please!”
“Please don’t send me any more money to hire more public employees. Please don’t,” begged Christie.
“I’ve got plenty as it is, and I don’t need any more. They are extraordinarily expensive and extraordinarily difficult to manage!” said the governor.
Temporary federal aid to hire permanent state and local workers, he argued, only leads to huge budget shortfalls or layoffs when the stimulus money runs out.
“I have the highest property taxes in America to begin with,” said Christie. “Where’s this money going to come from to pay these folks afterwards?”
“If the president and the Congress want to spend money on something that will create jobs, then spend money on infrastructure, which builds private-sector jobs,” he said.
Here is a further notion you might want to consider. The money the “Washington Elite” and local politicians so freely spend funding the SAFER program and the stimulus is coming out of your pocket. Think about it. They are trying to influence you to vote for them using your own money.
The vivacious boxing promoter Don King said it best, ‘Only in America!’
Governor Christie: Please Don’t Send Me Any More Money To Hire More Public Employees
(Published by Cleary’s Notebook News, June 2012)