[Vision2020] Gang of four on Moscow Council strut their clout

[Joe Campbell]

People complain about politicians all the time but you get what you
vote for. If you don't like the tactics of these guys (not surprising
that they are all guys, is it?), there is an easy solution.

On Mon, Jun 25, 2012 at 6:39 AM, Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
> Courtesy of today's (June 25, 2012) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
>
> -----------------------------------
>
> Gang of four on Moscow Council strut their clout
>
>
> One has to wonder whether Moscow City Councilor Tim Brown isn't crying
> crododile tears over the loss of the city's Community Grant Program.
>
> Until recently, this program handed out about $20,000 annually in dribs and
> drabs to various community organizations, often ones involved in arts,
> recreation and human services.
>
> A week ago in voting to end it, Brown reiterated his stance in favor of the
> program, but said that had changed after 2010 when, in the name of
> accountability, the process to get grants became more restrictive and
> complex.
>
> He seemed to be saying he was opposed to what the program had become, rather
> than what it once was.
>
> Yet, it was about three years ago that Brown and his cronies, Walter Steed,
> Wayne Krauss and Dan Carscallen, saw to it that the restrictive and complex,
> albeit more accountable, policies were enacted.
>
> They stood by in amazement as this resulted in fewer applications. Very
> small organizations were not necessarily registered with the state or IRS as
> nonprofits, as the city now requires. Given the very small amounts of money
> sought, they found the process onerous.
>
> And so now Brown is trying to be opposed to what his compadres started, but
> not enough to do anything about it.
>
> Brown also was the front man for another scheme of the group of four this
> past week, as he replaced Mayor Nancy Chaney on the board of the Latah
> Economic Development Council.
>
> The quartet and the mayor don't sing from the same songbook. So, for no
> apparent reason other than that they could do it, the quartet since March
> has held up all mayoral appointments until she stepped down from the LEDC
> board.
>
> The mayor mentioned it during the City Council meeting. Krauss tried to
> claim that this was no conspiracy. But he was the only one. Steed,
> Carscallen, Councilor Tom Lamar and others talked freely about the
> agreements discussed, made and broken behind the scenes.
>
> We think there is room for different views, tactics and strategies on how
> Moscow ought to approach civic issues. We think it's good for voters to be
> given and to make a distinct choice.
>
> We don't think the use of political power, such as it is, to spite the
> opposition without accomplishing much of anything is helpful to the
> long-term development of Moscow.
>
> -----------------------------------
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "If not us, who?
> If not now, when?"
>
> - Unknown
>
>
>
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