Elected officials, are you setting the right fiscal example?
Within the past few days, our Gov. DeSantis has declared Friday, July 5, 2024 a paid holiday for state government employees. (As of this writing, federal employees do not have the fifth as a paid holiday and I have seen no word either way for Franklin County employees.)
Here is my point: What kind of fiscal example does this set? You see, the taxpayer- worker has to work on the fifth or take a vacation day. This is especially true in the hospitality and service industry. Last I checked, it was the taxpayers that pay 100% of government income and thus pays the bills.
So to answer my own question, what kind of fiscal example does this set? Well, it clearly defines a political/government – employed class with perks or benefits that other working citizens are not afforded. This kind of puts a dampening effect on the preamble, “We The People.” And while I am thinking about it, have you ever noticed that in most all government meetings, the “elected officials” are sitting in nice high back chairs while the citizens are sitting in metal chairs? I wonder if, just if, the political class were sitting in metal chairs would the business of the day move faster?
It reminds me of the late Toby Keith’s song, “A little less talk and a lot more action.” Think about it, especially if you have to work on the fifth.
Mikel Tuten
Carrabelle
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.