Meanwhile Dumb's sidekick Councilor Mayer was busy insisting that there was some nefarious scheme afoot since Councilor Winter's wife Nan Winter works for the Water Authority and has for some time. Mayer is quoted as saying "I don't think it passes the sniff test... It just doesn't seem right" (ABQ Journal - Subscription).
(Sidebar)Granted, the appointments to the Water Authority are important but their claims make the two Capo's Councilors look foolish and petty... again. Councilor Winter made them look even dumber-er when he named his first appointment - newly elected councilor and founding (and hopefully ex) member of the Foolish Foursome Trudy Jones.
The councilor ought to know something about stinky situations as her admitted ex-boyfriend and real estate partner continues to receive $50,000 a year contracts from the False Alarm Reduction Unit to do... well, something anyway. If you'll remember, the false alarm ordinance was sponsored by none other than The Mayer herself.
(End Sidebar)
(Sidebar)Let's face it folks, there's a reason that Mayer and Harris faced recall uprisings in their respective districts - they don't seem to be able to learn from their mistakes. You'll notice that Councilors Sanchez and Jones aren't out making themselves look like idiots (again) by giving legs to a story that had essentially gone away. You can also bet that neither of these two brain donors will be serving on the water board anytime soon.
As we've noted before, we don't think there should be a Water Authority. This quasi-governmental agency has an awful lot of authority to bond debt, set rates, punish water evildoers, and stymie economic growth. Councilor Cadigan said just last week that the board should stop extending service to new areas even when water wasn't an issue (read our take here).
Not to be out-done, last month former Councilor and Congressional Candidate Heinrich wanted to use aerial photography and drive by inspections to tell consumers the amount of water that they should be using (ABQ Journal - Subscription). Heinrich insists that the $20,000 pilot program would simply be giving advice on how much a particular household could save (ABQ Journal - Subscription), but it's a short step from should to must and we don't want any government agency peeking over our wall telling us the amount of water we are allowed to use.
(End Sidebar)
18 comments:
One wonders if Nan and Brad Winter aren't actually writing this blog, given the blindly sympathetic spin the Winters always receive.
Riddle me this, All Seeing Eye... How WOULDN'T it be a conflict of interest if BRAD Winter appoints the members of a board that Mrs. NAN Winter makes a quarter of a million dollars of a year off of?
Put another way... substitue the names "Winter" for "Clinton" or "Richardson" - or "Chavez" - and then see if this REALLY passes the "smell" test...
The Water Authority is a pretty important board. And one that has had a pretty left-wing, anti-development tilt; especially under Heinrich.
While it's great that one of the three appointments Winter can make is Trudy Jones, the real test is with the other three.
If the remaining two are a combo of Cadigan, O'Malley, Benton or Garduno -- then it's clear Winter cut a deal.
If he goes with one (or two...) of the more pro-growth councilors, then good for Winter.
I guess we'll see.
'Sniff test'? These two could't pass by a Radon detector without it going off.
Hey Brad, watch out, Sally's sniffing you.
No, she's too busy sniffing Don
Yo ! Sniff this.
'Brain donors'?
If you took either of their brains and put them in a bumble bee, i'd fly backwards.(it would fit also)
Scarecrow on the 'Wizard of Oz' needs a brain.
Do these two need something to do? Apparently so, as both are becoming simple minded.
Brains? What brains
We've had our "eye" on you for awhile now....
Are YOU ready for the scrutiny?
Just spoke with Dorothy; Scarecrow don't want no stinking brain. Won't pass the 'sniff test'
Play ball with Winter (Jones, Sanchez and the liberals)and you're OK.
Cross the Clintons (uhm, the Winters) and you're in trouble with "The Lie"!
Sorry, but the un-biased, fair and balanced Lie on Albuquerque might have missed a huge conflict of interest.
Guess I missed something - who is Mayer's ex who has the city contract?
Has everyone forgot last year around this time Harris cut a deal with the same Dems. to secure the Council president for Heinrich and VP for himself? Plus, Harris worked against a sitting Republican state Rep. to help Cadigan wife run against her. Don plays both sides because he does not know what side he is on. Maybe he should ask his wife.
Yeah, I missed something, too. What contracts? What does it have to do w/the false alarm unit (I used to work there). Did Mayer's husband work in that unit? Who is he?
-just wondering!!
Speaking of conflicts of interest, not only is the school board president married to the President of Modrall, who does millions in business with the APS; But Nann Winters also does a bunch of business with APS and her husband Brad.
You really don't have to swim very far to fight stinking fish.
To all posts..this is a blog. By definition, it can choose to slant or not slant. You choose to read it. As with any blog, a great deal of it is opinion by the blog owner.
If you can dig out the facts or non-facts..create your own blog.
Don't agree with the blog..quit reading. Agree with it..read it.
Folks,
Really need to take a good hard look at the Albuquerque Water Authority. Here's the specifics>
New Mexico Senate Bill 887 (Laws 2003, Chapter 437, codified as NMSA 1978, Section 72-1-10).
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