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Monday, October 22, 2012

Money / Election / Olympia Election Watchdog Furloughs Employees Weeks Before General Election

Posted by Goldy on Mon, Oct 22, 2012 at 1:36 PM

I just emailed Lori Anderson of the Public Disclosure Commission with a question about some apparently incomplete disclosures, and I got the following immediate response:

From: Lori Anderson
Subject: Automatic reply: Disclosure question
Date: October 22, 2012 1:20:48 PM PDT
To: David Goldstein

I am furloughed until Tuesday, October 23.. Please resend your Email to pdc@pdc.wa.gov if you need an answer before Tuesday.

That's right, the Public Disclosure Commission, the agency tasked with safeguarding the integrity of our campaign finance and disclosure laws, is furloughing and laying off employees during the heat of the election season!

No doubt all these government employees cost money, but it strikes me as penny wise and pound foolish to be cutting back on election watchdogs just weeks before a general election. I guess we get the government we pay for.

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Comments (10) RSS

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Was it just for today, or was she out for part of last week, too? Either way, that's a bunch of nonsense.

Posted by doceb on October 22, 2012 at 1:40 PM

Ummm.... So she's back....TOMORROW. You're a dumbass who is overreaching for things to bitch about.

Posted by /facepalm on October 22, 2012 at 1:41 PM

The thanks for this situation should go to Tim Eyman.

Posted by sperifera on October 22, 2012 at 1:48 PM

As much as it could have far-reaching consequences, it makes sens politically if a department head wants its cuts noticed by the public.

Posted by Jenny from the Block on October 22, 2012 at 1:51 PM

sense*

Posted by Jenny from the Block on October 22, 2012 at 1:55 PM

Yeah, it's really not uncommon for state and local government employees to be off for a day here and there. I doubt this was a spur-of-the-moment decision by a cash-strapped boss, or even a politically motivated pseudo-strike, but the result of continuous and systematic spending cuts and renegotiation of union contracts.

Posted by MacCrocodile