I have just read the excellent analysis of our bond challenges by Joe DeRaymond. This article is too long to be considered for publication in either of the local papers, but it serves up a buffet of the legal, economic, political, and moral problems with the Solomon/Hickey/Reibman spending spree. In fact, I am alerting the fourth estate of Joe's article because Joe DeRaymond is a far more effective writer than I could ever hope to be, and it's a good read.

Although the County has the money and can spend some of it, not even this County can spend all $111 million in two weeks. I hope the new Council can apply the brakes by dissolving the GPA. In the meantime, I continue to pursue all challenges.

To that end, I filed a Right to Know request with the County and GPA on Thursday, asking for all closing documents as well as the TIMES that all issuance costs were paid on Closing day. I have a feeling these issuance costs were not paid until AFTER our 9:45 AM hearing was concluded, in which case the GPA's counsel will be asked to explain.

Interestingly, my Right to Know Law request to de facto executive Hickey was returned unopened. He actually had a Deputy Sheriff return the unopened instrument. Now since when does the Director of Administration have the right to use a $50,000 per annum Deputy Sheriff as an errand boy? And since when would a law enforcement officer allow himself to be prostituted in such a fashion? He should have been off doing push ups or something. And how can a public servant be so arrogant that he thinks he can return a Right to Know request unopened?

Perhaps it is because Mr. Hickey feels that special interests can protect him now that he has $111 million to dole out. Last time around his machine picked up nearly a quarter million for the exec campaign (pay is $65,000/yr), and now that Hickey has delivered, the bond beneficiaries will open their cash spigots for their political puppets.

All of this points to our real problem, and the #1 priority of Ralph Nader: "Strengthen citizen participation in our political economy. Enact legislation that mandates publicly-financed public elections and broad reforms of the electoral process so that votes count far more than dollars."

Our fight is not over. It has only just begun.

And Billy is getting his bullhorn ready.