Bend over Bunky, here comes Mayor Diebold again

Creative stiffing of taxpayers is a trademark of Newark Mayor Bob Diebold and it happened again when he announced his new policy under which city workers can retire and then become immediately rehired in the same job.

Thus may city employees claim a city salary along with retirement benefits, which are funded in large part by tax money.

Diebold's justification is that this employee will cost the city about $13,439 less per year, according to the Advocate report, considering a $7,318 reduction in salary, the rest in benefits. What hasn't been reported yet is the total increased cost to taxpayers under this practice. Apparently this isn't illegal, but in my opinion it should be so declared by Ohio legislation.

Diebold can carve another notch into his needy-greedy government stick - along with the one for the $10 auto tag tax and another for stiffing citizens for rides to the hospital in taxpayer-owned trucks manned by taxpayer-paid employees and another for his push for robot-issued traffic tickets and another for permitting the use of city vehicles in violation of the city vehicle policy.

Speaking of stiffing the public, all but four city council members voted to increase the Building Code Department fees in order to keep on the payroll workers in that department who are no longer needed. And why is that?

Good-Ol'-Boy-To-The-Core Irene Kennedy was quoted in the Advocate: “I think it is important to keep this skill set in place, at least to the end of the year.”

Right. It's someone else's money. And end of which year? And will the fees be reduced when construction picks up?

When the next election comes around, remember that. Also remember the names of the four council members who voted in favor of public - not government - interests: Marmie, Rhodes, Uible and Bubb.