Public contracts are public business

The Advocate article 3/7/10 regarding uniform allowances for city employees should be an eye-opener for taxpayers who seem unable to connect the dots between public employee unions and the never-ending squeeze on the public purse. These dots might also connect city employees’ taxpayer-provided electronic amusements to the possibility that Newark may no longer be able to afford a dog warden.

Citizen-taxpayers need to know the details of public-employee contracts: city, county workers, sheriff department, school employees and administrators.

I hope the Advocate will post these public-employee contracts in its data base. That would enable taxpayers to decide if they’re getting their money’s worth and whether elected officials are guarding the till or giving it away. Public contracts are public business.