As you can see from the above agenda item for consideration at next Tuesday's Greensboro N.C. City Council meeting for March 1, 2011, they want to hire Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP CLICKHERE as their lead lobbyist on the federal level with the proposed cost for service is $78,000 a year. The Greensboro Partnership has agreed to pay 25% ($19,500) of this cost . But let's take a closer look at who might pay the total cost because in the Rhino Times this week there is a article titled "Even President finds Partnership Confusing" CLICKHERE . In the article John Hammer wrote this,
The Greensboro City Council uses the Greensboro Partnership to launder money, according to what the council was told at its work session on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
The council allocates $200,000 to the Partnership to be used by the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance (GEDA), but of that money $25,000 goes to Downtown Greensboro Inc. (DGI) and $30,000 goes to the Piedmont Triad Film Commission.
Dan Lynch, president of the GEDA, told the council Tuesday that the money was simply a pass-through. He said they were told to write a check for $25,000 to DGI and $30,000 to the film commission and he did, but he did not know why.
Now we have another item to add to this money laundering game the City of Greensboro wants to play with the Greensboro Partnership at the expense of the Greensboro Taxpayers who are getting hosed in this situation. It is so amazing to see the City of Greensboro wants to think about cutting a job or even a service to the citizens at the same time hire a lobbyist on the federal level when in reality we have capable leaders in Washington D.C. working in our behalf and on top of it we have a sitting Senator in the name of Kay Hagan who resides in Greensboro and we also have the other senator of this state who resides right next door in Richard Burr from Winston Salem. We can also add on the House side in Rep. Howard Coble who also resides in Greensboro as well.
Taxpayers money going after Taxpayers money the City of Greensboro will get the Citizens Against Government Waste Porker of the Month Award if they approve this contract on Tuesday March 1, 2011. If you would like to say to the Greensboro City Council that this is a total waste of taxpayers money and to say NO on item #38 CLICKHERE
Should Government agencies be allowed to hire lobbyist? CLICKHERE
also here are some links to other posts in regards to this hiring of a federal lobbyist by the City of Greensboro.
December 17, 2010 Update: City of Greensboro Dumps State Lobbyist But Now Wants To Hire Federal Lobbyist: Government Waste At It's Best CLICKHERE
July 3, 2010 State and Local Governments Aggressively Lobby the Federal Government in Hopes of Federal Aid Opensecrets Blog CLICKHERE
June 2, 2010 Greensboro's Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Vaughan Eliminating the City's Paid State Lobbyist from the Budget Video Embedded CLICKHERE
We will see what happens on tuesday but as the mayor Pro tem with a link above said on video that we have capable representatives already elected by us working for us with our taxpayers monies . We don't need to waste anymore money to hire a federal lobbyist but if it gets approved then hopefully in future we will see candidates realize government waste and vote no for items like this.You can also remember this item because it could be a good campaign issue for people who are wanting to get in office in future to say this is the type of wastefull spending that doesn't need to happen.
Agenda item for March 1, 2011 for City of Greensboro
38. Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to represent the City of Greensboro priorities to Federal elected officials and agencies. (Council District: all) (roll call vote) (Attachment #38 to Councilmembers) COPY OF THE PROPOSAL ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
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