The Conscience of a King, Act III: The Campaign
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts….
WS
In today’s act, we hope to bring you to present day. After all, We appreciate your rapt attention as we’ve recounted the events leading up to this act, and we held a brief intermission to let Saturday’s retail politicking occur. We’re glad we did! ‘Moonhowlings reporters delivered a trove of info, which shoned a fair bit more light upon the stage. Just a little bit more recounting, and perhaps a flash-back or two and we promise you quite an entertaining Act 3 of this play. We think a line from Hamlet, Act II, Scene II best describes today’s performance:
The Play’s the thing! Wherein we’ll catch the conscience of a King!
Flashback to the beginning of February. Rewind time. The Carman campaign explodes on the scene, and his signs are first to appear on the set. No one seemed to notice that his signs violated the “30 days prior to the general election” law, or that they lacked the “paid for any authorized by” statement required on each sign, both minor breaches of election law. (Do any rules matter to this crowd?) What people noticed was how many sprang up in a matter of days, like dandelions, and in whose yards they were now prominently displayed. Reports flowed in to ‘Howlings from far afield. Many were in the yards of known uber-conservative activists, most of whom we believe attended the convention. Of particular note, we had a report that Dan Arnold, founder of the Manassas Tea Party, had a sign in his yard. We know he attended the convention: he delivered candidate Ian Lovejoy’s nomination speech.
The speed in which the Carman camp became organized was surprising, especially when you consider his complete lack of previous engagement in local city politics. He must have had one fine handler. Was he provided very targeted lists? Were introductions and meet-and-greets being held? It certainly would appear so. Could this support be coming solely from the Tea Party, or was he receiving help from some members of the political nobility? Perhaps his campaign was a joint effort of nobility and tea.
Now we’ve already covered in great detail how the wife of a certain elected official appears to have inadvertently exposed her husband’s support for Jerry Carman. Since that time, there’s been little spoken or written about it, but we received a report from the field yesterday, that it would appear that House Aveni has thrown off any pretenses of loyalty to the MGOP, and is proudly displaying the banner of Sir Carman along their castle walls, or their front yard if you can’t follow the spirit of our production. How this will play out in the future, remains to be scene, but it would appear that Aveni is “going for broke” in his backing of Carman. Even the Democrats would have you drawn and quartered for this breach in protocol. I have seen it happen.
Back into rewind mode: Not too long after, we began hearing about a write in campaign for Sheryl Bass. It would appear that many didn’t care for the games the Miller/Aveni/Arnold crowd had played at the convention. They met and quickly organized. We know many of the details, as a few are ‘howler reporters. We understand that this effort is a loose confederation of moderate republicans, independents, and not a few democrats, who liked the style, grace, and thoughtful leadership the Lady Bass brought to the council. In other words, “she really classed up the joint”. They too organized quickly, and we know why.
Gossiped about on the blogs and reported in the paper, it would appear that the wives of the current and immediate past chairman were involved. It was also reported that Chairman Steve demanded their resignations from the committee, which we imagine wasn’t an enjoyable task. (We heard Steve had to do some sofa time over that one.) What we find soooo ironic is that it was Doug Brown’s attacks on Chairman Steve surrounding the Bass write-in effort that not-so-eventually led to Baroness Aveni’s exposure of her husband’s support of Carman.
But what’s a play without irony? The Lady Bass supporters seemed to dot all their I’s and cross all their t’s correctly. The Bass write-in campaign respected the “30 days” rule, and had the proper permit on their signs, albeit not the usual “paid for and authorized by”. These signs have “Not Authorized by the candidate” and “paid for” followed by a blank for the purchaser of the signs to fill in their names. All in accordance with the law. Lastly, we LOVE the color! Contrast the “hot pink” with Jerry Carman’s yellow on black. Very symbolic if you ask us.
Mr. Uber-Republican, Chairman Steve reappeared briefly on the scene. He wrote an article that appeared both on the Manassas Patch, and at insidenova.com. Essentially, he wrote what any MGOP chairman would be expected to write: Vote GOP. Don’t vote “I” or “D”, and made his case for doing so. Nothing noteworthy about this. What is noteworthy is Jerry Carman decided to respond to the note, and his response sheds some light on who this enigmatic character is: an empty suit of real nicely shined up armor. Read it for yourselves here:
[The Greek Chorus: Ohhhhhh, Jerry! mmmmmmmmmmmmm]
http://manassas.patch.com/articles/letter-experience-counts-in-city-council-election#photo-3959229
Out on the blogs, pitchforks were grabbed, torches were lit, and the “Elect Carman” chants began, quickly followed by some curious attacks on the now-silent Chairman of the GOP. When it was noted that Jerry Carman skipped a candidates forum (what WAS he thinking?), the pro-Carman torches and pitchforks crowd responded by attacking the MGOP chairman for taking a vacation abroad. We thought, who is Jerry Carman running against? The Republican candidates or the Chairman? Since we hadn’t heard of a “Thomas write-in” campaign (wouldn’t THAT be interesting), we assumed it was the loyal serfs of Baron Aveni trying to extract some revenge on the chairman, or perhaps Aveni , his loyal “men-at-arms” and other members of his court. The one candidate who did not escape attack was Mark Wolfe.
Aside from trotting out the same strategy of attacking Wolfe’s association with the Manassas Ballet, as well as his associations with city and county funding of the arts (which failed miserably at the convention) Baron Aveni seems to have staged another battle. Bring on the bikers wearing tutus assault!) Lurking in the city capital improvement plan (CIP) was a proposed bicycle trail to connect an existing trail with Prince William Street. The trail already exists, and is used by public works to access an area between the Wellington and GTS neighborhoods. We understand that this has been in the city’s plan for many years, dating back to the mid to late 90’s. Why is it an issue now? Ah, the crafty Baron Aveni used his position as chairman of the City Budget Committee to bring the issue forward, and it appears, to set a trap for Wolfe. Wolfe, already feeling heat regarding the ballet, voted to remove the trail from the budget. Aveni could claim a budgetary victory and extract fealty from the people of Wellington, some of whom weren’t at all happy that the darker people of GTS would now have a path to go a’pillaging in their neighborhood. The blogs were full of thinly veiled hints of “others” coming along that bike trail to rape, pillage and plunder anyone who thought about using that trail, as well as it being used as as moving expressway from the have nots to the haves.
Wolfe then made the mistake of (for whatever reason) reversing himself and moving to return the trail to the budget. Not everyone considered reversal a mistake. Baron Aveni sprung the trap, more pitchforks were grabbed, more torches lit, and the Aveni Army was on the march. Rallies against the trail (that already exists, mind you) were turned into campaign events for those Aveni finds acceptable: Way, Lovejoy, and Carman, and a Birch-type by the name of Charles Sutherland, running for school board.
What is curious is only one of those individuals, Jonathan Way, was in a position to vote against the trail, which he did. Lovejoy and Carman aren’t on council and have no vote. Sutherland is running for school board. What these candidates have to do with a bicycle trail (that already exists), and will appear (or not) in a CIP that’s been around for years, and will be improved (or not), with any of these people, especially Sutherland, escapes us. Unless, of course, you see this for what it is: The Baron Aveni inciting the pitchfork and torches crowd to charge into whatever beach front he points to, which might include Andy Harrover’s blog MSOTF. There’s just nothing like a big coalition pitchforks and torches bonfire to get things rocking for an election.
For those who regularly read Andy’s blog (we do), you’ll note that it was down for several days. Andy was the victim of what we believe was a coordinated attack, as revenge for his support for the trail. On a thread discussing school vouchers (a favorite amongst the home & private schooling Baron Aveni crowd), mention of the most holy Seton school was made. The clarion call went out on bvbl and ABTF, more pitchforks were grabbed, more torches were lit, and this time, screen names hijacked, web proxies used, and a whole bunch of other nasty tactic employed, which forced Andy to pull up the draw-bridge, fill the moat, and take his blog down. It only came back up yesterday. We were glad to see him back.
This is where we end Act III, but many questions remain. What does Baron Aveni hope to gain by supporting Jerry Carman, and what does he stand to lose? Will the Baron be attempting to start his own RTL/TEA Party rather than reapplying for the Republican Party? If the Bass supporting ladies had to leave, we are assuming that the Baron and family and others will leave also. Can you just join and unjoin the Republicans?
Why wage war against those who have supported him over the years, in favor of a newbie on the scene? Why pick fights with or run against other members of council not up for election this year, who have a great deal of community support in their own right? Where’s the Mayor in all of this, if at all? We seemed to uncover questions, not answers.
Will the king make a grand appearance in the final act? The actors are set, marks are well, marked. Cue’s are ready. Grab your turkey legs and ale. Take your seats tomorrow, and we promise a great final act. You’ll see, “The Play’s the thing! Wherein we’ll catch the conscience of a King!”
M-H-
1) The “Authorized By..”line requirement was deleted last year by the
State Board of Elections. Think one his supporters must have thought
the same thing you did, because most of his signs had stickers with the info
less than a week after they went up. Same thing with Sutherland.
Turns out they didn’t need to do it.
2) The “thirty day rule ” has, to my knowledge, been more tradition than law
in the last decade. Question if it would hold up in court.
Thanks for the info. I had heard that you no longer needed the paid for…which I think is probably not a good move…but I couldn’t find it officially.
Hell, I am not taking anyone to court. I can’t handle my own politicians, much less you guys!
You all are just putting on a better show than we usually do in the county and you are far, far more colorful. You have much better intrique, alliances, and backstabbing than ever surfaces out here in the county.
By contrast, the county is BOOOOOOO-Ring!!!! We know who the double agents are here but one of them is such a glory hog, we refuse to write about him. It would give him too much pleasure. He would walk to Complex 1 nekkid if he thought he could get attention. (no, I am NOT talking about Corey. He has more class. Not even talking about a politicians, just one of their butt monkeys.)
Apparently flyers were passed out in the Weems area today promoting a
ticket of Lovejoy, Way and … Carman.
Who handed them out?
Is that what we call a hybrid ticket?
http://www.tidewaternews.com/2012/03/31/you-asked-disclaimers-not
Why are you all going thru so much bs to state the obvious?
Someone wanted their guy in for a voting block. No one had ever heard of their guy so they ran him as an indie. That way he got on the ticket. He couldn’t have made it on if he had to primary.
It sounds like your Baron with the help of his friends thinks this will be a shoe in. Send them all packing and keep your old folks who at least don’t seem to have an agenda other than doing what is best for the MC.
Far to Machiavellian for me M-H.
Its far too complicated for me. You need a chart to do all this. Who’s who and what’s what.
It looks like Carmen is trying to “hitch” a ride on the wagon of what some people think are the two favorites. Both are “pledged” to support the nominees of the convention so I wonder if anyone has bothered to ask them if they are even aware of this. Seems that desperate times call for desperate measures.
RV,
Carman has been trying to attach himself to the GOP since he papered attendees windshields with his campaign flyers. Why didn’t he just run as a Repub? Sounds like he was worried that people would see what others see, that he is an empty suit indeed. I’ve no problems with true independents, but if you believe he’d vote “independently of Marc Aveni, you are kidding yourselves. He claims he won’t be beholden to any special interests? The Teaparty/RTL crowd isn’t a special interest? OMG! Who are they trying to fool? Oh yes, they are trying to fool us!
I think the RTL crowd must have something else up their sleeves because the clinic isn’t a local issue, despite what they think.
Maybe they want city money to give to that fake clinic over there.
I have received several of the fliers that were going around today. One of them endorses Jerry Carmen but doesn’t know his name. It is extremely nasty and negative about Mr. Wolfe. I am not blaming Jerry. I am blaming the ignoramous spreading the fliers.
I just looked at it again. You all got someone over there running named Carnahan? Bwaaaahahahahahahaha!!! who are these FOOLS?
This same mental midget thinks that $629,000 is millions for the bike trail and it is all “Marky’s” fault. Hey, SFB, count the number of zeroes.
City folks! Help. I can’t stand it. I haven’t laughed this hard in a long, long time. Really, if you are going to be mean and cut on someone, sorta get it right.
Is there an IQ test to carry a torch or pitchfork? Apparently not LOL!
@Oy Vey
Oy Vey, back at the start, Carman wrote on his blog the reason he was not running as a Repubican as he was not sure he could support Republican Convention results. Of course, you won’t find that now.
He also is a bit amusing on his website with his stand against the regionalization efforts by Metro Washington Council of Governments. His statement reads like other protest against the United Nations Agenda 21. Why it is amusing is because, if he bothered to check with the City Clerk, the City Council passed a resolution supporting the efforts (we are part of the Urbanized area, and there is money involved with that) – but with a few lines of protest against certain aspects of it. Guess it is easier to toss a stone at a glass house then bother to look what is inside…
“City folks! Help. I can’t stand it. I haven’t laughed this hard in a long, long time.”
Hey Moon & Elena, you are doing great! I shifted from Python’s Holy Ale to Crown Royal to toast this Third Act….Second Act was a great interlude and this Third Act, you both rock!!!
Team Theater of the Absurd thanks you most kindly.
Wench, another round of ale for Count Beverage.
Hey! A flash of Crown Royal brillance! That dodo urging us to vote for Lovejoy, Carnahan and Way would make the perfect fool for the play! Every great Shakespearean piece (the Old Bard himself or a parody has a fool…and you could name him “Carnahan” 🙂
Some of these folks are just making it too easy.
I really hope that was a 5th grader rather than an adult.
@ Moon,
The sad thing is that there are plenty of people in Manassas that will read that and not catch any of the errors. Actually they don’t have to read it. They just stand in line and take their orders from the Barron and do as told. Perhaps, if I’m lucky, I’ll get one on my door attacking Sheryl Trout.
@Rabbit
LOL that is a lot closer to a real name than that other one. Too funny. Sheryl Trout. snicker!! Good one, Rabbit. I forgot to say welcome to Moonhowlings. Pull up a chair and have a mug of ale.
Why the excoriation of Wally Covington over Rainbow Riding, but a free pass for Mark Wolfe? Both are doing precisely the same thing – exploiting their positions of public trust to get taxpayer dollars for organizations either headed by or employing their spouses. I don’t get the inconsistency.
I agree with the position taken by most of my friends here and fellow Moonhowlings posters that Covington’s shenanigans were inexcusable. However, I regard Wolfe’s transgressions in no less of a negative light.
Virtucon ran a very good post recently detailing how Wolfe has manipulated arts funding for the personal benefit of himself and his wife. It’s worth an objective read even if you don’t normally like Virtucon:
http://virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/a-skunk-in-swan-lake/
Many people beyond the “uber-conservatives” are upset with how Wolfe runs that ballet and abuses taxpayer dollars. You’ll find many moderates who share this view, as well as many people formerly associated with his organization who are politically apathetic. There’s much more to this situation than election year politics.
Flag on the play….Mark Wolfe is not a county resident.
If I am not mistaken, Mark Wolfe’s organization applies for whatever public funds he gets from both County and City. He doesn’t fund the ballet with discretionary funds.
I don’t really think that is what this election is about. You aren’t voting for Swan Lake. The word “many” here is probably arbitrary. Probably some do, some don’t. In the final analysis, I doubt of very much of the election kerfuffle is really about the ballet. I think it has to do more with other issues. When the hurlyburly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won, it will all be clear it was about other agenda items and control. The Baron has a mission.
I also left out my raised eyebrow over the timing on all this ballet objection. Could it be dealt with when Mr. Wolfe isn’t running for re-election? I find it to be not fair game to tie the ballet in with an elected position.
I do believe that Mr. Wolfe recuses himself from the funding vote with the City. How they spend their money is not my concern, however, and I am sure they would all line up to tell me just that.
From an outsider’s point of view, the whole “let’s get Wolfe” is very obvious and in reality, it has not one thing to do with the ballet nor the bike path. Those are all red herrings. It is about power, control, and life’s mission.
I expect to see indulgences for sale in the want ads as a fund raiser.
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
Hamlet, Act III
I noticed that Doug Brown has produced a flyer, to be handed out at the polls. Carman tops the list, with a statement “Managed a Fortune 500 Company”. From what I understand, he was a low-level manager at Waste Managment. “Managed” and “Fortune 500” would make one think Carman was a C-level executive. Exagerate much? Perhaps he mispelled “Carman” and meant to write “Carnahan”, that dark-dark-darkhorse candidate whose running to save Manassas from a $629 MILLION dollar bike trail. Exagerations abound.
@Moon-howler
Moon, what difference does it make whether he’s a County or City resident, or in which election he’s running? Moonhowlings readers and contributors are from both the County and City. Some have their tax money stolen by politicians in the City, some by politicians in the County. If someone moves from the County to the City, is one absolved from all sin and wrong-doing?
I still maintain that there is no difference between what Covington and Wolfe are doing, and I object to both. Actually, in Wolfe’s case the transgressions are worse. Covington’s wife is the President of Rainbow Riding, but Wally has no office or position in that organization of which I’m aware. Also, neither Wally nor his wife receives any personal financial compensation from Rainbow Riding. She is a volunteer there.
The latest Rainbow Riding funding request is not from Wally’s discretionary funds. It’s much larger than the original $100,000 and is going through the normal budget process. I oppose this funding, as do the proprietors of Moonhowlings (we’re in complete agreement), but it’s no different than what Wolfe is doing with his Ballet/dance school.
Mark Wolfe’s wife is a paid employee of Manassas Ballet and their dance school – paid in part with the taxpayer money Wolfe gets from both the City and County. Moreover, Wolfe is an officer in the organization. They both gain directly and personally from the taxpayer money Wolfe gets. How is that not a conflict of interest? How is it not far worse than what Wally and his wife do?
MANY people have been raising objections to Wolfe’s antics and abuse of taxpayer dollars for years. It’s not a new concern. Is it getting more attention this year than previously? Obviously. When the “powers-that-be” (MH readers didn’t like the term “elites” so I’ll not use it again) in the City or the County ignore a problem, the best time for citizens and taxpayers to speak up is when an election is approaching. Voters have the ability to nullify much of what Wolfe has been doing tomorrow. Regrettably, even if (hopefully) he is defeated, he’ll still be able to reach into the taxpayer cookie jar, but will have significantly less influence.
Here is the way I see it NTK. People have different reasons in the city for not liking specific candidates, for you, and some others, that would be Wolfe, its the possible special treatment of the ballet with tax payer dollars that is the most offensive. Here is my question, and its for Wally’s organization too, how do worth while organization compete for public money? Is there a process in the City or is it just included in the budget?
From what I gather though, for another group, it was Wolfe’s decision not to support the worthless abortion letter.
I have no dog in this fight, but if I did, I would be more willing to err on the side of those NOT carrying pitch forks and NOT attempting to marginalize the GOP of the city. Seems like Wolfe doesn’t have a pitchfork and and is at least trying to play by the GOP rules.
I don’t think they disliked the use of the term “elites” I think they thought it was funny.
Actually the best time to speak up over expenditures is during the budget process since Wolfe really has nothing political to do with whether his ballet gets funding or not. He recuses himself.
So, it and the bike trail are both simply red herrings.
These are dangerous times for folks who aren’t uber far right…for now. It won’t last.
If Wolfe loses tomorrow, not one thing will change as far as funding for the ballet goes in either the county or the city.
MANY people like having a ballet in town also. I am not sure how many MANY is. Me? I am actually neutral on the subject. I just don’t care much for the red herrings flopping around on the stage. I don’t like people being targetted over other things.
Elena makes a valid point. It would be rare that she and I sided with the pitchforks and torches crew. I would also like to see more of the OLD GOP rather than the fire-brands who have driven so many moderates out of the party with their extremism over social issues and funding of government.
While we are at it, not everyone has the same quality of life issues at the toip of the heap. Elena likes open spaces. So do I as a matter of fact. I am a champion of Silver Lake which is rapidly becoming Silver Cesspool because our own BOCS is too CHEAP to put in bear resistant trash cans. Some folks like the arts, like ballet and many of the events that go on out at Hylton Center. Others like cycling. The city really is almost void of places to cycle except on the open roads. You can’t ride bikes at the Battlefield either. Still other people like gardens and conservation. Having a great library system is important to even more people. Dog parks are important to pet owners. I would like to see an outdoor night time observation park for celestial events. The cost would be next to nothing. The list goes on and on.
Different people have different quality of life issues that they want to see happen to make their community a better place. Why are we singling out the ballet as long as it goes through the same process everyone else has to go through?
For the record….I like Wally Covington. I strongly disagreed with him giving a large donation from his discretionary funds to a private charity. Disagreeing with someone doesn’t mean you don’t like and respect them.
@Elena
I supported some public arts funding at one point, but after seeing the process close-up in PWC and Manassas have come to the conclusion that it’s a bad idea. I might change my mind if the process became more fair and transparent, but that’s not likely anytime soon. In fact, I’ve come to oppose all public funding for anything other than core public services such as schools, police, fire and rescue, etc. There’s just too much abuse, favoritism and waste in the current system.
The key phrase in your comment was “worth while organization.” How do we define that? Many people consider Rainbow Riding a worthwhile organization and worthy of funding. You and I disagree that taxpayers should support it. Just about any organization is worthwhile to someone, but if we funded everything taxes would skyrocket far higher than they have.
If we could ever devise a system for funding non-profits and other causes that did not allow politicians, and their supporters and cronies, to manipulate the process for their own personal goals, such as Wally and his discretionary funds or Mark Wolfe and arts funding (read the Virtucon post I linked) my opinion might be different. It’s not likely to happen.
The best system I see now is, as I wrote above, to eliminate all funding except for core public services. If elected officials or others want to promote their favorite causes and non-profits, their elected positions provide them with a bigger bully pulpit than any of the rest of us has. There’s always donating their own money rather than grabbing taxpayer money and paying a family member with it also.
@Moon-howler
“Different people have different quality of life issues that they want to see happen to make their community a better place.” I read this just after my posting my comment that everyone sees worthwhile differently. I couldn’t agree with you more on this. More reason for eliminating public funding and allowing all “worthwhile” organizations to convince the public of their value and secure voluntary, private funding rather than have a favorably-disposed politician pick the taxpayers’ pocket on your behalf.
@Moon-howler
Also, I agree with you on personal attitudes versus views on political positions. I’ll argue vehemently against any position I oppose. However, I’ve met Wally, Corey and others, and despite strong disagreements with them on many issues, consider them personally quite decent and pleasant individuals. I’ve never met Mark Wolfe but would hope that my personal reaction to him would be very favorable also.
NTK, what else could Wolfe do but recuse himself from any vote that deals with financing the ballet? Other Councilmen are business owners who probably recuse themselves from votes that concern their businesses. (As for the article at virginavirutcon, many ballets and galleries have associated schools.)
Many Shakespearian plays have their thugs. Who plays the parts now? Teabaggers?
Ah, thank goodness for the unabridged version of this comedy of errors.
@Censored bybvbl
The most ethical course of action would be to resign from any leadership roles that pose even a potential conflict with his duties as a city councilman. That would include his office or any leadership/decision-making role with the ballet, his position as head of the PWC Arts Council and the salary his wife receives paid in part by public funds.
Let’s apply a standard consistent and fair with the criticism that has been directed at Wally.
NTK, I think most people who would be qualified to head an arts council are actively involved in the arts or have connections. It would be hard to find candidates who weren’t. As long as their fellow committee members or Council members have spines and make sure the process of obtaining grants or other financing is done correctly and impartially, there shouldn’t be a problem.
@Need to Know
I think we should leave Wally out of this. Wally donated discretionary funds. People objected. What they objected to was that there was NO process involved.
In this case, like it or not, there is very definitely a process involved.
I can’t see any point in us continuing to beat Wally up over and over and over again. I have had my say on it. Let’s let him live to fight another day. He isn’t a bad person.
@Censored bybvbl
Hypothetically, you are 100% correct. But there is a problem. A big one. Ethical elected officials are always, as you write, actively involved in the arts or other causes. That’s important and should remain the case. However, they are not President or Executive Director, or whatever of an organization that employs their spouse and contributes substantially to their family income (about $30,000 I think). Moreover, they do not use their position and influence to manipulate the process by which public funds are allocated to benefit the organization in which they have a personal interest. Read the Virtucon post. The facts there are compelling.
I consider myself a conservative and enjoy the discussion on MH with others who consider themselves moderate or liberal. That makes for a more interesting conversation than when everyone shares the same philosophy. However, I feel that everyone on MH are people of goodwill and that we share at least one common view. We all want integrity in our government and for our tax money not to be abused, wasted or expropriated for personal interests.
@Moon-howler
I agree that Wally is not a bad person, and Mark Wolfe may very well not be either. However the facts are the facts regarding appropriating public funds, conflicts of interest, and misuse of taxpayer dollars.
He recused himself.
That’s all he needs to do. He is but one vote.
@NTK, I disagree that your opinion is fact. It is your opinion.
Mr. Wolfe goes through a process for obtaining funds. If you don’t like the process, lobby the BOCS change the process.
I believe the city has a process also. Anyone want to address the city process?
@Moon-howler
Moon, we’re going to have to agree to disagree on his recusing himself as sufficient in and of itself to clear Wolfe of a conflict of interest. To me, that falls far short of the ethical conduct required of a public official. Doing that one thing, with everything else I’ve tried to bring out still vastly fails the test of integrity and transparency.
We’ve discussed on MH before how the PWC Board allows one or two supervisors to take an out on controversial votes when they know they have five votes to pass something. Manassas is no different, especially with the current city council.
Ray, I see where a certain blog-bully told you that you were being distainful of f people just wanting to protect their homes. I spit coffee on the screen!
These are the same folks who are demanding higher standards in the community and schools. Too funny. They didn’t spell one of the candidates names even close to correctly.
I guess we were just high-balling those standards.
Who did we name as the fool? I can’t even remember.
@Moon-howler
Wolfe tried to get the same arts funding process approved in the City this year that as head of the PWC Arts Council he got approved in the County in 2007. The Manassas City Council, however, seeing the history of how poorly that has worked for the County, and all the conflicts and problems it has created, voted his proposal down. If this weren’t an election year the outcome might have been different.
Now what we need are five PWC supervisors with the courgage and strong enough belief in fiscal conservatism to get rid of it in the County. People have lobbied the PWC Board for years to do that but even the self-proclaimed fiscal conservatives have failed dismally.
NTK, as a visual arts major, I’ll not agree with any suggestion to rid the county of support for the arts. There is more to life than police and fire protection, schools, and roads. (An art critique will quickly show that a class of a couple dozen students will come up with just as many solutions to a problem – some better than others. People will quickly see that theirs isn’t the only solution – an important life lesson.)
PWC and the City need to compete with all other NoVa jurisdictions, as well as DC and Maryland, for jobs, skilled employees, attractions that bring in tax revenue. We can’t be a bare-bones hillbilly cousin and expect to attract higher income, educated people. That’s the mistake the Tea Party makes. Its supporters rail against taxes AND the type of people who are attracted to low service, cheaper areas. They can’t have both. They’re full of sound and fury but the solutions they offer amount to nothing but less.
NTK,
The City does have an “Arts Council”. It is a “grant committee comprized of two councilmen(Way and Randolph). They operate the same way the county’s does. They review the grant requests of the various arts organizations to determine if they are qualified and using the predetermined sum allocated for”Arts and Culturalization”($65,000) gives out that money in the amount determined by the percentage of the organization’s operating budget as compared with the other groups.
$65k isn’t going to buy all that many tutus on bikes.
@Censored bybvbl
You raise two very important issues, and again I agree with you 100 percent, philosophically. Previously, I was a strong supporter of public support for the arts. That was until I saw how the process works here in Hazzard, er, sorry, Prince William County and Manassas. Funding decisions here are based on who is whose friend, who contributed to whose campaign, whose spouse works where, who is on what board, etc. It’s a crony system and a waste of taxpayer money. If that system were fixed I would be with you in practice as well as in spirit.
On your other point, we have the talented, professional people already residing in Prince William County. We didn’t need a ballet or performing arts center to attract them. However, two-thirds of them commute out of Prince William County every day to find jobs elsewhere that are commensurate with their skills, abilities and salary demands.
That brings us out of the realm of arts funding and into land use policy. The change needed there is a County Board that does not make policy based on campaign contributions from residential developers, as has been the case for so many years, but instead makes policy that favors high-wage commercial and professional uses. Businesses do not make those location decisions based on the presence of an amateur ballet company, especially when some of the best arts offerings in the world are available less than an hour away in the nation’s capitol.
“PWC and the City need to compete with all other NoVa jurisdictions, as well as DC and Maryland, for jobs, skilled employees, attractions that bring in tax revenue. We can’t be a bare-bones hillbilly cousin and expect to attract higher income, educated people. ”
Well said.
NTK, I agree that the BOCS has relied too heavily on residential growth to the detriment of commercial development and that we’ve all shouldered the burden of making up for what proffers fail to cover – and it’s a lot.
The arts take up only a small portion of these budgets (City and county). I’ll just address the visuals arts in stating that I didn’t expect much from Hazzard. I usually frequent DC’s commercial galleries with some forays into Alexandria and Lorton. The Candy Factory has surprised me in that there have been some interesting/challenging exhibits. It both showcases local talent(including students’ work) and more far-flung artists. (Ugh, I picture a game of swing-the-statue with the use of “flung’.) It makes Manassas a more interesting place to visit.
When I first moved here, I headed straight to Fairfax or Alexandria to shop or for entertainment. I’d visit Rohr’s for cheesecloth but I generally avoided Manassas despite its having the closest shops. Manassas evolved and the traffic became a pain in the A and soon we found we spent more money in Manassas’s shops. The museum, Candy Factory, the farmer’s market, Opera House Gourmet, Okra’s, Carmello’s, and other shops enticed us to shop more locally. These “extras” give a town some sparkle. (When we moved to NoVA , the only skating rink I remember was on the national Mall or the canal and later Reston. Now there’s one in Manassas to enjoy.)
As a woman, my support would not be thrown to any Tea Party candidate in Manassas. Theirs is an agenda that makes the Republican Party look moderate and it certainly hasn’t been of late. They’re a parasitic group which has latched onto the Republican Party in order to take advantage of its funding and organization. But they’re turncoats.
@Censored bybvbl
You sound like a very reasonable, well-considered person who cares about her community. As a life-long Reagan, William F. Buckley Republican I have some concerns about things going on in my Party also. It really pains me to criticize any fellow Republican. However, my arguments in this thread have focused very narrowly on one issue – fiscal responsibility and the associated requirements of integrity and transparency in government spending. I’ll call out fellow Republicans if I see them going astray as readily as I would a Democrat and hope they get back on the straight and narrow.
Some in the Party try to disassociate themselves from the Tea Party (by the way, I’m not a member and have not even attended a meeting) in an effort to appear “moderate” when in actuality they are just crony politicians who want to keep their hand in the taxpayer cookie jar.
@Moon-howler
Moon, the City process for determining contributions to local entites was set up this year to be two Council Members and selected citizens. Before it was set in place, it was talked and debated and this pilot approach agreed to. The Committee had a set figure of total dollars to work with for grants to first the Human Services organizations (which directly serve residents) and then the various Arts entities. Even with two organizations not submitting an application this year, the Committee did a fair job of allocation across all the groups to include the two who missed.
When it got to Council Work Session, the two groups who had not submitted paperwork received zero funding…and then the other groups basically got what they had received the year before. Mayor said in a WaPo article the Council is going to relook at the process, so our new City Manager gets another task.
It was a good effort – I could easily agree with it. All out in the open; all part of the budget process; available for Citizen comment as part of the process.
@Moon-howler
Moon, don’t think you two have created the court jester yet…didn’t see it in the reread of Act I & II.
And it’s true – I have disdain for people who litter my neighborhood. Have enough issues as it is with people doing it. Plus, for people living in the real world, that flyer was just too done gone funny especially when it is placed at the flag on my mailbox, and if you look over you would see the Lovejoy, Way, Wolfe, and Purdy.
I went to the convention as a delegate (not as a member of the MRP) at the request of four canditates….and signed the paper saying I would support the outcome. Tomorrow I shall do so…and know that at least I keep my word and am not a turncoat.
@Ray Beverage
Ray – I’m glad I’m a County resident and wasn’t at the convention. I’d be facing a serious moral choice tomorrow if I had been a delegate and signed that pledge.
I’m with Moon on this matter. I don’t like loyalty oaths regardless of which Party has them. One should be able to affiliate with and espouse the major views and philosophy of a party, but be able to vote their conscience on specific individuals. The only legimate constraint I see is that if you run for a party’s nomination for an office and lose, you should be obligated not to oppose the ultimate nominee and run as an independent.
You are correct that signing a pledge creates a moral obligation to honor your word, or signature.
I understand both sides of this. I figure I am the one out of step with the army so I will be an independent. The party has every right to demand loyalty…whether R or D.
Where I did have a problem was with the VA presidential primary where there were only 2 candidates. That was a little difficult to support.
Curtain time is nigh……Last call for ale and turkey legs. Try some of our toadie stew.
By the way, that is the first and LAST time I shall ever be persuaded by anyone to attend a political convention. Only went out of the mutual respect the four individuals and I have for each other – and the friendship. I’ll stick to remaining on the outside and vote for who I assess will be the best person forward. Any canditate who wants to talk with me, well, buy a round or lunch and you can pick my brain…but attendance shall be nigh.
My turkey leg was burnt…if the stew is bad, the cook shall be flogged!!!
Good help is hard to find. [Wench, bring Count Beverage another turkey wing! chop chop]
What do you expect from toadie stew?
I don’t go to those things either, Ray. You are right to demand lunch. If someone is going to bend your ear, then dinner should be included also.
It looks like our attempt to revisit the classics, in particlar, Shakespeare, is being picked up by at least one other blog. Next thing you know, the news will be delivered by opera.
Is anyone working the polls?
Should the Howlet’s Wing-mobile do some drive bys? I wonder how many would flick me off?
Sigh…I hear I have trashed people. You know, I don’t think so. I haven’t called anyone a crook, or a low life, a liar or a thief. I have, at worst, satirized. However, in making my electronic rounds, I have read some pretty vile and vicious things about the “targetted one.” Evil statements–statements I doubt anyone would say to his face. That’s really too bad. I guess some folks can only see meanness in others but not in themselves.