Mirror, mirror on the wall......I guess in State Rep. Demetrius Newton's, (D-Birmingham) case that would be mirrors, mirrors. Newton, the House speaker pro tem, purchased three mirrors for his Montgomery office at a cost of $759.00. But he didn't stop there. Before he was finished Newton had spent over $11,000 in taxpayer money to redecorate his office. In case everyone has forgotten, Bob Lowry, writer for The Huntsville Times reminds us Newton was the sponsor of the 62% pay hike lawmakers in Montgomery voted themselves last month.
MONTGOMERY - The lawmaker who sponsored the Alabama Legislature's 62 percent pay raise and a colleague have since March 2 spent more than $19,500 in taxpayer money to redecorate their state House offices with items such as a $455 French urn lamp and a $463 pencil pedestal table.
Rep. Demetrius Newton, D-Birmingham, House speaker pro tem, purchased 82 items for his office, according to records in the House Accounting Office.
[...]
Some of the more expensive items for Newton's office included six chairs, four of them leather, totaling $2,782; artwork totaling $2,165; three mirrors for $759; a settee for $495; a Manhattan table for $480; and a nickel-plated table for $373.
Other items include a plant with iron urn, $198; oval planter, $198; wood box, $173; porcelain jar, $173; tulip bowl, $123; glass and brass box, $123; a box, $90; magazine holder, $81; tissue box holder, $67; standing Buddha, $33; and two porcelain dog figures, $40.
Newton said he had no idea how much was spent on the redecoration. How do you like that, coming from an elected servant of the people?
Newton said he didn't know the cost of the redecoration of his 360-square-foot office, but he began thinking about redoing his office after Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, began redecorating his office across the hall.
"My secretary asked me if she could try to do something here, and I told her, 'Yes,' and she did the decorating," Newton said. "I wouldn't know what anything cost. I have no idea, but we have to stay within our little budget and that was done. I don't know where the $11,000 figure came from - I doubt it (the amount) very seriously."
If he doubts the amount maybe he ought to look it up. It's sad commentary that a writer for The Huntsville Times knows how much was spent and Rep. Newton is clueless. As for his "little budget", he has an annual budget "between $25,000 to $30,000". Rep. Black, who gave Newton the idea to update his office spent a little less on his:
Black spent $7,707.25 on 44 items to redecorate his office.
The major expenditures for Black's office included $2,227 for artwork, $463 for a pencil pedestal table, $900 for two armchairs, $608 for two lamps, $463 for a cart wheel, $173 for a tea caddy, $120 for two terra cotta urns and $98 for bookends.
Black, an attorney, said it was the first money he had spent to redecorate his office in the 16 years he has been in the Legislature. Previously, he said, his only purchases were for a copy machine and a fax machine.
"I don't think it (the amount) is unheard of," he said. "I updated it to make it look nice for people."
Look nice for the people? I wonder how many of "the people" will ever see it?
Alabama voters can stop this madness. This type of waste and abuse of power has gone on way too long, unfortunately too many of us are not paying attention. When we get to the polls we check off the names we recognize and don't give it another thought. And when our legislators do something outrageous like giving themselves a 62% pay increase or wasting taxpayer money lavishly redecorating their offices, we are helpless to do anything about it. By the time the next election rolls around it's old news. On top of that, the power of incumbency is a huge hurdle to overcome.
It's time for Alabamians to get serious about reigning in an out of control legislature. It's time for Initiative and Referendum. This is the only way we "the people" can stop the abuses in Montgomery.
No, they won't. Alabamians must force the issue. If we don't we will continue to see our tax dollars wasted.
Newton, who sponsored the March 8 resolution to raise lawmakers' pay to $49,500 a year, said he decided to "do a little redecorating" because his office "was the pits and we have a lot of visitors coming in here."
Squandering taxpayer money. That's the pits.
Also posting: Flashpoint "Out of control".
If you're waiting to hear from the "Amen Corner", here I am.
Great post!
Posted by: Don | April 23, 2007 at 02:53 PM
Ha! Thanks. To be continued........
Posted by: mad_cow | April 23, 2007 at 03:11 PM