Long before I started writing a column , I used to cover the Orange County commission. I started back in the late 90s with Linda Chapin, covering Mel Martinez and Rich Crotty as well. As such, I sat through multitudes of county commission meetings.

Yet never in all those years can I recall seeing any of those boards do what Teresa Jacobs are her board are preparing to do Tuesday.

That’s when they are expected to jam a charter amendment on the ballot — without virtually any of the standard vetting.

And it’s all an attempt to thwart a grassroots push for sicktime.

Now I don’t have any beef whatsoever with county officials questioning – or even campaigning against – mandatory sick time. That’s Democracy in action.

But I do have a beef with elected officials circumventing their own checks and balances — especially when they do so in hasty ignorance.

Sound too harsh? Well, consider the following …

Shortly after the county commission started talking about trying to pass a new law to prevent county ordinances from impacting employer-employee relations — one that would negate the sick-time law if it passed  – people started wondering about the proposal’s unintended consequences. So a Sentinel reporter asked amendment proponentJennifer Thompson  if her proposal might inadvertantly harm efforts to employ minorities or veterans (which were widely supported).

Thompson responded:  “I haven’t thought about it.”

Um, that’s a problem.

Click here for the full Orlando Sentinel column. 

Orange County on sick-time: We’ll show you, grass-roots folks
Page Reader Press Enter to Read Page Content Out LoudPress Enter to Pause or Restart Reading Page Content Out LoudPress Enter to Stop Reading Page Content Out LoudScreen Reader Support