The Grinch's Even More Evil Twin

HE DOESN'T HAVE IT IN HIM!
Well, it certainly didn't take long for recently re-elected Mayor Jim Righeimer to rip off that uncomfortable, ill-fitting facade of the conciliator, did it?  It only took a few minutes at the last council meeting for us to see the seams beginning to burst on that outfit.  Then comes today...

POLITICAL PETTINESS PERSONIFIED!
As described in a Facebook message to her "friends", recently re-elected council woman Katrina Foley - who will officially take the dais on December 2nd - told us the following:

"On 11/13/14 in the OC Register Righeimer pledged: "You want to find out what issues are important to them [me, the new council member] and see how you can get those things done.” First attempt: Kill Katrina's Annual Kids Coat Drive! BaHumbug! Due to his complaint, after 5 years, we can no longer place a collection bin in the lobby of the CMPD. I wish we could move beyond petty politics! Please let me know if your business or organization will host a bin."

WHAT A LOUSY MOVE!
That's correct!  This week Righeimer - who barely retained a place on the dais by 47 votes and who told us from the dais last Tuesday evening that he was meeting with Foley soon to find common ground - complained to CEO Tom Hatch that the collection barrels for the 6th annual Kids Coat Drive were political statements and should be banned from City buildings.  So - poof! - no more collection barrels!  

WHAT ABOUT THE REST?

As several commentors have observed on the thread that accompanied Foley's Facebook post, there are many other "collections" done on city sites and wondered if they, too, will be banned as "political statements".  I'm told that the official city position on the Kids Coat Drive collection was that it was not an official city-endorsed program.  What a steaming pile of manure!

THE WORST IS YET TO COME!

This is what we have to look forward to under the regime of now-lame duck Mayor Jim Righeimer!  He's termed out in 2018, so has nothing to lose by letting us see the real guy behind that pudgy, poorly-coiffed facade.  Now we'll see him at his worst - something that's pretty hard to imagine when we reflect on his first four years on the dais, when, among other things, we saw him attempt to layoff half the miscellaneous employees (Remember Huy Pham?); disembowel the police department; create such a hostile work environment that many staffers have departed and recruitment becomes very difficult; turn the city into a virtual dictatorship by changing the core form of government - twice! - to make it easier for him to rule;  take such capricious actions that our city has become a retirement annuity for many local law firms and on and on and on.  Now he puts a roadblock in front of one of the very positive events that has happened each year for half a decade and leave needy children shivering in the night!

WE KNOW YOU, MR. RIGHEIMER!
If he thought for one second that his Cheshire Cat grin and phony attempt to convince us that he's turned over a new leaf and has become a conciliatory member of a council team had us fooled, he's sorely mistaken.  Those of us who pay attention recognize what a dictatorial, self-serving political opportunist he really is and will continue to speak out.  This latest move is beyhond despicable and will be long-remembered.