Hume Wants it Both Ways
During the Wednesday, September 8 Elk Grove City Council meeting Council Member Pat Hume complains about criticism leveled at the city and ...
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2010/09/hume-wants-it-both-ways.html
During the Wednesday, September 8 Elk Grove City Council meeting Council Member Pat Hume complains about criticism leveled at the city and council by the public and media.
Watch his comments below.
Hume was specifically complaining about the scrutiny of a $95,000 expenditure for an electronic voting system that would, among other things, tally council roll call votes. The proposed purchase was also placed on the consent calender meaning that unless a council member or a member of the public specifically questioned it, it would have been approved without any discussion.
Ironically, one of the justifications offered for the purchase is that it would make government more transparent.
After the proposal was first reported in the media last week, criticism of the planned expenditure was chastised by Elk Grove citizens and other media outlets. News 10 in Sacramento also featured a segment on the planned purchase during their 6 o'clock news report this last Tuesday.
By the time the city council meeting convened Wednesday evening it was pretty clear to council members that the matter had to be discussed in the open. After listening to several upset citizens, some of whom were at the meeting to plea to the council to not cut disabled passenger transit services, the council's political choices on the matter were obvious.
Even though Hume agreed the $95,000 purchase was not prudent during these times of economic uncertainty, he nonetheless took the opportunity to swipe at Elk Grove citizens for speaking out against it and the media for reporting it.
Based on his criticism of citizen involvement in their government and the media reporting it, the question for Hume is this: If citizens had not brought this questionable purchase to the public attention by creating a "firestorm," to use Hume's characterization, would this purchase have been approved without any public debate?
Chances are without public input or outcry, this untimely purchase would have been approved without discussion.
Based on his comments, Hume's vote on the matter was a pure political calculation - why else would he employ a "how dare the masses question my authority and wisdom" towards people who took control of an unneeded purchase. This is how government is supposed to work.
Good luck with that reelection strategy.
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8 comments
I really cannot make up my mind whether this was another elitist thought escaping through a hole in Mr. Hume’s head –- like his turgid statement at a forum that only "astute people vote in the primary' -- or whether he was being intentionally condescending towards all those who for whatever reason dare disagree with him.
Or is the really that Hume wants Elk Grove to be another Bell and he was putting anyone who dared to question the Almighty Hume on notice. Good luck with that Mr. Hume.
EGN: Does this mean that people can now view Mr. Hume on You Tube? And Mr. Hume doesn’t want to embarrass Elk Grove? Now, that is funny!!!
I thought he had always wanted it "Both" ways!
From the video it sounds as though Mr. Hume is becoming paranoid? He seems to have forgotten he serves at the peoples will and we will question, create a "firestorm" if that is what it takes and no amount of railing against the people or the media will serve him well. So fasten your seat belt Pat.
Who is Pat Hume kidding? Himself maybe? His current diatribe is about citizens embarrassing Elk Grove because they questioned an ill-timed $95,000 expense.
One look at both the Elk Grove Citizen and Elk Grove News headlines of late are about Hume, his threats, his inability to file corrected campaign finance forms, not to mention his personal life and he has the nerve to cry foul.
Not hard to figure out whom Hume was attacking. But by all appearances, he didn’t get away with it either. For someone who professes to have such a “thick skin,” it was apparent that someone has gotten under Hume’s skin.
Legal documents make it clear, the other party wanted Hume’s personal matter settled quietly. It was Hume who has turned Elk Grove into a Mecca for scandal, with his personal life, the Elk Grove Rotary, FPPC, grand jury, and more.
Mr. Hume, clean up your own act with the “fires” you have started or threatened to start before you sit up on the dais with your theatrics and your clichés.
Hume is the poster child for hypocrisy: “The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity.”
This is rich!! Pat Hume doesn't want Elk Grove embarrassed.
Well, one look at the Bee headline today and yet another illegal action by former Elk Grove City Council member Michael Patrick Leary.
And who filed those FPPC complaints? None other than the same citizens who are tired of threats, tired of corruption, tired of illegal activity, and tired of our council members embarassing the citizens they were elected to serve.
Clean up your act Mr. Hume, along with your pal Mr. Leary because you two are what is wrong with Elk Grove!
Go check out the Granicus website http://www.granicus.com/Streaming-Media-Government.aspx (a S.F. company, not E.G., Sophie!) I wonder why the city council didn't look into the Granicus Citizen's Participation Suite where WE would have better access to the City Council to express our views...oh, that is right, they don't care about what WE want or think until election time!!!
Vote Pat Hume Out!!!
Oh, you caught that too...Sophia telling a speaker when she ask, that Granicus was an EG Company!
Actually I thought Pat Hume was going to go off on one of those Mike Leary rampages. Red faced and waving his arms...probably scared that little girl in the audience. Glad those young boys had already left.
Hume's arrogance again on display!
Robert
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