I write letters
This article appeared in the San Jose Mercury News the other day. Quoting:
"When San Jose police officer and military reservist Derrick Boler answered his country's call, the city promised to make up the difference between his military and police pay so his family wouldn't suffer financially from his sacrifice.
When Boler returned home after 34 months in Iraq, the city handed him a bill for more than $52,000. City officials said they overpaid him by mistake and needed him to repay the difference in three years. With interest.
...
San Jose has socked several of the 73 employee reservists who have served tours of duty over the past three years with repayment demands. The city council, which has tried several times to fix the problems, will discuss the matter again at its meeting Tuesday. But council members aren't sure what to do, because their attorney says they can't just forgive the payments.
...
But the city attorney's office responded that any effort to forgive the overpayments -- even due to city error -- would constitute an illegal gift of public funds."
There's been a lot of controversy up here about the fact the city has given millions of dollars in subsidies to the San jose Grand Prix and Norcal -- the local garbage company. So, I wrote a letter to the editor. My letter appeared in yesterday's paper:
"According to the San Jose City Attorney's Office, city military reservists called up to fight in Iraq who were overpaid the difference between their military pay and city pay are stuck with a repayment bill. The city can't forgive the overpayments -- even due to city error -- because it would constitute an illegal gift of public funds. But what if the reservists were to change their names, just temporarily, to either ``Norcal'' or ``San Jose Grand Prix?'' Wouldn't they be able then to legally get a gift of public funds?
David Shannon
San Jose"
posted by Dave @ 8:45 PM
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