TVW Covers Impact Of Budget Crisis On State Employees

This week's edition of The Impact, one of TVW's weekly news programs, covers in some detail the impact of the budget crisis on state employees. The program starts with an interview with WFSE Executive Director Greg Devereux, and then features an insightful discussion with Rep. Sam Hunt (D-Olympia) and Rep. Bruce Dammeier (R-Puyallup). The total segment relating to state employees is about 15 minutes long.



The rest of the program delves into park closures and community supervision of offenders, which will also be of interest to many. -- Dennis

This Post Is For You, Joe

Ever since the link to the WFSE Political Blog was removed from the WFSE main page (against my wishes) I figured our readership would drop from four to zero. However, I have since learned that Joe still checks the blog regularly and he's disappointed that I'm not adding any new content. Buoyed by the notion that I actually have one reader, I'll try to go ahead and post something once in a while.

This has been an absolutely brutal week, culminated by the Senate's disastrous decision to pass the bill that would privatize all child welfare services on a 33-15 vote at about 8:00 pm last night. Feeling bruised and battered, I'm looking for a little levity. Fortunately, I found it in Schenectady, NY.

It appears Steve Raucci, Facilities Supervisor for the Schenectady City School District (and the local CSEA president), is accused of arson. According to the Times Union (Albany, NY), "It took Steven C. Raucci a long time, a prosecutor said Monday, but he did get even with a driver he suspected of scratching his car in a mall parking lot. Raucci remembered that a yellow Ford Mustang with vanity license plates had been parked next to him that day at the Rotterdam Square Mall, Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney said. About a year later, Carney said Raucci saw the car again and tracked down where the owner lived and worked. Then, the DA said, Raucci placed two explosive devices on the car's windshield and blew them up."

But wait! It gets better.

As part of the court records, a letter Raucci wrote to a new female employee was released, outlining "additional conditions" for her job (typos included):

> Be sure your supervisor is always happy
> Take time everyday to keep your appearance pleasing for your supervisor
> Be attentive to your supervisors needs and wants during the work day
> Always keep your hair at its present length or as closely as possible
> Talk to your supervisor as often as needed for him to feel comfortable
> Always remember that your supervisor is a man first and a supervisor second and he should be treated as such in that sequence
> Being attractive, sensitive and classy with a touch of sexiness, are crucial to the position
> If you are married or living with a significant other, it must be understood that during the hours of 7am-3:30pm you are there for your supervisor.
> Always express your feelings on anything that does not set well with you both in the office and out
> Your health, physical condition must always be your top priorities
> NEVER forget that you were chosen because you met all the above criteria's.

I don't know if Raucci really is an arsonist, but he's obviously an idiot. Nonetheless, I'm grateful to him for brightening up my week. -- Dennis