You’re Invited!
A message from Rebecca Young:
Gov. Markell will sign HB01 into law on Friday, June 12, at 2:00 PM at the Old New Castle Courthouse Museum. All DL’ers are invited to attend and wear your green tee-shirts!
I’m going to try to attend. Who’s in?
Tags: HB1, Open Government
Sounds like a good way to spend Friday afternoon.
I plan to be there, PI. You’ll have to stop by and introduce yourself.
Thanks U.I. I’m looking forward to seeing you there. We might have to have a celebratory toast after the ceremony!
What exactly is the point of this event?
The bill will become law 24 hours later whether Markell signs the bill or not. His signature at this point is really just a formality – a chance to hand out ceremonial pens and do some back slapping.
The opportunity to force the JFC to operate in the light of public scrutiny this week, as they took up the issue of state employee pay cuts, has been lost.
“His signature at this point is really just a formality – a chance to hand out ceremonial pens and do some back slapping.”
They never seem to miss an opportunity to do that part.
It is a shame that they let JFC meet in secret for the week.
So what’s wrong with it being a formality? And having a chance to celebrate after 7 long years?
“So what’s wrong with it being a formality? And having a chance to celebrate after 7 long years?”
Karen Peterson and the many who helped her deserve a chance celebrate. But the administration had the chance to open the doors at a critical time and chose not to. They could easily have signed the bill and then had a ceremonial signing later.
From the NJ:
“With House Bill 1, the open-government legislation, still unsigned by Gov. Jack Markell after sitting on his desk for more than a week, the (JFC) committee held all discussions Wednesday in private meetings. At one point, members even kicked out their staff and representatives from the governor’s office. Markell said he will sign HB 1 at 2 p.m. Friday.”
Bad decision.
To those who say that Markell made a bad decision to not sign HB1 earlier I say “first try to plug a deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars, and then unleash your judgements.”
If Markell was able to obtain some leverage with the JFC on this incredibly difficult task of filling the gap, by waiting one single week, then more power to him.
We elected Jack to run the state, including to work effectively with the JFC. He seems to have decided that he could get a better outcome if he waited a week to sign HB1. Big freaking deal.
Context matters.
It was the JFC who closed their doors this week. Where is your outrage at them?
“To those who say that Markell made a bad decision to not sign HB1 earlier I say “first try to plug a deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars, and then unleash your judgements.”
I’d be happy to.
“He seems to have decided that he could get a better outcome if he waited a week to sign HB1. Big freaking deal.”
Why sign it at all?
““To those who say that Markell made a bad decision to not sign HB1 earlier I say “first try to plug a deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars, and then unleash your judgements.”
I’d be happy to.”
I’m waiting.
Where’s your solution (that is politically feasible)?
“Where’s your solution (that is politically feasible)?”
Politically feasible? To whom?
some of us have jobs
#11 Why sign it at all?
Here’s a reason. Because Markell promised during the campaign.
#13 Politically feasible. To Whom?
I’m pointing out that armchair and Monday morning quarterbacking is easy from the cheap seats. What are you suggesting that Markell do to bridge the budget gap that he is not doing? Please explain why a gesture such as giving the JFC one more day in the dark, presumably in return for them working collaboratively with him in the open for the net 19 days, is not the sign of leadership?
Sure, he can piss off the JFC at his first opportunity, by running to the senate floor and signing the bill as soon as it was approved by the senate, but what are the political consequences of that, and how will that get our state closer to filling the budget gap?
So he didn’t sign HB1 the first minute he could. He could have 800 million reasons to have waited until today.
#10 We’re still waiting for the solution to the gap which you’d be happy to share with us.