The Epitome of Stupidity

Hi Everyone,

If no other post that I have previously done proved an utter lack of common sense, today's blog most certainly will. As usual, the regular idiots in this true and scary story are, wait for it................drum roll please............. politicians! Yes that's right, the inevitable politician is again at the center of stupidity.

In Westchester County, just north of NYC, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who happens to be a Republican and his administration, is currently negotiating a no bid, five year contract with Liberty Lines to run the county's Bee-Line bus system. FYI, Liberty Lines has operated Westchester's bus system for some 40 odd years. I always thought that the contract was put out to bid and Liberty Lines always won. But boy was I soooooooo wrong. The operating of the bus system has never, ever been open to bids. You would think that bidding out the contract would make a lot of common sense and have the potential to save tax payers a ton of money. But for whatever reason(s), saving tax payers money is never seems to be high on the agenda.

What makes this contract, this time, so different from any other time? The US Federal Transit Administration has now told Westchester County, that it had to put the $103 million contract out to bid or else loose federal transit aid. So how much aid is involved here? A whopping $19 million!!! That's almost 20% of the total cost of running the system. The contract doesn't even include the operator having to buy or maintain any buses. The contract is strictly for manpower to run the system. So how can Westchester County even contemplate such a huge loss of operating money? Why? Why? Why? There must be a reason for them to keep negotiating with Liberty. Westchester County even extended their notification deadline to Liberty Lines from 7/1 to 7/19. That decision in and of itself shows their lack of common sense. But, for them to continue negotiations is mind boggling. Any person with just an ounce of common sense would say put it out to bid. Why risk the $19 million? I can't think of any legitimate reason not to put it out to bid, can you? Maybe someone's palm or palms are being greased? Who knows? All I do know is that Astorino and is administration is, are the new poster child(ren) for politicians that lack any common sense what so ever. Losing federal aid is a colossal mistake with big tax increases looming. What a way to stick it to the people by the party that says they are never for new tax increases, ever!? Maybe except for Westchester County and wherever else?

Til next week.

Peter