Secret E-mail
There's a reason lawmakers don't like to release their email correspondence with constituents: Some of it doesn't reflect very well on them. Especially when it's written by a hotheaded intern.
Santa Clara Republican Rep. David Clark has gotten a lot of "hate mail" because of his initiative last year to cut off a program that allowed state workers to trade unused sick leave for post-retirement medical benefits. Employees have sued and the Utah Supreme Court is expected to release a ruling in the case Thursday.
Clark still isn't in employees' good graces. His sponsorship of legislation creating a trust fund where lawmakers planned to stash about $20 million -- some of it that might be diverted away from employees' proposed raises -- in case the lawsuit doesn't go their way generated more pointed correspondence.
Lynne Torgersen, a state employee from Monroe, fired off this email:
"Shame on you Dave Clark for threatening state employees again ... this time with denying us raises! You are an independently wealthy businessman who doesn't rely on the whims of the State Legislature to see if you get a raise each year. I wonder how things would work for you if State Employees were able to vote your raises and your benefit package. I bet you people there in the legislature would be more inclined to treat state employees as assets, not liabilities."
Clark's intern, his son Chayce, replied:
"What threat?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? I do not know what or where you are getting your info?????????????????????? It certainly NEVER came from my mouth. So [I] only can assume you got it around "water cooler" talk and you [know] what happens when you assume! For some one who starts their email out "Shame on you"..........I return the favor..SHAME ON YOU!!!"
Without realizing she was corresponding with Clark's intern, Torgersen responded:
"Very professional response Representative Clark. First off, I want to know if I am actually 'conversing' with Representative Clark, or is this being handled by an office staff? Your use of slang, innuendoes, incorrect grammar and spelling errors raises flags for me!"
Clark took over and apologized for the "tone" his intern set:
"I will personally handle our correspondence from here on out. I think the best course that we can take is if you email me a list of specific questions that I can answer and we will leave the mean-spirited remarks from you and my intern out of our conversation. We obviously have different philosophies that will probably never allow us to see eye to eye, but I feel that we can discuss some of them and maybe find some resolution. I hope that you are willing to try this. Thank you for your time and effort."
Then, he proceeded to correct her spelling. (We've corrected both correspondents' in this blog.)
-- Rebecca Walsh
Santa Clara Republican Rep. David Clark has gotten a lot of "hate mail" because of his initiative last year to cut off a program that allowed state workers to trade unused sick leave for post-retirement medical benefits. Employees have sued and the Utah Supreme Court is expected to release a ruling in the case Thursday.
Clark still isn't in employees' good graces. His sponsorship of legislation creating a trust fund where lawmakers planned to stash about $20 million -- some of it that might be diverted away from employees' proposed raises -- in case the lawsuit doesn't go their way generated more pointed correspondence.
Lynne Torgersen, a state employee from Monroe, fired off this email:
"Shame on you Dave Clark for threatening state employees again ... this time with denying us raises! You are an independently wealthy businessman who doesn't rely on the whims of the State Legislature to see if you get a raise each year. I wonder how things would work for you if State Employees were able to vote your raises and your benefit package. I bet you people there in the legislature would be more inclined to treat state employees as assets, not liabilities."
Clark's intern, his son Chayce, replied:
"What threat?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? I do not know what or where you are getting your info?????????????????????? It certainly NEVER came from my mouth. So [I] only can assume you got it around "water cooler" talk and you [know] what happens when you assume! For some one who starts their email out "Shame on you"..........I return the favor..SHAME ON YOU!!!"
Without realizing she was corresponding with Clark's intern, Torgersen responded:
"Very professional response Representative Clark. First off, I want to know if I am actually 'conversing' with Representative Clark, or is this being handled by an office staff? Your use of slang, innuendoes, incorrect grammar and spelling errors raises flags for me!"
Clark took over and apologized for the "tone" his intern set:
"I will personally handle our correspondence from here on out. I think the best course that we can take is if you email me a list of specific questions that I can answer and we will leave the mean-spirited remarks from you and my intern out of our conversation. We obviously have different philosophies that will probably never allow us to see eye to eye, but I feel that we can discuss some of them and maybe find some resolution. I hope that you are willing to try this. Thank you for your time and effort."
Then, he proceeded to correct her spelling. (We've corrected both correspondents' in this blog.)
-- Rebecca Walsh
6 Comments:
I bet that intern was taught bad manners as well as bad grammer at home.
... at home...
Spelling, on the other hand, is taught at school. Anyone reading the comments section of the Trib Blogs must wonder about that and support more money for public education. What we're doing now isn't working.
The offensive thing is that state employees feel entitled to their jobs and pay raises. I find THAT disgusting, not Clark's intern's email.
And I'm amused by a state employee contrasting her job with Clark's. She couldn't handle one week in the private sector, nor could she handle losing the overly-generous health care benefits state employees get.
State employees feel no more entitled to their jobs and pay raises than those work in the private sector. What YOU are saying is that state employees *don't* deserve to make a fair wage, based on education and experience. And for you to assume that the state employee couldn't handle one week in the private sector shows your lack of respect for the work that state employees do on your behalf.
Oxymoron: State workers deserve a fair wage. I agree. But a fair government wage is NOT one that is comperable to a private sector job requiring the same education and experience. Government wages should be lower because they get what private employees don't: JOB SECURITY and absurdly high health care benefits.
All I can say is that the Legislators had better vote to remove their sick leave benefits as well, they are part time employees and have employment other that with the state.
I also take offense to Paul Ramsells comments, state employees deserve decent pay increases and have not received them. As I recall in the 80's they went five to six years without a cost of living or merit increase, then one year they were given a very generous one time 1% bonus of their yearly pay! That is also about the time that the sick leave benefit was given to state employees because of the lack of salary increases. Now some people would say, if you don't like the pay leave! What many people don't realize is that state employees like their jobs, they like serving the public and yes there is job security. But if an employee doesn't pull their weight and perform as they should they too can lose their job. What makes people think that if you're a state employee you're not up to par with the private sector?
As far as the public sector goes many state employees have left employment with the state due to disparities in salary. They are working in the public sector and believe me they have made it longer than the week Mr. Ramsell thinks.
Maybe that's the key, maybe all state employees should move on to the private sector and leave the state to function with a smaller workforce and inexperienced employees. Maybe then the Legislators and Mr. Ramsell would realize that state employees provided them with excellent service in spite of low pay and an obvious lack of respect from Mr. Ramsell.
You can bet that the public sector would be complaining if state employees left for the public sector leaving state government with a lack of support and assistance. Then maybe Mr. Ramsell and the legislative branch would yearn for the good old days when services didn't lapse. When highways are plowed and salted, where one could get a hunting license and drivers license online or in person, taxes could be filed online. Complaints about contractors would be received and investigated, police have immediate online information available to them 24 x 7, 365 days a year. Maybe children who are in abusive homes should just stay there, because there would be no social or case workers available to remove them from those situations.
I believe that fair wages should be applicable to everyone, state and the private sector! Mr. Ramsell what makes you think that state workers aren't educated and lack experience? Government wages should be in line with the current market wages and they are not.
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