You see, I've heard that promise from Nancy before. I praised then councilwoman Nancy Baracat Vaughan on November 7, 2012 when she announced on her Facebook page:
"I planned on bringing up in December."
But she never did. You see, like I commented on Amanda's post:
" "Even if the council adopts the form as its new policy, that doesn't mean members have to fill it out. Council members don't have the authority to regulate their colleagues in that way, according to the city attorney."
And therein lies the rub-- no teeth. And Nancy Baracat Vaughan knew it all along because I told her so over a year ago when she promised me she was going to do this as a city councilwoman but didn't. If Mayor Vaughan really wanted transparency she would be lobbying the NC state legislature to pass laws with teeth."
Mayor Vaughan is doing no more than blowing smoke, trying to make it look as if she's doing something when she's not. My own e-mail to the North Carolina School of Government resulted in a telephone call which I wrote about on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 in a post titled, The Plight Of Local Governance which absolutely broke my heart:
"Sadly, this is why it is impossible for the Greensboro City Council to police itself and any effort to impose self-regulation no matter how well intentioned, is merely a farce. This is why the rich will always control our local governments. This is why the poor will always suffer at their hands."
Nancy Baracat Vaughan knows this all too well and is simply trying to earn your favor. If she were earnest in her efforts she would have pursued them as she promised last December and she would be talking about lobbying the North Carolina legislature today for laws with teeth. After all, she is married to retired state senator, Don Vaughan who is being considered for the head of the North Carolina Democratic Party. If he doesn't know who to call in Raleigh, no one does.
Merry Christmas Nancy.
