Our View - Wednesday
Bruce or Britney?
Attention-grabbing poliltico embarrasses city
Douglas Bruce seems a lot like Britney Spears these days. Like Spears, Bruce seems to self-destruct in the spotlight. Bruce and Britney have issues with photographers. Britney chose to date an obtrusive cameraman; Bruce chose to kick one.
Sure, Bruce authored a useful, if somewhat flawed, constitutional amendment long ago that mostly empowers Colorado taxpayers and saves them money. For that, we give him credit. Likewise, there was a time when Britney was known for her work. She gave us “Oops I Did it Again.” For that, we give credit where credit is due.
Like Spears, Bruce has morphed into an embarrassment to himself and all his old friends. Unlike Bruce, Spears has an excuse: She’s practically a child, whose maturity was likely stilted by the turmoil of teen stardom. Bruce, by contrast, is a grown and educated man — one entrusted by leading Republicans with representing a district and making it look good.
The latest Bruce shenanigans began with his refusal to take an oath for his new legislative position until the session was well under way. Though controversial, it was an understandable political maneuver to maximize the potential length of his term. No harm, no foul.
Bruce, however, continued refusing the oath past the point of strategic gain. Why? Because he was certain other legislators were picking on him. House Speaker Andrew Romanoff gave Bruce four options for a swearing in, but none was acceptable. He wound up in a standoff with Democrat Romanoff and Republicans, refusing any swearing-in ceremony that didn’t make him a central attraction. Like a fallen pop star, Bruce seemed desperate for attention.
On Monday, fed up members of the House Republican Caucus voted 22-1 to ask the House District 15 Vacancy Committee to appoint someone else to fill the seat if Bruce didn’t take his oath by the end of the day. With that, Bruce backed down and quietly took his oath at 1:32 p.m., with only five other legislators in the chamber. He told reporters that his point had been made: House leadership had picked on him, and now everyone knew it. So take that, House leadership.
Having refused to take the oath, Bruce apparently believed it unwise to resign his seat as an El Paso County commissioner before fellow commissioners began their session Monday. They fined him $10 for an unexcused absence, though Bruce insists it was excused.
Bruce made a spectacle of himself even during the Legislature’s morning prayer. As Bruce prayed — presumably to Jesus, prince of peace — Rocky Mountain News photographer Javier Manzano took his picture. This irritated Bruce the way paparazzi annoy pop stars. So Bruce kicked him. More of a nudge, perhaps, but it was caught on tape. Bruce asked the public to imagine the stress of praying in church with a photographer snapping photos.
Mr. Bruce, the state Capitol isn’t a church. It’s public property and Manzano was permitted to work the floor, conducting important business in the public’s interest. Would Jesus have kicked him for this?
As reported in The Gazette, Rocky Mountain News Publisher and Editor John Temple was considering Monday whether to press charges over the alleged physical assault on his employee. Hmmm. Kicked on state property for conducting one’s lawful duties. It certainly sounds like a crime.
“It does not help the conservative Republican image to have someone acting in this childish manner,” said Dane Nowels, a staunch conservative Republican and vice chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party. “I think this behavior will certainly encourage individuals to primary that seat for another candidate for next November’s election. There will for sure be a primary now, and this gives more strength to his opposition.”
Residents and caucus leaders in District 15 should keep one fact in mind: Douglas Bruce — behaving like a desperate adolescent pop star — is representing you before the entire state. He’s his own worst enemy. But he’s your man. Set him straight.
Are consulting fees good use of resources?
A Gazette story Monday told about a $400-an-hour, $300,000 a year consultant hired by Colorado Springs Utilities. The consultant’s charge: ensure that the agency has the right people in the right jobs with the right skills. It seems outrageous. We already have a CEO of the utility earning something close to $300,000 a year. Why can’t he determine whether the right people are in the right jobs and learning the right skills?
We can feel the pain of a working-class family with kids, trying to make ends meet in a drafty old home — a feat that became a tiny bit harder with the latest utilities increases that took effect Jan. 1. For that family, it may be hard to hear about consultants with Minneapolis-based Personnel Decisions International (PDI) getting paid for food and travel all so they can consult with Colorado Springs Utilities at $400 a hour.
It’s reasonable and healthy that government contracts with out-of-town “consultants” raise suspicions. Too often, consultants are hired at huge expense to put an expert stamp of approval on decisions local politicians fear making on their own.
Though all big consulting fees should raise red flags, not all are bad. Few could argue, for example, that Colorado Springs Utilities didn’t need a consultant for the mandated Environmental Impact Study on its proposed pipeline from Pueblo Reservoir. Cost: $14 million, and probably worth it.
It gets fuzzier when consultants are hired for tasks that sound vague, such as “leadership development,” “benefits analysis,” and “salary surveys.” Utilities CEO Jerry Forte inherited the agency’s PDI arrangement and he’s trying to decide whether it’s a reasonable expense. It sounds like a close call.
Ratepayers and reporters should scrutinize Colorado Springs Utilities whenever they feel the need. It makes a good utility better. While questions remain about the PDI contract, “consultant” often means services have been outsourced at a savings. Let’s just be certain those services are needed.
