Our Opinion: Mistake should be admitted, not compounded

Friday, August 10, 2012

Admitting a mistake or changing a viewpoint are two things people in public life are reluctant to do.

A mistake is criticized as an imperfection; changing one’s mind is castigated as flip-flopping.

In reality, errors show people in public life — like people everywhere — are human. Changing our minds shows we can listen and learn, and remain open-minded enough to consider or embrace a different point of view.

We believe Jefferson City Administrator Nathan Nickolaus made a mistake. And we encourage him to acknowledge the error.

In advance of a fire department sales tax issue on Tuesday’s ballot, Nickolaus sent an e-mail on the topic to city employees.

State law permits governments and public officials to provide information on ballot issues, but prohibits campaigning for or against an issue or candidate.

Although the e-mail might be construed as favoring the sales tax, the language did not advocate and, consequently, is not likely to be found in violation of the law.

The offense was a statement that undermined the credibility of both the sales tax campaign and city government.

A prevailing sentiment during the campaign was a dedicated sales tax for the fire department would free other city revenues to be spent as determined by the City Council.

Campaign organizers, who worked diligently to refute that notion, were both flabbergasted and undercut by a contradictory statement in the e-mail. It read: “The money which is presently spent on these items (for firefighters) will be available for increased funding for all general fund purposes.”

As a result of the e-mail, at least one council member has called for the dismissal of Nickolaus. A special City Council meeting is scheduled today to consider the matter.

We believe the e-mail was a mistake, but not grounds for dismissal.

We also believe the mistake will be compounded by City Council members if they believe firing Nickolaus will absolve them of responsibility for city government’s lack of credibility.

More like this story

seeno 10 months, 1 week ago

In my opinion,The News Tribune and the Councilman Pope should be apologizing to Mr. Nickolaus for taking a basically non-issue and blowing it out of proportion. That email had no bearing what so ever on the outcome of the election, but the one or two paragraphs that was published on Tuesday sent people into a angry frenzy. This newspapers objective is to sell papers, however, there are alot of people who quickly skim the newspaper on the internet, and move on with their day. I thought to myself, I wonder what the real story is, because my Mama taught me that there are two sides to every pancake. One may be burned a little blacker but still there are two sides. I purchased the Tuesday and Wednesday article related to this( the first time ever) and found that the issue was much ado about nothing and a political three ring circus brought on by Mr. Pope. To the Council and the Mayor.... It's the economy and lack of trust of elected officials, stupid.

a2325 10 months, 1 week ago

The Tribune took something that wasnt a story and decided to sensationalize it. They do this all the time. They report half-truths and twist wording on purpose. If this was such a BIG story why wasnt it on KOMU or other local broadcast news stations? During my time here in Jefferson CIty Mr. Nickolaus has done more to promote the city and work with employees in his short time than the whole term of the last city administraor. Mr. Pope and his followers are looking for a scape goat.

Sequoia 10 months, 1 week ago

The untold story here is how the national Chamber of Commerce is working against the local Chamber and the Jeff City economy.

The Chamber of Commerce has shifted from a pro-business lobby group to a mouthpiece for the "conservative movement" within the Republican Party. The conservative movement is not the same as "conservative values." The "movement" is an advertising campaign (with brand names like "The Tea Party" and slogans like "government is the problem") designed to convince people to vote against their economic interest.

Now, the national Chamber is a well-funded mouthpiece for the interests of a very few, very wealthy individuals. Read for yourself about the recent transformation: articles.businessinsider.com/2012-04-23/politics/31385442_1_political-spending-chamber-labour

Meanwhile the local Chamber, along with citizens and businesses, wants to use the power of the government to develop and grow the local economy and help Jefferson City compete with other cities for upwardly mobile residents. What's the biggest roadblock? The cranky Tea Party mentality, which the national Chamber has been feeding since the late 90s.

I won't say that's the only reason local initiatives are failing. The city has made mistakes, some of the Chamber's proposals seem dated, etc. This poor guy got caught up in the mix, but he didn't lose the vote for the sales tax.

But I, for one, appreciate the effort. Jefferson City has to compete with cities like Columbia or Springfield or the Lake. Adapt or die. Invest in the future.

In order to move forward, we have to get past all the nattering nababos of negativity who call a fraction-cent tax a "tyranny" and "socialism" while the city government and its residents alike are bled dry by financial, medical, and fuel industries, the real tyrants, who are currently sitting on record profits stashed in foreign tax havens. Who fund the conservative movement and spread the talking points on Fox and talk radio. Why do you think all those people use the same words and phrases? The language is manufactured!

The droning know-nothingism of people who go on and on about "liberals" and "socialists" is certainly wearying to fight against. That language is manufactured and disseminated by players with a lot of money to spend, and a lot of money at stake. The more they can get the government "out of the way," the less resistance they face in continuing to bleed us dry.

Now, if you're a local conservative who supports the initiatives to keep Jefferson City and its market competative, then it is up to you. True conservatives need to stand up to the fake, big money conservative movement that could give two squats about conserving your small business or your city's quality of life. The local Chamber needs to stand up to the national Chamber.

This isn't abstract any more. This is your city, and your life in it.

JCLifer 10 months, 1 week ago

How much tax money is enough? What should our sales tax, property tax, and usage fees be to have a sucessful vibrant city? How much do we need to pay to have everything that everyone wants?

a2325 10 months, 1 week ago

There is a saying, "you only get out what you put into it." We cant have things if we dont pay for it. There is only so much "fluff" that can be cut out and in the last few years most has been cut out.

Sequoia 10 months, 1 week ago

That exactly the conversation we should be having.

It's hard to have that conversation with people who have a reflexive contrarian attitude. If you have an ideological commitment to the idea that cutting taxes is always good, and a new tax is always bad, regardless of the situation, then you can't have that conversation.

If you automatically assume that the city council, the president, anyone trying to do something new, etc. isn't operating in good faith, and your analysis automatically defaults to conspiracy theory, we can't have that conversation.

dokeus6 10 months, 1 week ago

"A rational conversation can't be had in that environment."

A rational conversation cannot happen with an right wing conservative. They want more and more tax breaks for businesses so the businesses can have more money to create more jobs. Guess what. They had the tax breaks and they didn't create the jobs. They shipped the jobs overseas to save on labor costs. They idled American manufacturing jobs to eliminate the good paying wages that the average American used to enjoy. Now the average American worker works at a fast food restaurant. So the average American worker is now on minimum wage and can't afford to feed his family or buy the goods and services that they used to with the extra money that they had. Soon there will be no one that can afford to buy the goods and services that the businesses are trying to sell. We are already on our way to being a third world country.

We have tried and tried the failed policies that got us in this shape we are in as a country.

They don't work.

That's the whole point.

IT'S THE SAME IDEAS THAT THE REPUBLICANS KEEP SPITTING OUT THAT WILL NOT CHANGE THE DIRECTION THE COUNTRY IS HEADING!!! If we give tax breaks to the businesses and tax breaks to the rich so they will create jobs, they need to create the jobs here. Not in India, not in China, not in Mexico.

JCLifer 10 months, 1 week ago

I think the people have already answered that questiom multiple times. They do not want to pay any more tax dollars. They are tapped out. How many times do we have to have an expensive election around here to find out that they do not want to pay addtional taxes.

The way I see it, until the economy gets better, until people's wages are raised, until they are able to afford their utilities, food, gasoline, clothing, etc., etc. etc., they are going to be unable to to vote to pay more taxes, no matter how badly they are "needed". The council, the mayor, the Chamber, etc. still do not understand that people around here are really hurting. The economy is really bad for the past 5 years. Most people in this town do not make $60,000 a year. We have a very poor community of people struggling and barely getting by.
Instead of always trying to raise taxes on the poor, the city leaders need to work on trying to raise the incomes of the people in this town. Work to attract some high wage employers. Work to cut expenses, like the expensive gasoline. Work to get the larger employers to pay higher wages.

The turnips are mostly bled dry.

Folks who DO have the money and make higher wages and incomes are free to pay more taxes to get more services. No one is preventing tax supporters from paying more of their money. Go ahead and contribute to the library and the fire fighters and to Transformation if you want. No body is stopping you.

Sequoia 10 months, 1 week ago

Are you kidding? Karl Rove is one of the giants of the conservative movement. He's one of the main guys who has poisoned the well of political discourse in our country.

Frank Luntz is another. These are the manufacturers of manufactured language.

RTWise 10 months, 1 week ago

I agree with the opinion stated by the News Tribune. Mr. Nickolaus made a mistake. The problem is that this is just another mistake or failure to lead this city. Mr. Nickolaus has not lead the citizens to a point they understand taxes sometimes have to be raised. Mr. Nickolaus failed with Transform Jefferson City, and I could go on and on.

The citizens of Jefferson City do not trust Mr. Nickolaus or the city council for that matter. The citizens do not trust the Visitor and Convention Center staff. I'm not sure the damage to the trust of the citizens can be repaired.

I believe the first step is Mr. Nickolaus must go. I think many of the council must go. It's the only way I see of rebuiding the trust that has been lost.

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