In early 2009, David O’Neill was appointed Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator. That was because Renee True retired at the end of 2008 as Fayette County Property Value Administrator, to secure greater retirement benefits that were available at the time. Now that she is drawing full retirement benefits from the state, Renee True is seeking to double-dip by campaigning to be elected to the job she just retired from.
An earlier post documented the basics on the Fayette County PVA race, including the charges of nepotism True faces (presently on appeal in the Court of Appeals), how True has fought to avoid having the Executive Branch Ethics Rules applied to her, and how she quit midway through her term in order to soak the retirement system for maximum benefits. In January, she announced that was not enough, and that she would seek to double-dip, pulling a Sarah Palinesque move of quitting and then claiming high ground. True now wants to have both the enhanced retirement benefits and the full-time pay of PVA again on top of the retirement income.
True continues a pattern that is both confusing and deceptive. Although she quit her elected position in 2008 to draw enhanced retirement, at Saturday night’s Fayette County Democratic Party Gala Dinner, she was passing out cards that appear designed to make voters believe that she is still the PVA. The card says “Re-Elect Renee True PVA“. Ms. True is not the PVA, since she resigned that office in December 2008. Making it even more ridiculous is the fact that True uses the word “transparent” on her palm card. But using the term Re-Elect is anything but transparent. True has been elected PVA previously, so the term may be technically correct, but in the current race, it is deceptive, since she gave up the position halfway through her term and is not the incumbent.
Watered down ethics and a lot of unanswered questions remain, and Renee True continues to add to those questions. Does Lexington need ethical question marks from a double-dipper that has been charged with nepotism whose materials deceptively suggest she is the incumbent?
Meanwhile, the current Fayette County PVA, David O’Neill, has voluntarily cut the budget the office receives from the city, sold excess vehicles, and agreed to abide either the state ethics code or the city’s, whichever is more strict.
To visit David O’Neill’s website, click here.
The Press, the blogosphere and/or David really need to start banging the “double dipping” drum. Even some devout Republicans that I know–who know what True is attempting–are somewhat shocked.
Renee True ? Is this the same character who ran with Steve Henry ?
If it is, that should be enough to disqualify her.
As for True’s cards being distributed … the correct language is “elect Renee True again”.
Maybe she should be even more acurate and say “elect Renee True, again, again, again and again”.
Are we sure she hasn’t changed her registration to republican’t … can’t get along without a government income.
That’s what the republican’t party is all about these days … getting government checks while they seek tax relief for themselves …
That is indeed the same Renee True. The Steve Henry messes, while horrible, seemed to be separate from Renee True’s own unethical conduct in office, so those weren’t really mentioned.
Pingback: Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » Renee True Continues Deceptive Campaign for PVA – “Re-Elect” Renee True?