PE: San Bernardino County treasurer calls for mandatory drug testing of elected officials in the county
Posted by: SB Pietas | 08/14/2008 11:04 AM
Here is the PE's take on Larsen's proposal:
San Bernardino County treasurer calls for mandatory drug testing of elected officials in the county
10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
By ZEKE MINAYA
The Press-Enterprise
A top San Bernardino County official has called for mandatory random drug testing for the county's elected officials, top administrators and executive staff in response to recent allegations of methamphetamine use by Assessor Bill Postmus.
Calls for drug screening from Treasurer-tax Collector Dick Larsen came as county Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt confirmed that Postmus was in drug rehabilitation in 2006 when he served as the former supervisor's chief of staff.
At the time, Postmus led him to believe he was being treated for addiction to a prescription drug, Mitzelfelt said in a phone interview Wednesday. Mitzelfelt added that he was on vacation in 2006 when he received word that Postmus would be out of the office, leaving him in charge.
Mitzelfelt has said he has not been entirely convinced by recent media reports of illegal drug abuse by Postmus because of the reliance on unnamed sources.
In a letter to Paul Biane, chairman of the County Board of Supervisors, Larsen said he hopes a drug-testing policy will help to bolster the public's trust in its leaders.
Larsen said any policy would have to be approved by the board of supervisors.
"The recent accusations regarding Assessor Bill Postmus are troubling to me and I hope untrue," Larsen wrote. "However, as an elected official employing exempt personnel, I believe I have a duty to set an example for the workforce and public."
Ted Lehrer, a spokesman for the assessor, said Postmus was not immediately available for comment and "has not yet reviewed the policy proposal by Treasurer Dick Larsen." A call to Biane's office for comment was not returned.
The assessor has attended drug rehabilitation at least twice -- once during wildfires in 2006 while serving as a supervisor and the other in early 2007 while assessor -- and has battled problems with methamphetamine, according to multiple sources close to Postmus.
Last week, Biane released a statement calling on Postmus to either refute the allegations of illegal drug use or resign. Postmus followed with a statement accusing Biane of levying "personal attacks" and attempting to destroy him politically. Postmus, 37, started a 10-week medical leave July 23 for an undisclosed ailment.
On June 30, a county grand jury report concluded that the assessor's political allies had been given high-ranking jobs even though they lacked experience in property appraisal or real estate.
The report also found that staff members engaged in partisan politics during work hours, a misuse of public resources.
The same day, Adam Aleman, one of Postmus' top deputies, was charged with six felonies, including presenting false evidence to a grand jury and destroying public records.
Aleman, who has resigned as an assistant assessor, has pleaded not guilty.
Larsen said he has not communicated with Biane about Postmus outside of his letter, dated Wednesday. He also would not comment on the chairman's call for Postmus to address allegations of illegal drug use.
"I'm going to let the chairman take the lead on that," he said. "I think the chairman of the board is perfectly able to represent the county on this issue."
Larsen said the feedback he has heard from the public about the county has been largely positive but some are "tired of seeing the county in the headlines."
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This is why many sports ban the use of performance enhancing drugs. Another form of doping is blood...
Although I'm not sure drug testing of elected and appointed officials would have prevented the situation that we are in now, with the current revelations that point to a possible coverup a couple of years ago, I believe this may be a step in the right direction. I also believe that all San Bernardino County Elected and Appointed officials should voluntarily submit to a drug test within the next 72 hours to show this situation is limited to Bill and to prove that "transparency" is not simply a meaningless catch phrase. Those that are claiming self-righteous indignation need to prove they have the right to that claim.
Our electeds will not submit to a drug test because at least one will fail. They stick together and protect each others back as they did with Assessor Postmus. Their claim of transparency is a claim not backed up by the facts.
Maybe if the drug testing was part of a pay raise? Where the elected official gets 4400.00 for being drug tested twice a year.
How about if one of our esteemed Board of Supervisors members would, without further prompting, step up to the plate and voluntarily take a drug test. This demonstration of responsibility would go a lot further than all the empty and evasive statements we're hearing from those folks. No pushing and shoving in line, please.