DEAR MR. EYMAN

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INSIGHT ON THE OUTCOME OF YOUR HELP AND PASSING OF I-695. I WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR A YEAR. I HAD WORKED VERY HARD TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND ACHIEVE MY GOAL OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND NOW IT IS JUST A FLASH IN THE DARK THANKS TO YOUR IDEAS AND SUPPORT OF I-695. I DONT THINK YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE RAMAFICATIONS OF THE PASSING, AND OVERALL DESIGN OF I-695. I NOW HAVE TO START THE NEWE YEAR OFF UNEMPLOYED, AND ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I JUST WAS BLESSED WITH A NEW BABY GIRL THE 11TH OF DECEMBER AND NOW I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT I CANNOT SUPPORT MY FAMILY DUE TO THE LOSS OF MY JOB WITH THE STATE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO WISH MY FAMILY A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR???? PROBABLY NOT! DID YOU THINK THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAVE NO EFFECT ON EMPLOYMENT THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT? I THINK YOU SHOULD TRY TO USE BETTER JUDGEMENT WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO PROPOSE SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS EVERYONE NOT JUST YOURSELF! MY HOLIDAYS ARE NOW PRETTY MUCH SCREWED BECAUSE OF YOU AND MY FAMILIES WELFARE IS JEOPARDIZED BECAUSE OF YOUR IDIOTIC ACTIONS TO SUPPORT A BILL THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER PASSED. THERE ARE MANY OTHER WAYS TO IMPLEMENT A POINT, WITHOUT ******* UP EVERYONES LIFE SURROUNDING YOUR BELIEFS. I JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS, HOPING YOU WILL HAVE JUST AS WONDERFUL A CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR AS IM GOING TO HAVE, BUT THEN AGAIN YOU PROBABLY DONT HAVE A CONCIOUS AND SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR Patrick K Archer Traffic Safety Operations Specialist WSDOT Headquarters Phone : (360) 705-7292 Fax : (360) 705-6826 E-Mail : archerp@wsdot.wa.gov

-- PATRICK K ARCHER (LISANPATRICK@EARTHLINK.NET), December 20, 1999

Answers

I'm sure mine will not be the only post in response to your message. However, be forewarned that you will find little sympathy in the responses you receive.

That being said, remember that it was NOT I695 that lost your job. You job was lost by a bureaucracy that (1) lost sight of its goals and objectives and (2)wasted excessibve amounts of taxpayers money. By your post, you are in your early/mid 20's and just starting out. With a college degree, there are plenty of opportunities for you and I'm sure you succeed. Your current situation is but one of a number of "bumps" in the road ahead (no pun intended).But please don't be so shortsighted as to blame I695 for the loss of your job. Best of luck to you!

-- just a guy (torijosh@yahoo.com), December 20, 1999.

Patrick,

I am sorry for your loss, however, Lock is still going to hire 4500 new employees in the next 2 years. With your seniority as a state employee should give you a leg up in getting one of the 4500 new positions. Also, I cannot think of the better time to be looking for work. I do not think there is a store or business without a "help wanted" sign in the window. Change is always stressing but you may be better off in the long run.

-- Jim Labyak (jimlab@msn.com), December 20, 1999.

Not to worry Patrick, I found you a number of jobs being advertised on the WA DOT personnel site (http://www.wa.gov/dop/bulletins/loclist.htm): Transportation Engineer 4 (Eligibility Pool) Statewide; Department of Transportation # I-LL-99-0006 (Opens: 9/29/99; Closes: Further Notice) Transportation Engineer 5 (Eligibility Pool) Statewide; Department of Transportation # I-LL-99-0007 (Opens: 9/29/99; Closes: Further Notice) Transportation Technical Engineer 5 (Eligibility Pool) Statewide; Department of Transportation # I-LL-99-0008 (Opens: 9/29/99; Closes: Further Notice) Transportation Planning Technician 2 & 3 Olympia/Lacey/Tumwater; Department of Transportation (Opens:5/5/99; Closes: Further Notice) Transportation Planning Specialist 2-5 Eligibility Pool Statewide; Department of Transportation #L98-0004 (Opens: 12/2/98; Closes: Further Notice)

Traffic Systems Operations Specialist 1 North/South Seattle; Department of Transportation # I-LL-99-1104 (Opens: 5/10/99; Closes: Further Notice)

Dang, some of these jobs pay REAL good, too, up to $65K per year. Have a real Merry Christmas Patrick.

-- (zowie@hotmail.com), December 20, 1999.

Is Traffic Safety Operations Specialist the WSDOT name for flagger?

-- Marsha (acorn_nut@hotmail.com), December 21, 1999.

another idiot who thought that a nice gubment (government) job was a job for life. next we should go after tenured teachers.

it is NOT my responsibility to keep you all employed. it IS your responsibilty as government employees to make efficiant use of my tax dollars. due to the pathetic failure of elected official in regards to this, you lost your job. please address your complaints to your representitive. he may care.

richard

-- richard (ragman88@yahoo.com), December 21, 1999.

Mr. Eyman only proposed the initiative, it was the people to passed it.... your putting the blame on the wrong person. Try blaming the general public who passed the initiative.

-- Allan E. (ae_me@yahoo.com), December 21, 1999.

WAIT A MINUTE! The state is currently ADVERTISING for jobs that YOU COULD FILL and you are taking the time to WHINE HERE rather than hustle after the jobs. Man do you ever have a sense of entitlement. "It's unfair that I might have to switch jobs so that 6 million people can keep THEIR MONEY." What an ego! Go away, you pathetic dependent wretch!

-- Mike Alworth (m_alworth@olympusnet.com), December 21, 1999.

In the real world - job security is two words - "you're fired". Many of us have been in your shoes, reductions of employees for belt tighting in the private sector happens often. In the construction industry many times when the job is done so are you. I guess from people who pay the bills and watched the state blindly waste money it was time to say no. Come join us in the private sector job market.

-- J. Webert (weebs@rockisland.com), December 21, 1999.

Patrick, Patrick, Patrick and all the rest of you yahoos whining about getting pinked: Can you say "Life"?

That's what life is all about. It's not Tim's or anyone else who voted for I-695's fault that you lost your job. You, me and everyone will eventually lose their job unless you, I or anyone else is their own boss. Period.

Sounds like you wasted your time in college, possibly drinking and partying. I also didn't know colleges in this state gave degress in Bus Driving.

As for the rest of you whiners, go look at the website listed on the prior post for a new Ralph Cramdon job, or MAKE SOMETHING OF YOURSELF and start your own shuttle van service or something.

The guy that shuttled us to Sea-Tac made a clear $100 off us for a round trip ride using his own shuttle business, and the drive is less than an hour! Hello? Can you say "Cha-Ching!" We weren't lazy using the service, we just didn't want to leave our car at Sea-Tac for two weeks and have the risk of it getting broken into and also paying the parking fees.

-- Sandy D (sandy_d1@yahoo.com), December 21, 1999.

PATRICK K ARCHER WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!

None of us owe you anything. None of us owe your family anything. Many of us have lost our jobs from time to time and we got another job. It is YOUR problem if you are so ill-equipped that you cannot do anything except the ONE government job you have chosen to use to suck OUR money away from us. Perhaps you should have invested in a training program that would allow you to function in the REAL world. Or perhaps your ethnic status doesn't provide you the discriminatory advantages in the private sector that government 'makework' programs allow

-- maddjak (maddjak@hotmail.com), December 21, 1999.

this sounds really insensitive, but so what. I was laid off of my job, because of senority, how hard I worked had nothing to do with whether I kept the job or not. Not enough people flying, bye see ya later. Bad things happen in life, its called life, not heaven.

-- no chance (kingoffools_99@yahoo.com), December 21, 1999.

senority? You were in the wrong ethnic group?

-- (zowie@hotmail.com), December 22, 1999.

See, I told you there would be little sympathy for your plight. Best of luck to you!

-- just a guy (torijosh@yahoo.com), December 22, 1999.

What do you mean no sympathy, Joe? I found him four jobs on his other whiney post.

-- (zowie@hotmail.com), December 22, 1999.

"I HAD WORKED VERY HARD TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND ACHIEVE MY GOAL OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT" That's just lovely. You certainly warmed my communist heart.

-- Jeremy Rule (jrule@yahoo.com), December 22, 1999.

Patrick:

Yes, I-695 WILL cause layoffs, dislocations, pain and uncertainty among those affected by such citizen legislation. You are but one of thousands of government employees that will feel the brunt of I-695 for the years to come. Now, from my perspective as a taxpayer, I-695 (and all derivative initiatives to follow) will redress a long standing injustice caused not by the countless army of bureaucrats; but, by the ineptitude and cowardice by both the state legislature; the governor; and the leadership in both political parties to pay any meaningful attention to the overtaxed and overregulated citizen who is NOT a government employee. Yes, it is I who (in part) voted to eliminate your job, and countless others. If your still mad and angry; go ahead and take it out on me! I can take it!

-- Richard Henderson (grassroots3@earthlink.net), December 22, 1999.

Patrick

Apparently you didn't learn how to read the wantads in college. About your holdidays being screwed, you and the rest of your pals screwed yourselves when you thought you were owed a job for life.

I work for a city government, yet everyday I open the paper and see what other jobs there are just incase.

Maybe you should try it.

-- Ed (ed_bridges@yahoo.com), December 23, 1999.

I still believe in private enterprise.Im sixty two years and the best in my trade.Politicians decided to feather bed their jobs and laid off 4000 of us.I won't go into all the lost tax dollars I paid over the years. My Constitutional argument for you government folks is you have been taxing me,and violating my BILL OF RIGHTS,called "Taxation with out representation..."That is why the 695 is going to work!!Dean Merrick

-- Dean Merrick (dean@owt.com), December 27, 1999.

I, like Pat had the good fortune some years back to attend school to work on business machines. My dream was to work on copiers and office equipment. Before completing school, I got my big break with a major company. Soon the typewriter became a boat anchor, and I, like our good friend Pat, had to find other work. Life is not fair, but must go on. At least Pat is somewhat educated, and hopefully has more than a rock for a brain. Good thing he is young and still abel to be retrained. Looks to me he's much better off than most. Unemployment is temporary. No one owes anyone else a job, or a career. If I was Pat, I would be mighty thankful I am just starting out, and not near retirement. It sounds like Pat is getting an education through the school of hard knocks. Good luck to Pat.

-- Sig Landoe (slandoe@bentonrea.com), December 31, 1999.