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Former Head of Volunteer Rangers Now A Watchdog

By Carl Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: February 6, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - "How many managers does Pasco County need to screw in a light bulb?"

And the "Monthly Golden Idiot Award" goes to ... FBI wiretappers for not paying their phone bills.

"They want you to stand down – have the courage to stand up!"

So goes the newest Web site with attitude devoted to all things political, from Pasco County to Washington, D.C.

The Watchdog, Citizens for Good Government, is the brainchild of Paul Van Schaick, its editor. Go online to the group's Web site.

Van Schaick perhaps was inspired in part after his own latest brush with government as the chief of Pasco's short-lived volunteer park ranger program. The program fizzled after four months over differences about its direction.

Van Schaick spent three decades as a Massachusetts State Police officer before retiring.

"Other then political junkies, many just don't have the time to deal with political bureaucracy," Van Schaick commented in written remarks about the site. "We will attempt to clarify the issues and translate political double speak."

Watchdog recommended approval of Amendment 1, the property tax reform proposal on the Jan. 29 ballot, even though it was far from perfect.

Watchdog doesn't accept advertising so the site isn't beholden to anyone, Van Schaick added in a telephone interview.

People often are so busy they don't realize how tax money is spent, Van Schaick thinks. He believes government doesn't have to pay attention to the bottom line like businesses.

An attitude of "don't do anything to rock the boat" seems to permeate most government agencies, Van Schaick complained. All too often government workers count the days until retirement, he thinks.

"It's not just here," Van Schaick commented. "That's the way government works" throughout the country.

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