Perception Is Reality?

The Martin Chronicles remembers an early 2011 council meeting dreadfully presided over by Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin. At one point during the proceedings, Martin borrowed the late Lee Atwater's famous phrase, "Perception is reality". We doubt if Martin realized just how on-the-mark that phrase is. Especially when it comes to explaining how someone as incompetent and corrupt as the diminutive dictator rose to a position that enables him to now dismantle the City he mawkishly claims to love.

We've written about it before. You know the drill.

• Pay no attention to the fact that Martin signed a deceased person's name on that deceased person's checks and cashed them. No, Martin convinced enough people that he was an innocent victim of "dark forces" trying to derail his "good government" crusade.
• Pay no attention to the fact that Martin was suing the taxpayers for $1.505 million (until two separate courts summarily dismissed his suit as baseless). No, Martin convinced enough people that he was simply exercising his American right to settle accounts with those aforementioned "dark forces".
• Pay no attention to Martin's overt hostility towards the Villa Hills Police Department in general and Chief Dan Goodenough and Assistant Chief Joe Schutzman specifically that has clearly been a factor in a huge spike in crime in Villa Hills. No, trust him when he blathers that "safety is his first priority".

But Martin's biggest escape from reality has been his outrageous claim that he is a "budget hawk" and "runs a tight ship".

• Pay no attention to the budget amendments.
• Pay no attention to the inexplicably rising payroll costs and unnecessary overtime.
• Pay no attention to local taxes that have not gone down, but have actually risen during his tenure.

The latest financial fiasco? The incredible waste on lawyers, legal actions and lawsuits. Martin is now on a pace of filing roughly one lawsuit a month.

Look, we are now nearly three years in to this mess. Martin spent a lot of time blaming other people for his woes. Those words ring tired and hollow except to the most die hard of Martin's dwindling supporters. Are we really supposed to believe he inherited so many problems in a City that had been designated "The Best In Northern Kentucky" mere months before he was elected?

The Martin Chronicles is pouring over the tangled City financial records, identifying all of the unexplained spending. We hope to have a report for you soon. All we ask is that you examine it yourself.

Then decide if the elimination of a postage meter offsets it all.