Not only is she paid $44,000 as a part-time councilwoman, but receives another grand each month from a $12,000 annual pension for longevity on the dais of 2-plus decades
Headline Surfer® photo / DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- After all these years as a career politician, district 5 term-limited County Councilwoman finds herself in an embarrassing situation on this Saturday -- the final day of early voting -- leading up to Tuesday's general elections: Her campaign website has been shut down for non-payment.
In Northey's desperate quest to stay on the dais, Northey has waged a nearly two-year divisive election challenge to unseat at-large council colleague Joyce Cusack. And with three days to go before the big vote, her website account, PatNorthey.com, has been "suspended."
Typically, there are several main reasons for a website being suspended: Suspicion of child pornography, terrorism threats or the far-more common lack of payment. The latter is the situation for Northey, who now has egg on her face after having waged such a nasty campaign.
In Volusia County, where the average wage earner make less than $30,000 annually, Northey does better than most. There's no apparent financial reason for this website shutdown because of funding issues, considering Northey is paid $44,000 by the taxpayers for what is essentially a part-time position that really only requires her attendance at twice-monthly day-long meetings in the Frank T. Bruno County Council chambers.
And as if that weren't enough, Northey as been on the dais for so long -- more than anyone see in modern times -- she actually receives a $12,000 annually pension for her initial years in office, meaning she's making a grand total of $56,000 a year.
Compare that to what the average wage earner in Volusia County makes: Less than $30,000 in a county where the two largest employers are Publix grocery stores and Wal-Mart. Northey has no minor children in her household to provide for either.
Aside from personal income, consider the tens of thousands Northey has received in campaign contributions this election cycle alone from insider high rollers like J. Hyatt Brown and Moretza "Mori" Hosseini-Karger of ICI Homes -- $77,240 -- to be exact.
Headline Surfer photos® / More than That's more than any other candidate running for municipal or county offices leading up to Tuesday's general election, with the exception of Cusack with $85,898.20.
And in the past 10 years, including this election cycle, Northey has received a whopping $357,125.05.
Headline Surfer photo / So why is it that her campaign website has been shut down for non-payment? Whatever the reason, Northey, who often boasts of transparency, is not saying anything.
Northey's website snafu has drawn condemnation from political goes like council colleague Joshua Wagner of Daytona Beach, a Cusack supporter, who wrote on his Facebook page: "Bahahaha....Pat Northey's website is down for non-payment. Maybe she should have used one of her double pensions you are paying for to cover the bill. Guess she has been too busy picking on people and being a bully. Go to her website for a good laugh... http://patnorthey.com."
Headline Surfer photo® / Volusia County Councilman Joshua Wagner of Daytona Beach supports Joyce Cusack, the incumbent in the race for her at-large seat over term-limited district 5 Councilwoman Pat Northey.
Northey's website snafu has drawn condemnation from political goes like council colleague Joshua Wagner of Daytona Beach, a Cusack supporter, who wrote on his Facebook page: "Bahahaha....Pat Northey's website is down for non-payment. Maybe she should have used one of her double pensions you are paying for to cover the bill. Guess she has been too busy picking on people and being a bully. Go to her website for a good laugh... http://patnorthey.com."
Arthur Newman, a friend of Wagner's, responded: "I'll help her raise funds and give her a job cleaning up after my doberman Tango takes his morning run."