Is It Too Much to Expect Durham Employees to Pay Their Taxes?

City of Durham employees have been given a major pass by City Manager Tom Bonfield. From the Herald-Sun:

City Manager Tom Bonfield has put an end to his government’s eight-year practice of suspending employees who are behind on their local property taxes.

The move — sought last summer by members of the North Carolina local of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, better known as UE 150 — occurred earlier this spring and was reinforced by a recent e-mail exchange between the manager and a key subordinate.

Bonfield’s order rescinded a policy established in 2001 by then-Interim City Manager Greg Bethea. The policy made “timely payment” of local taxes, fees, fines and other charges a condition of employment for city workers.

Bethea’s edict had reserved for management the right to fire workers who fall behind on their payments. But in practice, he and his successors merely suspended them without pay.