Today’s wimp is a state employee who’s causing strife in the halls of Lincoln.  We’re big advocates of quality, affordable health care, but we get pretty miffed when government officials resist oversight.

This week’s wimp is the Director of the Department of Administrative Services, Carlos Castillo. Castillo is refusing an audit of state employees’ health care plans by state auditor, Mike Foley.  Of course, Heineman is backing up his 2006 campaign manager.

Nebraska has the highest monthly premium for state employees in the country.  We pay the second highest share, behind New Hampshire.

Bold’s all for quality, affordable care for our state employees.  It’s part of our position that everyone should have access to quality, affordable health care.  But when state leaders are simultaneously pitting education against Medicaid and decrying the rising costs of providing health care to the poor while enjoying the perks of tax payer funded health care, that’s a double standard we can’t abide by.

Castillo can’t even dig up a decent defense for the Journal Star.  His biggest complaint is invasion of privacy.  But state employees are informed that their insurance claims are subject to oversight by state agencies.

For hiding behind Heineman to escape oversight while enjoying the fruits of tax payer funded health care, Carlos Castillo is our Wednesday Wimp.

Writer’s Update:

We’ve had a couple people emailing us, expressing concern with extreme pro-life, State Auditor Mike Foley digging through state employees’ health records.  We’re not taking Foley’s side here. In fact, we’ll be watching him that much more closely.