David A. Patterson, Governor

So the other day I got this form letter from the local WORKFORCE CAREER CENTER. These are the people commissioned by the state Department of Labor to help people like me get back on their feet and find a job.

It's been just a few weeks since David A Patterson took over for Elliot Spitzer, the disgraced former Governor who resigned amid a prostitution scandal.

So, I started thinking how many hundreds of government agencies had to change their letterhead to make sure that David A. Patterson, Governor was listed on the top of each and every piece of official government paperwork.

Now, let's multiply that by all of the "Welcome to New York" signs and all of the signage in front of scores of government buildings. They will all need to say, "David A. Patterson, Governor."

Who started this ego stroking trend, anyhow? And, at what cost. Hundreds of thousands of dollars? Millions? Is it really necessary to have the Governors name on every official state document and sign? What purpose does it serve?

"Oh look honey, we just got a cease and desist order from David A. Patterson, Governor."

"Isn't it nice that David A. Patterson, Governor cares enough to personally stamp his name on our water bill?"

Stop it. Just stop the silliness. There must be some overpaid government employees who must set this whole name conversion in motion. Someone must pick up the phone, send an email or send a smoke signal to the lower powers that be and order them to immediately remove Elliot Spitzer's name from every document and sign and replace it with the name of the new chief executive, David A. Patterson, Governor.

Mr. Patterson considers himself somewhat of a reformer. So I suggest, he start reforming. Order his name removed from all documents and signs and sign an executive order prohibiting future Governors from stroking their ego. But, then again, removing his name is going to cost money, too. What's a good, conscientious, budget minded Governor to do?