Hat tip: Commenter Maine Yankee.
Joe Schwark, owner of JMS Plumbing in Spring Hill, said he has a general distrust of politicians, but appreciated the recognition of his craft.
Schwark said he agrees with the original Joe the plumber’s problem with raising taxes for people who earn more than $250,000 a year. Taxes are the plight of the small-business owner, he said.
Now let me tell you that many news outlets are getting the story right, that Joe’s boss, Mr. Newell (in business since 1974, God bless you sir, I’m sure you could never have imagined all this happening to you in America), is in fact licensed in Lucas County. How do I know? Because the State of Ohio’s computers told me so, and they would tell the media the same if they looked…like I did.
Mr. Newell is licensed. He is licensed in Lucas County. His license number starts with the digits 329 and then has two more digits. I don’t see any need to post more identifying information about innocent people. Search here, plug in the right parameters, and you can download the list of all licensed plumbers in Lucas County, Ohio. It is not difficult, though you have to provide information about yourself as the requester of the information.
So I got this list of licensees.
Not one of the officers of Local 50 of the union shop of plumbers is on the list of licensees. Disclaimer: I don’t care that none of them are on the list, and I know that not necessarily every one of the union officers are plumbers at all, as they also represent other trades. That said, their spokesman is on record slamming Joe about licensure.
I made that last part up. Now I’m going to go watch some football.