He pays his taxes...

[Bex]

So as a county government employee, I get walked on a lot. Wait, trampled is more the word I was looking for. I hear things such as this...

"I am a voter you know, and I vote your bosses into office." and
"I am a county citizen, I have rights." or "My tax money PAID for this facility."

*sigh*

Ok fine. You guys pay taxes. You helped build this building. You can vote. Let me go grab the champagne and we will all celebrate with you. I shall pass out cookies momentarily.

I have pretty much gotten into the routine of sucking up to people for the most part and bowing down. Hell, at this point I just lay down in the street and stick my neck out so they can drive over it if they feel the need. After all, I am paid by the tax payers of the county. This automatically gives them a free pass to say anything they would like to me and then call my bosses down town if I dare talk back. A girl can only stand so much douchebaggery before she breaks. *In walks an example*

This kid gives me a hard time EVERY single time he walks in. I have to ask him to leave within a few minutes each time he comes in as well.He is constantly disrupting things. Here lately though, he has been getting in my face and telling me "I pay my taxes which pays your salary, you are going to respect me!"

It takes a WHOLE lot of patience not to punch this kid in the snot box.
Now the difference in this guy and every other person who walks into my facility is that where they will get mad, yell that at me once and leave, this guy KEEPS COMING BACK. My dilemma? He's right. He knows that no matter what, if I want to keep my job, I can't make snide remarks to him or be rude. He KNOWS that if I go out of line and say anything to him that he can make a call down town and they would have me a pink slip in the mail within the week. There are times when you know that you can be a little snippy with someone and get away with it, and this just isn't one of those times. While my facility manager might not fire me, the county officials can, and assuredly would if it made it to them.

I suppose I need to look into this matter and see if I can legally document with a camera the things he says and does. If I don't have some proof, eventually I might be fired.

[Sheldonrs]

If there are other workers about, get some signed statements of what he has done as well as document everything he does and include dates, times, etc. and have any witnesses sign those if possible.

[MoonCat]

It's one thing to assert that he pays taxes (big whoop, so do you!) It's another thing to be disruptive, disorderly or insulting. Is there security in the building? Can they be called and asked to remove someone if they refuse to leave or to stop causing problems?

[Treasure]

"You're right sir, you do pay taxes, and that money pays for a lot of things, however you do not personally sign my paycheck; I am a government employee and as such I will be happy to help you, however respect is a 2 way street, i will treat you with equal respect to what you treat me with, otherwise i can find someone else to assist you. There is no cause to get rude or mean, I will assist you as best I can within the bounds of this entity." all said in a nice, even, and respectful tone, with a slight smile.

because, really, you get paid, you have taxes withheld from your check, so in a round-about way, you're paying yourself (and if you dare, you can always point this out to him too)

[csquared]

"I am sorry that you do not like the service I have provided. Here is a refund of your part of my pay check for the last year." Then hand them a quarter. Depending on the size of the county, it may be even less.

On a more serious note...
In my opinion, the idea that the county officials are saying "Take the abuse or your fired" creates in and of itself a hostile work environment. They are harassing you. You can not count on the upper levels of management to protect you and keep you safe in the workplace.

Make me want to write to my county commissioners and ask their position. If they don't stand up for their employees, I won't vote for them.

[aurelemsrealm]

It is reasonable to assume that such disruptive behaviors are personally hostile and threatening, which makes them a security risk. So, a call to security, if present in your facility, or otherwise to the police would be warranted.

[Solumina]

At the very least that sounds like he is making you feel rather uncomfortable in your work environment, one might even say that the environment is hostile. Government agencies take such things very seriously so I would be sure to pass that on to your superiors.

I know that it is very unusual to have someone banned from a government facility that is general open to the public but it is not impossible and it sounds like such action is very much appropriate in this case.

As a former staff aide to a county official you have my sympathies. As much as I mostly loved that job I’m glad it was only while on breaks from school cuz I don’t think I could take it for more than a couple of months at a time.

[chainedbarista]

they pay taxes, whoop; so do you, so you also pay your salary. they can fuck themselves; if you're polite and do your job, they have nothing on you.

when they have tantrum outbursts, as others have said, call security and have them removed, since their future behavior post tantrum isn't known. (security risk, could very well be...)

[unperson]

It's too bad you can't highlight the fact that you ALSO pay taxes, and vote, which makes you and him equal.. until you factor in the part about you being a government employee as well, which puts you at least a couple steps up the ladder

[Rapscallion]

Tell him that his taxes also pay for the police, so he should talk to them in the same way.

Rapscallion