User Name: ExecDir
This writer, before taking all the time it took to compose such a long text, should have taken some time to gather real-world facts on the solutions he proposes. Oregon and Washington have seen a number of small towns implement a similar strategy, laying off professional managers and technically trained staff to be replaced by volunteers. Those towns have found that local governments, however sovereign in their own boundaries, do not exist in a vacuum. For instance, the town of Cascade Locks found out that, without an experienced and trained fire chief, the volunteers would not respond to calls. That nullified the joint coverage agreement with the Hood River fire department, which left the town with no fire and disaster response at all. What do you think happened to home insurance premiums and funding for construction projects? They also found that the wastewater treatment plant that seemed to run itself actually needed a professional with multiple certifications to operate it. And after a few legal miscues, they really did need a professional city manager experienced a public administration. After all the lawsuits, legal fees and settlements, the small town spent much more than if they had not changed anything. It is very expensive to do things cheaply. And then there is the other side of the equation, handing all of the other functions of local government over to nonprofit organizations, fraternal organizations and churches. Has the writer been to a Lions or Kiwanis meeting recently? Are these groups rolling in funds, beefed up with manpower, and ready to dig into their substantial store of resources to take on major public works projects? No, they are all struggling to maintain shrinking budgets, fighting to replenish their memberships with younger members, and already busy caring for the aged, infirm and homeless. I do not believe there are many people in this community who would want to live in the real world that would result from your strategy. If you really want to try it, I believe there are a few islands in the Gulf of Alaska where you could try it out without being bothered.
• Letter: Jubilee Float a Regression to the Bad Old Days
User Name: National
“... the states of the CSA were attempting to destroy the United States in order to continue the institution of slavery.” It was a little more complex than that. The CSA states sought independence from the Union. Slavery wasn’t even an issue until later in the Civil War when support for Lincoln was at a wane. He absolutely did the right thing in signing the Emancipation Proclamation but it was primarily for political reasons, as there are plenty of available quotes showing Honest Abe to be a Jim Crow type of guy. Slavery did matter by the end (as it should have), but it was states’ rights and secession that were the main factors in the Civil War.
User Name: SR1
“but it was states’ rights and secession that were the main factors in the Civil War.” This is the argument that revisionists always love to throw out there. The CSA did not like the fact that any new states or territories were to be slave free and it was a threat to “ their states’ rights.” They figured that would be the beginning of the end for their economy, which was based on slavery. They were right on that point. Think about this: If there was was no slavery at the time would there have been a Civil War over “their states’ rights”?
Guest Commentary: What’s the Home Rule Charter Process Like? Let Me Tell You
user Name: TruthCanHurt
Now you are back home. Yea! I do not understand how cutting someone’s pay in half makes government more efficient or effective. Second, changing the name of commissioners seldom changes the core issue. Whatever you call them, they still set policy and procedure. They still can fire any county manager with three of five votes. In other words, no authority structure has changed. Specifically, the county manager does what they are told to do. This was the case with the two previous county managers in Lewis County. They were fired by the BOCC. Do what the commissioners or council says or get fired. Set the budget as directed. Shut down the senior centers. Do as directed. Sure the council should listen to the professional manager. Still, the council has its agenda, just as does the Chamber director. The question is what is it? Lastly, the referendum, the only useful change. I applaud that change. What you missed was the need to have a “no confidence”/ recall vote for those elected officials who act out of the scope of their position, such as the Bill Schultes of county government. You should not have to wait until the the next election to ditch an incompetent. Overall, I wonder if the changes really made any tangible benefit as regards effective or efficient government. Based on my 35 years in government and extensive education, I doubt anything other than the referendum process. A good change, but does not impact the day-to-day abuse of power.
