Show Is It Federal and State Domination Or Local Dodging of Responsibility From time to time the problem of increased federal or state control over the lives of citizens and the decline inthe in inthe inthe the place and importance of local government government government gov gov- in public affairs comes up for discussion Frequently the charge is made that the federal or state octopus is to be blamed for reaching out to dominate local affairs Every now and then however something comes up which makes one wonder if local officials are not as much to blame for passing the buck of governmental responsibility to higher authority as higher authority may be to blame for encroaching on lo local local local lo- lo cal government Two recent developments drive that point poin t home Here in Utah the other day there Was a meeting of local law enforcement officers at the state capitol to discuss the question of liquor law enforcement At issue of course was the recent decision decision decision de de- de- de of Governor Lee and the state liquor commission to hand back to local governments some of the authority which had been assumed in the past by the state It was decided to abandon the state liquor law enforcement activity placing all responsibility for liquor law enforcement on local law enforcement au authorities ties But the local officials who attended that meeting were by no means satisfied with that arrangement Many of them didn't seem to ta want to accept the responsibility responsibility responsibility re re- re- re for enforcement of the lawin lawin law lawin in their own cities or counties On the part of some at least there was a de de- Bided preference for having state officers officers officers cers do the liquor policing job in their areas At about the same time the United States conference of mayors meeting in Washington was passing a n resolution which in effect declined with thanks a congressional invitation to local authorities authorities authorities author author- to accept some of the responsibility for continuance or abandonment of rent controls The mayors' mayors resolution used a afew afew afew few weasel words but there was no mistaking mistaking mistaking mis mis- taking the intent to dodge any responsibility responsibility responsibility for handling this admittedly ticklish ticklish tick tick- ticklish lish problem These two incidents are all too typical of the attitude of many local officials They are quite willing to shift difficult difficult difficult cult governmental problems to the state or to the federal government while they devote themselves to the relatively petty and politically less dangerous matters of public administration If as many contend strong local government is essential to the democratic democratic democratic demo demo- cratic system and the foundation upon which sound state and national government government government govern govern- ment must be built then local authorities must have the thc courage to accept governmental governmental governmental govern govern- mental responsibility We Ve cannot in good conscience cry against state or federal domination if local authorities continually dodge responsibility We Ve cannot shift the hard jobs of regulation and taxation onto federal and state governments governments gov gov- governments and expect to have much freedom freedom freedom free free- dom left on the local level as we carry carryon on the easy jobs of license-granting license and spending |