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Show ‘OCTOBER 25, 2000 Keep Big Government Or ut of Our Lives??? he opposition to the Seven intrusion of “Big Government” into “our lives” (as the ad says). Well guess Member Council Initiative seems to have framed the debate with their large 4’ x 8’ signs in several locations throughout the county. The signs proudly-proclaim, “Vote No To what, in the Commission minutes of ‘February 25, 1998 former County Attorney Dan Matthews informs the ... County Big Government In Our Lives.” A curious statement, given just how amazing- have Commissioners over 130 “that we now employees which requires us to have a personnel direc- In the following ly fast “big government” has grown under the current 3-person commis- 18 months we have increased the number of county employees by 30%, adding 40 new employees to the payroll. We now have 170 county employees! Yeah, just what we need, an extra 40 county employees ‘sion. According to the aes min~. utes of June 31st of this year, the county auditor reported that, “over the last five years revenues have increased intruding into our lives. Once again, courtesy of our current three-member County government of puts a damper on hiring your friends © and relatives, so the commissioners have opted to ignore the law and retain the authority to hire unto themselves. And we still don’t have a Pasannd Director. In spite of a state law (17-33-5) requiring the County have a Personnel Director (and the notice given by the County Attorney in February of 1998), in spite of the County Code of 1997 which requires the creation of an Office of Personnel Management, the Commissioners still haven’t appointed a Personnel Director. The last discussion of one was at the January 24th Commission meeting of this year, where the commissioners tabled the motion from $6.5 million to over $12 million dollars.” and it has since disappeared. Guess having a real live Personnel Director kind commission system. has almost doubled the amount of money it s OK, all of you out there in favor of retaining the current three member commission form of government. If you are going to talk the talk, walk the walk. And | check your facts. County revenues have increased 85% in five years. At the end of last year the county had $1.7 million dollars of the taxpayers’ money in their bank account. In 18 months the number of county employees has risen 30%! No one wants more “Big Government In Their | Lives,” but given their record, it’s hard to three commissioners will improve the sit- each year from your pocket to theirs. In 1995 the General Fund balance at the owe see how retaining the current system of five years, taking an extra $1.1 million uation. Its hard to imagine how having a has taken out of your pocket in the last tainly don’t have much, of a record of seven people keeping an eye on our ever expanding county government can’t be an improvement. The current three cer- end of the year was $7,891 in 1999 there was a balance of $1,700,000. Talk-about big government! The proponents of keeping the three-member commission “reigning in big government”. issue dire warnings about big government, but too late, BIG GOVERNMENT is already here, courtesy of our CORRECTION: current three-member commission system... e ht e os In an editing error, the “up” arrows and the Pehchano “cross” arrows in Oct. 18’s Signposts section were inadvertently reversed. “Big Government” isn’t just the tax- dent featured in the Also the name of the stuacademic profile was _ mis- spelled. It should have been .Atanacia Franco. The Courier regrets the resulting confusion. man’s hand in your pocket; it’s also, the | A New ‘ae UU LTE) at Mal 0 Give EG) a Government For A Neve Millenium? ae ECO TAG oa OER be ~ WASATCH COUNTY COURIER A6 For All ney Voters To Answer Before Voting. - HEIDI H. FRANCO SPECIAL TO. THE COURIER hy is it important that we \ ‘ | vote in 13 days on the new: county government initia- tive? Our county government is important. It has to protect our safety, health, and property—our immediate quality of life. For those of us not in cities, it is the level of government we turn to for safe roads, safe homes and protection from crime, pollution, etc. County gov- ernment must be responsive to all the people and areas it governs. Would the new county initiative provide a better government than what we have now? Let’s consider if its needed for a new millennium of growth and change. - Here are a few questions to think about before voting. Will the new county gobertinent provide greater participation, tion and accountability the — representa all people in Do we need elected representatives for different parts of the county? Currently three commissioners are supposed to provide complete repre- sentation for all areas. Do you're personally represented “at large” commissioner? commissioners you feel keep by an Can three up with all the neighborhoods and needs in the county? “ ir. KOS Ss . We.allvote for.the.county.officials but are we all heard when it comes to our problems? Here’s an example. Many times over the past years Timber Lakes’ res- idents have met with the commission- enough that each area needs to wet Specific attention. Its logical that seven commissioners would provide this. If the new initiative passes then each voting area would still elect three — ers to solve safety and legal problems. commissioners. One commissioner Yet the current “at large” system has would be accountable only to that dis' failed to provide viable fire exits or trict plus two other “at large” commishave all roads brought . sioners. With five area up to county standards. districts that would The “at large” system That means total seven commissionwas supposed to make ee ers. Again, its logical ‘sure those things were each local that-it will be much eas- . taken care of from the ter for voters to concern would ‘developer in the first approach their own displace, but it didn’t. The trict commissioner, current system hasn’t someone who lives in insured the safety of voters in that area accetimaca0 ifs Owh finally have an equal Say. 5. “2 ‘codes. Why hasn’t it? The commissioners don’t live dees or understand those particular problems ona daily basis. The current system is willing to take the risk by not fixing those things. Yet why should those families have the burden of risk and - wait until a fire or even someone’s _death before finally getting help from the county government? They their. area and is SO ‘aaaraet that we can’t consider all points of view? Are we afraid to face the opinions and issues of all our - neighbors? I don’t think so. I know the people here are exactly the opposite. So shouldnt we listen to neighborhood issues and problems the rest of the county holding the bill? Listening and deliberation would be built into the commission. How pay— founding fathers designed the taxes too. Voters in Daniel, Canyon — Constitution to provide specific area Meadows, etc., could give other examrepresentation as well as general. Do ples. So how well are we protected by” ~ we want anything less than this stanthe “at large” system of teed | ‘dard from our Constitution?’ this opposing side says? This new system could bring strength and unity to our There would would finally have an equal say. There would be a better balance between local and overall perspectives built into - the system: Remember, America’s would make our county “vulnerable” as the missioner tive. That means each local concern structure left up to the discretion of a smaller, “at __jarge” would could. truly government under the new system. It wouldn’t be accountable only -° to them. A district com- represent every voice and choice in their area instead of voters waiting to be heard by an “at large” representa- before they become a-crisis or a lawsuit that leaves county because all voters and areas be treated equally and fairly. be greater participation and deliberation from all areas in county decisions than under the current ‘system. That should only protect the beauty and quality of life we all love here more. : - The new system could bring. balance in government, better accounta- _ bility and participation, and better laws. Consensus takes time, but results in government we can trust. Does the current system offer all of this? Please think about these questions before voting in two weeks. _ Opponents of the initiative say this Again, we all vote. but are we all would result in “divisive and fractional | Heidi Franco lives in our county has heard f 2 politics.” Are the people of Wasatch been involved in Utah politics for over It seems that 0 our r county has grown a ‘ County divisive and fractional? Are we 20 years.. She has taught political sci- |