Commentary By Samuel Strait
On Tuesday, July 25th at 5:00 pm a meeting was held by our local
government representatives to consider what the community felt about the
resurrection of the long dormant Tri Agency. For a typical government
meeting it was rather well attended as less than a half dozen citizens
bother to attend most County meetings. In any event, thirty to thirty
five constituents of the three Tri Agency partners were on hand at the
Veteran’s Hall for over three hours to determine the public’s mind on
whether or not the Tri Agency should or should not be revived. Not to
hold anyone in suspense, a vote was taken and the results were 3-0-2 in
the affirmative for the Harbor Board, 3-1-1 in the affirmative for the
City Council, and 3-2 in the affirmative for the Board of Supervisors.
Had a vote been taken for the people who chose to attend, it was almost
unanimous that the Tri Agency would no longer exist. Such is the way of
the modern representative republic.
Make no mistake, this has become common at all levels of the government
in the United States of America where the government has turned its back
on a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”.
There should be no surprise here as we, the people, have consistently
forsaken our solemn duty to elect representatives who are asked not to
“do some good” but follow the express wishes of their constituents and
vote to secure those wishes. That, for most representatives DID NOT
HAPPEN ON TUESDAY EVENING!
Local government should not be in the business of economic development.
It should be in the business of less regulation, lower taxation, and
less government over reach. Economic development is not constructing
government edifices that in short order become dysfunctional,
mismanaged, and a future burden on the community when those edifices can
no longer support themselves. The operation of the previous version of
the Tri Agency was a case in point where start up loans defaulted,
public works are now in disarray requiring millions of dollars to
subsidize their continued operation in ever growing amounts. Those
that have survived now face millions in deferred maintenance, operations
at reduced levels, or fund balances in the red.
We are now expected to shoulder the burden of another pointless
government Joint Powers Authority which in all likelihood will become
yet another drain on resources available to benefit the local
population. Going forward the Tri Agency already is in debt for
$290,000 in loan forgiveness and another $110,000 in funding to hire
another layer of government bureaucracy to engage a task they are not
meant to become involved, economic development. No one can be sure
about those that voted not to revive the Tri Agency, three altogether,
for local government has long since burned the bridge to being
trustworthy and they no longer hold to their sacred trust of being
representative.
Another element as to why the Tri Agency is not favored by the public
was a presentation on off shore wind power, of which the Tri Agency
intends to be a part of, as part of their redevelopment strategy. If
this is but one of the directions that this new agency intends to
pursue, the public present was not in favor, nor were any other options
revealed that offered some optimism to those in attendance. Tourism, a
five or six month, revenue generator was the only economic revenue
source offered over the course of the evening. Bottom line is the
evening concluded with our “representatives” requesting public input,
were given said input, ignored said input, and voted to increase
government, hire more employees, and remain a increasing burden on the
local population. That’s representation Del Norte County style. Small
wonder few vote and our elected very seldom receive over 30% of the
registered vote.
