Re: professionalism, not power--and hiring & firing

[Kenneth Gallant <gallantk@uidaho.edu>]

PLEASE STOP ME BEFORE I COMMENT AGAIN!

To the point that the new county gov't system would not prevent
hiring/firing disputes:

This is one of the most important changes of the new plan.  Under our
current system, our prior sheriff fired people on a political basis 
without any regard to the cost of the firings to the county--BECAUSE HE
WAS NOT ACCOUNTABLE FOR BUDGETING FOR THE COSTS OF THE ENSUING LAWSUITS.
The Commissioners--who are accountable for budgeting and taxation--were
powerless to prevent his acts, which could have
bankrupted the County.
Under the new system, the persons ultimately responsible for the hiring
and firing of folks, and the persons ultimately responsible for the the
fiscal well being of the county are, as they should be, the same
people--the County Commissioners. This is what advocates of adopting
county government reform mean when we say that the new system improves
accountability greatly.

To the point that the Danahy's made that eliminating the two party system
would encourage more qualified candidates to run, and creating
professional credentials would do the same, well, both of those are true.
But the Idaho legislature has, time after time, rejected professional
credentialing of candidates (except for Prosecutor--which has the minimal
requirement of bar membership--no further experience required), and the
county cannot under state law make this change on its own.

And the Green Party and the Reform Party and the Socialist Workers Party
and the Libertarian Party and the Natural Law Party and the National
Socialist White Peoples Party, and countless others have been trying to
break the two party system.  I suggest that county government reform is a
whole bleep of a lot easier than doing that.


 Kenneth S. Gallant
Moscow, Idaho 83844-2322 USA
208-885-6541 (phone)
208-885-4628 (fax)
gallantk@uidaho.edu

On Sun, 18 Oct 1998, John and Laurie Danahy wrote:

> I humbly disagree with Priscilla's arguments for the change in county
> government.  A central manager will, of course, have to have his own
> office, with his own secretary.  Pretty soon he will be so busy he will
> need an assistant, with an assistant secretary. Thus bureaucracy grows to
> fill every available vacancy.
> The problem of the lack of professional credentials of those running for
> office could be solved by creating specific requirements that must be met
> by all candidates.  Also, more qualified candidates could be induced to run
> for positions by eliminating the current two party system.  Most GDI's do
> not want the stigma of being associated with either of the two major
> parties now controlling the elections.
> I prefer to still have my say in each position, and not have my say
> delegated to a manager through someone I may not have voted for.
> John 
> 
> 
> John and Laurie Danahy
> jdanahy@turbonet.com
>