Time to replace some spokes

by Tim Herzog
| August 29, 2012 9:15 PM

On this November's ballot you will be offered the chance to vote for an alternative form of government. The current commissioners recently approved a resolution that will allow you, the voting public in Kootenai County, a chance to approve or disapprove a measure to change our current form of government.

This change would include hiring a county manager that would relieve the commissioners of many of their duties that they apparently don't want to deal with. The other major thing that would change is the county clerk, treasurer, assessor and coroner would no longer be elected officials.

Those positions would be filled by appointees whom you did not vote for. By the way, this manager position adds another layer of bureaucracy and will probably cost the taxpayers around $150,000 a year.

And all because the commissioners don't want to deal with the responsibilities of their job or is this "in fact" truly streamlining government? I would like to be shown a proven example of how this works in other counties in Idaho, and oh, good luck finding one!

Recently, the commissioners were shot down for trying to pass off their duties as the Board of Equalization that hears matters of property evaluations yearly. Again, it is clearly stated that the BOE is the county commissioners' duties by statute. By the way, there were only 111 appeal hearings as I was told by the assessor's office, a far cry from years past.

I am totally in favor of giving the voters a say in choosing the type of local government that represents them best but what this "so called" streamlining process will do is exactly the opposite. If this form of government is approved and eventually put into place the voters of Kootenai County will no longer have the opportunity to cast their ballot of choice for those positions which will be appointed by this new "commissioner-manager" whom you also did not vote for either!

Let me pose a simple, rudimentary question, "Do you want to vote for a measure that takes away your right to vote?"

In economic times like this and with distrust of government rampart, both nationally and locally, why in the world would anyone vote or approve of a measure that takes away their sacred right to vote! The polling booth is the only tool the citizens have to maintain the checks and balances necessary in keeping government under control.

Lest we become a nation of sheep, we need to always maintain our right to liberty and freedom that our forefathers fought so diligently for. Idaho is a strongly conservative state and many of us moved here from other states that government has run amuck and no longer responds to its citizenry. Grassroots activism runs deep in Idaho and I am proud to be a part of that. "I will never vote to vote away my rights!"

Idaho has 44 counties with Kootenai County being the third largest population base, with Ada and Canyon counties leading us. Ironically, both of these counties with larger populations and budgets to deal with have not opted for this form of alternative government. Needless to say, none of the remaining counties have either.

What makes Kootenai County so different that our commissioners feel the need to change it? In my opinion, our form of government is effective. The wheel is not broken but just maybe some of the spokes need to be replaced.

Tim Herzog is a former candidate from District 1 for county commissioner in 2008 and 2012.