04/13/2006: "So What Happened To The Promises?"

Letter to the Editor.

Our County Charter allows for the citizens to use Initiatives and Referendums to make our leadership (and I use this term loosely) do the will of the people.

Two years ago we were promised a more Transparent Government, less lawsuits against the County, increased morale for County Employees, a more efficient Planning Department and Millions of Dollars in Grants that were there for the taking.

Today our government has more Executive Sessions than I can ever remember and citizens forced to bring suit to get information from anything but a "Transparent Government". The Planning Department (now Community Development and Planning) can't find people to work there and morale, based on the conversations I have had with County Employees, seems to be at an all time low.

If those Millions of Dollars in Grant money are so available, why do we need a tax increase? One member of the Council during his campaign said we should be able to increase our Grants by 300%. At the time our County was receiving about two million a year in Grants. Where is this money today?

Our County Charter also allows for Recall.

Ray Bigler
San Juan Island