Saturday, January 07, 2006

Marshall responds to Lois-ellin

> Hi all,
> Lois-ellin and others have made fine points. Let me re-introduce a
> middle ground
> into this discussion. I believe that the present county government might
> improve
> with different representatives and eventual population shift, but that the
> asymptotic slope will be negative- because the area and diversity of
> communities is too great
> for a single council of 9 to handle. They are overworked, stretched in too
> many directions and tasks, and this will only get worse as population and
> sprawl continue
> to increase. Even with the right people, the government is organically
> dysfunctional
> by too few trying to do too much for so many. Add plagiarism to my cv.
> So a middle ground: one county government, with the ability for regions,
> should they wish, to form burroughs (if I got the spelling right) with
> large self governing rights. The council would be charged with certain
> island wide responsibilities: providing for solid waste disposal (don't
> laugh- if they had limited responsibilities, they
> might get it right and on time), water distribution, water treatment,
> emergency services (police, fire, ambulance regulation), public works
> involving more than
> a single burrough- e.g. connecting highways). All other functions would be
> decided
> regionally by the citizens of the region. Property taxes would have a
> county amount/1000, and a burrough amount/1000. In this way the poorer
> districts still
> get support from the wealthier districts, the county council can try to do
> a few things
> well rather than a vast number poorly, and there should be more prompt
> ,responsive
> government within the county.
> Sorry if I am being a scrastched phono record on this . regards,Marshall

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