Ok, so are we in charge of the government or is the government in charge of us?
“We the People” would like to think that our elected representatives do “we the people’s” work in a manner that “we the people” have so directed. But so much of our government is merely appointed and not elected by “we the people” and therefore cannot be held accountable by “we the people” and so “we the people” are held hostage by a group of unelected bureaucrats who operate largely beyond our control.
For instance, pen-pushing appointees in the Department of Ecology (DOE) have developed a cumbersome, expensive and immensely complex solution to a completely non-existent “water shortage” problem and are intent on shoving it down our collective throats. Firstly, there is no water shortage and, if there was, the DOE’s solution does absolutely nothing to increase the supply of water but, rather, does much to further decrease its availability to the residents of our county. And in so doing, will, in fact, create two classes of landowners… the “water haves” and the “water have nots.”
This ill-advised, unnecessary and totally pointless effort will cause property owned by the “water have nots” to plummet in taxable value and thereby result in dramatic increases in property taxes for everyone else in the county no matter where you live.
Another prime example of an unaccountable and out-of-control government is the ever on-going saga of the Rayonier property. As we enter the 15th year of a three-year clean-up program, we still have 75 acres of prime waterfront property laying dormant and unproductive while paper shufflers at the Department of Ecology continue to vacillate, procrastinate, fluctuate and contemplate – but never facilitate – an end to this situation.
These are but two examples of an over-reaching and unrestrained bureaucracy that governs from afar and attempts to micromanage our lives and thereby restrict some of our most basic freedoms. You want more?? Check out the Shoreline Management Program (SMP), the Combined Sewer Overflow program (CSO), Storm Water Management Manual for Western Washington (SWMMWM) and many other “alphabet” programs that are mandated by Olympia.
So what do we do? How do we push back against these faceless, unelected bureaucrats who invade our county from afar and dictate their agendas? Short of meeting these modern-day carpetbaggers at the county line with torches and pitchforks, that is.
Well, first off, pay attention to what is happening!! Educate yourself and then elect people at the grassroots level who will push back against government overreach. There are 43 various positions that are on the ballot this year. They range from city council, port commissioners, school boards, etc. Putting responsible people in these positions will make it possible for Clallam County residents to govern Clallam County without the unwanted assistance from Olympia.
Of course, come to think of it, that pitchfork and torch thing has a certain appeal… Maybe that should be Plan B.
Dick Pilling ,
County Chair
