By Samuel Strait – Reporter at Large – March 5, 2022 Most people believe that when they elect local Representative and Officials, that they are the ones that make things happens in local government. It is a common error of thinking in the world we currently find ourselves living in. Make no mistake the process is much more convoluted. Likely when you are on the phone talking to your district supervisor, or filing a complaint with a local elected official, they have a veritable army of bureaucrats ready and waiting to deflect your concern for what ever the problem may be. You can't really believe that most in elected office actually do the work necessary to properly conduct the "people's business" on every item of business they should encounter? Or, even become well enough informed as to ask the necessary and important questions of the bureaucrat that is peddling the latest bit of government porn? Have you ever questioned an elected official on some point of business only to see that perplexed look come over their face as if they have no idea what you are talking about? Have you ever witnessed an elected official asking for some bit of clarification that even a three year old knows the answer? Have you ever noticed the often pointless bit of congratulatory pandering when officials are confronted with "no brainer" projects that will become problems down the road if only they had done their homework and asked the right questions? It only takes a few visits to get the undeniable impression that our representatives quite often ARE NOT THE ONES RUNNING THE SHOW. As all levels of government grow at an alarming rate, here in Del Norte County by 130 employees just in the last twelve months, we now have nearly as many working for local governments as work in the private sector. At least that is if you still believe in any data that the government provides. Since living in Del Norte County for nearly fifty years, the constant refrain by government is "we can only offer the limited services that our poverty stricken County budget allows". If only the local population were to provide more funding, services and infrastructure will "get better". This happens every where government exists, County government, the City, the State, the Federal Government, in our schools, the harbor, fire districts, and every where else government has its tentacles. Local government over the past half century has grown at a pace to be unrecognizable, yet the service remains deplorable. Recently, Supervisor Chris Howard, District Three, voiced the complaint that more government positions were unfilled, and the County was struggling to fill those positions due to the County's lack of competitive wages and benefits. It is not likely that it occurred to Supervisor Howard that "more" government was very seldom a path to success as he "stumped" for yet more government employees. If the quality of employee does not measure up to the task, why are they being hired in the first place or continue to be employed by local governments? If the employees for the peoples business were actually quality employees would it be necessary to retain those that were not? If the County was able to hire on the basis of merit and not need as many, could not the savings by a reduced force of employees be offered to attract fewer but more competent employees? Government in the United States was never intended to be as bloated as it is now. We experience it on the local level every day. It is well past time to dump "dead wood" in the ranks of our local bureaucracies and retain only those that are worth the additional pay that smaller government would allow. Starting at the very top of local governments, departments, and executive positions that have no benefit to the local population should be eliminated. Only the very best at what they do should be retained to advise local office holders. They, local office dwellers as well, should be forced to up their game or be replaced at the next election. Hiring more and more unqualified employees at the cost of an ever growing local government does not solve the problem when government is under preforming in the first place…. When you have a sickness, it makes no sense when trying to get well, to hang about more sick people…… Quite possibly, Supervisor Howard, it is time to make a major course correction. Should you not be on board with that over the remainder of your current term, perhaps it is time for you to withdraw and retire.