Opinion Piece By Samuel Strait – December 17, 2021 Most of you that read the Crescent City Times may have noticed a lack of writing from yours truly in the pages of the Times. As to that, I have been traveling for most of the past month through Oregon, Western Washington, with some brief visits to Northern California, and I don't mean San Francisco. While there have been plenty of things to write about here locally and even state wide, what seems to be more important are comments from Crescent City Times readers that ask what can be done about the state of bureaucracy, representation, and several clear cases of malfeasance from both. It has become very clear for some time that our local power structure does not work for the benefit of those that live in Del Norte County. Historically this country, which includes Del Norte County, was supposed to be a government "of the people, for the people, and by the people", something that seems to have eluded those that currently occupy most positions of power in this County. What we seem to have operating in this County can be favorably compared to that of eighteenth century's King George over the American Colonies. Those in power spend money frivolously not to address problems that affect most of those that live here, but to benefit themselves and their friends. Very similar to what royalty engaged for centuries, until the American Revolution stood up for the people and said there is a new form of governance in town. Seems that we have clearly forgotten what the American Revolution was all about. Have the people in Del Norte County gone to sleep and allowed what is happening at the School District, the Board of Supervisors, the City Council, the Harbor Commission, and the Crescent Fire Protection District? Have we become cows in a pasture wearing masks with no concern for this County's welfare? If you have been reading the articles in the Crescent City Times and not been outraged by the behavior of these public and very changeable government train wrecks, now is the time to wake up and do your part to rid the County of the people involved. There is currently underway efforts to repeal a series of taxes that have produced none of the promised solutions to the taxpayer. The school district will soon be under investigation over the lack of an independent oversight committee as well a number of other issues. The Harbor District has received scrutiny over lack of proper dredging, involvement with its RV parks and current residents, and inappropriate behavior by the Commission towards the public. The City and the Chamber's recent efforts to continue the Sister City idiocy by even thinking about a monument to the Sister City travesty to be paid for with tax payer money. The Board of Supervisors, clearly flush with cash attempted to pay for the failed Tri Agency's debt without first collecting from those that failed to pay back those loans. And finally, the Crescent Fire Protection District's very questionable "voter" approved parcel tax which seemed to have great difficulty getting ballots to all that were entitled to them. The list of bureaucratic malfeasance in just the past month seems enough to wake the population in this County to become involved in doing something about this money being spent that does not benefit the county's residents. The roads might be a priority? But, No, Twenty five million dollars of Bond money nearly all spent with no oversight at the school district, five million dollars to dress up Front Street, a half million for the black hole of the swimming pool, a million to bail out locals in debt to the Tri Agency, paid captains at the Fire Protection District to the tune of more than a half million dollars, and finally money for solar panels at the harbor, but no attention paid to dredging. Time for a bit of house cleaning in June? Maybe well past time……