Crossing the Line

The votes are cast, the stage is set and the fight is on. In a meeting that lasted more hours than it should have, those were the truths that arose from the ashes of our, Jefferson County’s, dignity. It should have been difficult to shock me, after all, I have watch years of debate and argument from my place on the cheap seats. But I have never witnesses such genuine animosity in a meeting before Monday evening. And I need to be clear here, it wasn’t just Commissioners or elected officials that were hot. There is a true rift in Jefferson County regarding how to manage our debt, property tax rates and cuts to County departments and non profits. There are also other issues afoot that appear to be out of the knowledge of the general public that are driving this run away train.

Frankly, I don’t really care who likes who. I don’t care who exchanges Christmas Cards or gives each other the third finger salute, so long as it isn’t played out in a public forum. I would expect better behavior from middle school cheerleaders. I would expect better behavior from the Kardashians, before and after the Bruce/Caitlyn debacle.

This is not a right or wrong issue. Finances are dollars and cents. Numbers on a page. A budget debate should not be about personalities. Believe it or not, a good idea brought by someone you don’t like is no less a good idea. It may have a little less glamour and sheen if you don’t like the person that brings the idea to the forefront but personalities have no impact on the quality of the motion or solution. Or at least they shouldn’t.

We talk a lot about procedures in our County government. There is a rule for this and a rule for that. How about we instigate a policy that every government interaction, be it voting or passing in the hallway, must be conducted with reasonable thought and action. We, the people, know that many of our elected officials don’t like each other. But they were elected to represent Jefferson County by both action and vote, not to embarrass us publicly.

Agree to disagree. Agree to loath the ground that each other walk on. But agree to do it in private, because we have real issues in Jefferson County. When you are representing the people we expect you to do so with integrity, dignity and respect. It is very little to ask of people who lobbied to be our representatives. It is past time to get it together and get on with it. Or walk away and leave it to someone who will.