Here & There Column 1-26-10

The Folks Are Fed Up With Politics

The voters of Massachusetts last week made their voice heard loud and clear that they do not like backroom deals, Washington business-as-usual, do not support the present health care proposal, do not support Wall Street bailouts, economic stimulus spending and enormous budget deficits, do not support terrorists being tried in New York City, do not feel safe against terrorists attacks and that this stunning defeat is a true sign that people are tired of Washington politics and deal making.
Politicians beware can also be directed to local government as was evidenced in a recent letter to the editor written by Miles R. Ellison Jr. of Grahamsville.
The headline for the letter read "An Indictment of Sullivan County Government" and Ellison said, "do it right or you are going to be fired, this legislative governmental form has not worked, is too distant and inefficient, and most of all, is too expensive and as such, needs to be retired."
He called the county legislature "a superfluous layer of removed, irresponsive and irresponsible leadership," and cited examples like "the DPW scandal handled "internally," the arson at the Government Center, the assault on the Town of Neversink by the "Large Parcel Advocates," the debt, the garbage, the ambushing of Dan Briggs, the sell out of George Cooke, etc."
Ellison also cited the fact that "this legislature has generated employment opportunities for legislators, outside of voter review or approval."
This writer following several years of talking with Sullivan County folks heard the majority call for the return of the board of supervisors and Ellison pointed out in his letter that "the time has come, however, to return this form of government to the book of failed ideas and restore, with modifications, the Board of Supervisor as our county authority." He called for keeping an elected "County Managerial structure."
In researching material about local NYS government documents show that the state is divided into 62 counties, five are within the City of New York and the remaining 57 are governed under the County Law of the State of New York. Its noted that about half the 57 counties adopted a charter form of government and the remaining counties have the Board of Supervisors structure.
Counties that have not adopted a charter form of government generally falls under the County Law and the Board of Supervisors become county officers upon their election as town officers.
Weighted voting is generally attributable to a Board of Supervisors form of government but a number of years ago under the former Sullivan County Board of Supervisors form of government weighted voting became a legal issue,
Board's of Supervisors are presently legally operating within New York State using various weighted voting measures, residents and voters in Sullivan County should unite to bring back this form of government.