Officials standing up for taxpayers should be commended

Contrary to popular belief representative government does work. The hospital is a good example of this. Over the last few years the citizens of East Adams County have broken tradition and engaged in the messy business of forming public policy.

As a result, the unrealistic dream of a new state-of-the-art hospital appears to have been set aside and long overdue repairs and maintenance are being planned. Admittedly, dreams are good things, if there is sufficient business and finances to support them.

However, there is a difference between wishful thinking and responsible governance. That is why citizen involvement is necessary. Without a vocal and diligent electorate, we can easily find ourselves committed to paying for things that are rarely used or paying for things two or three times over, because the proper procedures were not followed. The example of the hospital shows that it matters whether we are actively involved or not.

In the latest article, one of the hospital commissioners is quoted as saying, “The amount of people at the meetings lately has been virtually nonexistent… That’s them saying ‘we agree with what you are doing now, we are not going to argue.’”

Whether you agree with that assessment or not, one cannot disagree with that being one of the messages that is being received. So, even though we have seen that the electorate can effect public policy, in the case of the hospital, there are many other things in the city and county that go on without significant public input.

With regard to these things, it does little good to just complain in private, after the fact, if we do not like what is being done in our names. We as citizens have an obligation to see that we, or someone we trust, is diligently watching the actions of our elected officials and actively voicing our concerns at every public meeting.

Hats off to hose few who sometimes endure ridicule for standing up for the tax payer. We all need to make an effort to be more like them.

Dave Miller, Ritzville