They can mean a lot to ordinary people, yet, in government, they are often overlooked. In fact, county government places a dozen or more “minor” items at each commissioner meeting on a “consent calendar” for approval without any discussion. Some of them are contracts costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Usually, those contracts must spend at least $25,000 to rate a public hearing.One recent exception gave $24,000 a year to the convention and visitor’s bureau, a private company. I voted against it because the state constitution (Article XI, section 2) prohibits giving public money to private companies. This was plain corporate welfare. Tourism businesses that belong to that bureau should pay for tourism ads. Joe Taxpayer should not have to pay these handouts to politically connected insiders. Remember that the next time the county demands more money.Some proposals are for spending that is explicitly unconstitutional, like federal unemployment programs. Proponents argue that federal or state funds are “free” money, and if we didn’t spend it, someone else would. That’s the old excuse every parent hears – “But, Mom, everyone’s doing it!” My response was, “It is all the taxpayer’s money, money of the people I was elected to represent. I also refuse to increase the federal deficit.” Tell me if you agree with my “No” vote.I even distributed to the board the text of Article I, section 8 of the U.S. constitution, which defines and limits the powers of Congress and the federal government. I can’t grasp how anyone can take an oath to uphold the state and federal constitutions, but not have read them. Will someone explain that to me?Some proposals are both illegal and ill-advised, like the contracts we are asked to approve that are retroactive to January 1. That means public money was already spent without board of county commissioner (BOCC) approval, in violation of one of the most basic principles of American law. The legislative “power of the purse” we learned about in grade school says no money may be spent without advance approval by our elected representatives. Remember hearing about “checks and balances?” THIS conservative cherishes our heritage of limited government, and will never subvert it despite constant political pressure to do so.Some approved demands are just excessive, like $78,000 yearly for 178 cell phones for over half the welfare department employees. How about $300,000 to pay people to learn how to hold a job? Last week, the board approved $50,000 for gasoline coupons to provide job seekers with gasoline. That advocate conceded there was no way to prevent use of that gasoline for other purposes. $50,000 at $1.67 a gallon is 30,000 gallons of gas. At 25 miles per gallon, that is 750,000 miles–30 trips around the earth! I voted “NO” on all these handouts.Other county traditions are also hard to change. On nearly every agenda, there is an item to allow the board chairman to sign county checks, called warrants. Since the board meets about 96 times a year, I suggested we grant that authority once to cover the entire year. Nope. We are voting on it 96 times. Yet, you will hear criticism that I am “wasting time” by asking such questions, even though meant to promote efficiency!Commissioners also receive two e-mails daily about the number of inmates and others in the criminal justice system. That’s 730 e-mails a year. There is no daily decision for us to make, but we get that flood anyway, out of habit. On top of that, a sheriff’s lieutenant, making who knows how much in salary, attends each board meeting. Our first agenda item is for him and another employee to report those numbers to us in person. It takes under a minute to repeat the numbers already in our e-mail. Sometimes we hear of a jail scuffle or disease outbreak. I would rather increase actual patrol time in our district. How about you?You will read leftist ridicule of how I am “obstructing county government” because I question “consent calendar” items and “waste time on technicalities.” I don’t consider the constitution I swore to uphold to be a technicality, nor will I ever apologize for trying to save you money. Now that you understand what is really going on, tell your friends and get involved.You can see BOCC meetings live on our computer every Monday and Thursday at 9 a.m. Just visit http://www.elpasoco.com. Tapes of old meetings are also stored on that website, along with the printed agenda items. I welcome your scrutiny of board decisions. After all, it is YOUR money!Contact me at (719) 520-6412, by email at DouglasBruce@elpasoco.com, or by writing me at 27 E. Vermijo Ave. Colo. Spgs. CO 80903.For liberty,Douglas BruceYOUR county commissioner
