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If you live in Island County and have been paying attention lately, you already know that funding for County government is in dire straits. As with virtually every other state, county, and local governmental entity in the US right now, the well has run dry. Over the last year, there have been repeated budget cuts. The first cuts occurred under the previous Republican dominated County Commission, including reductions to the Sheriff’s budget. At that time, nary a peep was heard from the Republican Party, but now that the Board of Island County Commissioners is composed entirely of Democrats, there have been demands that all funding for so-called “non-mandated” programs and departments be cut before any further reductions are made to the Sheriff’s budget.
It appears to me that much of the attendant hullabaloo has been orchestrated by the local Republican party, with foot soldiers of the Tea Party anti-government persuasion. Their constant refrain is that almost all of the functions currently provided by government are “no business of government.” Many glaring examples of this philosophy were provided at the County Commissioners Dec. 21st budget hearing. One was a woman who stated that the Sheriff’s Dept. should get all the funding that it wanted. Only after that, she opined, should other parts of County government get the leftovers. Video. The other speaker complained at great length about a homeless shelter built by the County on Camano Island and railed at great length about “those people” and how he didn’t want his money helping “bums” and this was no proper function of government. Video. Again, he felt there should be no cuts to the Sheriff’s budget because public safety is “number 1.”
Of course, not all the speakers at the hearing were of the “government is evil except for cops” philosophy. Video. Another speaker. And another speaker. Still, you have to wonder if the first speaker ever thought about what has historically always happened when government security forces get all the funding they want. The results have uniformly been a police state - and very unpleasant for people who dislike the government. And I wonder if the complainer about those homeless “bums” stopped to consider that a “bum” who can get out of the weather at a homeless shelter is a “bum” who has not broken into his car, garage, or house to avoid freezing to death.
Which brings me to the issue of “public safety.” Public safety is kids in 4-H instead of playing with nasty chemicals and making Meth. Public safety is Beach Watchers monitoring pollution. Public safety is emergency management being prepared for a chemical tanker spill on Hwy 20 or a flu pandemic. Video. Public safety is ag extension educating hobby farmers about manure management so surface and ground water - the stuff we drink - isn't polluted. Public safety is the Health Department checking for leaking septic systems. Public safety is County road crews monitoring and maintaining culverts so we don’t have multi-million dollar disasters like the washout of Glendale Road last year. All functions provided and paid for in whole or part by the taxes we pay to support Island County government.
So, WEAN supports public safety. But public safety involves a lot more than just the police. It involves keeping the environment healthy for everyone today and tomorrow. Remember, people live in the environment. And if we ignore it, it will go away, including its inhabitants. That’s you and me and everyone else. Today and tomorrow.
