Editor, The Macomb Daily:

 

Once again, the push to transform Macomb County into a county executive form of government has begun. In a rash move, a small band of county commissioners has tried to sneak this past the voters and place it on the ballot in may, when voter turnout is less than ten percent. With these types of political tactics, it is hard to see how the motivations of these commissioners are in line with the best interests of the county.

 

Many of these same commissioners have criticized the board as being too slow in making decisions. Although debate and compromise among 26 commissioners can be a grueling task, the decisions that emerge are more deliberate and inclusive of the entire county's interests. With a county executive making unilateral policy decisions, the voice of the board members would be diminished, and some areas of the county may be overlooked as decisions are made.

 

With an added layer of government, increased costs will follow. Since a county executive will require a support staff, a new bureaucracy will need to be funded from the county treasury. At a time when budget deficits are looming, adding more overhead is not a wise idea. And in all likelihood, this type of government expansion will yield higher taxes for Macomb County residents.

 

We must realize that Macomb County is unique when compared with neighboring counties, and we should appreciate the results of our chosen form of government. We have one of the lowest county tax rates in the region, and the financial management of the county has yielded AAA bond ratings. If a majority of the Macomb County voters wish to change our form of government, then so be it. But such a decision should not be rushed by hiding it within a May school board election. Fortunately, a majority of the commissioners have rejected the idea of a May election, and this will give the voters time to realize that a county executive is not the answer for Macomb.

 

Dan Flamand