Government Waste
Here's the first paragraph of an initiative that was put into the ballot in the local election last month:1) Each and every County Supervisor who votes to approve any new ordinance, regulation, or resolution shall first have thoroughly read and understood it, including its direct and indirect impacts on the citizens of Napa County, and shall certify in writing at the time of voting in favor of the ordinance, regulation, or resolution; and prior to its going into effect, that he/she has read it thoroughly and has thoroughly understood its direct and indirect impacts on the citizens of Napa County prior to voting to approve it.
Mind you, understanding the effects of any measure including "direct and indirect impacts on the citizens of Napa County" is damn tall order. Most humans that have walked the earth only understand the big picture of the world around them, not the minutia. Getting into the nitty gritty takes time, effort, and teamwork. This initiative pretty much demands that a supervisor possess the the omnipotence of a god. Not only that, but the pressure to know every detail of every agenda item gets discussed at a board meeting trickles down to the staff level. As a staff member, I know I'm not being lazy here in saying that this is ridiculous. I know that in the real world of civil engineering, not all variables are given values and that some assumptions must be made in order to come to a viable answer. I mean, look at flow nets for fluid flow through soils! It's the most random concept ever. But it works. The same holds true for trying to understand these measures. One can only expect to understand the big picture.
Anyway, the measure passed. I always knew I was godlike in some ways; looks like I'll have to start proving it. Hooray!
posted by anthony fuego @ 7:15 PM
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