Do you know who your County Commissioner is?
Do you know what the County Commission does?
That’s a problem. And if you don’t know the answer to those questions, surely you don’t know where the county taxes you pay end up. The current County Commissioners love to talk about the low millage rate in Livingston County. But what would you rather do – pay a low cost for an unknown services or get a tangible return on your investment?
Our roads are some of the worst in the state, so the money can’t be going to improve them. You have to hire a private company to come pick up your trash, so the money can’t be going there. The county spends $0 on parks, so there’s no money put into outdoor recreation. Most people hire DTE and have septic and well systems, so there’s no money spent on providing utilities. There’s no comprehensive public transportation, so no money being spent on alternative forms of getting around.
The Commissioners make it difficult to find information on County-level activity. The Commissioners’ webpage looks like it was created in 1999 and never updated. Meeting minutes are sparse, and only recently were complete Board Meeting minutes posted online. There are no videos. The recent mishandling of minutes may be in violation of Michigan’s Open Meetings Act. Community residents should not need to file cumbersome and expensive Freedom of Information Act requests to view something as simple as meeting minutes.
County government needs to be easily accessible to make it easier for civic participation in the democratic decision making process. The Commission needs a 21st century website with a comprehensive combination of video, audio, and text to accommodate all residents. Sure, the Commission puts up financial reports, but provides it to residents on the back end, saying: Here’s the information, we’re done. The Commission should utilize its website to say: Here’s the information, help us make a decision.
Dane is knocking on your door and running for County Commissioner because he's committed to bringing renewed political discourse to a governing body that's been ruled by one party for 25 years
If you told an incumbent Republican Commissioner that the Commissioners’ need a new website and more transparent communication with taxpayers, he would write you off as a Democrat talking about irrelevant issues. Unfortunately for the current Commissioners, this issue sticks. The idea of using technology to pry open previously opaque organizations isn’t going anywhere. Their party’s gubernatorial candidate, Rick Synder, believes in the importance and necessity of using the web to increase transparency and accountability of government. In fact, he’s made the issue a cornerstone of his 10 Point Plan to revitalize Michigan.
Just like at the state level, we need a new face in order to promote a community of clear, transparent, and accountable County government. Vote for a new face on the County Commission. Vote for a taxpayer upset about the county’s lack of services. Vote because you want to be an integral part of County decisions. And remember: you can split the ticket in the general election. So no matter who you vote for in other races, vote for Dane Morris for County Commissioner.
