If it ain't broke....

"Now I fully understand why the DFL wants in - but a Republican? If it ain't broke, it don't need fixing (excuse the grammar)."

Let me first begin by saying there is a whole bunch of things within government which are broken. And desperately need to be fixed. And I mean desperately! This need for a good fixing spreads across the board. The federal government, the state government and some of the local governments. THAT being said - our Anoka County Board is NOT one of them. It runs just fine, thank you. In fact, our board is the envy of many other county boards across the state.

However, there is a fly in the ointment (for some). Our county board (for the most part) are not statists. Oh, there are a couple commissioners who might get "squishy" from time to time, but the majority of them are staunch defenders of the public purse. So much so, the Metropolitan Council would love the Anoka County Board to just go away. Why? Our board stands in the way of such huge wastes of tax money such as LRT, NLX, Northstar expansion, and others.

Rumor has had it that the DFL has targeted the Anoka County Board for "rescue". Get rid of those silly conservatives and replace them with taxers and spenders. And sure enough, the four commissioners who are up for election this year all have challengers. However, there is one mystery. One of the most conservative commissioners is being challenged by ---- a Republican.

As I have gotten older, I tend to pay more attention to what is going on in government. Especially local government. Following federal and state government is easier as it is always in the press. The local government gets a bit trickier. Of course following how the county is run does have a short cut - our annual property tax statement. 

I have told one of the commissioners, a man who I have known for decades, something I really appreciate about our board. They excel at doing more with less. They can squeeze more value out of a nickel than just about any other governing body I have seen. Now I fully understand why the DFL wants in - but a Republican? If it ain't broke, it don't need fixing (excuse the grammar).

More than once I have been accused of being a "homer", as I am friends with many on the board. I plead guilty to being friends with many of them. They are very nice people. However, if they were not doing a good job I could easily separate friendship from my civic responsibility.

FACT: The Anoka County Board is doing an excellent job. Period. To change out the stalwart defenders of our tax dollars would be the dumbest thing I have seen, maybe ever. And that is another FACT you can take to the bank.