Oversight Committees and Evaluating Ballot Measures
As an accountant I used to hear, "that's not the number I was looking for." In fact, it was sometimes a joke that I'd ask, "What number would you like it to be?" and then I would find a way to get there. (By real solutions, like cutting costs, not making up numbers!)

When people say that they want a measure to be evaluated and performance measured, I always think of my old days trying to come up with a number.

I have a friend that was on an oversight committee and his experience lead him to think that oversight committees and measures are a joke. The money is often used for other things (robbing Peter to pay Paul) and yet while it may all fall under one heading - like say, "education" - it might end up getting used for something other than what it was meant for when the voters voted for the original measure. There's really no recourse because who's going to sue the City for not using the money appropriately? Okay, even if you were to find someone who wanted to sue, you'd then have a revolt by the people that say that you're suing a city with no money, therefor costing them more money that they don't have and no one wins, except the lawyers.

So what do you do? Do you vote against the measures even if you think they're a good idea? My friend says yes, because the money isn't going to be there to support them. I say no, because if we all believe in the measure, then the spirit of it should be enforced. And maybe someday someone will hold our elected officials responsible for their misdeeds and mishandling.

But I won't hold my breath.
Posted 2/09/2004