The Cost of Political Squabbling
A skeptical look at a proposed recall election in Benton County that threatens to drain public coffers.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Prosser Tax League is pushing for the recall of County Commissioners Jim Clements and Frank Bash, ostensibly to save taxpayer money. However, the logistical reality is a mounting expense. To successfully execute the recall, taxpayers must first fund a special election, which will cost at least $2,500. By the time the petition is circulated, the charges verified, the election held, and successors installed, the regular primary election will already be arriving. Critics argue this is less about tax reduction and more about a 'nasty fuss' stirred up by petty politicians. The editorial warns that this 'object lesson' in Prosser serves only to embroil the county in unnecessary, costly drama, further taxing the citizens under the guise of relief.
“From a standpoint of dollars and cents, from a standpoint of harmony, from a standpoint of common sense the recall movement of the Prosser politicians carries nothing that should commend itself to the taxpayers of the county.”
Political recalls often promise accountability but frequently create massive administrative costs and local polarization, a phenomenon that has remained a constant feature of Washington county politics for over a century.
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