Are Public Officials "Unfit?"

It looks like I set off a mini-firestorm over comments made about public officials and their knowledge about public finance and taxation. The Capital Times headline Soglin calls most local pols unfit didn't quite do the comments justice since I never used the word 'unfit' but that is a technicality. And the comments were not directed at 'local pols.'

What I did say referring to a series of questions on the subject of public finance:

Think about the last candidates you voted for. Look at these 17* questions you submitted and ask whether the candidate could answer them.  My guess is that 75-80% cannot.  We cannot expect a candidate to be able to answer them their first year in public office, but by time they get through their second budget or their second year in office they should be able to answer them.  Yes, I said that if they could not answer the questions after two years in office "they had no business being in public office."

I went on to make the point that we, as voters, had to be more selective and demanding of candidates, and not freely give them our votes based on ideology or single issues.

One of the first to respond was Lisa Subeck :

Madison (lack of) Leadership According to Soglin

The comments were not directed at the City of Madison but were directed at all levels of government statewide.

Paul Soglin, speaking to a group of "future leaders" handpicked by the Chamber of Commerce, claimed that 75-80% of Madison politicians have no business being in office.

No, they were not hand picked by the Chamber. The Chamber was one of the sponsors. If you would like to participate I am sure you will be welcome.

The comments were made at a Civitas training, as written about in today's Capital Times. According to the Cap Times:

Later, he said too many local officials are "ideologically driven" and have "a very limited desire to learn about the management and administration of government."

From where does Soglin draw his conclusions? Does he have evidence to back up his claims?

I get my conclusions from watching public bodies reviewing budgets, and their answering questions about their own budget proposals.

Or is bashing our current elected officials part of his campaign strategy for a future mayoral run?

I am not a candidate for anything.

It seems ironic that Soglin, once thought of as Madison's radical hippie mayor, suddenly has a problem with ideology.

I have no problem with ideology.  I have always had a problem when ideology was seperated from sound fiscal practices, by conservatives and liberals/progressives.

Of all people, Soglin should know that ideology and quality government management can mix. Unless, of course, he has forgotten his roots. I guess that's what happens when you sell out for potential political gain.

I guess you missed it. Of course ideology and government management can mix--that is the very point I was making. They have to be combined.

I was probably too harsh in saying the problem includes 75-80% of our elected officials, but it certainly is a problem with a significant number.   There is no question that since the right wing advances ofthe 1980's and the subsequent capitulation of the left, that knowledge about public finance has diminished. 

There are still Spencer Black and Terese Berceau in the Wisconsin state legislature who compare to Mary Lou Munts and Rebecca Young, but over all, district by district, especially on the Republican side of the aisle, legislators know less and less about public finance and the relationship of various taxes and fees.

Lets start with the simple assertion that government spending is out of control and that taxes are too high.  I don't enjoy paying taxes either but I think there is convincing evidence that government spending is not high enough, especially when it comes to education. The taxation problem is not the amount collected, but that too much of it is collected from the wrong people.   Look at the fraud perpetrated on the issue of the inheritance tax.

We need to examine the relationship of the property tax to the school districts.  On the left I think it is time we rethink the sales tax.  There is some evidence that the sales tax as an alternative to the property tax can be more progressive. Shared revenue formulas need analysis.  None of this is happening. As voters we are content to vote our ideological preference and we ignore the very essence of government

For those interested in the nineteen questions that prompted this entire discussion, they are on an adjacent post.

*The participants actually prepared 19 questions; my sheet only went to 17.

Comments

[Paul]

http://westmadisonprogressive.blogspot.com/2006/02/paul-soglins-response.html

Lisa responded last night, ending her post with two very thoughtful and challenging questions on taxation and education. I will try to address them this week, either in a series of posts that start tomorrow on Kids, Schools and Cities (Part I already written but does not go into tax issues), or in a separate post.
Probably the most important issue she raises is:

Paul suggests sales tax as a fairer and more progressive alternative to property taxes for school funding. Again, I agree. Those who spend more are typically those who have more to spend. How do we put the necessary pressure on higher levels of government to promote this or other more fair systems of taxation? Is this a realistic expectation in Wisconsin's current political climate? And how should local school districts function while waiting for such change?