Study hard

Unable to kick off the island two of their colleagues, the Waukesha County Board Executive committee announced they are going to "study" some more the idea of reducing the size of the County Board. And while all of the attention of the taxpayers was focused on them, the county supervisors began to throw a collective tantrum.

"This is a slap in the face!"
"Why can't we get rid of the County Executive instead?"
"Why are they picking on us?"
"Who are these voters to complain about us? Don't they know who we are?"
"Why can't I get seconds on my graham crackers and milk after nap time?"
"Who took my red crayon?"
"WAAAAAAHHHHH!"

When they graduate to the first grade, the county supervisors may want to study how to work well and play well with their constituents.

In the meantime, this idea of a "study" is just a smokescreen, as are their complaints about the county executive and the size of the state legislature. The truth is that a majority of the board are opposed to reducing their membership. So either they're hoping to stall the measure, or they're hoping they can create a study report to discredit the idea. Either way, they're elevating their own interests above that of their constituents'. And either way, their actions will just make the public more eager to get rid of them.

But we did learn one useful thing today: County Board Chairman Jim Dwyer is not to be trusted. If the report is accurate (and I have no reason to doubt it), Dwyer claimed that the County Board cannot be shrunk in size until 2012. Either Dwyer was lying, or Dwyer mispoke, and some reporter should call him on it. If a board reduction passes the Waukesha County Board or if it is achieved via petition and referendum, the size reduction would be effective with the election in 2008.