COUNTY: Elected officials should not hold multiple offices

I’ve just finished looking over the Pierce County voters pamphlet. In the Charter Review Commission races, it’s worth noting that with the exception of District 5, nearly all seven County Council districts will have at least one (but often several) of the following on the ballot:

▪  A current elected official.

▪  A former elected official.

▪  The spouse of a current elected official.

▪  The full-time staffer of a current member of the County Council.

▪  A candidate who is also in another race elsewhere on the ballot.

While the experience of former elected officials can be valuable and necessary for a diverse commission, there are potential conflicts of interest when current elected officials, their staff and their spouses are able to serve on what should be an outside review panel that keeps county government in check. It’s a case of foxes guarding the hen house.

Our charter’s lack of clarity on this topic also allows politicians to attempt to hold multiple offices like state senator and county councilmember simultaneously, as one candidate has discussed.

The next Charter Review Commission should strongly consider fixing this issue. Career politicians and those closest to them should not be able to hold multiple offices simultaneously.

This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 11:55 AM with the headline "COUNTY: Elected officials should not hold multiple offices."