Editor:

The foundation of our Republican form of government rests upon the principle that elected officials represent the people, not reign over them as kings or queens. However, it’s becoming increasingly alarming to witness certain elected representatives embracing an attitude that borders on regal entitlement, detached from the very constituents they are meant to represent.

Recently, there has been a disconcerting trend where some officials have forgotten their role as public servants. Rather than being accountable and transparent, they display behavior akin to monarchs ruling their kingdoms, often making decisions without genuine consultation or regard for the concerns of the people they are supposed to serve.

This attitude of entitlement and absolutism from elected officials is not just an affront to our representative principles upon which our nation was founded, but it also undermines the trust and faith citizens place in their ability to govern. It’s vital to remind those in “power” that they are not above the law, nor are they above the will of the people who elected them.

Their responsibilities lie in participatory governance, where elected representatives act as conduits between the public and policymaking, ensuring that the voices, needs, and aspirations of their constituents are heard and considered.

It’s imperative that we hold our elected officials accountable for their actions and remind them that the authority they wield is derived from the people. They must act with humility, integrity, and maturity, rather than their personal interests or desires for unchecked power.

It’s disheartening to observe the growing gap between the concerns of the public and the actions of certain officials. The issues that affect everyday citizens are often brushed aside or met with disdain, while elected representatives engage in behavior that resembles children mocking their peers on a playground rather than engaging in respectful discourse.

When our own county assessor openly mocks a Uinta County citizen’s attempts to address the unchecked rise in property taxes by placing a sign on a blow-up Halloween decoration that reads “welcome to the new courthouse security officer due to property tax reductions” and then proceeds to take selfies with it and her staff, one can only conclude that she has had a hard time letting go of middle school bullying, and her “mean girl” antics should disqualify her from holding public office.

Editor’s Note: While a blow-up decoration was displayed for a short time at the Uinta County Complex, Uinta County Assessor Lori Perkins told the Herald multiple times that she was not responsible for it.

Biffy Jackson

Uinta County