Part Two: Government Oversight of Waste Management

Part Two:

What has this to do with the legal theory of Equity in the Law and Family Law in Utah? Everything.

About a year ago I approached my then very green legislator about correcting the problem of imbalance in the equity between two parties in family law--the very same issue as previously mentioned in part I of this series. To my chagrin, and dismay--and my Legislator's bill--not even formally written up yet--was dead on arrival! It had no chance from the beginning because another legislator who happened to serve on the health and human services committee said changing one line in the ORC's ledger affected by the bill would cost upwards of $250,000! What is worse is that the department was locked into this program for about 6 years!

What is wrong with this picture? Any businessman in his right mind would NEVER lock himself into a program for that many years, for one. IT changes nearly overnight. To lock into a program for that long guarantees your competitor the edge when times are tough and every penny on a dollar counts toward a profit. Secondly, to lock into a program with a line change costing $250,000 is ludicrous--unless you are the programmer. Then you are a genius.

The bureaucratic mess penalizes the least to afford such a blunder. Imagine what could be had for the sake of the least fortunate in the State of Utah with $250,000. A recent cut in benefits just eliminated services that include eye care, physical and occupational therapy and specific mental health services. These are key services for the hopeful advancement into society of what would otherwise be termed "fringe" members of society. Those on the outside edges of society. Conservative politicians would argue that charitable services should not be given: Citizens must do for themselves: Private entities must do for others: Arguably, charity has no place in Government they say.

But while one my argue the virtues of governmental charity, mismanagement definitely does not belong in government. Period. This is the people's money. $250,000 will go a long way to pay for glasses so the less fortunate can see to fill out an application at an interview. $250,000 will go even further to assist the depressed from lack of work to get on their feet again and get out in the workplace. Taking away vital health services and mismanagement of funds penalizes those who may otherwise assist the Utah economy more than any other single entity. One, they get off the "dole". and, two, they become productive citizens, even by piecemeal if need be.

Health and Human Services exists to provide for the least able to do for themselves without any other resources from which to draw. I consider myself one of the most conservative people. But common sense is still common sense! As one friend of mine put it though, it's unfortunately true that "common sense isn't that common!" So when two seemingly unattractive sections of government, one a theory in Law and the other a practice in bureaucratic business management get together, you have to know something needs correction.