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Clarification of public purpose
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Posted on Oct 10 2000
The Issue: Varied interpretations of what’s a “public purpose” in the expenditure of public funds.
Our View: This issue must be defined to clarify what’s allowable expenditure for legislators.
The blame in the misspending of some $7 million can’t entirely be placed on the lap of legislators. The decision to proceed with such expenditure was premised upon legal opinions issued by Senate and House legal counsels and the department of finance.
Differing interpretations have contributed to incurring expenditure of public funds far removed from strict accountability of nickels and dimes earmarked for legistors’ use. For as long as the confused triad of legal counsels, legislators and department of finance can’t reach a meeting of the minds on what’s a public purpose, the problem will continue to persist. It’s a matter of definition to put the issue to rest.
Meanwhile, part of the problem is the general public’s reliance on their legislators for such famous items as canopies, picnic and serving tables for sad or happy family events or village fiestas. While legislators may personally refuse to allow this form of expenditure, the pressure from their constituents is often hard to deal with. Thus, they had to rent canopies on a year-round basis to assist both those who need it, including those who can afford such rent.
To a certain extent, the demands for canopies, picnic tables and other forms of expenditure is a forced issue that leaves legislators basically no room to maneuver within responsible confines in the expenditure of funds. Such is the nature and difficulty of dealing with constituents whose demands should also be blamed for the misspending of public funds.
Sadly, we have seen good legislators who have decided to hang their hats if for no other reason than the fact that they too must work extra hard to meet, i.e., college tuition expenses for their children and other filial needs. Perhaps it is time to seriously consider how do we assist lawmakers with their income so we don’t encourage nor push them into a corner where exiting their seat becomes mandatory. Si Yuus Maase`!
