Bipartisan Agreement: Thomas, Marshall, Connell -- YES on 200 and NO on 1A

Conservative talk radio host Mandy Connell interviewed Former Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas and State Representative Bob Marshall today asking, "Does DougCo need two more commissioners?"

All three agreed the answer is yes. Connell is unaffiliated, Thomas is Republican, Marshall is Democratic and all three endorsed YES on 200 and NO on 1A.

Listen to the full interview. Here are some key points from their 20 minute discussion.

Thomas: There were times that I was triple booked at meetings that an elected official needed to be at to vote to spend tax dollars or establish policy. As a county commissioner, I was spread too thin, and Douglas County was not well-represented. I hear from people I used to work with who are still on boards and commissions that our three commissioners are not showing up. And that's why we need more people to represent us.

Marshall: Whoever has the power just doesn't want to see it diluted or reduced...It's insane when you think about it on its merits to have three people which means two can lock out the third and control a $750 million a year budget and all the zoning for a 400,000 person county...The founding fathers understood. It's a structural issue. You've got to set up the structure right because you are going to have people that don't play very well at some point, and you want to reduce the possibility of that happening.

Thomas: There's information out there saying that we're either going to have to put money on new commissioners or public safety. That is a red herring because everybody in unincorporated Douglas County pays 4.5 mills on their property tax to pay for public safety. So public safety is funded out of a completely different pot of money. The salary for two commissioners is going to be $320,000 a year. The flashy magazine that the commissioners publish four times a year costs $300,000 a year...there's the funding for the salaries of the commissioners right there.

Connell: There's three ballot questions...The county commission, trying to muddy the waters, put a shady ass measure on there that has no purpose other than muddying the waters and ensuring that they get to keep the at-large style of voting because they feel like they can control it more...1A has no purpose other than to try and muddy the waters.