Marc Yacht
As a longtime public employee and a current political candidate, I have met political hopefuls and incumbents who have made me appreciate the courage of those seeking office. As the retired Pasco County Health Department Director, I never doubted the devotion of my 215 employees to make Pasco County a healthier community.
The department’s nurses worked very hard delivering primary care, controlling communicable disease and providing maternal and child health services. Environmental specialists put hard miles on vehicles negotiating Pasco’s back roads searching for petroleum leaks, unsafe septic tanks, and monitoring food service safety.
Health educators provided diabetes education, smoking cessation and an array of health education activity that provided classes in the health department but also resulted in field efforts.
Citizens, schools and jails appreciated the nutrition staff. The WIC program made for healthier moms and newborns. The community gets its money’s worth from the health department.
There are other hard-working government employees that make life in Pasco County easier and safer for citizens. School teachers, county employees, fireman, police, water and sewer plant operators, and employees of the dumps. They are too often under-appreciated.
Today’s anti-government rhetoric has unfairly targeted excellent government employees. Newspapers also scapegoat workers when tragedies occur. Few report on the limited resources and overworked staff.
Over the years, I have grown disgusted with some elected officials. Mean-spirited government policy has trashed many careers in Health and Rehabilitative Services, discouraged teachers with wrongheaded accountability programs, and purged talented health department professionals.
I rank some politicians below used car salesmen. Yet running for office brought me close to those folks in office and seeking office. I am puzzled by their individual qualities and then their less than stellar actions when they’re elected.
Politicians are good people accepting the challenge of public service and wanting to do right by their communities. Why doesn’t this happen?
In “The King and I,” Yule Brynner said, “It’s a puzzlement.”
I believe we can have health insurance for all. We can afford quality public schools. I am certain we can improve our roads and bridges and expand our library hours. All people running for office should have these goals. Why don’t we accomplish what is universally desired?
The problem is that there is simply no trust. Citizens are convinced that elected officials are not capable of honoring promises.
For community needs to be met, government must be trusted. The alternative is the current erosion of public services. We need elected officials we can TRUST.
Marc Yacht is a semi-retired physician living in Hudson, Fla. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
