Letter to the Editor: County Closed on Election Day

Here we are getting ready for yet another Presidential election.  Tensions are high and we have become so very divided.  We get all over the federal government and complain but some forget that our local government needs improving also.  On Election Day Prowers County Colorado will be shut down, why do you ask, well, because they can.  Keep in mind we are one in only a handful of counties in Colorado that do this.  So the court house will be closed, no road work will be done and the PATS bus will not be running.   

What does this mean you ask?  It means that each and every county worker gets a full day of pay, yes, that’s right, a full day of pay.  According to our commissioners, this is so the county workers have a chance to be election judges, hmmm another paycheck on top of their full day of pay, or so they have a chance to vote, polls are open from 7am to 7pm, I believe the court house doesn’t start until 8:30am and closes 4pm…?  Many work at the courthouse so why can’t they arrive five minutes sooner into town to vote…?  Or they can do a mail in ballot like they tell folks who need the PATS bus to go and vote. 

The gist of this is, how much is this costing the Prowers County tax payers?  Mr. Commissioners, I as a taxpayer, and many others in this county want to know the exact dollar amount of this Election Day closer, you should know this and have it published for the taxpayers.  So many times there isn’t enough money for one thing or another to do around here, but yet you have plenty to give full pay to the county workers on a frivolous day off.  The request has been made Mr. Commissioners; publish what this is costing us. 

Cathy Tintinger
Prowers County Resident