A recent Democracy Corps poll found that 83% of people believe that if government had more money it would probably waste it. Clearly, anti - government sentiment is alive and well.

Last week, both WDIO TV and the Duluth News Tribune reported that the City of Duluth Building Inspection department was behind plan review (the process that leads to one getting a building permit) by about six weeks. Ideally, this process should take about one week. This backup in the Building Inspection department recently led one company to issue layoff notices to ten workers. Layoffs for this reason - a backup at City Hall - are reprehensible and unacceptable. Mayor Bergson stated the department needs more help, but he is reluctant to add employees because of legacy costs (lifetime health care) associated with hiring new staff. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union (AFSCME) countered that such costs are already cut out of any labor agreements. Both miss the point.

If the aforementioned poll is any indication of how people feel in Duluth, and there is no indication that Duluthians feel differently than other American citizens, spending additional money, in any case, to hire more people may not solve the problem. An overhaul is needed.

To be clear, the employees in the Building Inspection department are doing their best. After all, it is their duty to rightfully perform their tasks as prescribed under current arrangements. However, the problems of the department will not soon go away unless there is political leadership that empowers the department and its staff to radically alter itself. This, undoubtedly, will be difficult.

Mayor Bergson is correct that the some of the current contracts are onerous. AFSCME, as a representative of the employees, is correct that more employees are needed. However, both sides will need to come to the agreement that a more flexible arrangement will have to be adopted before any change can come about. Safety of buildings needs to be foremost. This means Building Inspection may have to reward its employees for performance rather than tenure. Additionally, our political leaders will have to bring zoning codes and regulations out of the dark ages and into the new millennium. When these two things occur, the underlying issues of building inspection will be resolved.

In this election season, it is our duty to point out problems that the business community faces. This particular issue has been around for a very long time. It is time we start demanding real solutions to real problems, regardless of the potential political fallout. Once this particular problem is finally resolved, not only will ten employees at Women in Construction have job security, but the whole city will be better off. Government has the power and the ability to convince skeptical taxpayers that they will be responsible stewards of revenue. Let's hope in this particular case they are successful - sooner rather than later.

You can help. Challenge candidates running for city council and mayor to explain what they will do to address and bring resolution to the chronic problems of the City Building Inspection department.