The $700 billion fiscal crisis in Washington and local and state fiscal problems are not the problem. The problem is the failure of public officials to “modernize” the way that the government carries out its business.

We are attempting to address 21st century problems with a governmental structure that was built for the 19th century.

It was interesting to read the Sept. 23, editorial “Prisoner pass-off unfair to counties” and the front-page article on “Counties cry to be set free of jail burden” in the Sept. 19 edition of The Free Press. The “horse & buggy era” governmental structure is wasteful of local, state and federal funds. If needed reforms would have been made it may not have been necessary to raise taxes or to cut back on services.

Major reforms are needed in the criminal justice system. Regional jails, for example, would not only have been cost effective but would provide superior services to inmates. Far fewer of them would be re-offending. We don’t need six new county jails in this region. But the sheriffs want their own jails.

State legislators cater to the interest of other public officials rather than serving the best interest of the people by failing to make the tough decisions that could have avoided the present fiscal crisis. The hallways in St. Paul and Washington are filled with special interest and public official lobbyists.

Who attends legislative sessions and who was at the recent jail hearing representing the interest of the people?

We have a problem when this is a government of, by and for public officials and special interest groups, rather than Lincoln’s dream, a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Allen Sigafus

Mankato