The Pennington County Commission needs some new blood.

Mark DiSanto announced this week that he is running for a seat on the  Pennington County Commission.  That is a VERY good thing.

Voters were successful in reversing the action of the current Commission by overwhelmingly rejecting the Wheel Tax.  Another unpopular decision by the County Commissioners was to vote themselves a 20% pay raise.

The seat DiSanto is running for is presently held by longtime Commissioner, Lyndell Petersen.  Petersen attempted to excuse his vote for the pay raise by saying,  “I must not have heard it correctly when the motion was made”.  He insists that he didn’t know he was voting for the 20% increase in his paycheck.  If he DIDN”T want to support raising his pay, it is interesting that he went on to justify and defend the pay raise.

Two Commissioners are up for re-election.  Lyndell Peterson and Nancy Trautman, who have both been on the board for many  years.  They both supported the Wheel Tax and the 20% pay raise.  They both have terms which are expiring.  There is not yet an announced candidate to run for the seat held by Trautman, but conservatives are searching.

Mark DiSanto brings good business experience and a fresh attitude about issues impacting taxpayers.  He is an excellent candidate for the office and would provide a balanced perspective on the board.

Commissioner Petersen justified his support for the 20% pay raise by suggesting it could attract younger people to serve, “You have to get some younger ideas in there sooner or later.”   Given that assertion by Petersen, it would be nice if he would gracefully retire and support DiSanto for the office.  We do, indeed, need some younger ideas in there.

The sooner the better.

***Gordon Howie is an author and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***

“It’s not about right or left, it’s about Right or Wrong.”

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