Politics pervades this year's fair

The Brazoria County Fair Fat Stock Show and Rodeo begins its annual nine-day run on Friday.

Besides extolling the importance of animal husbandry, cowboying, cotton candy and rides that spin around real fast, the fair this year will be promoting the $38 million it wants taxpayers to shell out for a new rodeo & fairgrounds complex.

That's right -- $38 MILLION.

The fair always says the Brazoria County FFS&R is the best-attended county fair in the whole darn state, so it must be doing something right.

But this also brings up a pretty basic question: if the fair is so popular why on earth does it need $38 million worth of new facilities?

From what we've read, no members of the Brazoria County Commissioners Court are willing to campaign for or against the bond issue that will be on the November ballot.

As County Judge John Willy told The Facts in Monday's editions: “It shouldn’t be a political situation. It should be decided strictly by the people of this county.”

That's just plain silly.

"Politics" is how Americans decide such matters. It shouldn't be a dirty word. And if none of our elected county officials are willing to stand up and say the taxpayers really oughta pony up $38 million for a new fairgrounds and rodeo set-up, why on earth would any taxpayer vote for it, especially since the fair & rodeo are so darn popular and well-attended in their current digs.

We were almost relieved to hear Mary Ruth Rhodenbaugh offer this observation in the same article that quoted Judge Willy: “I just can’t believe we couldn’t put a significant amount of money into the current facility and that would suffice for the needs of our county’s youth,” she said.

This deserves some public discussion. And if the county's "elected leaders" opt to sit on their hands and say nothing, well, the voting public sure oughta take that into account and wonder if their elected leaders are supposed to lead, follow or get outta the way.

From the looks of it, they think they oughta "get outta the way" so far as it concerns the expenditure of $38 million for a new rodeo palace.

Is that political leadership?

'Course, with the political season upon us, county officials probably figure it's best to keep their heads down and hope no one notices.

With all that said, it looks like the rodeo has a good lineup of entertainment this year. Cory Morrow, he sure can sing good, and Roger Creager, too. And don't forget Django Walker, son of Jerry Jeff.

[the facts]