In local government, administrative bloat rarely happens overnight. It is a slow, methodical accumulation of power, patronage hires, and unchecked spending. Over the decades, Union County taxpayers have repeatedly footed the bill for an executive branch that operates less like a public service entity and more like an entrenched corporate empire.
A prime example of this unchecked executive privilege was famously scrutinized by financial watchdogs like John Bury, who highlighted the exorbitant costs of running the county government.
The $2 Million Executive Bubble
When reviewing the county budgets, watchdogs noticed a disturbing trend: millions of dollars flowing directly into the administrative command structure. The sheer scale of the executive spending led critics to liken the county manager’s office to a militaristic “base camp”—a heavily insulated, massively funded command center detached from the everyday realities of the taxpayers funding it.
What does $2 million buy at the executive level? It buys layers of deputy managers, public relations consultants, high-priced legal counsel, and specialized aides. Rather than directing funds toward tangible public goods—like road repair or flood mitigation—the county repeatedly prioritized fortifying its own bureaucratic base camp.
Why the Metaphor Still Matters
The “base camp” mentality illustrates a fundamental flaw in Union County’s governance: the priority is always the preservation and expansion of the government apparatus itself.
While the names of the county managers may change, the institutional instinct to hoard tax dollars at the top remains. If we want to dismantle these administrative empires, we have to force our local governments to open their books. The most effective way to breach the modern bureaucratic base camp is through relentless public records requests. Read our latest guide on how to hold these executives accountable: Behind Closed Doors: Grading Union County’s OPRA Compliance.