All human situations have their inconveniences.

Benjamin Franklin

A recently completed investigation by an independent agency into the conduct of two Burien City Council members, which found there was no intentional wrongdoing by the lawmakers, has rekindled a long-simmering debate.

Should city council members be trusted to police themselves? Or should they create a separate committee comprised of local residents to investigate charges of ethical misconduct against them?

At first glance, the idea of an independent body to investigate council members is appealing. There would be no appearance of "the fox guarding the hen house."

But a second look exposes its Achilles heel.

Despite appearances of independence, the members of any ethics committee would be political appointees of the council, often linked out of public view to the lawmakers by mutually shared special interests, agendas and even vendettas.

There is nothing neutral about such a committee, which can offer little benefit to the common good.

The best alternative is to rely on city council members to be their own watchdog - and to bring public pressure to bear when questions of impropriety arise.

If the people's elected representatives fail to respond appropriately, the voters who put them in office will hold them accountable.

A planned visit to South Park by Mexico's President Fox this week underscores the fact that immigration - both legal and illegal - is not just a national issue. It impacts all of us, community by community, from coast to coast.

Once again, despite the misleading rhetoric of those who attempt to distort this debate for political gain, the need for strict immigration reform is neither anti-legal immigrant nor a matter or race or ethnicity.

It is an attempt to seal our borders effectively to curtail the crisis of illegal immigration, and then deal with the millions already in this country illegally while allowing legal immigration to continue as it has for over 200 years.

As the debate continues in Congress, Washington residents can only shake their heads and wonder - or hang them in dismay - at the truly abysmal performance of our senators.

Some progress appeared to occur last week as the Senate approved a measure to make English the official language of the United States - and another to secure our southern border with additional fencing to help stem the tide of illegal immigration from Mexico.

But after Sen. Maria Cantwell said she would "keep border security a priority," she voted against the proposal for a longer fence - as did Sen. Patty Murray, who recently grabbed headlines with her demand for increased seaport security.

They also helped defeat a proposal to limit services to illegal immigrants. This move, which would have made it less attractive to live in the U.S. illegally, failed by a single vote.

It is inconceivable that our lawmakers -- in a nation of laws - chose to reward those who have broken the law, which is what illegal immigrants have done.

Last week's approval of a property tax levy lid lift in Des Moines to restore police services to 1999 levels is an eye opener - especially when compared to the rejection of a levy lid lift in Redmond.

Des Moines voters had twice rejected levy lid lift proposals that were broader in scope than the one that passed, which requires that the additional revenue go only for police services.

Voters in Redmond rejected by a 2-to-1 margin a proposed 53 percent increase in that city's property tax levy for a wide range of local services.

The lesson is obvious: Voters are more likely to support tax increases for essential public services if local governments limit the size of their requests and link them to fiscal responsibility.

Before May ends, the city of Burien is expected to begin its long-awaited rebuilding and upgrade of First Avenue South, tearing up this major traffic corridor for an estimated 18 months.

It is, therefore, a mystery why King County road painting trucks were applying new lane stripes to First Avenue South last week.

That governmental agencies don't communicate well with each other, if at all, is no surprise. But snafus like this, which pick the pockets of ordinary taxpayers, are the genesis of support for Tim Eyman-sponsored initiatives - and the reason why many voters embrace a dark skepticism about the ability of transportation departments to manage even routine projects effectively.

No one answered the phones in Burien's Public Works Department last Friday afternoon, so the question remains unanswered. Just call it your local tax dollars at work.

The views of Ralph Nichols are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Robinson Newspapers. He can be reached at newsdesk@robinsonnews.com or 206-388-1857.