The Yellowstone County News levels a blast this week at the city of Billings and new City Administrator Kristoff Bauer. In a meeting with Yellowstone County commissioners, the News reports, Mr. Bauer made a pitch to allow the city to enforce building codes countywide. Hundreds of rural residents turned out for a hearing about three years ago to oppose such a plan.

"Bauer hasn't been out here to listen to the county residents," Editor Rebecca Tescher Robison wrote. "If he had, he'd soon learn overzealous building codes are one of the many reasons people don't live in the city limits." She says that "Bauer and her followers" are "socialist piranhas" who "are reluctant to bring a building code plan to the voters knowing it is not what the people want."

"Tell Bauer to do his job in Billings as much as citizens will tolerate, and tell him to stay inside the city limits," she writes.