PORTLAND, Ore. - Multnomah County has a new job opening for a 'social media expert' but is creating this position the best use of your tax dollars during a budget crunch?

Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler, who sees social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as the future of communicating with his constituents, believes the job is essential.  And he's willing to pay someone $60,000 to $70,000 a year to manage it.

• Read the job posting

He said an online video an intern in his office produced about the Sellwood Bridge is a good example of the power of social media.

"We had thousands of people see that video," he said.  "It went out on one Twitter.  We cannot buy that kind of exposure.  That's the way people communicate.  It's viral."

"These technologies are not just fringe technologies," he added. "People are signing up for social networking by the millions.  That's where our constituents are.  That's were the people are who we serve."

But not everyone is a fan of the idea, especially since the position would be paid for with taxpayer dollars. 

KXL Radio's Lars Larson took Wheeler to task for offering the position, especially in the middle of major budget problems.

"How is it that county government got by all this time without one but now it's going to cost, is it $70,000 plus benefits?" he said on his show.

"I see it as absolutely necessary," said Hallie Janssen, a social media expert with Anvil Media.

She said it's a wise move for the county, considering companies like Cisco and Intel have entire teams dedicated to social media.

"I would say definitely it's a two-way communication," she said.  "I mean that's the beauty of social media is that connection."

It's a connection that for Wheeler means more government accountability - and more Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

Wheeler believes the position is so essential that he took a 12 percent pay cut, along with the rest of of his staff, to pay for it.