Down The Sewer Pipe – Politically Speaking

Town councils make promises, break promises and renege on deals all of the time.  The population at large tends to have a wait and see attitude because, they have had their hopes dash so many times.  Sounds like a bad book or a worse movie but it points out a fact.

That fact is most City, Town, or County councils do not pay any attention to the previous administration.  They tend to demolish the previous work and reinvent the wheel.  One of more members suddenly has a “vision for the community”.  Then they wonder why it is that the average person does not fully trust them.

The criticism has some basis in fact.  When you take office the first thing you need to do is find out how your local, county, or state government works.  What are the procedures for spending money, paying bills, creating a budget, making laws?

The second thing you need to do is find out what previous councils have promised to do and find out what has not been done, and then do them.  Case in point is the Town of Friday Harbor, a Council promised a parking lot for the locals, and a public restroom for the tourists.  It took about twenty years to complete.

The reason it took so long, is that every four years the council became made up of newer people.  Continuity became lost and if it had not been for three council members upholding the promises of past Town Councils the goals might have been lost.

It is important to remember what the past promises were and to make sure that they are kept.  The general population does not actually see individual people on governing bodies.  They see a collection that they refer to in a general sense, like the Council, the legislature, or congress.

If you do not carry through on past promises then the population will not be with you in future projects, land use planning etc.  If this is done correctly then you will not hear things like “the City council is full of liars”.  In addition you can crow about your accomplishments, should you seek reelection.

Sherman