Tag: PoliticsGovernment
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What it means to represent others
After taking office, and for some years afterward, people elected to public office seem to only want to represent their views and interests, an other people that share those views. Representation is a bit more than that. Because when you represent your district, or ward, you by proxy represent people that oppose you as well.…
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Infilling And Solar Power
The latest thing in land use planning is called infilling. This is where property is re-plated so additional housing or business can be built. As the population increases, a provision to house them, and provide places for them to work becomes paramount. In Portland Oregon, this translates to single-family houses on seven thousand square foot…
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Raising Taxes
From time to time you will be tempted to raise taxes in order to balance a budget or raise money for some other purpose. Raising taxes is seen, by the general public, as something politicians do because they can. As opposed to raising taxes for a specific need. The only way government, any government, gets…
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Another Word About Who Wins
Sam Adams is now mayor elect of the City of Portland Oregon. He thinks he obtained this position because he is smart and powerful people like him. He is, of course wrong, he obtained this position because he received more votes than the other guy. Sherman
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The Public Trust
When holding elected office, you will hear a bit about something called The Public Trust. When mentioned it is usually in hushed tones, taking on a reverence all of it own. Yet it appears that few elected persons know what, exactly, the public trust is. The Public Trust is the view the general public has,…
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What It Means To Be Elected
With the big general election coming up in a few short months it a good idea, I think, to have a discussion about what it means to be elected. Some people seem to think that be elected you must be rich, very smart, politically savvy, or some sort of “Brain”. This is not actually true…
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Building On A Foundation – Maintain A Continuous Form Of Governance
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…
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A Different Way To Fund Streets.
One of the most vocal complaints, not the most but certainly on e of the top ten is streets and their maintenance. People reason, not incorrectly, that since they are paying taxes the roads should be passable, without chuckholes, and swept clean of debris. If you tell people that there isn’t money for their…
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The Natural Cycle – Depression on a budget
It is a little known fact, in the United States of America, that a money crisis happens at regular intervals. Every eight years a major downturn forces governments to wring their hands and howl. Howling about how they do not have enough money and need to raise taxes. As a participant in the process of…
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Governance, Politics, And Public Confidence
Part of making decisions in the public arena is the perception that the people of you. That you have not a clue to what you are doing. Politics, the art of making deals to get what you want, is often perceived by the public as an evil and the reason they think so is: the…
Down The Sewer Pipe - Politically Speaking 