Candidates for public office commonly hold their leadership skills up as an important qualification, but I think people in District 2 don't want "leadership" from their Supervisor, they want "stewardship," which is a very different thing.
They want a Supervisor to make sure roads are well maintained, but not to unilaterally decide to build another road. They want a Supervisor to handle the County budget, but not to arbitrarily allocate funding for an entirely new program. They want a Supervisor to solicit their opinions on any important issue, then act the way the voters want him to act.
A Steward holds a position in trust, and the people of District 2 want a Supervisor they can trust not to forget them and act as if he's an autonomous authority; a Supervisor who will keep represent their opinions as fully as possible; a Supervisor who will be be their ally against over-zealous county employees in Planning & Zoning, the County Assessor's Office, the Sheriff's Office, or any County entity that gets puffed up.
Most people are busy trying to work, raise their families, and make ends meet, and they don't have time to follow day-to-day County business, but that doesn't mean a Supervisor should ignore their needs and wants. The Board should give voters every opportunity to be involved in the processes that lead to change.
In short, the people of District 2 have a philosophy that says,
"If it ain't broke, don't bother to try and fix it,"
and their Supervisor ought to keep that firmly in mind any time he's involved in their business.
Friday, September 26, 2008
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2 comments:
OK, you have my attention. Now please tell me, why should I write in your name, instead of simply darkening the circle next to Mrs. English?
I would commend you to the previous service on the Board of Supervisors by Mrs. English for some insight into the differences between the two of us; I would also direct your attention to the Web Page for CCIPRA
(The Cochise County Individual and Property Rights Association) at:
http://littlebigdog.net/ccipra.htm
My personal belief is that District 2 can benefit from someone who thoroughly comprehends and believes in grassroots political processes, and who is willing to open the processes of the Board to the people who elected him to represent their interests.
That may sound trite, but the current Board is having some trouble with that idea, and Mrs. English has had a little difficulty with that as well. In the end people get the representation that they ask for at the ballot box; unfortunately they sometimes don't have the time or the inclination to understand the ramifications of their vote.
John-Henry
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