You are!
Do you know how many times I’ve been told that I am unusual because I contact my county supervisor? Do you know how many times I’ve been told we don’t need county government because the speaker never contacted their county supervisor? Do you know how many times I’ve talked to people who aren’t even sure who their county supervisor is? Or don’t know what county government even does? Well other than Sheriff Clarke rides a horse and wears a cowboy hat in parades?
WE THE PEOPLE are what’s wrong with county government. We aren’t involved, we don’t pay attention, we don’t converse with out elected representatives…and no it isn’t their responsibility to hunt us down to find out what we want. WE have to speak up.
And I am guilty too…although I contact my county supervisor (Jason Haas) on occasion, I missed all of County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic’s town hall meetings…she made the effort to visit every municipality in the county and I didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to meet with her…and apparently 99+% of the rest of the county didn’t either.
Our disengagement from county government leaves us with the county government we got…and it’s our fault.
Grrrr. You are correct. Not just your county either. Counties and municipalities all across the country are being shortchanged because citizens don’t engage. If your local government isn’t reflecting your ideals and wishes, you really can’t blame them if you haven’t taken the time to let them know what you think and want.