Editorial: Get involved in local, county government

Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 11, 2004

Oftentimes, people forego attending public hearings, for a variety of reasons &045; sometimes it’s other activities, sometimes it’s lack of interest.

The latter is what concerns us most. Few people attended the recent truth in taxation meetings and that is a sad commentary. If the council &045; or Freeborn County commissioners for that matter &045; doesn’t hear from citizens, they can only assume people agree with or at the very least, understand the rationale for any rate increases.

Operating under such assumptions &045; realistically reached when people don’t attend public hearings &045; council members are often blind-sided when controversy erupts over an issue it thought was settled.

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That’s simply not fair. Along with the rights we hold dear as citizens, comes a responsibility to also be aware and involved with our local government. To those who leave the work to others, we say don’t complain later when you are hit with tax or fee increases, or other action with which you are unhappy. Most of the time, you had a chance to make comment.

With a few public hearings scheduled by the city council, we urge residents to attend and make their thoughts known on the topics.

Remember to be concise and keep to the topic at hand. There’s no point in airing all your frustrations, the only one the council can address is the one on the table for discussion.

Show an interest in local government &045; it is not only interesting, but where your voice has the most potential for making a difference.