Local Elections

If you live in an area where they are no big races on the ticket in this election you may be tempted to skip it. Please reconsider. Township commissioners and school board members can have as much, or more, influence on your daily life than your federal representatives. The condition of local roads, loitering ordinances, public swimming pool rules, and so on, are set by local government, not state or federal government. School boards affect not only curriculum and school rules but property taxes as well. Ever get a speeding ticket? Local judges are the people you might have to go see. This is actually the level of government where you can have the most influence because your local elected officials are more accountable more directly to you. It is also the level where your campaign donations, especially if they are small, can have the most dramatic impact.

Statewide there is the Growing Greener initiative. Give this some serious thought. I have some qualms about it, but, in this case, something is better than nothing, and several people and organizations I think well of have endorsed it.