I experience this let-down of life frequently. Don’t know if
this is a character flaw or just a symbol that I hope for more than what is
immediately available! Expect too much at any given time, and you are sure to
be underwhelmed. Perhaps Christmases past taught us that? We hoped for so much
we just knew we would get what we wanted; but when it did not happen, we were
crestfallen? Hurt. In time we muscled up and hedged our expectations; then if
things turned out better than we expected, happiness returned!
Well, that’s one way of handling it. But there are other
ways that are more constructive.
I’ve learned this lesson dearly. It was not easy. Perhaps
you have already learned it and got it faster than I?
Following a bitter disappointment during my service on the
local city council, I finally concluded I was too far ahead of public opinion.
That what was needed was more public education and discussion of the underlying
issues. It is not that we were wrong with our thinking, but that we were trying
to make a commitment for our public which had not yet caught up to our
thinking. This dichotomy is frequent in public matters. We just don’t always
know it at the time.
When is public debt needed? When is it to be avoided? The
words ‘always’ and ‘never’ are not apt for discussing public debt; debt is a
necessary tool to be used wisely. To avoid it in all cases is obtuse; it cuts
off our nose to spite our face. Think mortgages and auto loans in the private
sector. They are tools when wisely used. Same goes for public debt.
But the public gets snagged on side issues which detract
from discussing issues that matter. For instance, alternative housing for
seniors has general support among the populace, especially if they talk about
the details. Programs for senior citizens are generally supported until we get
to the part of who does what, when and with whose money? Federal and state
programs are supported. County and municipal programs are a harder sell.
At a recent public input session for long range city
planning, alternative elder housing programs were suggested. They went down in
flames. These were some of the stumbling blocks:
- Complicated issues we don’t understand locally
- Professional expertise needed; how do we get that cost effectively?
- Can we afford this kind of program?
- Should our small city be expected to handle something this big and important?
- And the biggie…our city should enter the future with no or low debt!
We were asked for our ideas on the future of the city; where
should it be in five years? Instead of building word pictures of those worthy
goals, the participants chose to describe the short term characteristics they
wished adhered to. The debt issue was one of them.
As an issue with positive allure, low or no debt is not a
bad thing at all. However, it is a
negative if it is used as a limiter of public action. Let’s talk about this a bit more.
Our community was founded in 1833. Other than a few limited
years for bonded debt for sewer and water systems, the town has not had any
debt. That is currently the case. In all these years. And the debt free status
is touted frequently while other neighboring communities are suffering from
heavy debt burdens, as are our state and national governments. It is a way we
do things here locally. We expect debt to be used rarely and wisely. Why then
place it on the wish list? And not add other issues we should be taking an
interest in?
Air and water quality should be a continuing concern. In our
community it is. But our water and air quality is very good. We pay attention
to it continuously. We are a Cool Cities Pact signing community. We are
ecologically aware and active. We are gaining a ‘green’ label for our town.
That’s great. It is a continuing commitment of ours. Should it be on our wish
list? No. It is already a reality and we seek to further it.
So placing an ecology or debt issue on our wish list is a
distraction from forward progress in my opinion. When asked to identify the
issues we should be concerned about over the next five years, what then might
they be?
Surely, services for elder citizens should be on the list
because we have a burgeoning crowd of them racing the timeline to become
seniors! Think Boomer Generation and how they are not prepared for the
realities of retirement: housing, medical care, income needs, etc. Should a
community have concerns in this area to proactively attract and retain senior
citizens within its demographics? I think we should. Think of the alternative:
seniors find living locally increasingly unaffordable, no group housing
available, no housing programs designed for them at all; they leave our town to
seek needed access to programs that will serve their needs. Our demographic
becomes lean on elder age groups. Our community brain drain is made a fact.
Those who know the most about our community and its history and culture, are
not supported; they are not welcome. Good bye volunteers of a certain age.
Shame on us!
Another issue: economic development strategies to attract
and retain local businesses. This issue would support efforts such as:
- Improving appearance of retail areas along local high traffic routes via landscape and hardscape standards
- Development of downtown center to acquire a core identify site for the community
- Program designed to intermix the new and old business areas of the community
Building more supports for community arts programming would
add to community social interaction and business activity. Visitors would be
attracted to these events and artist sales, restaurant use and hotel occupancy
would improve.
Not many of these items were talked about. We were too much
interested in strict enforcement of DUIs (already well in hand!), fighting gang
formation (don’t have any and our efforts are currently effective), signage
standards need to be stricter (they are already unfriendly to businesses they
are so strict) and many other lesser issues.
What were missing were the big issues. If we constantly focus
on short term goals we will miss the long term goals that will fuel our
imaginations and commitment. Think big. Think long term. These ideas will fuel
the need for short term goals and continuing cultural objectives like low debt,
no gangs, no graffiti, fewer DUIs, and sign standards.
Isn’t it important that we seek a diverse citizenry, a well
educated community, a sharing and forward looking city and a healthy growing
local economy? If that is so, then what has to be happening? Those are the
goals we should be working toward during the next five years.
May 16, 2012
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