Get to know your vote

Local municipalities, districts and agencies are heading into the budget season in an election year, and now more than ever it is important for citizens to pay attention to what their local governments are prioritizing, what they are spending and how much transparency they exhibit in the process — with a heavy emphasis on “exhibit.”

It is no secret that inflation is affecting everyone, local governments included, and how these entities prioritize their spending as they feel the pressure of inflation is a clear indication as to what is important to them — and whether or not it matches what is important to you.

With an election looming, it is crucial that voters of all ages analyze the actions, statements and votes of these individuals to assure that their priorities align with your priorities. Whether it is the upcoming hospital and museum elections or the votes in August and November for county commissioners and city council, these are the individuals that make decisions everyday — about things that impact your lives directly.

Because it is so important for you to be able to know what your elected officials are doing on your behalf — and what they are doing with your tax dollars — we also encourage you to consider whether or not a candidate is truly transparent and willing to govern openly and publicly. There are far too many at all levels of government who claim to be transparent while actually making information less accessible. They often try to control and manipulate the flow of information — so they can control and manipulate the public and the press — and we urge you to hold them accountable for it at the ballot box this year

We also know that it is crucial in the modern era that citizens are able to view public meetings so they can hear what has been said themselves and analyze the demeanor of those elected to serve them. That is why the News Letter Journal has begun to provide videos of public meetings, town halls and other important local events on our YouTube channel, and we want to encourage everyone to subscribe to stay up-to-date and receive a notification when new videos are posted.

No matter what side of the coin you land on for any given issue, being an informed voter, and exercising your right to vote for those that serve you is important to maintaining a local government that represents you.

We also want to encourage anybody who believes they can make an even bigger difference in the community to consider running for local government or volunteering to serve on a local board.

Make sure you pay attention to the News Letter Journal in upcoming issues for information on filing dates and board openings.