We recently saw this quote: "People want progress, but they don't like change."Change may or may not be progress. Long-time county residents recall wide-open spaces and ranching as a way of local life. Others remember when the 192 corridor was a fresh new tourist attraction, with hotels, amusement concessions, and even the Xanadu house. Orange County remembers when Osceola was merely housing for their service workers. And many remember when Central Florida was an affordable housing area, just a few years ago.
Unfortunately, we can't go back to earlier times. So, as a community we hope that we don't have just change, but progress...positive change. To have progress, we must often trust in our community leaders to make decisions that are best for the community as a whole.
Property tax reform. Fire fee. Gas tax. $250,000/year or $2.1 million for a school in an old store. Business relocation properties purchased without appropriate zoning. Hurricane housing grants for struggling nonprofit projects. Workforce housing that several quasi-governmental organizations want, but no one seems to own. $85,000 (or $109,000?) for a civic award competition. Intergovernmental lawsuits. Charter review appointments. Consultants. Funding lost due to improper documentation.
As Billy Joel sang, we didn't start the fire.
Change is going to come. Who do you trust to make sure that it is actually progress?
5 comments:
It is a very interesting situation we seem to be in with our local governments. They do not trust the people to make decisions, and the people don't seem to trust the governments to make desicions. Governments believe the people do not understand the issues and are easily pushed away from what they believe is the right course of action by underground rumor and information. The people believe that governments do not understand the issues of the people, and are easily pushed away from their roles of public servants by special interests and power brokers.
I am not sure if there is any ability to change this level of mis-trust except to find a way to make government more transparent. It is hard to do that when you have officials from other governments meeting and discussing items that affect the entire community, behind the backs of those who it will affect. The Sports Authority School is the worst case of government run amok I have seen. Elected officlas from different governments meeting and making decisions with out ever talking to the public. Then you have the housing project in St. Cloud. Again, elected officals giving the wink and the nod to each other with little regard to the community. And then the public gets blamed for not being involved. Just makes you wonder.
I think this post is very accurate when it describes the apathetic view of government from the citizens. Government just seems to do its own thing, and then scold residents when the don't agree with what is happening, or don't get involved. Why would anyone get involved with this mess and spend all of their time when big dollars are going to override the public will anyway? The best moment I remember in Osceola County was when those folks stopped that project on the Kissimmee Lakefront where they were going to bulldoze the kids park. I can't think of another instance where the "people" have come out on top. I also think it is sad that we have to veiw things like victory for the people. I thought the idea was to be working together. This last election everyone talked about working together, but I don't see it happening. I don't think I would even pay attention to politics anymore if it wasn't for these sites. I love reading these. Better than the stupid papers. Keep up the good work.
Did you see the Kissimmee meeting last night? Two commissioners were trying to stop the new fire station from being built as a "green" building. It is ok if the taxpayers pay for a train that we will never get a chance to use, but heaven forbid the government spend our money on a building that is better for the environment.
Wheel of Fortune, Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide
Foreign debts, homeless Vets, AIDS, Crack, Bernie Goetz
Hypodermics on the shores, China's under martial law
Rock and Roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Maybe this is better for our area:
Human Checkers, Hurricanes, Jim Swan back again
Tax Debts, homeless Vets, Meth, Crack, rising rents
Dirty Lakes, Bob Day, TicketGate, shoot out at the bank
Local boys in the wars, I can't take it anymore
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
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