Prominence is following the recent actions of Redwood and Arborfield governments, removing the chairperson position and reducing our seat count. The county’s takeover of municipal legislative operations was an event unforeseen by myself, and has significantly inhibited the abilities of our government. Municipal governments serve as the only realistic pipeline to begin one’s career in Firestone government. Over time, they’ve been dying off, which will be a detriment to the state as a whole.
Most people, like myself, start their journeys in a municipal legislative position before moving to the state or county level (depending on performance in their roles). Removing legislative positions in municipal governments would be detrimental to Firestone, leaving only the county and state governments.
The state and county are both riddled with individuals who have been in Firestone for years, leaving no place for individuals wanting to start their journey. I have had this problem myself, wanting to find a place in the House of Representatives, though upon viewing the elections page, I see that dozens of individuals (who all have countless positions held and years of experience in said positions) have already gained support from their friends.
I get that my position towards municipalities may be unpopular to state representatives, and Firestone citizens in general. That’s understandable. Municipal governments may seem unnecessary for the basic operation of a state government, however, “basic operation” isn’t the standard we should aim for.
When eliminating municipalities, you eliminate a crucial part of lawmaking: scaling. Currently, the state government chooses to enact laws without testing them in smaller municipalities, which would allow citizens and legislators alike to ensure that bills are free of loopholes and are legislatively sound before passing statewide.
Furthermore, power (and therefore, control) gets centralized significantly. Power, as of recent, is shared between the municipal, county, and state government levels. Completely removing municipal governments causes representation to drift away from citizens. Local problems become more difficult to solve, requiring a jump straight to the state level to solve issues or loopholes, instead of starting in municipalities. This will only lead to significant delays, as we all know how quickly the state government operates.
Not everyone has countless supporters at the ready to sign their campaign. Not everyone has the necessary experience to jump straight into a county or state position. Not everyone has gained a widespread popularity in the community - which is really what elections determine, rarely do people look at term agendas or expected accomplishments, most just see who they know better and vote for that option.
I ask that similarly minded individuals who support this reach out to me, or make posts about this issue on your own. State representatives that are reading this, please hear our opinions openly and without bias. Most state legislators I have talked to about this have simply dismissed my concern entirely, calling municipalities “unnecessary,” likely due to their months of experience in state-level government which doesn’t interact with municipals much, if at all.
Restore municipal voting authority, strengthen communication between municipal governments and the state/county, and implement policy to give municipality more authority, and therefore, more purpose. When entry-level positions disappear, citizens lack interest in starting a government career, which is detrimental to us all, as when the “notable figures” that have ruled over our government for years leave, who will take their place? If you think that person could be you or another person you know, save opportunity, save representation, and save a crucial pipeline in Firestone. Save municipalities, and save Firestone’s future.