Republican View: Get involved in local government

The pandemic has now stretched on over a year, but it does seem that an end may be near. What’s not clear is when Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s emergency powers will end.

It was understandable that when COVID-19 first started hitting New York hard, the governor needed to act quickly. Putting aside the recent scandal now engulfing the governor, it’s past time the state Legislature reclaims its place as a co-equal branch of government in New York.

The pandemic has moved from an emergency response phase to a management phase, and with that shift, the Legislature needs to reassert its power and roll back the powers granted to the governor. It’s the Legislature’s job to set state policy, pass laws and pass a budget. This idea that the governor can go it alone is undemocratic and removes state government accountability to voters.

The idea of a Legislature, similar to a town, planning and school board in function, is that the representatives on these bodies are the closest to the voters and, in theory, the most accountable for decisions made.

If you have a problem, it’s unlikely you’re calling the governor. Your assemblyperson, though? State senator? They have local offices, and their staff will call you back about your issue. Even closer are the town representatives you see at the park or the grocery store.

I had a friend ask me the other day why people seemed more angry lately. There are a lot of reasons, among them a weariness of seeing connected people skate to positions of money and power based on who they know, watching politicians enter service as middle class only to retire with millions of dollars or connected people getting a pass on behavior voters would be punished for.

Maybe overriding that is the very real sense that voters’ voices are not being heard; they are disconnected from their government, which is only exacerbated by the pandemic and the move to online meetings.

I’ve seen, most recently, school boards in California and New Hampshire dismiss parents who are worried about their kids’ mental health, arguing schools may not reopen even in the fall.

Local governments are making decisions that will impact towns for decades with little public comment because folks are tired of logging into Zoom after spending all week at work on Zoom or all week dealing with work and the extra stress of the pandemic like finding child care or just cleaning their checkout lane 100 times a day.

The key to being an elected official is to be responsive to your constituents. Even if you can’t help, directing them to someone who can, or being honest with them about what can be done, goes a long way to having someone’s voice heard. Listening is a skill that not only means you’re doing your job as a representative, but also that you’ll be able to give that person a voice.

Are you one of those tired people who doesn’t feel their voice is being heard? If so, think about running for local office. Almost every town board has an opening. The town board is the closest government to you, and the decisions will impact you the soonest and most directly.

In some towns, they’re considering bans on new natural gas, propane and oil boilers, both on new and existing buildings. Others are considering building projects including thousands of acres covered in solar panels and businesses with buildings that will be gateways to town. Other towns are considering further cuts to police, and ambulance and fire services are also facing cuts.

School board positions are opening in the spring, and both school and town boards are trying to manage school reopenings. Towns are trying to attract new businesses while retaining their character, while others are open to large changes that could move them in an entirely new direction.

If you want to know more about or have a say in these changes, you need to go to town board meetings and planning board meetings, even if they’re on Zoom, but you can also run for office. Be one of the people making those decisions. You’ll not just be a voice for yourself but for your neighbor as well.

We need honest, hardworking people who are open to ideas from various segments of the community. If that’s you, please run. Will the new job take time? Yes, but it’s worth it.

I’ve learned a lot about my town and my neighbors and their vision for Lansing while in office. It means sacrificing some other interests, but it also means you get to be the voice for the community. You get to know that someone is in that position who has the best interests of the town in mind, you, while really getting to know your neighbors and what they want to see their community become.

There are a lot of ways to volunteer in a community. Elected office may be something you haven’t thought of. There’s still time to get on the ballot. Contact me: 607-339-7978 or Mike.sigler@yahoo.com.