05 May 2008

Vote Tomorrow

There is a town election in Brookline tomorrow. On the ballot is a two-part override question regarding an increase in real estate and personal property taxes. The increase will go toward additional funding for police and fire departments, the public library, schools (including a longer school day), and maintenance of parks, streets, sidewalks, and town buildings. Part 1B of the question involves a slightly higher tax increase, which will also fund the World Language Program for grades K-6.

I know that by voting for higher taxes, I am totally losing whatever libertarian credibility I may ever have had. I still, in theory, would prefer low taxes for bare necessities and pay-per-service assessments for most other things. On the other hand, I really like my local library and plan to take advantage of the children's programs offered there for many years to come. I also appreciate this opportunity to participate in local politics, to be part of the process of deciding whether to raise taxes and where to spend the money. Tomorrow I plan to take advantage of this opportunity by voting YES to both parts of the override question.

The neverending Democratic primary season is slowly making me disenchanted with the political process - not that I was a huge fan to begin with. But politics, and government, don't exist only on the national level. Local elections bring about local results. There are real effects in our schools, our crime rates, our safety, and the beauty of our environment. If we don't participate, we lose credibility when we complain. Learn about and take part in your local government, and vote in every election for which you are eligible to do so. And if you live in Brookline, go out and vote tomorrow.

3 comments:

Abacaxi Mamao said...

Ah, Brookline! How I love and miss thee!

miriamp said...

I never did actually technically live in Brookline, for all that I shared their zip code for a while. I found it highly amusing that I had moved many hundreds of miles from my parents and yet all I had accomplished was to move from Nassau County to Suffolk.

But I loved the Brookline Public Library, and spent many happy afternoons in either the main library on Washington St or the Pleasant St Branch when my kids were still babies and more portable (and likely to doze in the stroller while I read!)

I refused to vote in RI primaries, on principle, because I refuse to associate myself with either political party. But I really should keep track of all the other minor elections (because of course I notice the major ones) and go vote in those.

LC said...

Not living in Brookline, I'm allowed to ignorant of the local issues - longer school day being how many hours - and how much of an increase is it?