[Speed Gibson,
Tuesday November 16, 2004 at 1:51pm]
Quick! Who's your County Commissioner?
Jo at Jo's Attic paid homage to Craig Westover's blog as a great source of local information including politics, something she wants to see more of. We generally know much about national, even international issues because of all the media. But we know comparatively less about state issues, especially with the Star Tribune and WDFL-TV whitewashing the news. We know still less about local issues., having little more to go on than the weekly shoppers and local cable like Channel 12 here in the NW Suburbs.
PolicyGuy commented further, noting there are also "distant" entities like County government, of which we know practically nothing. But then out of the blue, Hennepin passes a smoking ban. I didn't even know they had the constitutional power to overlay what Westover has said is clearly a local issue. Ask yourself: who is your County Commissioner? Who was the opponent in the last election? I see them on cable access from time to time, and it's D, U, double hockey sticks.
When you think about it, there are all kinds of government layers that affect you. The State, the County, the City, the School District, the Courts, and the Metropolitan Council. There are also various commissions, such as your local Planning/Zoning Commission, Parks Commissions, Watershed Commissions, and some joint powers entities such as for Cable TV regulation.
These layers work with and against each other, often with coalitions such as the League of Minnesota Cities and the North Metro Mayor's Association, and often with paid lobbyists.
How does one keep up on all this? It's tough to do, but it has me thinking of perhaps doing a separate local blog, more of a web site really, of just my city. I would of course be fair and balanced, I report you decide, completely objective, saving my rants for this blog.
PolicyGuy commented further, noting there are also "distant" entities like County government, of which we know practically nothing. But then out of the blue, Hennepin passes a smoking ban. I didn't even know they had the constitutional power to overlay what Westover has said is clearly a local issue. Ask yourself: who is your County Commissioner? Who was the opponent in the last election? I see them on cable access from time to time, and it's D, U, double hockey sticks.
When you think about it, there are all kinds of government layers that affect you. The State, the County, the City, the School District, the Courts, and the Metropolitan Council. There are also various commissions, such as your local Planning/Zoning Commission, Parks Commissions, Watershed Commissions, and some joint powers entities such as for Cable TV regulation.
These layers work with and against each other, often with coalitions such as the League of Minnesota Cities and the North Metro Mayor's Association, and often with paid lobbyists.
How does one keep up on all this? It's tough to do, but it has me thinking of perhaps doing a separate local blog, more of a web site really, of just my city. I would of course be fair and balanced, I report you decide, completely objective, saving my rants for this blog.