If you live in Sonoma Valley your voice can be heard. If you care enough to write a letter (to the editor, or to a local representative), your opinion will have reach. Allies may come forth to join you. On most local boards, including Sonoma’s City Council, you only need to convince three representatives to vote your way.
The beauty of local government is that all of us own it. Elected representatives cannot hide, nor are they in a position to be bought. We know who they are and where they live, where they buy groceries and where they hang out.
Our biggest challenge is our own apathy – our lack of interest in letting our representatives know what we think are the important issues. If we don’t talk to them, write to them, or attend their meetings, how then do we expect them to act on our behalf?
Communicating, at least in writing, is as easy as a posting on Facebook. Virtually all representatives can receive emails. You can copy the Index-Tribune and request that your letter also be published on the editorial pages.
What is important to you? When you are talking with your family, friends and business associates about life here in the Valley, what do you talk about? How can your local government play a role in those concerns?
I’ve heard people say we need more affordable housing. What’s your opinion on that? It could become a big NIMBY issue. Where would we build it? For whom do we build it? Who pays for it?
California is more desert-like than we’d like to believe. What can we really do here in our Valley to prevent critical water shortages? Raise the rates? How do we find the means to use more treated water so we don’t deplete our ground water?
We are all be concerned with the drought. Maybe some of us actually have ideas on how best to cope with it. Why not share those ideas?
Where do you stand on the living wage issue? Are we prepared for the next big earthquake? Could our Valley be devastated by a fast-moving, wind-blown wildfire? The list of potential topics is long.
The concerns, feelings and wishes of the broader community are best communicated regularly and continuously by each of us taking advantage of our access to local government.
We might not understand what’s happening in Washington or Sacramento, and doubt that our voices are heard there. But here, the only reason they are not is because we do not raise them.
At the very least this month study your ballot, listen to the candidates, and let them (and your newspaper) hear from you. And remember to vote.
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