David Rodeback's Blog

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

AF Road Bond: Praise for a Multitude, Including You

I'll also suggest a few things you can do to help, if you find yourself energized by American Fork's local election.

This is the seventh in a series of eleven short pieces on American Fork's proposed bond issue for road repair. The first is here.

Praise

First, I applaud you, the voters -- not for whatever the results will be next week, because I don't know them yet. My ovation is for taking this election seriously. Hundreds of you have shown up at informational meetings about the road bond proposal or at meet-the-candidate events, or both. You're asking good questions of candidates, city officials, each other, and anyone else who seems to have an informed opinion. You're reading blog posts and web sites and asking more questions. You're paying enough attention and digging deeply enough to see through glib phrases and discern the substance of candidates and issues. Whatever your views, keep up the good work!

If You Want to Do More

If you're energized and want to do more, here are some suggestions.

• If someone you trust says or writes something sensible about an issue (e.g. the road bond) or a candidate, share it with your friends and neighbors.
• Put a sign in your yard. Contact your favorite candidate to get one. If you want a pro-bond sign, either for its message or for the way its orange and white design complements the fall colors in your yard (see below), let  me know with the comment link below.
• Tweet and/or post a Facebook status briefly explaining whom or what you support in next week's election. It doesn't have to be any longer than these crazy samples I made up (though saner would be nice): "I'm voting for Bill Thresher, Jeffrey Shorter, and Carlton Bowen on Tuesday in American Fork, because everyone who serves in elective office turns into a corrupt weasel, and I think we need more corrupt weasels." (Think about it.) Or: "I oppose the road bond, because gravel roads will restore to American Fork that laid-back, country feeling of sixty years ago."
• You could even grab this image and post it:

Further Praise

I also salute the following:

• American Fork City for educating voters about roads and the proposed road bond issue with energy and professionalism. Officials and staff alike made themselves available for discussion and questions at four well-attended meetings in different neighborhoods. The contrast between this effort and "amateur hour" five years ago is striking. Meanwhile, they've been careful not to advocate a position illegally.
• The good lady, whose name I don't know, who was passing out anti-bond fliers the other day at Legacy Elementary. I said I'd just read the whole opposition web site. She asked me what I thought. I told her in about fifteen candid words, but she was kind and thanked me without sarcasm.
• People who put their names on their opinions, like the supporters listed at supportroadbond.com. Creators of that site and the opposition site could take a lesson; we want to know your names -- not just your first names, but at least the opposition posted those. Hypothetically, for example, if we knew you to be a friendly CPA with higher political aspirations, whose ideology often interferes with getting the facts and numbers straight, that would help us evaluate your position and arguments.

Thanks for reading. Tell your friends.

Next in this series: The Right Plans Are in Place

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