No doubt low taxes and smaller government will be a popular theme. After all, ahem, it’s working so well. Bashing the other guy’s ideology also surely will be a popular tactic — although I’m not sure how much ideology is required to make our streets safe, our roads smooth and our schools racing to the top rather than the bottom. But so it goes.
So while our political hopefuls search for the magical formula that will deliver them to seats of power — or, a cynic might suggest, an easy gig with good pay and benefits — might I offer some free political counsel that is hardly new but is guaranteed to get attention and probably votes.
Be for something!
That’s right, offer up some ideas, yeah ideas, about how to make our community and state better places. There is plenty to be done, so pick one or two initiatives and make them part of your platform. Remember platforms? They were political positions, made up of “planks,” that is, a series of ideas, upon which candidates stood for election before we devolved into the empty but amazingly effective no taxes and less government strategy.
Need some ideas? I’m glad you asked, albeit they come from an old country newspaper editor and habitual voter and not some Tallahassee political guru.
Beautify the gateways to Ocala/Marion County. Let’s be honest, our I-75 interchanges are hideous conglomerations of concrete, plastic and florescent lights. Imagine what some flowers, landscaping and attractive welcome signs would do.
Support a civic center where concerts and graduations and trade shows can be held. Something that’ll hold 5,000 to 6,000 people. We are a bona fide metropolitan area with no place to hold metro-size events and gatherings.
Come up with a funding plan to keep our roads and streets paved. The county alone is falling behind about $10 million a year on such work, and the cost of rebuilding roads instead of simply resurfacing them is seven to 10 times greater.
Do something about the amassing litter. Our roadsides are filthy with trash. While you’re at it, embrace the preservation and promotion of our incredibly scenic roads. They can attract tourists and tourist dollars if we will let them.
Make education and job creation an objective of everything government does, whether at the city, county or state level. Quit ignoring what’s going on in our schools. Enough said.
Water. Ocala/Marion County is ground zero in the ongoing Florida water war and Silver Springs the bull’s-eye, and our leaders at every level should be leading the charge to protect what water we have left.
There is plenty more that needs to be done. But if candidates want to capture our votes, maybe they should try offering ideas. Be for something — for a change.
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