Transparency in government
Where did THAT come from?
It's happening more and more. You're driving to work and all of a sudden there's a massive building going up. Then comes the traffic headache, noise and pollution. Eventually, someone asks, 'How did this happen? Who approved this?'
Rules for a Reason
Our government is set up to hold back corruption. There was a time in our country when men in power would use their government office to expedite corruption. Thankfully, those days are behind us. Mostly. Now we have rules in place to allow residents to see what's happening with their tax dollars. Problem is, those rules aren't always followed. There are some shady ways around the rules, real grey areas. Hiding the cost of projects until the last minute keeps residents from noticing what's happening right under their noses. By the time the project cost is released, it's already halfway done. Taxpayers can be kept in the dark by design to allow for a quick sprint across the finish line. I'm calling Shenanigans.
Daylight
The best plans don't need to be sold to the taxpayers. If a plan is good, residents will happily embrace the project, law or code proposed by our government. Some issues are more complex and the public deserves an explanation. I don't think we're getting enough of that. In particular, the Town Board has begun the process of establishing a Commercial Water District on Rt 17M. I have been very vocal about the project. Read more about it here. My overall sentiment about transparency in government stands. If you're doing a good thing, there's no reason to hide it.