From Our Founder

Authors Note:  I wrote this column 3 years ago and I reflect upon it annually.  While it’s the County’s elected offices facing the electorate this year, the message continues to ring true to this very day.  I can’t imagine topping it, so I thought I’d share it with you once again!

                                                                   - Bob

The November 2003 elections are upon us.  The 2003 round of elections feature races at the city level.  While the highest profile elections are in Crown Point, Valparaiso, Highland, Griffith and Hammond; the electorate in every city will go to the polls to choose the officials that will determine their future for the next four years. 

My hope is that every registered voter will take the time to participate in the process.  I define participation as not only investing the time to actually vote, but to research the candidates for the purposes of making an informed decision. 

With so much at stake, the importance of this election is profound.  The cities in our region are faced with so many challenges which not only affect our quality of life, but our very future. 

Asking oneself “if you’re better now than you were four years ago” oversimplifies a broader understanding of the choice before you.  The real question is, “does the candidate in question understand the needs of my community and do they possess the vision, the expertise, the talent, the resources, and commitment to satisfy those needs?”  Moreover, I think it’s important to ask, “Does the candidate have the character and the mettle to make tough decisions in the face of political pressure and personal ambition?” 

I think it’s fair to say that the pattern for electing officials in our region has been traditionally based upon name recognition and political ties.  While there is nothing inherently wrong with choosing candidates along those lines, the danger is that in doing so we fail to demand tangible action plans and develop metrics for accountability.  In essence, we have no basis to evaluate the qualifications of a candidate and no real expectation for what will occur if they are elected.  We never learn if the candidate is suitable for public service and if they are qualified to fulfill the obligations set forth by their elected office. 

While the “name recognition & political ties” approach to electing officials may have been satisfactory in the past, we have every reason to depart from this pattern.  You need go no further than acknowledging the flurry of convictions and indictments of local elected officials to realize a change is in order.  But if that is not enough to convince you, rising taxes driven by inequities in the tax structure, a faltering local economy, and less-than-effective use of resources should awaken you. 

Our challenge is to transform our region if we are to preserve any quality of life here.  I ask myself, “What are we to leave to our posterity?  What examples are we providing to those who would follow us?  Are we responsible & effective custodians of the freedoms, the liberties, and the resources that those who preceded us worked, sacrificed, fought and died for?” Transformation cannot and will not occur if we fail to elect candidates that lack the capacity to understand the problems we face and the courage, capacity, conviction and creativity to solve those problems.  We need leaders who are proactive, not reactive.  We need elected officials who see beyond politics and the next election when making decisions. 

The choice is ours, the time is now.  I encourage you to invest the time and care to make real choices.  For if we do not choose, someone else shall choose for us.