In a recent commentary I asked how different from the behavior of those in Washington, DC is it that for decades the largely insular crowd running Abilene’s city government has somehow spent as much money as any other similar city and yet generally ignored the primary job of significant street maintenance?
There is deep suspicion of many who serve in local government in Abilene by voters that those people take positions of public service to serve select interests such as specific universities, hospitals, or businesses over and above service to taxpaying citizens who own the city.
If you’re in Abilene join us for the show at Belle’s Chicken Dinner House, today, Wednesday, 18 April.
These concerns are understandable and it certainly is not unique to Abilene. It is not hard to understand why, if one’s life revolves around a particular institution, such as a hospital or university, that if in political office one would want to take decisions seen as positive for the institution.
What is required is that governing bodies such as city councils not be made up of insular people who generally represent the same interests in a community. Insular representation is a bad thing and always leads to self-serving behavior whether in DC or in Abilene.
It has taken the election of small businessmen Bruce Kreitler and Steve Savage to even begin asking hard questions at council meetings as to why this or that has always been done in this or that way. And Abilene now has, after many years, a new mayor in Anthony Williams.
We plan to talk with all those gentlemen about their service to their city and neighbors on today’s Pratt on Texas. If you’re in Abilene join us for the show at Belle’s Chicken Dinner House, today, Wednesday, 18 April.
Insular leadership is bad for Abilene and any town
There is deep suspicion of many who serve in local government in Abilene by voters that those people take positions of public service to serve select interests such as specific universities, hospitals, or businesses over and above service to taxpaying citizens who own the city.
If you’re in Abilene join us for the show at Belle’s Chicken Dinner House, today, Wednesday, 18 April.
These concerns are understandable and it certainly is not unique to Abilene. It is not hard to understand why, if one’s life revolves around a particular institution, such as a hospital or university, that if in political office one would want to take decisions seen as positive for the institution.
What is required is that governing bodies such as city councils not be made up of insular people who generally represent the same interests in a community. Insular representation is a bad thing and always leads to self-serving behavior whether in DC or in Abilene.
It has taken the election of small businessmen Bruce Kreitler and Steve Savage to even begin asking hard questions at council meetings as to why this or that has always been done in this or that way. And Abilene now has, after many years, a new mayor in Anthony Williams.
We plan to talk with all those gentlemen about their service to their city and neighbors on today’s Pratt on Texas. If you’re in Abilene join us for the show at Belle’s Chicken Dinner House, today, Wednesday, 18 April.