Tis the season

If you are an American, you might have heard there is an election coming up in a few weeks. Or is your mailbox not overflowing on a daily basis and the phone ringing off the hook to remind you. And let's not even get into the television commercials. Ugh!

But, honestly, I see all of that as a necessary evil. Because this is mid term election voter turnout will probably be more abysmal than it was 2 years ago for the Presidential election. People have somehow gotten the idea that a Presidential election matters more than the local races.

If you are one of those people I am here to tell you, that is stinking thinking.

Are you a homeowner?

Do you pay taxes?

Do you have children? 

Do you drive around your town? 

Or do you rely on public transportation, or walk or ride a bike?

If you answered yes to any one of those questions than the local elections effect your day to day life more than the President could even dream of. Oh wait, that is just about everyone in the country. No, you may not own a home or have kids, but you do have to get around your town. And you probably pay some kind of taxes too.

Who decides how your city is developed and improved and maintained? Barack Obama? NO! Your City Council does. If you don't bother to find out what is going on under your nose and actually vote you run the risk of another Bell, CA scandal. Remember that? Members of the City Council swindled almost $7 million dollars from a town that could ill afford it.

Three of five seats are up for grabs on our City Council this election. It is up to us to decide how we want our city to continue to grow.

This election we also have a school bond issue to pay for building improvements and to build a new school. Homeowners taxes will increase, but better schools means a more desirable neighborhood and a higher home value.

And statewide in California there are some big propositions for us to decide about. Every single one is important.

I am not going to tell you who or what I think you should vote for. I will ask you to set aside an hour before election day and go through the sample ballot and do a little research. Then on election day, go to your polling place and make your voice heard.

Do I need to lay a guilt trip on you? How many American service men and women have paid for your right to vote with their lives? How many people in other countries are willing to die to be able to vote?

C'mon you know I am right, don't you? I promise, it'll be like going to the dentist for a cleaning. It'll suck while you go through it, but once you are done you will feel so much better. And then you get to do it again in 6 months... (okay, ignore that last part.)