Letter: We need public officials who serve the public
Something struck me and hasn’t left me since one of the Democratic hosted town halls. A man stood up and I’m paraphrasing but in essence said we need to start banding together to stop projects such as data centers, BESS etc. before it’s too late. One day you wake up and your neighbor has decided to lease their land to a company putting in a project such as BESS. No one asked you, no one researched all of the possibilities that could happen if a catastrophe occurred. The company sold the land owner with a sales pitch which doesn’t usually disclose everything. The county officials look at citizens with some degree of annoyance (or at least that’s the way I took it at a different meeting I attended) when they voice their concerns. These are the same citizens that likely voted for them in the last election. They say the company will follow the rules but who is watching them? Ultimately, you can’t do anything now. It’s too late. There aren’t any zoning laws in our county to help us circumvent this. This also leaves local officials with no tools to fight these projects. What do you want our community to look like in five years? Do you want your children going to school close to a BESS field because some in the county now are.
What type of roadmap do we need as citizens to show us where we got lost in the translation in the day to day working of our government? When did those officials stop caring about your input. When you vote strictly by party and the letter beside someone’s name you are giving them unchecked authority. There is no fear in our county and most of the state that an official will be voted out of office until they choose to leave. Look on the state, county and municipal websites and see how much variety of parties you see. We gave them the imbalance of power and now realize they aren’t representing us any longer. Were they ever? We need both parties represented and forced to work with one another for the good of our communities.
Ask the Property Rights Alliance folks, they realized the powers that be didn’t care about them losing farmland even if they voted for those officials in all the elections previously. They just want their corridor so they can make money under the guise of progress. As citizens we need to care about the entire county and our neighbors even when it doesn’t directly affect us. Because before long it will be you in some form or other. As the same man pointed out, when data centers come knocking, where is the water supply located? What portion of the county will be the scene for the next project?
We have to be vigilant and mindful of what is happening around us for everyone’s sake and stop waiting to care until it personally impacts us.
Do you know the details of Senate Bill 1 and the shortfalls in funding that our counties and municipalities are going to incur? Property tax relief by the state is going to make them look good but our schools, counties and municipalities will have a heavier burden for funding. Where will it come from? The taxpayers of course so ultimately the taxes will be paid, just to a different entity. Did your current state legislatures vote for the bill? You can find out on the state website. Ask them why if you see them or have a way to communicate with them. If you don’t have access to them, that’s a problem too.
Our government is supposed to represent the people and the people need to take their power back. You CAN make a difference.
What does it take to research and get to know the people running for office? It’s work and a lot of people don’t do it because you trust they will do the right thing, but will they or did they? We have to start voting for people that will represent the people no matter which party they represent . People that will hear our voices instead of just the ones of the largest donors to their campaign. People over party because that supermajority is failing you.
Our officials work for us or are supposed to. We need to bring accountability back to politics. Again, you have the power, take it back before you wake up and have to fight a fight you shouldn’t have to because your elected officials should have.
Thank you,
Stacy Patmore
Huntingburg
