1. Did I attend a recent meeting for a city in my area and leave with the strange feeling that I was now obligated to pitch some kind of a pyramid scheme to my neighbors that I don't even fully understand myself?
2. Did I attend a recent meeting for a city in my area but leave without any real tangible facts that I can verify on my own? How do I know that I can trust that what I heard as the answers to my questions was the same understanding that others may have left with when they asked the same or similar questions?
3. Is a word of mouth campaign (asking me to tell five others and then they tell five others, etc.) viewed as a reliable method for the dissemination of factual data by current government entities or even in corporate America? Wouldn't an actual copy of a proposed city charter or a fact sheet approved by the sponsoring legislator be more appropriate for this important of an issue?
4. If I accidentally pass along information that is not correct or if the terms of the city charter change before the issue makes it to a ballot, who will be held accountable for the broken promises? How will my neighborhood be able to recoup on a promise that was only made orally to me and a few others?
5. How do I really feel about what is taking place? Why was I asked to get involved now and not earlier when the city bills were actually before the House and Senate? How sure am I that my loyalty to my political party is not being abused by those who could easily have other motivations (financial or otherwise) for what they are asking me to do?
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS ...
What would I tell my child / parent / sibling / friend or neighbor if he/she was considering taking on a huge financial burden in their own lives that would take years upon years to repay or might not ever be repaid in my loved one's lifetime? If they were to ask for my advice, what would I say? Can I really and truly back a plan that requires great fiscal risk and has the potential to negatively impact so many people financially as well as in terms of their quality of life.
Would I buy a used car with so little documentation or with a process that seems to change the rules based on whichever customer or new face just walked in the door?
If I think of the community of Tucker as if it were my own child or grandchild who was turning to me, asking me to make the right decision in order to protect him / her from harm, would I be certain that the choice to support a city (of any name) is the right and proper decision to make, under the current circumstances? Or would I tell my child / grandchild that I need more information and we should not rush into anything if we are not completely sure that it is the right thing to do?
Residents of Tucker, this community is your baby / grandbaby. Please do not rush into a choice that will throw the baby out with the bathwater. Generations that have come before us are counting on us to do the right thing. Generations that will come after us will forever have us to either thank or blame for how we handle this challenge that has been placed before us.
Whatever we do, let's all agree that if we act in the best interest of "Tucker" as a whole, then we cannot possibly be misled or swayed by the promises or threats being lobbied by those who do not live here.
2. Did I attend a recent meeting for a city in my area but leave without any real tangible facts that I can verify on my own? How do I know that I can trust that what I heard as the answers to my questions was the same understanding that others may have left with when they asked the same or similar questions?
3. Is a word of mouth campaign (asking me to tell five others and then they tell five others, etc.) viewed as a reliable method for the dissemination of factual data by current government entities or even in corporate America? Wouldn't an actual copy of a proposed city charter or a fact sheet approved by the sponsoring legislator be more appropriate for this important of an issue?
4. If I accidentally pass along information that is not correct or if the terms of the city charter change before the issue makes it to a ballot, who will be held accountable for the broken promises? How will my neighborhood be able to recoup on a promise that was only made orally to me and a few others?
5. How do I really feel about what is taking place? Why was I asked to get involved now and not earlier when the city bills were actually before the House and Senate? How sure am I that my loyalty to my political party is not being abused by those who could easily have other motivations (financial or otherwise) for what they are asking me to do?
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS ...
What would I tell my child / parent / sibling / friend or neighbor if he/she was considering taking on a huge financial burden in their own lives that would take years upon years to repay or might not ever be repaid in my loved one's lifetime? If they were to ask for my advice, what would I say? Can I really and truly back a plan that requires great fiscal risk and has the potential to negatively impact so many people financially as well as in terms of their quality of life. Would I buy a used car with so little documentation or with a process that seems to change the rules based on whichever customer or new face just walked in the door?
If I think of the community of Tucker as if it were my own child or grandchild who was turning to me, asking me to make the right decision in order to protect him / her from harm, would I be certain that the choice to support a city (of any name) is the right and proper decision to make, under the current circumstances? Or would I tell my child / grandchild that I need more information and we should not rush into anything if we are not completely sure that it is the right thing to do?
Residents of Tucker, this community is your baby / grandbaby. Please do not rush into a choice that will throw the baby out with the bathwater. Generations that have come before us are counting on us to do the right thing. Generations that will come after us will forever have us to either thank or blame for how we handle this challenge that has been placed before us.
Whatever we do, let's all agree that if we act in the best interest of "Tucker" as a whole, then we cannot possibly be misled or swayed by the promises or threats being lobbied by those who do not live here.