BY JAMES WERNICKE
Los Alamos
Every July, we celebrate freedom with fireworks and barbecues. To “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,” the Constitution commits us “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare”. Our founders understood that liberty is not a passive inheritance. It is stewarded by those who show up to public meetings, understand the issues being discussed, participate in reasoned deliberation before the vote, and hold their leaders accountable for the outcomes. Whether the issue is surveillance cameras, plastic bags, road diets, taxes and budgets, healthcare, nuisance codes, comprehensive plans, housing policy, or local economic development, liberty survives only when citizens preserve it.
Self-governing people should expect their government to remove barriers where possible, intervene where necessary, and remain accountable for the results. Reasonable people can disagree on whether our government is expanding opportunities or simply passing off “doing something” as success, but what is not up for debate is that the ordinances and budgets are published, and the public has opportunities to participate. Instead of complaining about the results on social media, your comments belong in Council Chambers before the vote.
The disconnect is reflected in the issues dominating public debate. While residents worry about higher housing burdens and a weak local economy, our government increases taxes and utility rates. While residents worry about energy reliability and commuting safely, our government deliberates banning single-use plastics and expanding surveillance cameras. While residents worry about healthcare, our government prioritizes tourism. While citizens grow disillusioned with our government’s direction, those most responsible for that direction recommended and approved salary increases for themselves, and are considering removing party balance requirements from public boards.
Last year, a coalition of local entrepreneurs and business advocates produced concrete recommendations to strengthen local business. This was the kind of civic engagement the founders hoped liberty would inspire. The County responded by appointing its own working group, and a year later, those citizen recommendations have yet to translate into policy. More recently, citizens asked to be included in a MRA Commission. County management recommended against it, and Council sided with the County.
Neither private nor public initiative will solve our problems alone. It will require cooperation, but the public trust in government is broken. It doesn’t matter how many meetings are held or plans are written if they fail to allow families to build their lives in Los Alamos. It is the responsibility of a self-governing people to understand tradeoffs, question motivations, and hold their government accountable to provide access to the information necessary to evaluate its decisions.
Early this year, the County briefly enabled automated transcripts on its Legistar platform, but without explanation, removed them. These transcripts were especially helpful for hearing-impaired residents, who otherwise must rely on meeting minutes that contain little of the actual deliberation. They also made it easier for citizens to search, understand, and analyze public deliberations. Platforms such as YouTube provide accurate transcripts at no cost. If our government is paying for this service, we deserve to know why we are receiving less.
Transparency is especially important this election season. Several candidates seeking Council seats helped shape the policies we now live under. They should explain the results of the policies adopted under their stewardship, and what they propose to do next, so that the public can evaluate their past results and decide if the same kind of government serves the public interest.
Our founders did not defeat one distant ruling class so future generations could become indifferent to the decisions made by another. They wagered that we would steward liberty by remaining attentive enough to govern ourselves. Liberty belongs not to those who merely celebrate it once a year, but to those willing to preserve it every day thereafter.
Letters to the editor represent the opinions of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or editorial stance of the Los Alamos Reporter. The Reporter assumes no responsibility or liability for the factual accLetters to the editor represent the opinions of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or editorial stance of the Los Alamos Reporter. The Reporter assumes no responsibility or liability for the factual accuracy of statements made by contributors.