It’s only two weeks into the new year and our good-citizen plates are already full. Here are some of the items on our plates that we need to start thinking about and deciding upon in the near future:
• We must decide whom to vote for among the nine people running for the three open seats on Rio Rancho’s City Council in the March 6 election,
• We must be knowledgeable enough to vote for or against the proposed changes to the city charter in the same election,
• We have to decide whether we favor or oppose the $50 million the school district is requesting in its February election,
• We must keep up with what is going on in the 2012 session of the New Mexico Legislature that begins Tuesday,
• We must look at the new districts the state will use in this year’s elections to be prepared for new representation,
• We must keep in mind New Mexico’s June primary is not all that far away and is a first step toward the November election,
• And, thanks to primaries already being held around the country, we need to remain knowledgeable so we can cast an informed vote for president on Nov. 6.
Although the third week of the year may add more issues to our plate, this is what we have so far — which, we are certain, is more than enough. We know that it is difficult to find the time to be a knowledgeable citizen especially when there are so many areas of expertise needed. City, school, county, state, national — all areas we need to stay on top of so we can be informed voters. Sounds overwhelming, if not impossible.
We have to do it, though. We can’t leave our governments completely on their own; we must provide the input that elections call for and let our elected representatives know what is important to us.
So, the first three items on our personal agendas should be the school election in February, the city election in March, and the legislative session. Even though less than the whole, this is still a lot to deal with at one time. The problem is we can’t eliminate any of them because all three are important.
First, approval of the $50 million the Board of Education is requesting will not raise your taxes, but your taxes will be lowered if it’s voted down. Decisions should be based on whether you believe the district needs this money and is planning to use it the way you believe is best. All Rio Rancho residents will be affected by the outcome.
Only the people living in Districts 1, 4, and 6 get to elect a new city councilor, and the candidates declared themselves this week. The three folks who currently hold the seats have all decided to run for re-election, but there are six people trying to unseat them. The nine amendments to the City Charter will be voted on by everyone, and it will be up to each one of us to make up our minds whether we think the changes are good for the city. We’ll provide you with more information as the election gets closer.
It’s a lot of work to stay knowledgeable about what is going on in the Legislature, but it is an important responsibility of citizenship. Follow the coverage in the Albuquerque Journal and any other news source that lets you know what is happening. Then, communicate with your legislators and make sure they know what you — a concerned citizen and one who votes — thinks.
Nobody has a lot of spare time; our lives are already booked to the maximum, but it’s critical that each one of us play an active role in the direction our government takes. Don’t leave it to chance.
Common Sense appears on Saturdays. Contact the Ryans at ryan@abqjournal.com.
