After giving some thought to it, I've decided to run for city council here...in three years. I'm tired of the representation in my riding - I've never once met the people we elected in the four years I've lived here. I want openness in politics. I want open conversation with my constituents. I honestly believe I can make a difference.
So, my question to the W's here: Have you ever considered running for office? If so, why? If not, why not? Have you? Did it work? What did you learn from it?
no. I have no plans of giving up my privacy and that is something you lose if you run for office,
We'll be back right after order has been restored here in the Omni Center.
That the universe was formed by a fortuitous concourse of atoms, I will no more believe than that the accidental jumbling of the alphabet would fall into a most ingenious treatise of philosophy - Swift
I've resigned from the Tillamook Urban Renewal association twice during meetings. I have a strong dislike for public office, which I did not have before serving in the association.
I think you'll probably not win, but if you did, you would probably hate it.
Originally posted by Guru ZimI've resigned from the Tillamook Urban Renewal association twice during meetings. I have a strong dislike for public office, which I did not have before serving in the association.
I think you'll probably not win, but if you did, you would probably hate it.
Thanks for the vote of confidence! Hahaha!
In all seriousness, I believe my city is broken. It's a common belief that City Council just doesn't care - our former mayor has a reputation of being a crybaby scrooge who has a tendancy of being immature at times. Our current mayor is a decent fellow, but there's still a sense that City Council really don't do anything, and that's something I want to reverse.
Would I win? I don't know. I have a lot of respect for someone who ran in the last election: this gentleman ran for Mayor, he admitted he didn't know everything but is willing to learn. He also spent maybe $500 on his campaign. I was proud to vote for him, and while he didn't win, it was a vote that didn't go to those who took in over 100K in donations and spent that much. I believe in fiscal responsibility, doing the most with the least, and being completely open and available to those who need me.
Our last city councilor did nothing for nearly ten years. Literally, all he did was maybe one BBQ a year, and even then it wasn't promoted and held in an isolated area.
New guy got voted in:
- Roads are now being repaired. - He hosts several community events. - Very active with visiting schools, hosts year-end community BBQ's at the schools to celebrate and also try to recruit new families. - Within two months of being voted in, a PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK which has been requested for YEARS was approved and built in less than a month. This same area people used to have to wait more than 10 minutes to cross the road and would always miss city buses as a result.
So yeah, things CAN change with a good city councilor.
If you're motivated and think you can make a difference, go for it. Just know that no matter what you do, some people will trash your name and spew hatred at you for no other reason than you're a politician or a member of a specific party.
I sat on a Parks & Recreation board (elected, although I ran unopposed) and a PAC/GPAC (appointed, back when CA had RDAs).
My advice - start attending city council meetings on a regular basis (as well as any subcommittee meetings that occur, especially meetings concerning the budget). Learn the major projects for which money is currently allocated. Have some understanding of the laws (or at least know of those laws) surrounding your position (in CA, there are things like the Brown Act and, for State agencies, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act). Talk with city leaders, community leaders, and groups that you feel would benefit from being your constituents and begin making your case.
Keep in mind that you're essentially applying for a full time job - a job in which you can have a lot of direct impact in the quality of life of other people.
I have been an elected member of our town's Finance Committee for the last 10 years or so. As the only person on the seven person board with any finance background it is frustrating, but I feel like it my civic duty to educate and assist. Serving on the board, I think I have had some influence over our tax rate as well. It is a pretty big time commitment for generally little real progress and very little (or in my case, no) compensation.
I don't think I have thick enough skin to run for public office. But my dad spent 10 years on the school board and in April 2013 was elected mayor of my hometown. I loved getting behind-the-scenes info from his days on the board (esp. since I was still a student there for seven of those years) and as mayor. But I could certainly see how stressful it could be and how it takes a toll on you mentally.
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I ran for City Council in our very small community and my opponents spread more crap than at a dairy farm. That and i said what I thought was the truth not what people wanted to hear. I lost.
Just keep in mind that if you know what the Brown act, sunshine act, and open meetings act are about - you'll probably resign during an Executive session, too.
I think I got the bug out of my system, but we'll see how our current mayor is doing, if she runs for re-election, and what malarkey might happen with the filing fee before 2017.
Oliver, please take this the wrong way, but you definitely shouldn't run for anything unless you first provide me with popcorn.
Originally posted by AWArulzno. I have no plans of giving up my privacy and that is something you lose if you run for office,
Originally posted by dunkndollazMy skeletons have houses full of closets.
For those two reasons, I am 99% sure I will not run. I also have a(n) (in)famous name (Michael Moore) that got me death threats on facebook until I figured out privacy settings for incoming messages. I think I could probably get some liberal votes on my name alone.
I have lived in my county my entire life. My GF and our roommate are both originally from somewhere else and only came to this area to get their MPAs. Because of the primary we just had, they asked me what I (dis)liked about the candidates and I have alot of ideas to make this area because I think they are doing only enough to get (re)elected.
Our roommate is the one who actually wants to work in local government so if she is appointed a city/village manager (her short-term goal right now), I hope to be able to whisper in her ear from time to time.
Originally posted by CRZI think I got the bug out of my system, but we'll see how our current mayor is doing, if she runs for re-election, and what malarkey might happen with the filing fee before 2017.
Oliver, please take this the wrong way, but you definitely shouldn't run for anything unless you first provide me with popcorn.
Buttered or kettle corn?
I've brought the idea to some people I know, namely my best friends, and they love what I'm saying and what I want to accomplish. Now, translating that to an audience of people who don't know me...that's the challenge.
CRZ, what did you think of the entire process of running for office?
Yes, and I told The Lovely Mrs. Tracker that if the local radio preacher runs for office as he has intimated, I will run against him just to scuttle his chances of election. I don't care to get elected. That will happen to whomever the third candidate is.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Never. It is one of the jobs in life I have always said I would never do. I do no understand why anyone who does not have a clean slate would ever run for office.
Life is hilariously cruel.
It ain't the six minutes... it's what happens in that six minutes.
Originally posted by WpobNever. It is one of the jobs in life I have always said I would never do. I do no understand why anyone who does not have a clean slate would ever run for office.
Simple. I want to because I want change. There are too many things I want to see happen in my town, and not nearly enough movement (if any at all) in the direction they need to go. Some would be ridiculously easy to implement (priority left hand turning at a major intersection) but others would be a bigger challenge, like changing zoning restrictions and regulations to see proper development of abandoned stores to invite new development.
The last one is especially important to me: there's a number of stores that are sitting vacant that would make for great flea markets or whatever else but the zoning laws rules prohibit it. Also, another store that's closed - the former company holds a covenant that allows them to kibosh anyone who wants to buy their former location: I want that abolished.
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