Historical September–October 2016 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Participation in elections in the United States falls short when compared with the European democracies. One reason is the fact that we have so many. Britain may have 2 in a 5 year period; we have 7 or more.
Another factor is the length and nature of our campaigns for office.
The degree to which such campaigns are negative is striking.
It makes candidates for office look marred in some fashion. And political trust continues to drop.
With that said, I would urge you all to register to vote in the November election for president and state offices and in the upcoming mayoral election in March.
These choices do matter.
They affect your taxes and how your tax dollars are spent. Presidents can involve us abroad, such as the involvements in Afghanistan and Iraq. Who gets what from government and who is affected by government are at stake in the presidential voting. Missouri has been listed as a red state but it definitely has purple fringes. Every vote does count. Find out what the candidates espouse and make sure you are part of the decision-making process. Participating can provide you with later privileges to complain; not participating leaves you no right to do so. State elections are important too.
We are voting in November for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer.
These votes end up affecting state spending on elementary and secondary and higher education and many laws that affect personal conduct and commerce.
If you are not registered to vote, walk over to Charing Cross Library on Skinker and you will be quickly. Participation is also important in the life of the neighborhood.
The SDCC should be using various channels to inform you of committee and council board meetings.
The housing corporation also has monthly meetings.
If you care about the direction of the neighborhood, get involved. Skinker DeBaliviere is not as challenged now as it was thirty or more years ago. But, active residents can help to ensure our stability amid diversity. New faces are always welcome.
Call SDCC at 862-5122 for more information.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September–October 2016.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Source says walk over to library and you will be quickly, with no word after be; original incomplete sentence preserved.
Original source: SD_Times2016_09.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.
