Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |
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closeGovernment works best when someone's watching.
It's a simple equation -- government of the people, by the people and for the people can't thrive without them.
Democracy demands our participation, and we surrender our sovereignty simply by failing to pay attention.
Noble sentiments, but let's face it -- unless we're directly affected, few of us are willing to pull ourselves away from the TV long enough to take in a city council meeting.
The motives of our representatives are usually pure, but good intentions can't prevent an isolated and insular group from losing touch.
So let's be thankful we have some surrogates willing to endure second readings of obscure ordinances to ensure open, transparent government.
Hats off to the League of Women Voters of Benton and Franklin Counties. The nonpartisan group launched the Observer Corps in May to keep tabs on the scores of public agencies in the Tri-Cities.
Participants sit through planning commission discussions, school board meetings, city council workshops -- sometimes serving as the only outside observers of decisions affecting thousands of lives and bank accounts.
It wouldn't hurt for all of us to take a cue from the League and take a look at what's happening in local government. The Herald publishes a list of meeting agendas in the Mid-Columbia section each Sunday and online at tricityherald.com.
Elected officials don't automatically turn stupid or corrupt when left to their own devices -- nor are a few watchers any guarantee against missteps.
But it's a lot harder to forget who you work for when your boss is in the room.
Editorials are the consensus of the Tri-City Herald editorial board.
Editorial board members are Rufus Friday, publisher; Chris Sivula, editorial page editor; Ken Robertson, executive editor; Matt Taylor, contributing editor; Lori Lancaster, editorial writer; Shelly Norman, editorial writer and Jack Briggs, retired publisher
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