Editorial Editorial (July 23, 2004)

What you can do for your city

As presidential candidates debate the war in Iraq and the direction of our economy, citizens are becoming more engaged in shaping the leadership of their country.

It's an important time to pay attention to national issues, but we should not forget critical local issues. Citizens need to also take the time to consider what they value in local leadership and whether certain candidates possess those values.

Mountain View will be the site of several elections this November, including for the city council, two school boards, the hospital district and the open space district.

While local boards and agencies don't get to decide whether our country should go to war or how to fix the national economy, they have many important duties that impact our daily lives. They address questions such as "Do we need more police officers?" and "Are our kids learning enough in school?"

We need good people to help answer these questions, especially with several experienced public servants stepping down. Council members Mary Lou Zoglin and Rosemary Stasek, who are being termed out, will take with them 16 years of combined experience. Mountain View-Whisman school board members Rose Filicetti and Carol Fisher, who also have a combined 16 years on the board, are choosing to retire.

While there are often many candidates who run for city council, there are usually far fewer who show interest in leading the Mountain View-Whisman school district and the El Camino Hospital board. The Mountain View-Los Altos high school district hasn't even run an election on the ballot in about six years, with the number of candidates exactly equaling the number of seats open.

In addition, several city boards, including the Environmental Planning Commission and the Downtown Committee, will need volunteers to step up.

Public service isn't just about a fancy title; it's dedication to making a community better. This is especially true for local leaders. Mountain View's leaders live right here, not in Sacramento or Washington, D.C., and have the opportunity to impact their constituents every day.

There are many in Mountain View who are committed to improving not just their lives, but the lives of their neighbors. The city needs more of them to come forward and help make the city a better place to live, work and learn.

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