34,000 reasons why I’m running for a Maricopa City Council seat

InMaricopa.com runs, on a regular basis, opinion pieces submitted by community members. The following article is the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of InMaricopa.com.

Every citizen of this fine city deserves the chance for a higher quality of life, all 34,000 of us. To me, material possessions alone are no measure of life’s quality. A citizen’s ability to achieve their short and long-term goals, realize their dreams and aspirations–whatever they may be–grow within themselves in directions they choose, then prosper and share that prosperity within their communities are only a few components I consider measures of life’s quality. Critical to this formula is the citizens’ absolute capacity to thrive within their communities

Essential elements necessary to raise then sustain higher qualities of life are a strong economic base, responsible and accountable public safety departments, affordable utilities and services, clean, safe recreational facilities, and open, honest representative government.

Citizen input, community involvement and responsible, representative government are keys to moving this city forward toward greatness.

I think I speak for the vast majority when I say we need a city and community center that incorporates Maricopa’s proud history as well as provides room for our future visions. Please do not mistake me. Through the obvious focus and labor of our elected representatives, there are or seem to be plenty of “plans” in place for future development. Many of these plans for growth and development are perhaps well thought and outlined. Trouble is these are merely plans with no forward momentum or noticeable progress evident. Few of us really know what those plans truly involve or whether they truly represent our needs, our collective futures.

One reason for this lack of knowledge and understanding is our currently opaque city government. I advocate and represent more transparency, more accountability and, in general, more representative responsibility from our elected officials. It is their sworn duty–their obligation–to plan openly and put those plans before us all. After all, one true test of representative government, the truest test of liberty, is public scrutiny then consensus. Soft tyranny is opaque government growing larger unnoticed in plain sight. Personally, I want to know what’s going on in this city. I want our voices heard before more planning ensues, and I want whatever plans we make together to have purpose, to move forward progressively with cost effective efficiency.

Listen, I’m just an average person. To be cliché, I’m an “average Joe,” like you, the “everyman.” But I’m proud to be that “average Joe” because without us America would not be great nation it is today. To make that happen we met every call, shouldered every burden, bled, suffered and died in every continent on earth and in space above. And I know how it feels to want but not truly see progress as well as representation from our elected officials. Like many of you, I’m weary waiting for the future to happen. I stand ready now to move Maricopa toward the future, toward greatness today. Therefore, I am running for city council out of respect and commitment to all my fellow citizens who believe we deserve a higher quality of life in Maricopa today.

G. Bridger Kimball
www.electbridger.com

Submitted photo

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