Platform Pillar 3: Accessible Government
A Government That is There
One of my personal complaints surrounding government is access and transparency. Sometimes, I just want to have a talk with my council person, or I want a simple answer to something. Other times, I want to see reports and data to keep the government accountable. And every time I try to do this, it turns into a chore. Setting up appointments, finding who is who, and then searching through janky government websites for notes, highlights, reports, and plans. I hate it.
I work in technology, and my pet peeve is the difficulty. I feel that and hope that behind each of the people in the government, there is good intention. And I can empathize with the fear of interacting with your constituents, especially since most of the interactions are from friction points rather than how the wider community feels about your job. When I was an EMT, I used to say that the problem is, no one calling us is having their best day. So the government is similar—usually people talk to it when there is an issue, or in passing.
And I want to change that!
A more accessible government is a more useful government to the owners of it. The people. To accomplish this, I plan to implement the following things:
Meet with the Mayor Events: Derived from an English pub tradition, I want to set up a rotating schedule of establishments—coffee shops, restaurants, parks, the library, and events—where I will set up shop with a diet coke, and you can come and talk to me. Helping to not only promote local businesses, but meet you where you are.
District Walks: Published events where, as Mayor, I meet up with your council person, and we walk around the district, performing spot surveys and looking at issues in person. An opportunity to walk with us and have us see the problems and celebrate the wins of our community.
Create Mobile Office hours, where you can engage digitally with me, via social media, live chats, and other interactive forms of media.
Arrive at and participate in Community Events, not just make an appearance.
Be open to invitation - If you would like the city to have a presence at an event, or to give a talk, a fireside, or education about politics, I want to be there for you. Or if you just want me to swing by your BBQ and try your brisket, I'm always open for that too. ;)
The goal is to set a precedent of what being a mayor is for the city. Open, available, and communicative.