As Joe, Chad, and I have discussed with each other, there is something remarkably secretive about local government. Although local government may appear to be the most transparent form of government because of the close proximity of residents to representatives and the direct impact many of the decisions have on day-to-day lives, this cohesion can create something akin to an isolated bubble. Simply put, what happens in a town, stays in the town.
But sometimes a local issue can be so big that it leaps from the region from which it was spawned onto a larger stage. Take for instance a “de-annexation” plan put forth by state Rep. Bonner Stiller. The fact that such an action is legal just boggles my mind. The gist of the issue here is that local government leaders, for strictly economic reasons, had decided to annex adjacent property in order to incorporate a soon-to-be-built industrial recycling center. The state Rep., has decided that this isn’t really what the residents of this area want, so he’s using his legislative power to reverse the annexation. It’s like he thinks he’s He-Man, invoking some mystical power.
Not only is this issue interesting, but so is the story. The author chose to cover the bickering between two representatives over the issue instead of focusing on the fact that someone is trying to reverse the decision of the people.
