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Franklin County Taxpayer's Wish List

Franklin County government officials and department heads have been scratching their heads for a while now because they've been under fire from residents demanding access to records & documents, answers to questions, and accountability for the actions taken by our elected officials and county employees.

I've been asked, on numerous occassions, what it is that I and others making these demands and requests, are trying to accomplish. The answer should be crystal clear, but I supposed it can be hard to see what's right in front of you when one's head is firmly planted either in one's own arse or is busy kissing the arse of others. Therefore, I am providing this easy, step-by-step checklist of what we want and are struggling to achieve:

We want to live in an attractive and well-maintained county that is designed and planned so as to achieve maximum quality of life and enjoyment of property as well as a strong economic base We want to be able to work where we live and earn a decent wage doing so We want to be safe & healthy both in our homes and on our streets We want our children to be well-educated, have lofty goals, and a strong moral & ethical compass We want an ethical and truly representative government that sets national precedents for open & honest governance, accessibility, fiscal responsibility, and responsiveness to the wishes and needs of everyone it represents rather than a chosen few We want a strong economic base that will allow us to enjoy social & cultural amenities & events, opportunities for creative expression, mental and physical growth, and self-improvement We want tax rates that accurately reflect our population, the services we receive from our government, our property values, and our average annual wage We want to be appreciated and valued by our local governments rather than simply being tolerated. We are the top of the food chain and we both deserve & want to have a decisive role in all aspects of local government. We want our local governments to stay out the newspaper-editing and spin-controlling business, the real-estate development business, state general assembly representative arse-kissing business, the referendum- and candidate- supporting business, the friends-and-family employment/appointment/bid selection business, and the "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" business. Do what needs to be done to accomplish the goals in this list & follow our guidance when doing so. Stay out of everything else.

That's it. If you will simply stop fighting us and start to bring our local governments into line with the above list, you can stop dreading what will happen at the next Board of Commissioners meeting or what poo-storm the next phone call or e-mail will bring. You'll be able to look us in the eye and honestly say "Hi there. It's good to see you" rather than thinking "oh crap, now what?"

What We Are Doing Now

Our primary goal right now is to inform the residents of Franklin County about what is (and has been) going on behind the scenes in local government. We're doing our homework to learn the stories behind the decisions and putting all of the facts together in a way that makes it much easier to see just how well choreographed some situations have been.

We're paying attention and getting involved in the processes and decisions that make our County work. We are talking with County official about our zoning ordinances, our budget, and the overall way our county government does its business. Click on "Current Projects" in the menu bar to see the specifics of our current activities.

For the most part, we're being greeted warmly and treated well, but we're smart enough to know that it may not always be that way. We are, after all, looking to change the way things are done in a place that hasn't seen a lot of change in quite a long time, if ever. We're shining light into some dark corners where some might prefer us to let darkness reign. We're questioning things that may have never been questioned before and asking for things that no one has probably ever dared ask before. Sooner or later, we're bound to meet some resistance...

We believe that it's time for county residents to stop expecting the worst from our elected officials.
We believe that we shouldn't have to call the commissioners or county manager every time our problems with various departments aren't being properly addressed.
We believe we should have a voice in every county department and we should never have to beg for assistance from those whose primary job is to help us and help our community.

We believe that the problems that exist in our county can be fixed, but only if we work closely with our government to realign their goals with our own.

The job ahead of us is massive and we need all the help we can get from our community. We need folks from Bunn and Centerville, Lake Royale & Franklinton, White Level and Wood, Youngsville and Louisburg, and everywhere in between. We are trying to accomplish things for everyone in Franklin County, not just folks that live within a few moments of the county administration buildings. The better we are able to spread our efforts and balance the work, the faster we'll see results. We need to work together.

Get involved by joining FC Concerned Citizens, paying attention to the local newspapers, attending governmental meetings, and by contacting county commissioners when you have questions or concerns.

We can make Franklin County a better, more attractive, safer, more economically viable place for all of us to live, work, and play, but only if we get involved and stop expecting good things to simply happen without any effort. Please join the growing number of residents who have done enough waiting to see what happens and are now actively taking part in changing our community for the better!