Here's an interesting way to get a state government's attention: seeking secession. And the response of Vermont to the people who want to leave for New Hampshire is poignantly clueless:
The state has more pressing concerns, including health care, education, investments in higher education, economic development and job creation, Gibbs said.
Spending lots of money, in other words, which is exactly what the dissidents are complaining about. Maybe some of our border counties might seek to change states if they don't like the way the time-zone issue plays out.
Comments
Leo,
Do you think that's why people might be hesitant about consolidated government in Allen County? After all, when city councilmen tell Aboiters the only reason they were annexed was for their money, that might make the rest of the county suspicious.
BoB
Yes, I think it's one reason. But I think an even bigger one is that a lot of people think they'll get lost in the shuffle. Some of the strongest resistance is from people in the inner city and people in the most rural areas, all of whom suspect their concerns won't be taken as seriously. So the issue becomes one not just of money raised and spent but of getting value for the money.
Annexation is a tough issue, especially in a City like Fort Wayne that has a questionable record as far as spending the taxpayer's money wisely...
Mike Sylvester