10 REASONS TO VOTE IN THE MUNICIPLE ELECTIONS
by Mike Martin in Straight Goods

1. Your vote could make the difference in who gets elected. Ask Al Gore or John Kennedy or thousands of other candidates for public office who won or lost by a few votes. In the Canadian Federal election of 2000, four ridings were won by less than 100 votes.

2. Your health could depend on it. While funding for hospitals and medical personnel comes from the federal and provincial levels, many community health services are actually provided by municipal or regional governments. And if you have an accident or emergency, remember that your municipality provides ambulance services.

3. Your safety and security could depend on it. What is the biggest operation of local government? Usually it is police and fire protection. Local politicians directly decide the level of service provided in these areas.

4. Your neighbourhood could depend on it. Dense urban growth, suburban sprawl, big box delight, speed bumps, traffic lights, parks and recreation facilities. What your neighbourhood looks like today could be changed tomorrow by one zoning by-law amendment.

5. Your property values could depend on it. Decisions on the location of sewage treatment facilities, institutional properties, group homes, even pig farms are made at the local level. Something may not smell right in your neighbourhood unless you vote.

6. Your environment could depend on it. One big issue in front of many municipalities is the use of pesticides. How much green space does our community need? Can we afford to cut down more trees to make way for more development?

7. Your taxes could depend on it. Your newly elected councils will determine the size and scope of these new levies. Their first tasks will include what services to cut and by how much. Soon you will hear - "That will not be enough to deal with our budgetary situation," or "The situation is much worse than we thought."

8. Your children's education could depend on it. School boards will be looking at more than just school closures and bussing decisions - in fact, everything from A to Z in the education system will be on the table. Who are you going to trust with that responsibility?

9. Your recreation could depend on it. Whether you walk your dog, swim at the pool, skate on the outdoor rink, belong to a community garden or just visit the library with your kids, your leisure time could be greatly affected by who gets elected on November 13. We all know there is more to life than work, but we may not be able to afford to do anything if user fees are introduced or increased for public facilities.

10. Your community may depend on it.

If the other nine reasons haven't yet convinced you, then thinks about your rights as a citizen, think about the public good, think about community involvement. Do it for your own self-interest. Just so that when they bulldoze the soccer field where you walk your dog to put in a senior condo development, you can strut over to your neighbours and tell them that you voted against the Councillor who supports this project, and what the heck did they do?!? Vote for your own self-interest. Along with about 40 percent of the rest of the eligible voters, you'll feel good about it.