Your government
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Jamie Gardner
From time to time, I like to remind readers who is in charge when it comes to our government. It is you, the taxpayer or citizen. That’s right, if you pay taxes, you are the boss. Some government officials, both elected and appointed, would like for you to believe otherwise.
“Public” government buildings, facilities, parks, vehicles, equipment, and more would not be possible without taxpayers. That’s why they are considered “public.” Again, some government officials believe they are their personal buildings, their personal vehicles, their personal parks, etc. They are “public” assets.
It has always been amazing to me to watch folks get elected to office and then turn into something totally different than the person who campaigned for the office. Once elected, they somehow develop a persona that they are superior to the people who elected them. To those elected or appointed officials who feel this way, you are no more important than the people who elected you or the people you represent. A state senator once told me that he knew better than the people who elected him. I stood there speechless that this man had the audacity to say that. Luckily, he did not serve much longer after he made that statement.
I continue to see more and more corruption in government on the local, state, and federal levels. Do I believe backroom deals are made here in Appling County? Probably. Do I believe there is cronyism? Yes. Taxpayers have a responsibility to hold our officials accountable. Attend public meetings, make public records requests, or just reach out to your representative when you believe they are doing something wrong.
In case you are wondering what meetings are public…
State law states that the term ‘Agency’ means:
- Every state department, agency, board, bureau, office, commission, public corporation, and authority
- Every county, municipal corporation, school district, or other political subdivision of this state;
- Every department, agency, board, bureau, office, commission, authority, or similar body of each such county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision of the state;
- Every city, county, regional, or other authority established pursuant to the laws of this state;
- Any nonprofit organization to which there is a direct allocation of tax funds made by the governing body of any agency as defined in this paragraph, which constitutes more than 33 1/3 percent of the funds from all sources of such organization.
The term ‘Meeting’ means:
- The gathering of a quorum of the members of the governing body of an agency at which any official business, policy, or public matter of the agency is formulated, presented, discussed, or voted upon; or
- The gathering of a quorum of any committee of the members of the governing body of an agency or a quorum of any committee created by the governing body at which any official business, policy, or public matter of the committee is formulated, presented, discussed, or voted upon.
- Except as otherwise provided by law, all meetings shall be open to the public.
Again, this is your government, and you have the power to hold your government accountable for its actions.
