Pawtucket Ain't Boston

Okay, time to bang the keyboards a bit.

In truth, I have been doing that.  I have a draft piece that I have been working on.  Not a 100% sure why I have held it back.  Perhaps that is partly due to the fact the pundit in me wants to wait until the upcoming race becomes at least semi-official, i.e. people take papers out.

For all intents and purposes we have three "official campaigns" and a fourth getting close.  No chatter on the fifth.  

Yes I know, five announcements.  So five campaigns right?  Well, being a bit technical, and also giving a bit of leeway, applying a "pundit" standard, until they start actually raising money, I go with the exploratory level.

The incumbent had a fundraiser some time ago.  One of the challengers has one as soon as tonight I believe.  Another challenger has one announced in two weeks. A third challenger rumored to have one in the advanced planning stages.

Funding raising is always interesting in this town.  Always a plant or two from other campaigns or persons exploring options.  Usually will find some people who go to all of them.  And always a very necessary evil in an election.

Costs money, even at this level, to get elected.

And as we all know, everything costs money.  Something tells me we are going to be reminded of that when we get around to implementing our new form of government.  Me thinks that those who knew best when floating the concept didn't quite know about the market costs.

Anyway ... not to worry, because at least for FY 2017, relying on some guess work, figures used and further guess work about how low the figures we are told will be and how often those low figures are not quite so low,we are going to be flush with money for FY 2017.

One of the true benefits to the very unique system we implemented will be the requirements of what is suppose to be presented in terms of the financials for the town.  Under our old tried and true method, you had to be a dentist to get information, because it was like pulling teeth at times.

The last several years there was some significant improvement though.  Due in part to a desire by those who more recently holding office and who are ultimately held accountable realizing it was in the town's best interest to open the books a bit more and finally develop actual policy, and due in part to more expertise in extractions.

Anyway, the predictions of the sky actually falling will most likely have to take a back seat to we have to prevent the end of the world.

This particular year in year out problem now not being a problem I have to address in any capacity other than a concerned citizen, or even simply as a pundit, is a rather great stress relief.  No more fine lines to deal with. No more balancing acts. 

The most immediate question for us all, is how those who seek the throne intend to proceed.  We have indications from the incumbent based on prior action.  The pat answer from the challengers is most likely to be hard work, study, develop a plan, implement, and least I forget the always, "I can do a better job".

Well in truth, if they can't, they shouldn't be running right?  And if they can, they should be able to tell us how they intend to do it. 

Despite what any person wants to tell you, the office of the selectmen is the Major Leagues. Everything else in town is part of the farm system.  Sometimes it is obvious that it is time to replace a player in the lineup.  The job of the folks competing for a spot is to prove to management, i.e. this case the voters, that they are actually going to be an improvement.

Time will tell if someone in the farm system has the stuff it takes.

Until next time.