Fresh Ideas: When candidates come knocking, be prepared

I know, I know, I know. It's summer time and you don't want to think about it.

Politics seems like a remote and slightly fuzzy dream this time of year. I don't blame you but there will be a unique opportunity this summer to interact with the candidates running for political office. The primary will be held on Sept. 5 and early voting begins on Aug. 19, so you will need to be prepared to make a decision by the end of summer.

In Carson City, we are fortunate in that we still meet our local candidates up close and personal. They attend the meetings of various organizations, they hold coffees and socials and they will most likely knock on your door. Over the years there have been numerous times when a candidate has been standing at my door, and I could not think of one single question that I wanted to ask. Of course, after they go down the street, I can always think of a half dozen well-reasoned questions.

I think that we do ourselves, our candidates and our community a service when we ask well-informed, relevant questions. As the candidates campaign this summer, they learn about the concerns of voters. This is a time for the people to identify the issues that touch their daily lives. The people who run for political office at the local level want and need this input.

I am suggesting that you think about your concerns now and consider which political office can most directly affect a solution to your problem. Who has jurisdiction? Is it an issue that is governed by the Nevada Revised Statutes or is it a local matter controlled by city ordinance?

For instance, it is futile to ask a candidate for city supervisor what his or her position on abortion is as this is governed by state statute and has no relevance for the position for which the candidate is running. Once you have determined what is relevant, any question is fair game.

Many of you have specific concerns regarding storm drainage, street repair or realignment, golf course fees, senior center administration, or airport infrastructure and usage. Ask your candidates where they stand on these issues. It will help them to define their positions and prepare them to deal with these problems should they be elected.

My concerns are more global. I like to see candidates elected who can provide leadership, and that requires vision. At the city level, we have a city manager and city employees to implement the basic obligations of a municipality.

What we need from our elected officials, the mayor and the board of supervisors, is vision; the ability to look into the future and to formulate a view of how they want Carson City to look in five years, 10 years or longer.

I want a candidate who has considered what economic and tax base will be required to finance city services now and in the future. What city services need to be added or deleted? What types of development do we want or need to sustain the level of city services desired?

What is their vision for downtown? How do they plan to solve the transportation and traffic problems? So when you receive the knock on the door, be prepared and ask away.

After you have asked your well-informed, relevant questions, thank them for running for public office. Candidates make an enormous sacrifice. They spend long hours campaigning, away from their families and businesses.

In addition, they suffer a loss of privacy and undergo a level of public scrutiny that is tantamount to a proctologist examination in the middle of the mall. Given the level of commitment required, we are fortunate to have candidates to choose from for public offices.

(Linda E. Johnson is a wife, mother, attorney and a 25-year resident of Carson City. She has observed and worked in political campaigns for most of the elections held in those 25 years.)