Meeting agenda

Public Priority List Developed at Meeting

Planning Document For FAIR Government Public Meetings

Statement of Purpose:

According to historian and author Doris Kearns Goodwin, America is the only country founded on the principle that people should and could govern themselves. That self-government dominated every level of human association from the smallest village to the nation’s capital. She quotes Alexis de Tocqueville, visiting America in the early 1800’s and reporting back to Europe:

“Scarcely have you descended on the soil of America when you find yourself in the midst of a sort of tumult; a confused clamor is raised on all sides; a thousand voices come to your ear at the same time, each of them expressing some social needs.  Around you everything moves:  here, the people of one neighborhood have gathered to learn if a church ought to be built; there, they are working on the choice of a representative; farther on, the deputies of a district are going to town in all haste in order to decide about some local improvements; in another place, the farmers of a village abandon their furrows to go discuss the plan of a road or school.  Citizens assemble with the sole goal of declaring that they disapprove of the course of government.”

But enough of the high-brow philosophy talk.  There’s a problem with self-governance these days.  People don’t feel in control anymore.  The last, most desperate vestage of control seems to be the cry’s of “throw the bums out”.  Of course, they are not bums (our government officials), and “throw out” is violent language.

Hostile attitudes from one side of the equation (the people) will undoubtedly be reflected by the other side of the equation (officials), and we get what we deserve:  The public gaveled out of a public meeting, and further disintegration of the open dialogue that should be part of self-governing.

FAIR Government was founded to gather detailed government data, mostly financial data, and assemble, coordinate and educate with that data.  FAIR is proud to now take that one step further, and simultaneously bring government and people back to the public forum which de Tocqueville, and the rest of the world, found so unique about our great country.

Redundancy:

Just like there are score’s of governments on all levels, there are score’s of idea-people, passionate advocates, and good-government groups throughout the region. But one problem is a lack of communication.  Either between groups, between concerned citizens or between both and the elected officials.

FAIR Government will NOT be reinventing idea’s already proposed by others.  Using the power of television, radio and newspaper reporting, FAIR will help to coordinate these already solid idea’s and give people the power to connect and make a difference.

Format:

FAIR Government has been working behind the scenes for months to assemble elected officials, concerned and passionate citizens and the media for a “scoping session”, which will allow everyone to plot how they want to move the region forward.

Through the services of a professional facilitator, FAIR will set the stage for the general public to communicate – in a neutral location and on equal terms – with their elected representatives. The facilitator will lead everyone through a process of discovery of topics of discussion, talents needed to be in the room, and length and breadth of future meetings.

Once the groups have been assembled, it will be a community-driven event.

Conclusion:

We have issue’s in Niagara County but they are not the end of the world. We have the talent needed to pull ourselves out of decade’s of decline, and build a region we will be proud to leave behind.  It all starts with communication, mutual respect, and listening skills.

Please feel welcome to participate in mapping out what will become known as Government 2.0

More Information:

The meetings are a product of FAIR Government.  You can learn more about FAIR Government online at:

www.fair-government.org

You can write to FAIR Government at:

P.O. Box 402

Buffalo, N.Y.  14223

You can email FAIR Government at aim1986@mac.com.

Government 2.0

Priority List Coming out of the June 18^th FAIR Government 2.0 Meeting 

1.            Campaign reform

                        A.            Funding

                        B.            Fusion

2.            Ethics rules

                        A.            Conflict of interests?

B.            How do we get more private sector folks involved in elective office;

3.            Economy

                        A.            Brownfields

                        B.            Manufacturing

                        C.            Development

                        D.            NYPA

                        E.            Agriculture

                        F.            Airport

                        G.            Creating Econ. Dev. from output of our colleges

4.            Quality of Life Issues:

                        A.            Average income

                        B.            Niagara vs. the rest of the US

                        C.            NF Squalor

                        D.            Lack of prosperity

5.            Defense of our Borders

                        A.            NYPA Plant

                        B.            Bridges

                        C.            Nuke waste           

6.            Constitutionality

7.            Consolidation of services, schools, governments

                        A.            Breakout of Taxes – who pays what to whom

                        B.            Analysis/quantification of all the governments we have

8.            Political caucusing during legislative meetings

9.            IDA reform

                        A.             Continuous Tax Break Climate

                        B.            Accountability of Board

10.            Questions to and responses from Legislative Committee’s

                        A.             Proactivity – inform public before any vote of the Legislature

11.            Berger Commission and Health Care in general           

12.            Use Government 2.0 meetings to create action plans. Track results

13.            Understanding the County Budget

                        A.            Define Composition of taxes and budget

                        B.            State Mandates           

                        C.            Cost/Benefit Analysis of Government Actions