In hearings this week around the state, the 15 members of the working group heard numerous pleas for voting reforms, including same-day registration and tallying mechanisms that are easy to use and tamper-proof.
But the members also heard suggestions for many other initiatives, such as: efforts to encourage mentors for the 10,000 young people looking for them, a civic “welcome wagon” when new people move to town, creation of a state ombudsman or a 311 phone line for problems with state and local services, the use of volunteers to do everything from tutoring MCAS students to clearing park trails, far better efforts to help ex-convicts become productive citizens, encouraging more diversity among young people who participate in student government day, and others.
Patrick acknowledged yesterday in a telephone interview that one goal of this initiative is political — to be able to call upon organized groups of citizens to support his legislative proposals, for instance. But the larger goal, he said, is to create a two-way street in which government listens to and responds to its citizens far better, while at the same time challenging the citizens to become more involved in solving their own problems: “to get people to take greater responsibility.” Patrick said he has in mind creating a central office of civic engagement within his office of public liaison at the State House.[and who do we want? “Gimme a K… we want “Kravitz, Kravitz, Kravitz!!!” ok, now somebody else come up with the home run puns]
Since the time of the late Senator Paul Tsongas, there have been few attempts by political leaders in Massachusetts to add concrete results to the rhetoric of civic engagement. This is odd, because Boston is without question a center of social entrepreneurship. And Patrick has recruited some of the lions from that world onto his task force, including Ron Bell from Dunk the Vote, Alan Khazei from City Year, Gail Snowden from the Boston Foundation, David Kravitz from the blog BlueMassGroup, Eric Schwartz from Citizen Schools, and Tripp Jones from the Mentor Network.
There is potential here for a basic improvement in the relationship of the government to its citizens — if Patrick and his team can provide effective leadership.
© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.
I’m psyched.
If true…and it happens…(I’m predicting it will……)
<
p>
I’m volunteering to be the liaison to your office from the disability grass roots! And you don’t have to pay me……just remember my name when you see me in the halls of the Statehouse!!!!!
<
p>
I’m not joking, I’m already wearing so many hats, what’s one more? Especially when it’s the passion of my life and I’m out there every day any way.
<
p>
I think the whole idea is fantastic and seems very do-ABLE!
<
p>
And the possibilities are just flying around in my head already.
<
p>
Please keep me in mind… after all you and BMG…created this new blog beast! But I’ll have to go back to my old handle – Diva on Wheelz!
<
p>
You’ve got my vote!!!!! Give me a K!
<
p>
Barb
I care a lot about giving people a sense of ownership in their government, but I have developed a pretty jaundiced view over the years. When I saw this whole Transition Hoo Ha, I assumed it was a slightly better (or better-publicized) version of the same old transitions we had seen in the past.
<
p>
If there is going to be active follow-up, an ongoing effort to keep people engaged and a sustained dialogue that educates and promotes responsibility, then this really is something new. The fact that our new Governor is making civic engagement a personal mission – and will speak to it as a tool and a goal of his administration – is essential to making this work.
<
p>
The political culture in Massachusetts needs a shake-up. Regular folks need to understand and believe in the institutions of the Commonwealth. State government has been reduced to a way to get your brother-in-law a job at the Turnkpike, or that mysterious pork barrel that never seems to send enough money for schools. Massachusetts has the oldest Constitution in the world, for Pete’s sake. We should all have a stake in it and put it to work to solve problems.