by Chris Basten

  Attending my first city council meeting within my own community was a good learning experience for me. I came in with an arrogant attitude thinking that I would be able to spot all of the futility and excess of local government and then I would swagger on out with an "I knew I was right" kind of disposition. Though I did verbalize some discontent under my breath, I was able to control myself enough to listen and learn.

Eden Prairie, MN is a bustling Minneapolis suburb that is facing a lot of growth and plenty of new development. Traffic, business, and housing is booming in the area and is creating a generous tax base for the city. When I came into the meeting, I was prepared to encounter snotty board members who were going to squabble over which project deserved my money the most without my consent. Though I did sense this with one or two board members, I was rather impressed with how open they were to hearing from the public. They actually seemed to consider the concerns of local residents and the fact that it is our money they are dabbling in.

It seemed evident the amount of time the board had anguished over adding a park bond referendum. The proposal is asking for millions of dollars to build a swimming pool, the doubling of parking space, and the building of a third ice rink within the Community Center. Total costs could near $21-$24.21 million when all is said and done (if I heard correctly, that is). Based on board estimates, this would average a tax increase of $5.5-$6 per month per household. With a referendum on the ballot, the community would get to vote whether or not they want to foot the bill.

Of course, I believe in the most liberty-provoking solution. My idea is to lower taxes which would free up money for those residents to donate as much as they want to the project while doing fundraisers on the side. Private businesses would surely contribute tax-deductible donations to help solidify a community's recreational center. Having hockey-happy Eden Prairie businesses provide large sums toward the new ice rink shouldn't be that difficult. This would probably take longer than forcing every taxpayer to scoop over the extra $6 a month but it seems like a much fairer and moral solution than a majority vote that forces those who care nothing about the Community Center to give up their earnings.

In adopting this model, other communities would essentially start competing with each other for the best facilities and services all done within the realm of private, freely-offered donations. When communities start investing in private solutions like these, many citizens tend to flourish because they had to put forth their own effort and dedication in making projects like these happen. When a personal investment is involved, it tends to result in higher levels of respect and pride for one's neighborhood. The old standby, that is, begging the local government to give you a share of the taxpayers' loot, results in trying to impress and schmooze instead of innovate and invest.

This is the exact reason why government, assuming its existence is necessary, should remain as large as the local sectors of our communities. City council boards are comprised of individuals who live and associate within the community they serve. State and federal governments contain nothing but bureaucrats who beg for money like people who cannot or will not put forth the effort to take care of themselves. They live in mansions and go to expensive dinners to kiss the asses of people who will make them richer or more famous. In addition, state and federal governments can never have enough of our money because they don't know how to be responsible with capital that has not been earned with their own sweat and tears. State and federal governments have enough guards, weapons, and fenced-in safety to keep the irate mobs far away. City council boards at least have to show some responsibility because angry people can find out where they live with relative ease.

At the very least, my attendance at the city council meeting taught me that I do not know everything and that local efforts to organize city planning are more sensible and moral than larger forms of tyrannous governments will ever hope to be. Any government association has room for rampant abuse but the odds of containing it are much higher when those board members actually live in the community they assist. City council members have much more incentive to do what they can to preserve individual rights lest they be chased out of town with torches and pitchforks.

Despite this realization, the anarchist in me thinks that local residents still do not have what they need to maintain liberty. Eminent domain abuse has become an epidemic in communities around the nation and it is done so quietly that hardly anyone ever notices. By the time one recognizes the threat, the city planning department is already surveying how they can move your house down 8 blocks to make room for the new government-subsidized housing that will fill the vacancy.

If we are to preserve private property ownership, the foundation of liberty, it is imperative that we find out what our city council members are proposing for our homes and communities. Stopping state and federal intrusion begins at home. If you want to learn how to maintain your liberty, go to a city council meeting. Yeah, they're dry and boring but what you will learn may mean the difference between living in the home of your dreams or the efficiency apartment you detest. Our local governments collect taxes regardless. It's up to us to hold them accountable with our money because we know they sure as hell won't do it on their own. A community united in holding the local government responsible is on the path toward preserving liberty. Let us never grow weary in treading this path.