Anyone complaining about this or that policy, party, premier, has a serious problem. One government looks very much like the last. The lack of dynamic change is the problem
haha, Bureaucracy is the biggest organization in our lives and the one that most impacts our daily lives. Everything we do, everything we touch. And it's not good enough to just saw we're for or against. Even the discussion of change is dangerous to politicians and citizens alike.
Both are balanced; recognizing that there is no world without bureaucracy and that we actually love parts of it. But there is no infinite good. We may love cake, but there's always the potential for too much of a good thing.
The discussion of bureaucracy will always be about keeping it in balance, in proportion, and in check.
we have rational and fair governance upside down, which gives the well-to-over-paid entrenched bureaucracies too much power in the situation. give them so much less to do/be concerned with, that the positions can't be justified. divide the appropriate funding among the municipalities according to a complex but transparent formula that would allow municipalities to decide their own priorities of care and action. Tiny example: there are back roads in our municipality going to & from some of the best areas for food and forest production, that are is such poor condition that travel on them is discouraging for producers going to market or consumers wishing to go to producers...not to mention the frustration of folks who happen to live (or reject living there because of road conditions) in these areas in general. Municipalities know about these roads. Fix the damned roads! But of course they can't, having neither the means nor the jurisdictional authority to do so. When a bridge washes out or becomes unsafe there is a clear and immediate need for replacement, no need to hesitate. Yet we've seen in recent years it taking well over a year to replace small but essential bridges. We have also witnessed a local earth-moving business owner/operator taking his own equipment to the task to prevent a bridge wash-out. The Feds & provs can set over-arching aims & goals, but true democracy is served best by those who are in the closest position to know what is needed and wanted.
Municipal governments in most the western world are financed almost wholly by property taxes and related taxes (area rates, deed transfer taxes, etc.) and this finances municipal infrastructure including local roads, etc.
Make sure the property and other tax regimes are fair, don't intentionally privilege, punish or ignore any of the constituency. Continually invite constituency participation-it isn't sufficient to say "our council meetings are open to all", there needs consistent and frequent be direct invitation and incentives offered (First Nations generally offer food/drink/door-prizes!).
Allow and SUPPORT different places/constituencies in being different. If we've learned anything in the past 50 years it is that bigger isn't always better; efficiency & uniformity don't always trump individuality/quality and often suppress creativity, spontaneity, enthusiasm. Not incidentally, nature's program for resilience is diversity. Allow it. Promote it.
To speak more directly to the question of where the means could come from rather than straight undifferentiated taxation: expand recognition and acceptance of in-kind
contributions. Volunteer fire-fighter/first responders are one of our greatest social successes and assets. Only recently have members been given a little individual monetary encouragement, better training & equipment, in recognition of the essential services rendered at enormous financial savings to the Province/taxpayers. This example illustrates how civic-mindedness coupled with appropriate government support can lead to exceptional service capability at a fraction of what tax$ would be if a uniform hired private enterprise system were adopted & enforced. We could do some & more of this with institutional food, residential construction, health-care options, transportation, regional PR, education...the volunteer and alternative wings of so many things. IMO we already in NS & our municipalities do a great deal of these things in these ways, but would do well to expand and further recognize/encourage/centre this direction that fuses civic-mindedness, localized need and capability and public recognition and reward for services rendered.
You're forcing me to think about stuff! Oh no; the pain of it all!
I am now reading about bureaucracy in the private and public sectors and what makes them tick.
I hope this doesn't become a journey down the Wikipedia theoretical rabbit hole!
haha, Bureaucracy is the biggest organization in our lives and the one that most impacts our daily lives. Everything we do, everything we touch. And it's not good enough to just saw we're for or against. Even the discussion of change is dangerous to politicians and citizens alike.
I have two fave books on the subject.
https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/greaves-bureaucracy
https://www.amazon.ca/Utopia-Rules-Technology-Stupidity-Bureaucracy/dp/1612195180
Both are balanced; recognizing that there is no world without bureaucracy and that we actually love parts of it. But there is no infinite good. We may love cake, but there's always the potential for too much of a good thing.
The discussion of bureaucracy will always be about keeping it in balance, in proportion, and in check.
we have rational and fair governance upside down, which gives the well-to-over-paid entrenched bureaucracies too much power in the situation. give them so much less to do/be concerned with, that the positions can't be justified. divide the appropriate funding among the municipalities according to a complex but transparent formula that would allow municipalities to decide their own priorities of care and action. Tiny example: there are back roads in our municipality going to & from some of the best areas for food and forest production, that are is such poor condition that travel on them is discouraging for producers going to market or consumers wishing to go to producers...not to mention the frustration of folks who happen to live (or reject living there because of road conditions) in these areas in general. Municipalities know about these roads. Fix the damned roads! But of course they can't, having neither the means nor the jurisdictional authority to do so. When a bridge washes out or becomes unsafe there is a clear and immediate need for replacement, no need to hesitate. Yet we've seen in recent years it taking well over a year to replace small but essential bridges. We have also witnessed a local earth-moving business owner/operator taking his own equipment to the task to prevent a bridge wash-out. The Feds & provs can set over-arching aims & goals, but true democracy is served best by those who are in the closest position to know what is needed and wanted.
Municipal governments in most the western world are financed almost wholly by property taxes and related taxes (area rates, deed transfer taxes, etc.) and this finances municipal infrastructure including local roads, etc.
What should be different?
Make sure the property and other tax regimes are fair, don't intentionally privilege, punish or ignore any of the constituency. Continually invite constituency participation-it isn't sufficient to say "our council meetings are open to all", there needs consistent and frequent be direct invitation and incentives offered (First Nations generally offer food/drink/door-prizes!).
Allow and SUPPORT different places/constituencies in being different. If we've learned anything in the past 50 years it is that bigger isn't always better; efficiency & uniformity don't always trump individuality/quality and often suppress creativity, spontaneity, enthusiasm. Not incidentally, nature's program for resilience is diversity. Allow it. Promote it.
To speak more directly to the question of where the means could come from rather than straight undifferentiated taxation: expand recognition and acceptance of in-kind
contributions. Volunteer fire-fighter/first responders are one of our greatest social successes and assets. Only recently have members been given a little individual monetary encouragement, better training & equipment, in recognition of the essential services rendered at enormous financial savings to the Province/taxpayers. This example illustrates how civic-mindedness coupled with appropriate government support can lead to exceptional service capability at a fraction of what tax$ would be if a uniform hired private enterprise system were adopted & enforced. We could do some & more of this with institutional food, residential construction, health-care options, transportation, regional PR, education...the volunteer and alternative wings of so many things. IMO we already in NS & our municipalities do a great deal of these things in these ways, but would do well to expand and further recognize/encourage/centre this direction that fuses civic-mindedness, localized need and capability and public recognition and reward for services rendered.