POLITICS AT IT'S REAL GRASS ROOTS

Sid Salter is one of Mississippi's top political writers. It wasn't long ago since he plied his trade --- and wrote his column --- from the small Scott County town of Forest, where he owned the local weekly newspaper. His insights on state politics were syndicated statewide. In recent years Mr. Salter has sold the Forest newspaper, but still writes his column for the state's flagship newspaper in Jackson, The Clarion-Ledger.

This week he touches on local politics, as the state's 296 municipalities head to the polls on May 3 to elect new officials. Much of what he writes could easily refer to Florida, as I'm taking the liberty to reprint a slightly edited version of it here, only eliminating the paragraphs that specifically refer to the Magnolia State election. Words or phrases using the [] brackets refer to those I have changed from a Mississippi to Florida reference. You can read Sid Salter's original column here.

How's President Bush doing on domestic issues? What about the price of gas?

Get out of Iraq? Stay? What's the exit strategy?

Analyses of those and other burning questions about national and international government and politics are as close as CNN or Fox News or this newspaper or that talk radio station you listen to on the way to work each morning.

Insomniacs can surf the Web at 2 a.m. in search of online updates. News, fresh news, news that's "fair and balanced" or just regular, garden-variety news is available at your fingertips 24/7.

One need do nothing more strenuous than flip the cable TV dials to become at the very least an unwilling voyeur of the non-stop news cycle debates of national and world politics.

But for many [Floridians] the nuances of Middle East policy aren't on their radar screens. They could care less about the fate of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate. The complexities of the European Union don't interest them, either.

Real life, real local issues

But they do care whether the ditches near their homes drain effectively. They do care whether or not the streets in front of their homes need paving.

They know whether or not their neighborhood is a high-crime area and they know whether or not their property taxes are increasing.

How's the water? How's the water pressure? What about fire protection? Do the tornado warning sirens sound when there's danger?

You want a myriad of complex issues?

Take your pick: There's a dead dog in the road. There's a live dog in the road biting the meter man. Or "it's my dog, and you better leave that #@*&$*#% alone if you know what's good for you!"
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The [Florida] Legislature has [160] elected members to make laws for the state, but many state residents don't have a clue who represents them at the state Capitol and could care less.

But most [Floridians]— voters or non-voters — know the identity of their mayor and their city [commissioner]. Most of them know their mayor or [commissioner's] home phone number as well — and have no compunction about dialing that number at 11 p.m. if there's a water leak or a sewer pipe break or other problem.

Municipal elected officials are the government out where the rubber meets the road. They get their hands, feet and vehicles dirty doing the people's business.

Those officials don't get time off. If they go to the grocery store, somebody wants to talk city business — or at church or a funeral or a high school football game. That goes with the turf.

Get out and vote...to elect good leaders for your cities. Between now and then, ask for their home phone numbers. Call early, call often.

And one other piece of advice: If you don't know who your city commissioner is --- or, for that matter, your county commissioner as well as your state senator and representative --- find out...and get his/her phone number(s). That's right: Office, home, cellular. And remember, as Mr. Salter made clear...Call early, call often!