Whatever color of the political rainbow you or I subscribe to, on the purely local level, our thoughts turn to more mundane and temporal concerns like: what's going on with our sewer pipes, how's it going with water services, and is the fire department well funded. Ideally, these essential needs and concerns should not be subject to any kind of partisan analyses.

In matters that deal with police and fire protection for example, partisan leadership could lead to confusion and chaos. In short, there should be no left or right approach to dealing with municipal matters. I say, leave politics at the state and federal levels.

It is actually to the benefit of local communities to have city and county boards made up of individuals who have diverse backgrounds and beliefs. Conversely, a city or county board that features all one party is clearly not representative of community standards, and poses potential risks to democracy. Persons who are trying to forge a majority of believers on any community board are probably more interested in themselves and should consider some other pastime.

In some cities, statutes have been put on the books to cut down on the political content of municipal election campaigns such as in New York City. In California municipal elections, names only appear in the ballots. Party affiliations are left out. Therefore, because local candidates are really running on a non-partisan “ticket,” they should refrain from invoking the names of their favorite party or developing campaign strategies that are partisan-specific. On the city and county levels, people just need to know they are being served.