Whither HOA?
It was asked in another forum if the Hooker Oak Alliance has a plan for the future. I can't speak for the entire organization, although I find myself increasingly in that role. But I feel confident my fellows would agree that we do.
I would qualify that by saying that there is a plan to develop a plan for the future. We've accomplished a great deal in the last year or so, and clearly there is much more to do going forward.
The good news is that the campaign for '08 begins today, and we have two years to make progress. We need to broaden our base of support, both in terms of wider perspective and in terms of financial contributions. We need a lot more $25 donors, for one thing, and I think we need to get more input on priorities from the tradesman, the merchant, and the other small business owners who are the backbone of our economy. We've presumed to represent their interests, and if we've failed, it is in not encouraging more involvement from them in both the ideological and economic domains.
But we have a strong, durable organization with committed people willing to roll up their sleeves and put in the hours to get things accomplished. We're learning how to conduct a political campaign OJT, and perhaps that's not the fastest or most efficient way to develop that expertise, but it's like picking up a cat by the tail; some lessons can only be learned in one way (but hopefully, only once). We got a lot of scratches on our arms last night, and I think we're substantially wiser than we were even 48 hours ago.
But regardless of how we approach seating policy makers in future elections, we will continue to contribute to the deliberation. We're going to continue to attend public meetings, speak up for our priorities, and challenge the council and the commissions to consider all Chico stakeholders when making critical decisions. We will make a difference, albeit a more incremental and less dramatic one than we might have with a new majority.
The future is determined by the people who show up. Clearly our colleagues in the opposition showed up last night. We will continue to do so, as well. However disappointed we may be at the final tally (and that is still a moving target), we expect to work with the new council, and we expect them to work with us. We are the citizens whose interests they are privileged to serve, and as we've learned over the years, the people who appear before the council and give testimony have a significant influence on the debate. We may be on the other side of the podium, but we will continue to be a voice for positive change in city government.