Get involved in your local government

The results of local elections have a more immediate impact on people’s lives than do state and national contests.

In the coming days you’ll be urged to vote in the Nov. 5 election. After all, local races may not usually generate as much excitement as contests for president, seats in Congress and major statewide posts, but the results have a more immediate impact on people’s lives.

Yes, it’s important to vote for school directors, township supervisor, borough council members, etc. But voting should be just the beginning of taking interest in local affairs. Too often that’s not the case.

Last week a nearby school district — the Exeter School Board in Berks County — held a community forum as part of an effort to determine spending priorities in the face of serious budget challenges.

Officials say the district could be facing a $4.79 million budget deficit next year, and simply covering it with reserve funds isn’t the solution. Some tough choices are in the offing.

“We want to arrive at a reduced budget without acrimony,” district Business Manager Anne Guydish said.

“We want to reach a consensus with the community, which has to realize the challenges we are facing.”

We have no doubt there’s no shortage of opinions regarding how much the district should spend and where it should devote its resources.

The subject is particularly relevant so close to a school board election.

Despite all this, only about 10 people came out to the forum.

We’re not going to pretend to be surprised here, considering how difficult it is to generate interest in local government. But it’s still disappointing.

Apathy regarding local government is a problem in just about every community.

We’ve seen the pattern time and time again.

People pay little attention to what’s going on with their school districts and municipal leadership.

Then a tax bill arrives or they learn of a change of which they disapprove, but it’s too late for them to express objections.

There are exceptions to this, of course. Sometimes an issue comes along that creates a groundswell of taxpayer activism. Just last week 140 people with another 150 tuned in on Facebook Live joined a public forum in the Owen J. Roberts School District in Chester County to ask questions and voice opinions about a proposal to delay school start times by 30 minutes in response to studies that suggest schedule changes can benefit adolescents’ health and academic performance.

The parents in attendance were concerned about the proposed $1.1 million cost of the change and about the effects on their families and their children’s extracurricular schedules — all issues that bring out a crowd.

Annual school budget decisions are just as important as these hot-button issues, but they don’t seem to inspire the same fervor in taxpayers.

Unless a school is slated to close or a popular program is set to be eliminated, not many people seem to notice.

Even tax increases often don’t provoke outrage while they’re in the works.

We’re certain that municipal and school leaders would be making a mistake if they interpret minimal public interest in their work as implied approval for everything they’re doing.

That attitude is likely to lead to problems sooner or later. It also contributes to cynicism on the part of many taxpayers who say they don’t participate because no one will listen.

Local leaders must continue to solicit public input, publicize those efforts to the maximum extent possible, and make it clear that what residents say is being taken seriously.

As for residents, it’s best for many to attend local meetings regularly, but at minimum they should keep an eye on their local newspaper and its website and social media to read up on what’s happening.

We urge residents to pay close attention to the work of their local leaders. And, yes, don’t forget to vote next Tuesday.