VOTE!!!!!!!!

I don't care if you are a

or a


Today's message is short and sweet: Tomorrow ....


Yeah, yeah, yeah, people are circulating endless emails about the evils of candidates ... whatever. I'm getting sick of them and am counting the hours until this cursed election is over.

But I want to point out this .... there are races that are probably JUST as important as the national races, yet few people pay attention to them. What are they? Local governments. City and County commissions. I covered these bodies for 3+ years as a reporter ... and it's TRAGIC how few people are actually involved in local politics .... the stuff that DIRECTLY and affects your life EVERY DAY.

Ok, for example: The City of Salina will spend almost $70 MILLION in 2009. Yup, the city has a $70 million budget. How many people came to a city commission meeting to talk with commissioners about it? Less than 5.

Cities and counties do everything from keeping the trash picked up and the sewers running to paving and reapiring the roads you drive to work on.

I won't ramble anymore, but just do yourself a favor and vote for local elections ... then when you have an issue, call or e-mail your commissioner. I guarantee they'll be more responsive than some schmuck in Washington or Topkea will be.

And in case you want to know how to gather info on local candidates, a lot of newspapers publish a voters guide ... the two I saw were in the Oct. 19 ballpark ... so if you need more info on candidates, go to your local paper's Web site or drop by the office to help select those that will be spending millions of dollars in YOUR community.