There is a mood in the country that government is ineffective and inefficient. Many people oppose taxes or any sort of tax increase because they have come to believe that they already pay too much, and any additional taxes will be wasted. National County Government Week (NCGW) April 23-29 offers an opportunity to begin the process of changing those perceptions.
This year’s NCGW theme is “Protecting Our Communities.”
Perhaps your constituents do not realize that counties actively prepare for and protect communities from natural disasters, terrorist attacks, crime and drug abuse, or that your counties also work daily to protect families, children and youth.
The natural disasters and hurricanes that struck the United States last year, especially along the Gulf Coast and in Florida, clearly show the importance county involvement in the preparation effort. The rise of methamphetamine abuse across the country illustrates how new dangers can surface quickly. The meth-abuse epidemic impacts law enforcement as well as county medical, social and environmental services.
First celebrated in 1990, NCGW was initiated to raise public awareness and understanding about the roles and responsibilities of the nation’s counties. That goal remains as strong today as it was in the first year, with these new issues as firm examples of the importance of our nation’s counties.
There are 3,066 counties in the United States, and 254 of those are in the Lone Star State. If you’d like to celebrate NCGW in your county, you may want to consider the following:
Get the Word Out
Establish a National County Government Week working committee.
The committee will initiate, organize and coordinate all activities relating to NCGW. Committee members should include a representative from county administration, a public information officer or someone to work with the media, representatives from each county department, and a representative from the school system. All areas of government should be involved in this effort.
Decide how extensive your activities will be. Plan weeklong activities or those for one, two or three days. Plan activities to reach different segments of your county
